Synopsis / Summary / Plot
A distraught Spider-Man visits the graves of his parents and Uncle Ben, brooding over the tragedies he’s seen in his life. His spider-sense alerts him to danger: he spies Rhino in the cemetery and attacks the massive villain. Rhino was there only to visit his mother’s grave and now Spidey has made him knock over her tombstone. The gigantic villain explodes with wrath and smashes Spider-Man into a tomb. [Meanwhile, Wolverine watches from the shadows, biding his time.] Spidey’s battle with Rhino causes a flashback to a similar confrontation with the Hulk early in his career. He was at Jade Jaws’ mercy when suddenly Captain America came to his rescue, fighting their foe until Spidey recovered and together they defeated Hulk. The memory inspires Spidey to fight back against the Rhino and beat him. Wolverine steps out of the shadows; Spidey wants to know why he followed him. “No reason.” “Then leave me the hell alone.” Pete heads to a certain bridge as his last stop for the night: the site of Gwen Stacy’s death. Spider-Man collapses in grief and despair, thoroughly demoralized by Cap’s death. Wolverine arrives and reveals that when Cap put together the New Avengers and that other members thought Spidey would not be a good choice for the team, it was Cap who stood up for him, threatening to quit the group if Spider-Man was rejected. “If Captain America says you can do the job, who are we to argue?” Spidey’s response: “…Wow….”