Amazing Spider-Man #328Amazing Spider-Man #328
Title: “Shaw’s Gambit”
Writer: David Micheline
Penciller: Todd McFarlane
Inker: Todd McFarlane
Colors: Bob Sharen
Editor: Jim Salicrup
In the Nevada Desert, Hulk smashes his fist against the ground and makes a spot to sit. He thinks to himself that now he can relax and try to forget about Banner. Hulk thinks how Banner controls their body during the day, and that night time is the only time he has to be himself.
From his aircraft, Sebastian Shaw watches the Hulk. He says that Grey Gargoyle has been warning people to stay away from Yucca Flats because that is where the Hulk beat him, but that for them he just lead them right to the Hulk. Sebastian tells his pilot to approach carefully. He says that the Hulk is dangerous as well as valuable. Sebastian thinks about how a group of powerful men approached him with a proposition. They would rid him of the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club if he would eliminate Spider-Man. Sebastian says that he was intrigued, but that one of their members was Magneto, who deposed him as Black King of the Hellfire Club. He thinks how their hatred is legendary. He says that Magneto probably felt that with his new godlike powers that Spider-Man would get rid of him once and for all. Sebastian says that he isn’t stupid.
As Sebastian Shaw’s ship descends, Hulk wonders if he has to go to the moon for some privacy. Hulk grabs a large rock and starts to ask Sebastian if he wants it on his head or up somewhere, but Sebastian cuts him off. He tells Hulk that he is there to propose some business and offer him a great deal of money. Hulk says, “money?” Sebastian says, “Lots of it.” Hulk drops the rock and says, “Talk to me.” Sebastian says that he enjoys dealing with reasonable men as he and the Hulk board his aircraft.
Several hours earlier in New York,
Spider-Man is
perched on the flame on the Statue of Liberty. Peter thinks about
the terrorists inside that are threatening to blow the statue up.
He says that if this were a television show that he would switch
the channels. He thinks how stuff like this is always happening
to him, and that he has come to accept that he can’t save
the whole world. He reconsiders and decides that maybe with his
new powers that he can. He decides that maybe the question isn’t
whether he can save the world, but that if he should. He thinks
about how he may have inadvertently killed Goliath. He says that
maybe the power is too much for any mortal to wield. He decides
that if he becomes afraid to use the power that he has let it
beat him. One of the terrorists is about to take a shot when
Spider-Man grabs him. The other terrorists wonder what happened.
Spider-Man says that he happened. The terrorists all start
shooting at Spidey, but Spider-Man uses his now controlled
web-lines, like tentacles, and grabs all the terrorists. He
knocks them all out, but the one with the remote detonator. He
tells Spider-Man that he isn’t afraid to die for his cause.
Spidey says that the terrorist might not mind, but that he does.
Spider-Man webs up the bomb and then turns the webbing’s
molecular structure into that of adamantium, which contains the
blast. The terrorist asks Spider-Man who he is. Spider-Man says,
“I’m bat… ahem… I’m Spider-Man.”
Spider-Man flies away and says that the SWAT teams should be able
to take care of things from there. He says that at least no one
was killed. He decides that he had better head back to being
Peter Parker since he and Mary Jane are supposed to be meeting
Flash Thompson and his latest flame for dinner. He thinks to
himself that he wishes he had time to hitch a ride back on the
police boat. He says that flying without webs is for the birds.
Sometime later, in the restaurant at the top of the World Trade Center, Flash introduces Amber, “the love of my life”. Amber doesn’t even look up, but just complains about the steak being cooked too much. MJ asks Flash how his boxing career is going. Flash is saying that it is going slow, but he is cut off as Amber complains to the waiter that the meat is burnt. The waiter says that it is only slightly more cooked than the one she sent back for being too rare. She says that she doesn’t care and that she wants another. Amber says that the place is a dump, and that they will probably gripe when she lights up just because it is a no smoking section. Flash says that he and Amber are going to see a movie and ask if they want to come. MJ says, “No! I… I mean we’d love to, but I have a pre-dawn call for a location shoot tomorrow!” Pete says that he is going with her. Flash says that maybe some time later. Pete thinks to himself that as long as he leaves “Miss Congeniality” at home.
At 5 AM, the cast of Secret Hospital assembles in Battery Park. MJ says that she hopes Peter doesn’t get bored. Pete says not to worry and that he is fascinated. Suddenly Peter’s spider-sense goes off. He uses his close-up vision and sees the Hulk dropping out of an aircraft. He asks someone to tell his wife that he had to leave because something came up.
Hulk lifts a truck over his head. He thinks
that he has nothing against Spider-Man, but that for the kind of
money Shaw is offering that he would off himself. He recalls how
Shaw told him that the Avengers and the others would be busy, and
that he could call Spidey out with a commotion. Hulk throws the
truck, but it is caught by Spider-Man’s web. Hulk says that
is a new trick, but that it won’t save him from getting
“pulped”. Spider-Man asks why he came there just to
fight. Hulk says that it is for the best reason… money.
Spidey wonders if a bounty is the reason people have just been
attacking him out of the blue. Hulk hits the building Spider-Man
is stuck on. Spider-Man thinks to himself that he doesn’t
care why, and that he is sick of being a target for any reason.
Spider-Man launches into Hulk and grinds him along the ground.
Hulk thinks to himself that Spider-Man is stronger than he
remembers, and that he had better stop pulling his punches.
Suddenly Hulk begins to feel the change coming on. Hulk says that
this is too soon. He says that he was so busy with the job that
he forgot the sun comes up three hours earlier in New York. Hulk
says that he better get away before he changes all the way. Hulk
slams into an ambulance. 
He leaps away
and says, “Roosevelt Island! The ruins! Tomorrow night,
web-slinger!” Spider-Man asks the ambulance drivers if they
are okay. They say that they are okay, but that the stab victim
in the back needs an ER. Spider-Man says that he will get one.
Spidey grabs the patient out of the back and flies off. The
ambulance guys see Spider-Man flying and ask if they slept
through something.
In a nearby alleyway, Bruce Banner curses the Hulk and wonders what he has gotten him into this time.
At Empire State University, Peter doodles the Hulk getting hung on his notebook. He can’t concentrate on the lecture and says that it is hard to worry about failing physics when you aren’t sure if you’ll survive long enough to take the final exams.
Bruce calls out of work with an upset stomach. He says that he has to go as a cop approaches. Bruce wonders if the cop saw him bum the quarter. Bruce says, “Guess that’s enough sun! Better get back to the office!” The cop thinks that he might be a fruitcake, but that he is a creative fruitcake.
Sebastian Shaw reads the paper and says that it seems the Hulk has failed. He says that he doesn’t want to waste too much time on this. He says that he will give Hulk one more chance.
Spider-Man swings to Hulk’s destination. He says that at least they shouldn’t have any trouble with uninvited guests. Spidey misses two kids sneaking a smoke that they stole from one of the kids’ mother’s purses. Hulk tries to hit Spider-Man with a rock, but Spidey dodges it. Hulk says that he is glad that Spider-Man showed up and that he hates beating on cowards. Spidey thinks to himself that the real reason he showed up was because he was afraid the Hulk would come looking for him if he didn’t, and that at least there wouldn’t be any innocents hurt. Hulk hits the ground. Spider-Man leaps into the air and into Hulk. Hulk asks Spider-Man if he has been working out since he nearly felt that. Spider-Man leaps over Hulk and says that Hulk is stubborn enough to keep at this until one of them is in pieces. He wishes that he had some way of slowing him down. Suddenly a beam of light flashes from Spider-Man’s eyes into Hulk’s face. Spider-Man is surprised by another new power. Hulk grabs a steal beam and comes at Spider-Man. The two smoking kids come at Hulk and tell him to leave Spider-Man alone. Hulk thinks to himself that he better scare the “nosy rugrats away”. Spider-Man sees Hulk raising his girder at the kids and thinks he is going to hurt them. Spider-Man shouts, “No!” and hits Hulk. Hulk goes flying higher and higher. Spidey thinks that he has to come down sometime.
Hulk holds his breath and says that the “blasted web-slinger” knocked him into orbit. Hulk says that the cold doesn’t bother him, and that though he can hold his breath a long time, eventually dawn is going to come. Hulk says that when he becomes Banner that the only question is if he will freeze, suffocate, or explode. Hulk says that his money is on exploding.
The kids ask Spider-Man what if the Hulk never comes down. Spidey says that he was wondering that himself. He wonders if there are limits to his new power and decides that he better find out. Spider-Man flies off. The kids say that if he is going to pull stunts like that, that he better start wearing a cape.
Hulk watches as the sun starts to rise. He is surprised to feel someone grab him from behind and drag him back to Earth. Hulk tells Spider-Man that if he is looking for thanks that he can forget it. He says that he would have saved himself somehow. He says that it was a nice gesture though so he won’t kill him. As Hulk leaps away, Spider-Man wonders if he can even die.
The next day, Peter tells MJ that he may have killed Goliath and that he almost killed the Hulk. He says that he hates this new power and wishes it would go away.
Shaw says that Banner is confused and that it should keep him docile on his way back to Nevada. Shaw says that the Hulk is the least of his problems and that Spider-Man’s new powers might prove to be a threat against his own plans. He says that he should look into the powers and that maybe he can make them go away.
Tangled Web rating: 9 out of 10
I enjoyed the Acts of Vengeance storyline (even if Peter David’s notion that the villains should have just all teamed up and gone and killed the heroes together made more sense). I also like how Sebastian Shaw was supposed to kill Spider-Man, but that he still delegated it out to the Hulk. Todd McFarlane on the gray Hulk and on Spider-Man? How cool is that. His Hulk and Banner are even better than when he was on the Hulk book. 5 out of 5 for the art.
Review and pictures by The Leader
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