Spectacular Spider-Man #215 and #216 were the last two issues before everything changed in the Spider-Man world. This emotional 2 parter was called “The Predator and The Prey” and the plot was written by Tom DeFalco, the script by Mike Lackey and the art was Sal Buscema (who to this day, still is THE Spider-Man artist of my youth) Although this story was only 2 parts, it still resonates with me after 19 years – so that shows the importance of what two issues can be.
This article may be shorter due to this but I’ve included more pictures also, as I do feel, they are very important this time around.
Here we have many characters going through their own personal struggles, that all end up entwined together that make “Predator and The Prey” truly something worthwhile. First off we have The Scorpion a.k.a Mac Gargan who most fans would know these days as Venom (before Flash Thompson was given the symbiote and became the latest incarnation) but as The Scorpion, Mac Gargan was never really much of a threat BUT was never completely classified as D list villain either, as he did have enough power and strength to cause Spider-Man lots of problems over the years, although Mac’s true anger really stemmed from J.Jonah Jameson. J.J.J was the one who initially convinced Mac, by playing on his insecurities and stupidity, to go through experimental procedures in order to “be someone of importance” and ultimately become The Scorpion. Over the years, he’s tried numerous times to kill J.J.J but of course, Spider-Man has always stopped him and then incarcerated him, making Gargan’s anger fork into two directions. Mac Gargan had been living in the sewers for the last few months and also hadn’t taken off his costume in that time. During those months, his anger and frustration have been boiling. Frustrated at what he’s become and frustrated and not having any semblance of a life anymore, reduced to living in sewers and only ever having to stay, as this Scorpion. He wanted something to change but had no idea how to do it.
Secondly we have J.Jonah Jameson, recently separated from his wife Marla. She had left him because of his commitment to the Bugle and the lack of commitment to her. One of Jameson’s employees Nick Katzenburg (who fans may remember as being the fat obnoxious reporter who always gave Peter a hard time) was diagnosed with Cancer some time ago and had been living the remainder of his days in a hospital bed. These two over opinionated men, would rarely see eye to eye but understood each other also. Jameson hadn’t as yet, visited Nick but was planning on doing so, any day. In that same hospital, lay May Parker. Peter’s Aunt, who up until recently, had Mary-Jane sitting there, waiting patiently for either her to wake up or Peter to visit. With none of those happening, MJ’s depression was getting worse and decided to take a break from New York, telling Peter this in a letter, explaining she was visiting her family. We also have a millionaire by the name of Phillip Cussler senior, who was a self made millionaire by his late teens and now the east coasts ultimate magnate in fine china. Mr. Cussler has been having personal problems with his son of the same name. He believes his son is trying to drive him out of his own company and steal all his assets, leaving him penniless. All of this unfortunately is just speculation and Philip is basing it all on the fact that they don’t talk anymore and then there is the mysterious stranger who has returned to New York upon hearing of May Parker’s recent battle with health, unable to talk to or see any other member of the Parker family for some reason, in fact, whenever the opportunity has presented itself, he has either hung up the phone or run away. lastly, we have….the ooze. Something living in the sewers, attracted to anger, green and ugly….and this is where our story starts. Drawn by the pounding it hears up ahead and it’s come to investigate.
“I CAN’T TAKE NO MORE OF THIS GRIEF” The Scorpion shouts. “No social life, no civilian life, no life.. period. Nothing other than being The Scorpion and being The Scorpion stinks. I’m sick of being used and abused by cops, crooks and Jameson’s. I feel like I should just stay down here and rot.” That’s where a fat, white haired man’s head pops around the corner and says “Now, now Mr. Scorpion, was it? There’s no need for all that. After all, why bother hiding when you can strike back at the forces that have oppressed you?” The Scorpion warns this intruder to stay away from him as people who usually stick around him get stung but the man doesn’t back away and simply introduces himself as Mr. Philip Cussler. Mr. Cussler has a proposition for Gargan but he doesn’t want to hear it and keeps walking. Cussler doesn’t give up and follows Gargan telling him that he is in need of protection and he can give him what he wants…..a life……..around another corner, the ooze watches.
At the offices of The Daily Bugle, Cussler junior is begging J.J.J and Robbie Robertson to help find his father by putting ads in his newspaper. Jameson tells Cussler junior not to give it a second thought, seeing as those two go back so many years and human interest pieces sell papers. Junior thanks Jameson and Robbie puts one of their reporters on the story. Robbie tells the reporter to also ask Peter if he’s interested in the job, seeing as they haven’t seen him lately and the reporter simply says to Robbie that Peter isn’t accepted any assignments anymore from us. Robbie tells her to do it anyway and when she calls Peter who instantly confirms what she told Robbie but she mentions Cussler, Peter’s attention becomes more interested and decides to take it seeing as he’s been so depressed lately and frankly needs a distraction.
Cussler senior is showing The Scorpion around one of his china shops and asks him to watch for anyone while he destroys his son’s financial records. Whilst looking around, Gargan starts daydreaming about how Cussler could help him take out Spider-Man once and for all and decides to stick with him until he gets what he wants from him. Cussler gets up from the computer screen and tells Gargan that now they need to visit the safe, which Gargan eagerly follows.
In the morning, Cussler junior sees the vault destroyed and calls the police and Jameson. When both arrive, Junior informs them, that this was no simple heist, as their database is completely wiped out. One of the reporters tells Jameson that The Scorpion was seen here also and he starts putting together the pieces, thinking Gargan has kidnapped Cussler and is making him destroy his own company. Jameson starts to get exited at the thoughts knowing it will put The Bugle back on top where it belongs. Spider-Man swings around New York when he hears word of The Scorpion being back in town and decided to pay some local snitches a visit.
Meanwhile, the mysterious stranger 
Spider-Man manages to get some answers out of some thugs but nothing that helps him. The only thing that does is that Scorpion is putting together a crew for something. He knows there are seven of Cussler’s china shops across New York alone and decides to visit them all.
Downstairs in one of those shops, Gargan has taken off his Scorpion costume for the first time in months and it feels great. Cussler and himself, sip on wine and discuss life, laughing at jokes and Gargan starts to ponder. These last few hours, just as Gargan have been great, peaceful and pure bliss for him, he knows he doesn’t want to go back to that life of crime and loneliness but he’s so grateful to Cussler that he decides to put the suit on one more time and help him out.
Upstairs at the same shop, Junior has networked The Bugles computers with their own so that they can tell which shop Cussler goes on line with and the PC beeps at the herald square shop. They both head there…..
After Spider-Man has checked all the stores except one last one, he swings to the rooftop and sees Scorpions thugs patrolling the area.. With Cussler and Scorpion watching, Cussler reminds Scorpion of all the defeats he’s suffered cos of him and Scorpion agrees. After quickly taking out all the thugs, Spider-Man sees Scorpion entering the sewers and follows him. With his Spider sense going ballistic but nothing around, he continues until he reaches 4 tunnels. Whilst deciding on which one to follow, his sense keeps going nuts. Spider-Man’s eyes continue to focus on the silhouettes uphead, when he realizes there all people. What looks to be around 30 different men with weapons, all attack the wall crawler and Spider-Man doesn’t hesitate, he just leaps into the group and screams “COME AND GET IT” – 30 to 1 and the thugs are outnumbered. Spider-Man makes mince meat out off all of them, cracking skulls and breaking bones. Some of the thugs start to cry, some start to to beg Spider-Man to leave them alone. One screams “I’m bleeding”
In the corner, the ooze draws closer, drawn in by the screams and the anger…..
Meanwhile at street level, Cussler senior is peering down a man hole wondering whats happening down there, when all of a sudden Cussler junior, Jameson and the reporter show up. “Father, thank God you’re all right. The family’s been so worried.”Junior says. “I’ll bet you were, worried they wouldn’t see that big fat inheritance” Senior says as he picks up a wrench. “So get back, I’m not afraid to use this.” With Jameson and Junior both confused they look at each other wondering whats wrong with Mr. Cussler.
Spider-Man continues on his mission to find The Scorpion thinking how much fun it just was beating the tar out of all those criminals when The Scorpion leaps out and attacks first. He may have gotten the jump on him but Spider-Man fights back with such fury, it surprises Gargan. No quips, no annoying banter…just anger.
While they fight, the criminals who all just got their butts handed to them, try to walk again and go home, wondering what they were thinking in the first place, when……the ooze makes its way to them. The thugs all scream in terror……
Spider-Man hears the screams and wonderes what it could be, when Scorpion attacks again. Spider-Man so angry at him trying again, attacks Gargan without any remorse this time. 5 full punches to the face and Gargan’s now out like a light. Spider-Man heads back towards the screams and finds no criminals anywhere but instead just some green sludge. He listens and can hear some of the thugs up head running for their lives like something was chasing them. He decides to head back to the surface…
and as you can see, Spider-Man’s spider sense goes off. Without thinking, Spider-Man defends himself, when Cussler senior runs to him to hit him with the wrench, causing Cussler to go flying into a brick wall, knocking him out instantly. Jameson screams at Spider-Man that he’s finally been caught attacking an innocent man, a man that he was trying to protect no less. Spider-Man stares in shock, knowing he’s done the wrong thing but unable to respond. Cussler senior runs towards his father, telling him that he’ll be ok.
“It is a sewer, dark and dank – just like every other sewer in lower Manhattan, it’s drains chocked and clogged with debris and garbage that has washed down from the burgeoning metropolis above. It is, in it’s own way. a parallel of that teeming city, it’s contents painting a shadowy reflection of day to day life in the sunlight world. How inconceivable then, that it should nurture itself, or some semblance of life..? There is life….oozing…coagulating…congealing…absorbing everything in it’s path, searching, as does all life, for it’s direction, it’s purpose.”
Mac Gargan makes himself another cappuccino and can’t believe he’s wasted so much of his life as The Scorpion. He feels so grateful to Phillip Cussler for giving him back his sense of self. He feels liberated and wants to repay him somehow. Today he feels like the happiest man alive and across town….so does J. Jonah Jameson who has a front page picture of Spider-Man attacking Cussler for all the world to see. As he gloats, he shows Cussler junior the article and Cussler Junior himself says, that his father did in fact, attack Spider-Man first, Jameson replies with these only being details and not to worry, also saying that he’ll visit his father soon. With that in mind, Jameson turns to Glory Grant (his secretary) and tells her to send flowers to Nick Katzenberg’s room as well. Jameson sees the look of confusion on Grant’s face and asks what’s wrong, when Grant replies with “I’m sorry Mr. Jameson, I wanted to tell you earlier but couldn’t find the proper time…Nick died last night.” Jameson stops in shock.
He can’t remember when he last slept, nor can he remember the last time he ate but Spider-Man won’t stop until he’s cleared his name. As he’s swinging across town, he sees two car jackers and as he swings down to apprehend them, they see him first and just drop their tools and hold their hands in the air saying they give up and there’s no need for violence. Although Spider-Man is surprised by this, he feels it…..the anger. He can feel it swell inside of him, escaping out of his pores and he doesn’t know if he wants it to stop.
At the hospital, Cussler junior is watching over his father, pouring his heart out to him. He apologizes for being too engrossed in his work and ignoring him. He tells his father how much he loves him and wants him to be ok. All he ever wanted was his father to be proud of him and now he’s afraid, he’s left it too late. He looks at his father unconscious and decides to get some air. As he leaves the room, Cussler senior opens his eyes……he had heard everything his son had said.
Since Jameson heard the news about Nick Katzenberg, he cannot stop thinking about his estranged wife Marla and pays her a visit. She isn’t happy to see him and tells him, she’s not in the mood for a fight or to hear hurtful words but Jameson stops her and tells her, he’s not here for that but in fact, he wants to apologize. He tells her how sorry he is, for the way he’s been and the way he is. He tells her about Nick and how he kept meaning to visit him but now it’s too late and he doesn’t want to waste anymore time….which is what he feels, he’s been doing. He finishes by saying he loves her….they both stare at each other.
Back at he hospital, the mysterious figure that’s been wanting to talk to May arrives. As he is about to enter, he turns around and sees Peter walking towards the hospital. He quickly turns away so Peter won’t see him but is very upset at not being able to see her again. Peter on the other hand, has not been there in days and cannot wait to see her also. He thinks about the car jackers earlier and thinks to himself, that if he sees May, he might be able to calm down a little and not be so angry all the time.
Several floors above May’s room is Cussler senior’s room and watching over him now is Mac Gargan. Cussler asks Mac what’s wrong and he tells him how much he owes him. It’s the first time in years he feels like he has a friend and asks how he can ever repay him. He tells him that living as The Scorpion, he forgot that life is for the living and he never wants to go back to being The Scorpion again. Cussler responds by telling Mac, that he has nothing to thank him for. He’s had a refreshing bout of self-awareness and that was his own doing. Life is what you make it. He also tells Mac, that seeing as he’s on this new road, he can keep the old hideaway and he’ll also finance his provisions so he can get his life together and make a fresh start. He finishes by telling Mac “I assure you that if you change your ways, there will be no limit to what you can achieve. Do this thing for yourself Mac and do it now, before it’s too late.”
Downstairs Peter talks to his Aunt May, confiding in her how much he’s slipping when he sees Mac Gargan walk past the room. Peter stops what he’s doing and follows him, only to get interrupted by Jameson. J.J.J tells Peter that he’s sorry to hear about his Aunt and how proud of him he is for having his priorities in order. Peter can barely hear what Jonah is saying but thanks him and then apologizes as he quickly walks away saying he’s late for an appointment. Peter catches up with Mac outside and follows him. He starts to wonder why Mac seems so carefree but doesn’t finish the thought, as he sees Gargan enter the sewers. Peter strips off into his costume and follows. As he begins to follow, he feels it again…..the anger. “He feels it rising inside of him, gnawing at him from within, screaming for release. It is a nameless anger, without direction. It is not for The Scorpion, not for Cussler, not for the headlines of Jameson’s Bugle. He is angry at the world, at fate. It is an anger borne of frustration at all the misfortune that life has handed him. Lately, his Aunt’s stroke, the betrayal and deaths of “his parents.” The endless march of foes who, no matter how often he defeats them, return more powerful than ever….while the good suffer. It is an anger he cannot acknowledge and it threatens to consume him.”
Below Mac Gargan feels like a million bucks, he can’t believe that straightening out his life would be so easy and the ooze senses this, senses movement, it senses life and a soul at peace with itself and it also senses something else. Spider-Man shocks Gargan when he appears out of the shadows and says he can’t believe he didn’t look here earlier. When Gargan begs Spider-Man to leave him alone, Spider-Man starts jumping all around him. Gargan yells “What do you want?” Spider-Man says “What do I want? I want you to confess, I want you to put up a fight. I want you to tell the authorities that you and Cussler were in cahoots, that you planned the robbery together , that Cussler was a raving madman who attacked me. I want you behind bars Gargan and considering how I’m feeling right now…..”
The anger builds and the ooze is drawn to it…
“I don’t want to fight.” Gargan screams “I’ve been fighting my whole life and I’m tired of it. I’m not gonna let The Scorpion run my life anymore.” Spider-Man ignores him “YOU don’t want to fight?! I don’t think that’s true. I think you’re just dying to throw a few….” Spider-Man leaps down “Punches” and smashes Gargan in the face. He hits him again and again, Mac pleading with him, trying to tell him he’s changed but Spider-Man just keeps fighting. “All you’re doing is making me mad Gargan” In this moment there is no identity to the man we know as Spider-Man, there is only the unbridled fury. He continues to blindly batter Mac who refuses to defend himself. Again Spider-Man punches him…and again and again and again….until something catches his fist. He stops and turns around and sees the ooze. “What the hell is this?” he asks and then realizes it’s alive. He tries to free his fist but the ooze won’t let him. Finally Spider-Man calms down and realizes it’s stopping him from beating Gargan to death. The anger halts. Spider-Man stares, almost hypnotized at the pulsating mass of slime before him and in that instant…..it shows him. It shows him the cause of his problems, the force that has been driving him, controlling him, manipulating him like a puppet….it shows him, his anger. “What have I become” Spider-Man thinks and as those thoughts enter his mind….the ooze lets go. In recognizing the anger and understanding it, he has resisted it. Spider-Man thinks “This stuff was trying to tell me something, that I’ve lost touch with my priorities, my feelings….how can I live like this? I have to think this out, maybe talk to someone. I was so worked up, I didn’t hear Mac when he said that he was sick of being The Scorpion.” The ooze slowly moves away, directionless, without purpose, searching for some meaning to its singular existence and yet, didn’t it today touch another soul and somehow leave it brighter…? And isn’t that what “life” is really all about..?
At The Daily Bugle, Robbie tells Jonah that he’s going to want to see that latest edition of The Daily Globe. On their front page is the headline “Spider-Man Vindicated” and a picture of Cussler junior. The story is an interview with Cussler junior who implicates his father in the store robbery saying he couldn’t live without the truth being told. Robbie tells him, this doesn’t make The Bugle look good and before Robbie can continue, Jonah tells him that he trusts how he’ll handle it, tonight he doesn’t care, tonight he has a date with his wife. Robbie smiles in shock.
Back at Forest Hills Hospital, Peter is watching over May. He holds her fragile hand and says “I’ve learned so much about myself, that I can’t run away from my responsibilities and I can’t bury them beneath my own frustration. Sometimes I feel so confused, with my life, where I’m going with it. I wish you could be there all the time, to give me your advice, your words of confidence. I have to admit, there are mornings where I look in the mirror and I’m not even certain that I know the guy who’s looking back. Boy, I didn’t mean to come here and unload all of my problems on you……but I guess everyone needs to talk to someone sometime. Someone who’ll listen, someone who can help. That’s why I came to talk to you.” The door opens and a nurse walks in. When she sees Peter, she apologizes for disturbing them, she didn’t know anyone was in the room but before she can say anything else, she stops and stares out the window. Peter looks at her face and turns to see what could be so amazing. Swinging past the hospital……….is Spider-Man. Peter quickly grabs his bag and panics thinking to himself how he can’t be seen. He exits the room and walks up the stairs thinking that it’s the last thing Spider-Man needs.
On the rooftop, Spider-Man wonders if it was a mistake not going after Gargan again but dismisses the idea, as Mac sounded so genuine. He is so deep in thought, he doesn’t hear someone about to open the rooftop door but when he hears the knob turn he wonders if he should make a move. The door opens too quickly and on the rooftop of Forest Hills Hospital stands Spider-Man……and Peter Parker. They both shout “IT’S YOU.”
NEXT WEEK, AT LONG LAST………..POWER AND RESPONSIBILITY (nothing will ever be the same – really) This is where The Clone Saga rocks its way into the Spiderverse like never before !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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