Spider-Man #57

Issue Details

Synopsis

AFTERSHOCKS PART 1  Following the arrest of Peter Parker, the Scarlet Spider has come to Mary Jane to offer his help in freeing husband.  In response to this, Mary Jane slaps Ben Reilly across the face. This is the first time she has met the Scarlet Spider, the clone of Peter Parker, and she blames him for Peter's arrest and tells him to get out of her home. Putting his mask back on, Ben tells Mary Jane that he is going to help free Peter with or without her help and leaves. Meanwhile, Peter Parker finds himself before an arrangement hearing. He cannot hear what the woman is saying, because he can't help but think about how he got himself into this situation. He remembers how he was arrested shortly after Aunt May's funeral.  According to the arresting officers, Peter has been accused of murdering a police detective in Salt Lake City.  Unfortunately, instead of paying bail and going back home to Mary Jane, Peter Parker is remanded into custody until trial.   Later, in a cell, Peter is confronted by Jacob Raven, who is confused why "Ben Reilly" didn't run from Raven when he showed up at his door. Peter legitimately doesn't know who Raven is, or who his partner was, as he has never been to Salt Lake City in his life. However, Raven isn't buying this but assures Peter that he will get Parker familiar with his "crimes" when he is shipped back to Utah to answer for his crimes. Peter Parker isn't the only person who finds this recent development impossible to believe. The staff at the Daily Bugle is reeling from the news that Peter has been arrested for murder. As Peter has been a freelance photographer at the Daily Bugle for many years, Joe Robertson sits down for a private meeting with J. Jonah Jameson to determine how the Bugle will report this story. Jonah callously says they are going to do nothing about it, pointing out to Joe that if Peter is guilty, he will get what he deserves. After sending Joe out of his office, Jonah answers a phone call the lawyer representing Peter Parker. After being reassured that Peter is going to get the best legal representation possible, Jameson reminds the lawyer that the legal fees are not coming from the Daily Bugle, but his own pockets.   Time passes....   A man who resembles Peter Parker walks through Queens trying to determine why this neighborhood seems so familiar. While at One Police Plaza, Peter Parker, and Mary Jane meet with Peter's lawyer in the hopes that he help prove that Peter is innocent. While at the hotel room of Jacob Raven, the seasoned police detective finally finds himself doubting himself. After confronting Peter Parker face-to-face, he wonders if he arrested the right man. While elsewhere in the city, Kaine is haunted by another precognitive vision of Mary Jane getting murdered by some unseen assailant.  To get his mind off the pain of these visions, he uses his wall-crawling abilities to rip down the side of a building. Later, back at the Parker home, Mary Jane cries over her recent miseries. She suddenly begins to worry about the baby growing inside her.  For the first time, she considers what Peter's radioactive blood may have done to their unborn child. Starting to panic, Mary Jane runs out into the rain in order to get some fresh air and clear her mind. While at Ravencroft Institute, the Jackal is in a session with Doctor Ashley Kafka.  After talking about Gwen Stacy for a moment, John Jameson and the security forces come in and tell Ashley that the session is over.  He wants to get the Jackal back to his cell, wanting to avoid yet another break out at the facility.   Back in Queens, the man who looks like Peter Parker happens upon a thief running away with a briefcase he stole from a man on the street. Finding this familiar, this Peter Parker leaps in the way and stops the thief, knocking him out and giving back the stolen responsibility. Fleeing the scene, something this Parker said to the thief about having power and using it responsibly also strikes a chord in him.  While in Manhattan, Mary Jane runs down the street trying to get her mind off of the thoughts in her head. She is unaware that the Scarlet Spider is swinging overhead keeping an eye on her. While wondering how to convince Mary Jane to accept his help, the Spider spots Judas Traveller and his minions lurking in a nearby alley. Judas tells his Host to wait in the alley and he approaches Mary Jane. He tries to convince her to talk to him as he is curious about how she views Spider-Man. Before he can get any answers out of Mary Jane, Judas Traveller is ambushed by the Scarlet Spider.   At that same moment, Jacob Raven has arrived outside the Parker home only to discover that Mary Jane is not home. Before he can leave, he is ambushed by Kaine who tells Raven that he has arrested the wrong person. Jacob refuses to believe a costumed madman without proof. Deciding to give Jacob the proof he needs, Kaine gives him a non-lethal version of his Mark of Kaine, leaving a horrible burn pattern on the side of Jacob's face.  At that moment, Judas Traveller keeps the Scarlet Spider at bay by appearing to will the very streets around him to explode. This comes as a surprise to the Scarlet Spider who didn't realize how powerful Traveller was during their last encounter. Watching as the Scarlet Spider dodges all of the dangers put in his path by Traveller, she begins to wonder if he truly does care about the fate of her husband. When the Scarlet Spider makes it to Mary Jane, Judas is satisfied with the results of his latest test and leaves without further incident.   In the aftermath of the battle, Mary Jane decides to take the Spider's offer for aid but asks him to leave his mask off because the most unsettling thing about him to her is his face. At that same moment, Peter Parker's nightmare continues as he is being transferred to a new prison cell on Ryker's Island. While at Ravencroft, the Jackal is alone in his cell gloating about how his plan is going smoothly. While in Queens, the other Peter Parker sits on a rooftop vows to find out who he is and thinks he knows where to start looking.