Spider-Man’s Tangled Web #9

[cyberghostface]

Charlie Clemmens has offered three criminals--with whom he has tangled before--the opportunity to learn Spider-Man's secret identity. Obviously, they are skeptical, and the unofficial leader of the pack--"Seeds"--demands proof. So Charlie offers to produce a demonstration.

Seeds' girlfriend Lorraine is unlucky enough to walk into the room at this point, and is coerced into robbing a pharmacy to see if Charlie can produce the web-swinger. The four men sit in Charlie's cab and watch Lorraine enter the pharmacy. Charlie calls the Daily Bugle on Seeds' cell phone. Shortly thereafter, Spider-Man shows up and apprehends the now-freaked Lorraine. That's enough to satisfy Seeds' crew, and they (reluctantly) pick Friday to rob Charlie's jewelry store. Charlie goes home alone to find a message scrawled on his wall: "We need to talk."

The robbery goes without a hitch.

Comments

[lego_joker]

Y'know, when you try to read Bruce Jones' stuff in chronological order, it's very, very easy to think he only cares about quantity over quality. But then you hit something like this, and you realize there's no shame in doing stuff on autopilot to pay the bills so you'll have the space to cut out a diamond every now and then.

[lbd_nytetrayn]

Okay, I've been good with the story up to this point, but I'm a little confused by the events of this issue.

[cyberghostface]

If you go back and look at the previous issues, it’s never explicitly stated that he’s looking to fund his operation. He’s been looking to get money for his kid all along. There are a few subtle hints like you can tell there’s a nurse checking up on him in the second issue.

[lbd_nytetrayn]

So, does he have the cancer, or his kid? I thought he was trying to set the wife and kid up with the money before he died.

And why was Charlie in the Spider-Man costume?

[lizard_of_aus]

They both have cancer, but as far as he's concerned, the kid takes priority.

I'm guessing the costume is because he was blending into the convention.