Antebellum Marvel: The Amazing Spider-Man #533
Previously in Thunderbolts #103
I’m traveling the road to Civil War with Marvel so I can be caught up by the time this storyline hits the big screen. Please do not comment with spoilers if you’re familiar with this particular story arc, but you are welcome to provide non-spoiler answers to any questions I may ask in the review. If you are interested in following along, here’s the reading order I’ll be following.
- Issue: The Night the War Came Home
- Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
- Penciler: Ron Garney
- Inker: Bill Reinhold
- Colorist: Matt Milla
- Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Who’s In It:
Tony Stark (Iron Man), Peter Parker (Spider-Man), Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Sue Storm, Aunt May, MJ Parker
What Happens:
Kim Kardashian take note: Peter Parker has broken the internet just moments after he told the world he’s Spider-Man. The reactions were just as suspected: Jameson is angry, but mainly feels betrayed by Peter, the people who were already convinced super heroes were a public menace now had a specific name and face to direct their anger to, and Aunt May and MJ are both proud and worried.
Perhaps the most shocking reaction - yet it makes so much sense! - is The Daily Bugle suing Peter Parker for $5 million in return payments and punitive damages for all of the pictures of Spider-Man they paid him to obtain.
Despite his family’s support, Peter still questions whether or not he did the right thing. The constant press outside of his home isn’t helping him to feel that he has. We see hints at trouble in the future when a few of Spider-Man’s long-time enemies get the news. This doesn’t bode well for Peter’s family.
Then Tony Stark acts like himself and gives a press conference where he threatens to reveal the names of 137 superheroes who have not yet registered. He gives them 24 hours to come forward or he will go after them with the full support of the government and other heroes, including Spider-Man.
Peter is furious. He and MJ go outside to discuss it, thinking they’ll be fine going out the back entrance. It’s not long before the press finds them as well as a deranged fan of Captain America. He views Spider-Man (Peter Parker) as being against everything Cap believes in, so he needs to shoot him. Peter, now painfully aware of the scrutiny he’s under thanks to the SRA, hesitates to respond. He finally does, using his web to jam the gun, which causes a small injury to the shooter’s hand. Others from the crowd wrestle him to the ground while he screams about suing.
The next day, Peter lays into Tony for not speaking with him before the press conference. Tony apologizes, but I doubt this is the last time he acts out of bounds. But for now, he can’t afford to have Peter mad at him. They need to meet with the other heroes and decide how they’re going to handle their former friends when the 24-hour deadline is up.
The thing I’m enjoying the most in this series is how they’ve thought of so many aspects of heroes coming out of the shadows - things that I hadn’t considered, like Peter being sued for fraud. He earned a living for many years selling photos of… himself. I am curious to see how many heroes step forward before the deadline, if any. And I’m most definitely ready for - and dreading - the action to follow.
