Spectacular Spider-Man #180

Title: “The Child Within part III: Shame”

Writer: J.M. DeMatteis

Penciller: Sal Buscema

Inker: Sal Buscema

Colors: Bob Sharen

Editor: Danny Fingeroth

In another session, Dr. Kafka asks Edward what happened then. Vermin says that he fell asleep and that it is hard for him to fall asleep sometimes. Kafka asks why. Vermin says that he guesses he is afraid. Kafka asks him what he is afraid. Vermin says that it happens when he sleeps. Kafka asks him what happens. Vermin says, “the bad thing”. Kafka asks him to tell her about the bad thing. Vermin says that he can’t, and that it is too scary. Kafka tells him that there is nothing to be afraid of. Vermin sits up and slowly says, “Yes. There. Is!” as he grabs her by the neck. Kafka says Edward’s name. Vermin says that he is Vermin and not Edward. Kafka says no, but Vermin says yes. Kafka tells Edward that he is not going to hurt her. She asks him if he is. Vermin says that he told her he wouldn’t. Kafka tells Edward that she is his doctor and friend. She tells him to trust her. She says that he doesn’t need Vermin anymore. She says that she will protect him now. Vermin lets go of Kafka’s throat and says that he is so afraid. Kafka says that she knows.

Vermin lies in the sewers with rats all around him. He says, “Doctor…”

The little African-American boy lies in his bed at home and says, “Mommy…”

The little boy lies on Vermin inside the sewer. Both of them say in unison, “…help me.”

Harry Osborn sits in a chair looking at old family pictures. At one side is Peter Parker’s phantom. He is dressed in full Spider-Man costume except for the mask. On the other side is Norman Osborn similarly dressed in his Goblin costume, but without the mask. Harry sees himself as a baby. He says that he was pretty cute, and that little Norman looked just like him. He sees a picture of his mother holding him. He looks at a picture of his mother and Norman walking him in a stroller and says that it is amazing to think that they were once a normal happy family. Peter says, “Normal? The Osborns? Gimme a break, Harry.” Harry sees a picture of his mother with him on the merry-go-round and tells Peter to stay out of this. Norman tells Harry to close that book, and that dredging up the past just brings up unpleasant memories. A picture is missing from the book symbolizing the death of Harry’s mother. Harry sees himself as a little boy and asks if he can’t just look at these pictures in peace. There is a picture of an angry Norman sitting at his desk. Peter asks Harry if he sees any peace in these pictures. He says that all he sees is a miserable little boy and his angry abusive father. There is a picture of Harry standing next to his father both dressed in suits. Harry tells Peter that he doesn’t know that he is talking about. He says that his father was a good father, and that he loved his mother and him. There is a picture of Harry with MJ and Gwen Stacy. Peter says that all Norman knew how to do was destroy. Harry tells Peter not to say it. Norman tells Harry to stop whining and whimpering. Harry asks them both to just leave him alone. Norman says that Harry used to do the same thing when he was a kid. He says that every time he tried to talk sense to Harry that he would run into his room sniveling and begging to be left alone. Norman says that he isn’t leaving him alone. He says that he is going to keep at him until he becomes a man. Harry says that it was so hard to talk to him when he was a kid. Peter tells Harry that he isn’t a little boy anymore and that he has to stand up to his father and tell him what he really thinks of him. He says to pay him back for all the rotten things he did to him. Harry hits Peter and tells him to keep out of this. Harry goes after Peter. He says that Peter is nothing but a troublemaker. He says that every time he and his father got to understand each other that Peter would start filling his head with his stinking lies. Norman cheers Harry on and tells him to finish what he started. He says to pound that scum through the floor. Harry tells Peter that he is scum and hits him again. Harry hits him again and Peter tells him to go ahead and beat on him. He asks if Harry thinks that will change what his father was. Harry tells him to shut up and hits Peter again. Peter says that Norman Osborn was a cold and heartless man. Harry hits him again and tells him to shut up. Peter says that he was a criminal and a murderer. Harry hits Peter again and is about to tell him to shut up again, but Peter shouts, “HE KILLED GWEN, HARRY! He killed Gwen.” Harry stops cold. He turns to Norman and says that Peter is right. He says that Peter loved Gwen. He says that he loved Gwen. He says that she was a good person that never hurt anyone. Harry tells Norman that he killed her. He asks why. Norman grabs Harry by the throat and calls him an ungrateful little brat. He asks Harry if he thinks it was easy after his mother died… running a business and looking after him. He says that he broke his back to give Harry a good home and education. He says that he broke his back for him, and that this is how he repays him… by siding with the man that killed him. Norman’s chest fills up with blood. He drops to the ground dead. Harry shouts, “Daddy!” Peter tells Harry that Norman was right about one thing and that Harry really is a whiner. Harry stands in his living room with his hands clasped over his ears. After a while he picks up the photo album and starts tearing it to shreds.

Dressed in his Spider-Man outfit, Peter stands at Ben Parker’s grave at night. He walks over and stands at his mother and father’s grave as well. As he swings away, Peter wonders what that was all about. He says that he goes out there every year with Aunt May because it makes her happy. He says that sometimes the place has meaning to him, but that other times it just seems so irrelevant. He says that Uncle Ben will always be alive in his heart, but he wonders if he needs a patch of ground and a stone to remind him of what a great man he was. A voice in Peter’s head tells him that he did it. He thinks about his parents and how he barely remembers them and that he was so young when they died. The voice tells Peter again that he did it. He says that he was so uncomfortable yesterday that he nearly jumped out of his skin. He says that was because of Vermin, and that he knew he had to stop him before he killed again. He says that for all his efforts that Vermin is still free and that Kafka nearly died. The voice again accuses Peter. He wonders what brought him back to the cemetery. He chalks it up to being restless and worried. He says that needs a reassurance from the past, but that he isn’t going to get it from the dead. He swings to May’s house and sits on the roof. He asks God to bless May and says that he doesn’t know what he would do without her.

Vermin sits in the sewer with the little boy reading his a story. He says that the two children sat down at the table with the witch. The little boy asks if the children didn’t know the lady was a witch. Vermin agrees that they didn’t know. He says that they trusted the witch. He says, “They thought…” but trails off. The little boy asks if they thought she was nice. Vermin agrees that they thought she was good and kind and didn’t know that he was evil. The little boy asks what he means by “he” and says that he thought that the witch was a lady. Vermin flashes to an image of the young boy sitting on the bed. His father sitting on the bed next to him. He says that the lady was a witch, but that ladies are good and kind. He says, “When the bad thing happens… when the witch comes… it’sss… it’sss…” Vermin flashes to an image of the boy with his father’s hand on his head. Vermin’s hand is on the young boy’s head and the boy asks, “it’s what…?” Vermin thinks to himself that he screams and screams, but that no sound comes out. He wonders why his mother doesn’t hear him.

In another session, Vermin says that he screams and screams, but that she doesn’t hear him. He asks why she doesn’t hear him. Kafka tells Vermin that she hears him. Vermin asks, “Mommy?” Kafka says that it is her and not his mother. Vermin says that he is so afraid of the bad thing. Kafka says that it was a long time ago, and that it won’t ever happen again. Vermin asks if she will protect him. Kafka says that she will. Vermin asks, “Forever and ever?” Kafka hugs Vermin and says, “Yes, Edward… for ever and ever.” Kafka watches all bandaged up. She says that she didn’t protect him though and that something happened. She wonders what pulled Edward back and pushed Vermin back out. Kafka wonders if she pushed him too hard. She says that she tried not to take him anywhere that his subconscious wasn’t prepared to go. She wonders what went wrong. She thinks about how he turned on her, and how she would be dead if it wasn’t for Spider-Man. Kafka hears a squeak and turns in fear. She sees a little mouse instead of a rat. She scoops it up in her hand.

Little Normie sleeps. Harry goes in and puts his hand on Normie’s head.

He goes in and gently kisses Liz on the lips. He leaves and smiles comes to her face.

Peter swings home. He says that he feels so much better. He says that sometimes just being in the old neighborhood, remembering what it was like living with May and Ben reminds him of how lucky he has been.  He thinks about how even when he was little that he was such a worrier. He thinks about how Ben used to just come up to him and kiss him on the forehead. Peter would ask what that was for, and Ben would tell him that it was for the crease between his eyes. He would ask Peter what a boy his age has to worry about. Peter thinks about how Ben was right. He starts to climb through the skylight, but then suddenly his spider sense starts going off. The Green Goblin floats up into view on his glider. Goblin says, “Hello… Peter.” Peter says, “Harry?” Goblin says that Harry is a twisted little lie, and that his true name is the Green Goblin. Harry throws a pumpkin bomb and says that Goblin wants Peter’s head. Peter dodges and says that he is going to have to improve his aim. Pete webs the bomb and muffles it. Spidey thinks about how Harry called him Peter and that Harry remembers his secret identity. He says that maybe it isn’t as bad as it seems. He asks Harry if this is another attempt at being a super hero. He says that they have been through this before, and that being a hero isn’t going to wipe out Norman Osborn’s sins. Goblin blasts at Spidey and shouts that his father had no sins and was a good man. Peter dodges the blast and says that it isn’t as bad as it seems… its worse. Harry says that there is no reason for their families to get involved in this, and that he doesn’t want them caught up in the middle of their little war. He says that he is going to move the battlefield away from there and that he knows Peter is going to follow him. Harry flies off. Peter thinks about the words war and battlefield.

As he swings after Harry, Peter thinks about the peace that Harry has finally found with his wife, son, and business. He says that Harry trotted out the Goblin a little while ago, but that he thought it was just an aberration. He says that Harry didn’t want to hurt anyone. He just wanted to clear his father’s name. Peter says that maybe he is just jumping the gun. Peter says that he beat Harry last time, and that maybe Harry figures that if he gets him back that Peter will go along with the idea. Peter decides that if Harry were really over the edge that he wouldn’t be moving the fight away from their families, but then wonders if that is true.

Goblin selects a site. He asks where little Peter went. He tells him to show himself. Peter listens to Harry’s voice and thinks about how much anger and hate there is in it. Harry asks Peter if he is afraid of the big bad Goblin. Peter realizes that Harry sounds like his father. Peter appears. He tells Harry that if he remembers who he is that he remembers the first time he became the Goblin. The breakdown he had. He says that Harry was sick then and that there is a good chance that he is sick now. He says that he wants to help Harry and that he doesn’t want him to go through all that pain. Harry says that he is so confused and that he doesn’t know what is happening to him. Peter says that it is all right, and that whatever is wrong that he is his friend and won’t let him down. Harry says to help him… by dying. Harry throws a pumpkin bomb at Peter again. Peter says that he thought that was too easy. He is thankful that Harry’s throw was wide again. He says that it seems he is going to have to take Harry down first and then try to help him. He thinks that it shouldn’t be too hard, and that Harry doesn’t have his father’s killer instinct. Peter starts to lose his balance. Harry asks if he is having a hard time keeping it together. He says that the vapors are seeping through his costume and into his peanut-sized brain. Peter thinks to himself that he has to hang on for Harry’s sake. Harry tells Peter that he is going to die, but not physically. He says that is too easy and that he is going to die on the inside. He says that Peter is going to suffer the way he has had to suffer all these years. Harry says that it is crucifixion of the mind whether he is ready for it or not. Peter drops to the ground unconscious. Harry says that then his pain will end and Peter’s will begin. Harry pulls Peter’s mask off. He says that this isn’t about Spider-Man and the Green Goblin. He says that this isn’t about masks and that he can see that now. He says that they have both been hiding behind masks for too long. He says that there will be no more masks… no more hiding. He says that there will just be two men named Osborn and Parker.

Tangled Web rating: 10 out of 10

Review and pictures by The Leader

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