Web of Spider-Man #44

Title: “Reunion”

High roller: Peter David

Croupier: Alex Saviuk

Box cars: Keith Williams

Seven comes eleven: Gregory Wright

Crapped Out: Jim Salicrup

As Spider-Man swings in Las Vegas his spider sense goes off. Spidey knows that he is in someone’s line of fire. He sticks to the wall to look around, but the sense goes away. He swings off thinking to himself that whatever set it off has probably just begun.

Delta, a mohawked man wearing an eye patch, says that he doesn’t know what Spider-Man is doing in Las Vegas, but that when he swung through his sights that he seemed to know that he was briefly a target. He says that he had better be careful, and that the last thing they need is to drag an outsider into the survival games of War Zone.

As Peter swings along, he thinks about how he originally had doubts about the book deal with Peter Parker promoting the book of photos about Spider-Man, but that he has to admit that it has worked out. He says that with the religious cults, crazy costumes, Silver Sable, and adjusting to married life that this is just the vacation he needed… and at the publisher’s expense. He thinks about Betty and hopes that she is all right. He decides that maybe he will call the east coast after he’s done with the show. He decided to focus on getting to the show on time.

In a bar and grill, Alpha tells Charlie that it has been too long, and that he loves her haircut. Charlie asks if that is all he loves about her. Alpha says after the games. Bravo asks if either of them has seen Delta. He says that Warzone only gets together once a year, and that he should be there for pre-game noshing. Alpha says that Bravo knows Delta better than that. He says that he is probably skulking on roof tops, making plans, and lining up shot. He says that if how he has stayed champ for four years running. Bravo says that this is his year. Charlie points a knife in Bravo’s face and says, “Not if I get there first!” Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie laugh. Charlie orders another round for her friends.

Marlo walks down the street thinking about what a love sick teenager she feels like, and that she is loving the feeling. She thinks about the notion that maybe it isn’t love and just a physical thing, but that when a woman is six foot three and built that just finding a man who isn’t intimidated is a godsend… even if his skin is a little weird. Marlo walks into the Coliseum. Marlo knocks on Mr. Fixit’s door. She thinks about the fact that this is the first time she’s come over without him inviting her, but that he will probably be thrilled to see her and wonders who wouldn’t be. She thinks about how cool it is that he gets to live in a penthouse as part of his job. Fixit opens the door. Marlo says that she was watching MTV, and that they were playing Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel”. She asks if he knows what else Michael Jackson says. Fixit says, “Yeah. ‘Beat It”. He slams the door.

Alpha, Charlie, and Bravo are preparing for their game. All are watching ‘The Dinah Show’. She tells the audience to welcome Peter Palmer. Peter says that it is ‘Parker’. Dinah asks “Mr. Palmer” if she can call him Peter.

Marlo is watching the Dinah Show as well. A man is sitting next to her in a bar. He is drunk and hitting on Marlo. He says that his wife told him that she wanted to have fun in their own ways. He says that she wants to see ‘historical garbage’, but says that he had other ideas and asks if she gets his drift. Marlo looks at Peter Parker on the screen. She thinks that he is cute and wonders why she can’t fall for a normal guy like him. Dinah tells ‘Paul’ to tell her what it is like to take pictures of Spider-Man. Peter starts to answer, but Dinah cuts him off and says that it is time for a commercial.

Peter tells Dinah that he didn’t get to answer. She asks if he is tongue-tied and says that he is doing fine. Make up is called in because Peter is sweating. Peter says that it is like a sauna in there. He says to give him the Rhino over this any day. Dinah is having her teeth brushed by one of the make up people. They come out of commercial.

Charlie, Alpha, and Bravo continue getting ready and dressed in their army fatigues. Dinah says that “Paul Palmer” takes photos of costumed types fighting the kind of fights that could only happen in New York.

The drunken man asks Marlo is she wants to slip off for some entertainment while his wife is out. Dinah asks “Paul” how he gets so many great shots of Spider-Man. Peter says that he’s been real lucky, he keeps his ear to the ground, and just has a knack of knowing where he is going to be. Dinah asks if Spider-Man will be in their city anytime soon. As Marlo pours her drink into the drunken man’s lap, Peter jokes that Spider-Man will be headlining at Caesar’s Palace. Dinah makes the announcement, but Peter has to explain to her that he was joking. Marlo wonders if Peter is doing a book signing anywhere. Dinah tells everyone to come out and meet Paul and buy his book.

Alpha, Charlie, and Bravo check their weapons.

Peter is trapped in a car with a publicist who won’t stop telling Peter about all the other authors she has worked with like Robert Ludlum, Stephen King, Douglas Adams, Harlan Ellison, Anne Tyler, Anne McCaffry, Howie Weinstein, and Vanna White. She says that Alan Moore was a little scary at first.

At the store, the owner apologizes to Peter for the low turn out. He says that he doesn’t understand and that he has been publicizing it for weeks. Peter says that maybe people out here just aren’t interested in meeting authors. The owner says that when Chris Claremont was here the line was out the door, and that there was a mob for DeFalco.

Marlo walks up to the store where Peter is signing. She wants to see if he is as cute in person and that it would serve Mr. Fixit right. She thinks of his nerve slamming the door in her face. Charlie walks toward Marlo looking around for Delta. Delta is on the rooftop with a bazooka trailing Charlie.

Inside, a kid is trying to get Peter to sign a copy of Star Brand and asks what John Byrne is really like. Peter’s spider sense goes off again.

Delta fires his bazooka. Charlie leaps out of the way of the blast. Marlo asks what is going on and if she is okay. Charlie smacks Marlo and sends her head first into a lamppost. Marlo slumps to the ground with her head bleeding. Delta tells Charlie that it is a fine day for dying and fires his bazooka again. Charlie leaps through the window of the book store Peter is signing in. Peter runs off to change into Spider-Man. Charlie fires her crossbow at Delta. Delta dodges. He tells Charlie to get a man’s weapon and fires the bazooka again. Charlie fires an arrow at the shell and blows it up in Delta’s face. Spider-Man stands behind Charlie and tells her that was a cute trick. Charlie says that lunatic was trying to kill her. Spider-Man tells her that she isn’t dressed for Sunday brunch, but asks what lunatic she means. Charlie points to where Delta was, but Delta is gone. Spider-Man’s spider sense goes off. Spider-Man webs up two shells heading straight for them. The shells explode. Delta holds a car over his head. He tells Spider-Man that he should have stayed out of it, and that it was a private fight. Delta throws the car at Spider-Man. Spider-Man catches the car and asks how he was supposed to know it was private. Spider-Man throws the car back at Delta, but he hits it with another bazooka shell and blows it up. Spider-Man shields himself and Charlie with a web shield. Delta runs off at about 40 miles per hour. Charlie shouts for him to get back there. Delta says that it is time to buzz off and even the odds. Spider-Man is about to take off after Delta, but he sees Marlo injured. He sees that she is barely breathing. Spider-Man hits Delta with a spider tracer. Spidey picks up Marlo. He tells Charlie that there is a hospital a few blocks from there. He says that he is taking her there and that then the two of them will go after “laughing boy”. Charlie says that she will stay there and thinks to herself that she wouldn’t pass on such an effective decoy.

Spider-Man wonders why trouble always hits wherever he goes. Spidey drops Marlo at the emergency room and starts to run off. The check in nurse asks where he is going. Spidey says that he is going to make sure that no one else has to check in. Mona spots Marlo. She asks what happened. Marlo says that a woman in fatigues with knives clobbered her. She asks Mona if she is going to die. Mona says that not while she is on duty. A doctor rushes in. Mona says that she is her roommate and asks if she will be all right. The doctor says that it isn’t the time. He tells her to go back to her station and that he will call her if he needs her.

Mona calls Mr. Fixit at the Coliseum. She introduces herself as Marlo’s roommate and tells Fixit that Marlo was hurt by a woman in fatigues. Fixit says, “So she’s hurt. What’s it to me?” Mona shouts at Fixit that Marlo really likes him, and that the least he could do is care about her. Mona says that she should have known because Marlo always falls for creeps. Fixit crushes the phone in his hand.

Spider-Man swings along as Charlie holds onto him. She tells him that the man’s name is Delta. She says that Delta was her boyfriend and a lunatic. She says that they are both mercenaries, but that she got tired of working with him. She says that he was erratic and unpredictable and that you don’t want someone like that watching your back. She says that she broke it off with him a few months ago and that he has been pestering her ever since. Spider-Man says that what he did is a little more than pestering. Spider-Man tracks his tracer near the Coliseum. Charlie rushes in, but the doorman tries to stop Spider-Man. Spidey says that he is trying to stop a crazy man. The doorman says that Spider-Man is the only crazy man there. He tells him to go or he will call Mr. Fixit on him. Spider-Man asks if he is going to sick his plumber on him. Spider-Man’s spider sense goes off. He yells for Charlie to duck as Spidey tackles the doorman. Gunfire blasts out of the elevator. Spider-Man asks if this is another one as Alpha is standing there with a machine gun. Spidey asks if this is a Rambo convention. Mr. Fixit steps between Spider-Man and Alpha. He puts his hand up and blocks the gunfire. Spider-Man looks at Fixit’s back and says that he has seen land masses smaller than him. He says that he is bulletproof too and wonders if anyone around there is normal. Fixit asks Alpha if he wants to tell him what is going on before, after, or while he shoves his gun somewhere. Fixit spots Charlie and realizes that she is the woman in fatigues. He says that she hurt a tall well built woman. He says that she is a real good friend of his. Alpha tells Fixit to leave it to him and that he will put so many holes in her that she will look like a miniature golf course. Fixit says that he has no problem with that, but Spider-Man says that he does. He says that he won’t stand there while someone is killed. Fixit turns and asks if that is a fact. Spider-Man sees Fixit’s face. He thinks, “No! It… it can’t be! He’s… he’s supposed to be green! He’s supposed to be stupid! He’s supposed to be dead! But that voice, that face. Mr. Fixit is the Hulk!”

CONTINUED IN INCREDIBLE HULK VOL. 2 #349

Tangled Web rating: 8 out of 10

Review and picture by The Leader

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