Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #129

Issue Details

Synopsis

FOREIGN AFFAIRS Returning home to his apartment, Peter Parker overhears the Black Cat on the phone plotting against him with the Foreigner. His anger growing, Peter thinks about his past relationship with the Black Cat, and the fact that she and the Foreigner have been playing him recently.  Confronting her, the Black Cat fires what appears to be a bomb in his dark room. This allows the Black Cat to flee while Peter smothers what turns out to be a smoke bomb. However, before Peter can go after her, he hears his neighbors are still on the roof, preventing him to change into Spider-Man and chase after her. Heading out the front door, Peter runs into Flash Thompson. Flash had left the hospital to find Peter because he is worried about Betty Brant who has not been taking the death of her husband very well.  Flash is still weak and collapses into Peter's arms. Unable to leave Flash behind, Peter wonders why these things always happen to him.  Meanwhile, at the 12th Precinct, Captain Kris Keating meets with Sargent Frances Tork. Tork is not happy with the fact that he has been assigned to bring Spider-Man in.  Keating tells him that Tork is ideal for the job and can easily bring the wall-crawler in. When Tork leaves Keating's office he thinks about Stan Carter's visit the day before. Carter had come even though he is a person non-grata with the police since he was exposed as the Sin Eater.  Carter points out that Spider-Man was too honorable to kill. Tork agrees with this assessment and has become suspicious of Kris Keating's obsession with Spider-Man. Deciding to look into Keating, he calls personel and asks to see the captain's file. At that moment, Peter Parker has been convinced by Flash Thompson to see Betty Brant. When they arrive, Peter sees first hand that Betty has shut out the memory of her husband's murder. Flash presses her to admit that Ned is dead. Ultimately, Betty snaps out of her denial and slaps Thompson across the face. She is furious but ultimately admits to herself that Ned is dead. As she and Flash hold each other, Peter decides to leave and give the pair some privacy.   Later, at the Foreigner's hideout, the Black Cat arrives to tell him that their plan has just become complicated. However, before she elaborates, she decides to have a romantic interlude with her co-conspirator. At that moment, Peter Parker has arrived at the police station to see Kris Keating. The desk sergeant tells him that Keating isn't in and is given a pass and told to wait. Directed to Kris Keating's desk, Peter decides to pick up the phone and see who is calling. Recognizing Felicia's voice, Peter disguises his and is told to pass on a message to Keating to meet her at 450 West 45th Street. With this lead, Peter returns to his apartment where he changes into Spider-Man, intent on getting back at Felicia for betraying him. While at the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson wonders why he hasn't heard from Silver Sable since he hired her to eliminate Spider-Man. However, Sable enters the room and returns Jameson's money to him. She tells him that he isn't worthy to bring about Spider-Man's downfall and departs. While at the Foreigner's mansion, Felicia and the Foreigner's romantic interlude is interrupted by the arrival of Spider-Man. While the wall-crawler clashes with the Foreigner, the Black Cat calls the police for help.   Meanwhile, the Foreigner has lured Spider-Man into his training room. There, the Foreigner exploits his ability to suddenly disappear and reappear elsewhere. This keeps Spider-Man on the defensive and when the Black Cat offers her assistant, the Foreigner tells her to stand down. By this point, police are rushing to the scene of the battle, passing Silver Sable's limo. Curious as to where the officers are going, Sable tells the driver to follow after them. Back at the mansion, the Foreigner attempts to choke Spider-Man with his own webbing. Leaping backward, the pair goes crashing out a window to the outside. There, Spider-Man breaks free and realizes how the Foreigner pulls his "disappearing act" by hypnotizing his opponents long enough to make it look like he can disappear and reappear at will. Suddenly, the police surround the area, allowing the Foreigner to escape. Surrounded by the police, Sergeant Tork orders Spider-Man to surrender. However, that's when the Black Cat offers her assistance and tosses a manilla envelope onto the ground. She tells Tork that the photos inside will clear Spider-Man of any wrongdoing. Inside, Tork finds pictures proving that Kris Keating was responsible for the death of Blaze. With this, the police let Spider-Man go. After searching for the Black Cat and finding no trace, Spider-Man returns to his apartment.   There, he discovers that Mary Jane has come over and hired someone to fix his front door. Explaining what happened, Peter and Mary Jane are interrupted by a delivery man who drops off a message to Peter. Opening the envelope, Peter discovers that it is a letter from Felicia. Felicia explains that she got in league with the Foreigner to pit the two of them against each other as she was still upset with Peter for their break-up and how he helped her defeat Sabretooth even though she didn't want help.  She then orchestrated events that would help clear Spider-Man's name and humiliate the Foreigner. Knowing that her former confidant will try and hunt her down, Felicia has fled the country. After reading this letter, Peter tells Mary Jane that he needs to be alone, but changes his mind after she walks out the door. Mary Jane is not surprised that Peter has come to her when things have fallen apart, but is happy to be there for him. This helps Peter put Felicia out of his mind. Elsewhere in the city, the Foreigner has made it to his secret hideout thanks to help from his ex-wife Silver Sable. He is disappointed that he has to abandon his Kris Keating disguise, explaining that he killed the police officer and used a disguise to pose as him and that he was responsible for killing Blaze. The two then propose a toast to the late Kris Keating.