This may be my favorite story of the Dark Reign era. Having seen the vast and deep consequences of Norman Osborn’s leadership, Spider-Man begins to blame himself for not killing Norman in the past.
Peter’s fellow New Avenger, Wolverine, offers some advice.
Spidey’s guilt is accentuated by the fact that his friend Harry Osborn is also suffering at his father’s hands. For his part, Norman Osborn offers Harry a job with his (Dark) Avengers, and Harry turns him down.
Despite that Harry stood up to his dad, Spider-Man visits Norm later that night to threaten him to stay away from Harry.
That’s a tribute to the classic Amazing Spider-Man #39, only this time Spider-Man is in the villain role.
Harry shows up during their meeting and decides to take the job offer after all. What changed? Well, he learned that his ex-GF Lily Hollister, aka Menace, is pregnant with his child–and Harry wants to get Lily released from Osborn’s custody so that his baby can be born free and safe. He doesn’t tell Peter that, though, leaving Pete more confused and guilt-ridden than ever.
He decides to strike. Peter attacks Dark Spider-Man (Mac “Scorpion” Gargan wearing the Venom symbiote) and, with the help of Susan Richard’s, captures him, steals his identity, and infiltrates (Dark) Avengers Tower.
Once inside, he is with the Dark Avengers team as they witness Norman Osborn’s plan to put his son into a suit of armor and turn him into “American Son.”
Spider-Man then tries to visit with Harry and Lily, but Daken recognizes him as an imposter (based on scent) and attacks. Spidey defeats Daken but Harry turns him in to his dad after all, and Norman says he knew Spider-Man was a fake all along. Bullseye hits him with some drugged arrows, and that weakens him enough so that he can be shot in the face by Norman Osborn and captured.
Osborn then begins trying to get his fake Venom costume off him, but it turns out that Reed Richards designed to be very similar to the genuine symbiote, and Osborn has trouble.
While that’s going on, something really disturbing happens. Lily Hollister tells Harry that all of this was just a trick to lure Spider-Man into Avengers Tower. She doesn’t love Harry. The baby isn’t his.
IT’S NORMAN OSBORN’S CHILD!!! Say it with me now: “Ewwwwwww!”
From there it’s pretty fast (and about what you’d expect): Spider-Man is nearly killed by Norman until Harry does what his dad wanted–he puts on the American Son armor and fights his dad, who puts on his Iron Patriot armor, and they go at it. Then Spider-Man finally gets his chance to fight Norm.
Norman gets the crap knocked out of him and Spider-Man has the chance to do what Wolverine suggested at the beginning of the arc: Kill Norman. Instead, though, he talks Harry out of killing his father and Harry leaves Norman shattered to enjoy his new family of Lily Hollister and their son.
What’s really confusing about all this is…How does Harry have a six pack?
This is a solid tale, told well, despite the “ick” factor.
And it ends just in time for a big issue #600!
English (US) · 