"The Paper" (#7–12)
Now friends, Harry Osborn introduces Peter Parker to Dr. Otto Octavius who tells Harry and Peter that their suits are based on Stark/Stane designs and run on the same network, along with Iron Lad - Tony Stark. Meanwhile, the Kingpin and his assistant James Wesley meet with Kingpin's lieutenants Black Cat, Kraven the Hunter, Mister Negative, Mole Man, and Mysterio and discussing the issue with vigilantes Spider-Man and Green Goblin interrupting their plans. J. Jonah Jameson and Ben Parker launch "The Paper" including their investigation into the different crimes being stopped by Spider-Man and Green Goblin while using former co-worker Robbie Robertson as their inside person. Elsewhere, Otto offers Spider-Man and Green Goblin a way to free themselves from Stark/Stane, only for the pair to be ambushed by Black Cat. During the fight, Black Cat is blasted off the building by Green Goblin and is loaded into an ambulance. Jameson and Ben meet with Wesley in an attempt to arrange a negotiation with his boss. Then they speak to Gwen Stacy-Osborn about how Stark/Stane was sold off cheap. Later that night while having dinner with Peter's family, Ben speaks to MJ about their meeting with Gwen. Two days later, Harry visits "The Paper" and advises Ben and Jameson not to write the Osborn story. He does cave in on the identity of those who actually killed Harry's parents and Ben's wife while giving them a USB drive about it. Under Harry's advice, they write out the story under the alias of "Ben Reilly" as they begin to run it. After brainwashing some people at the bank into attacking Spider-Man, Mister Negative tells Wilson Fisk and his fellow lieutenants about it as Black Cat recuperates in a wheelchair. After Mysterio is told by Walter that he has not given up his seat yet, Walter reveals that he brought his daughter Felicia Hardy to act in his place. While visiting Memorial Park, Peter learns that Uncle Ben knows about his Spider-Man activity when Harry Osborn visited "The Paper". He allows Peter to continue his and Harry's fight against Fisk. On December, Uncle Ben and J. Jonah Jameson attend the Parker family's Christmas party with Madeline Watson, Anna Watson, and Gayle Watson present. MJ keeps avoiding calls from Gwen Stacy while dealing with Gayle being bitter that she and Parker is still married while Gayle is going through a divorce. When MJ starts answering the phone, Gwen tells her that she hasn't heard from Harry lately. When MJ taps Peter, she finds that Peter is actually his sentient picotech suit who then quotes "Merry Christmas". It is then shown that Peter and Harry are captives of Kraven the Hunter. [6]
"Family Business" (Issues #13–18)
Richard Parker is later trained by the picotech's A.I. in operating as Spider-Man at the time when his father was missing as he can't track Peter down. Below Staten Island, Mole Man learns from Kraven the Hunter that he has Peter and Harry in his clutches where he will have his great hunt on them in Subterranea which is now filled with dinosaurs and other strange creatures. Mysterio crashes their meeting wanting to see her captives. Kraven the Hunter takes them back to the surface to see Peter and Harry who have bomb collars on them and feeding them their last meal before the hunt. In addition, he revealed their true identities to Mole Man and Mysterio. Kraven the Hunter begins the hunt to determine the fate of their loved ones and even encourages them to try to take him out. Upon being dropped into Subterreanea, Peter and Harry's bomb collars come off as they start dodging the Velociraptors. Meanwhile, Richard is confronted by Felicia Hardy as she introduces herself as the new Black Cat and the daughter of the first Black Cat. [7]
Amidst the hunt in Subterranea with Mole Man and his Moloids secretly helping them, Harry is shot by Kraven the Hunter. Peter punches Kraven to unconsciousness and gets away at Mysterio's suggestion. Peter returns to Mary Jane and states that they have to leave as Fisk's men know about them. He does learn that Richard had used his Picotech suit and encountered Black Cat who knows that Richard wasn't the one who fought her father. [8]
As Peter's family vacations in Bryce Canyon National Park, they have an encounter with Sandman who attacks them. Upon tracing a signal to a nearby tower, Spider-Man destroys it and enables Sandman to return to his human form of William Baker. William informs both Spider-Men that he was investigating some illegal experimentation at an A.I.M. facility where they captured him and turned him into Sandman. Both Spider-Men are thanked by Sandman who takes his leave. Meanwhile, Ben Parker and Jameson are confronted by Fisk, Wesley, and two Bullseyes involving some of the stories printed by "The Paper" and Maker's Council having killed every man in the world named Ben Reilly. Fisk will allow them to continue working and advised them not to hide behind other people. [9]
While at Harry's grave, Gwen Stacy flashes back to the last time she saw her father George Stacy and when she first met Harry Osborn. When her father died, she was brought into her father's organization of Mysterios where they learned that the world they are living in now is just an "illusion" caused by Maker and his Council. Quentin Beck is the one who welcomes Gwen into the group. There are also flashbacks to when Gwen married Harry and meeting Norman Osborn. With the Mysterio learning that Maker is trapped in The City for two years and that they need to wipe the "fog" away, Gwen also flashes back to when she first met Peter and Gwen. During the holiday season, Gwen is informed by Quentin that Kraven the Hunter kidnapped Peter and Harry while not noticing about their alliance with Mole Man. After being told by Quentin that she will receive his amulet in two days, Gwen confronts Otto Octavius about her being watched as he confirms that it was Harry's plan if he was to go missing. At the advice of Quentin, Gwen fires him. In Subterranea, Gwen saves Harry and uses an illusion to make Peter think that Kraven the Hunter killed Harry and make Kraven the Hunter think he did it. After Peter left, Mysterio shot Kraven the Hunter in the head as Harry ask what is going on. Back in the present, Gwen states to Harry that she was raised in this life. Harry states that they will "take the fight to them". [10]
Ben is visited by Harry Osborn where he checks in on Peter's status and states that things are about to get worse. At Oscorp, Gwen meets with Robbie Robertson as he is revealed to be a Mysterio. Then she meets with Wilson Fisk and James Wesley where Fisk gives his condolences for what happened to Harry. As Fisk returns to his office, Wesley has Gwen go over some things that need signing. Once Fisk is gone, Wesley is revealed to be a Mysterio who helped Gwen find Harry. Once Wesley is gone, Harry emerges as he and Gwen prepare to "go to war". Traveling incognito, Harry meets up with Otto Octavius in his makeshift lab as the Green Goblin armor has maintenance done to it. Harry has a talk with the Norman Osborn A.I. where it asks him not to make it ashamed of him again. Green Goblin and Mysterio raid Mister Negative's weapons factory where they use their talents to save the enslaved workers and blow up the factory. While on vacation, Peter gets a call from Ben and is surprised that Harry is still alive stating that he needs him. [11]
As the Parker family reunites with Harry Osborn, Ben and Jameson also arrive to watch over Peter's family. Meanwhile, the Mysterios meet over recent events involving the death of Kraven the Hunter and an attack on one of Mister Negative's operations. Its member Vanessa Fisk praises Gwen for disposing of Kraven the Hunter. Spider-Man and Green Goblin fight Shocker, Hammerhead, and Vermin during their patrols. They find Peter's apartment a mess as Otto Octavius was crashing in it after doing some upgrades to it. Richard was revealed to have stowed away on Peter and Harry's airplane after getting a text from Felicia that she is in danger. This ends up being a trap where Richard is confronted by her, Kingpin, Walter Hardy, and some Bullseyes where Kingpin wants him to give Spider-Man to him. Felicia apologizes stating that what she did is in her nature and was not lying about her and Richard. [12]
After having been put into a difficult choice by Kingpin in a flashback, Richard unwittingly lets the Picotech suit take over as it assumes a Venom-like appearance and attacks Kingpin's allies. Kingpin escapes, but Felicia persuades the Picotech suit to spare her father. Back in the present, Richard mentions to Felicia that he had been grounded for both helping Felicia and what had happened. Meanwhile, Kingpin is waiting for Kraven the Hunter to show up as Mister Negative questioned everyone at his estate and mentioned what Mysterio did to one of his operations, Mole Man claimed that Kraven the Hunter was holed up in a peaceful part of the world somewhere, and James Wesley assumes that he is working with Mysterio. As Kingpin states that they'll figure out what happened with Kraven the Hunter later, Walter Hardy asks about the monster. Kingpin mentions what had happened when they met Spider-Man's son and that they'll keep Felicia at arm's length for a while. Unbeknownst to them, Wesley has planted a bug so that Green Goblin and Mysterio can listen in. Mole Man and his Moloids later raid the Parker apartment and fall into a trap by Spider-Man. Mole Man informs Spider-Man that Kingpin and his followers are coming for him while mentioning that someone powerful can help him end this. After Peter and Mary Jane scold Richard for leaving the house, she wants Peter to tell her everything about Harry and Gwen. [13]
Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson meet Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy at a restaurant where Harry had a new staff tending to them as he didn't want anyone to find out that he faked his death. Meanwhile, Uncle Ben is helping Anna Watson babysit Richard and May. Peter and Mary Jane learn how Gwen helped Harry fake his death. Richard tells Uncle Ben about his encounter with Felicia Hardy and Kingpin. Mary Jone notes that their children will be at risk if Kingpin's forces come for them. After Richard and May are in their beds, Ben and Anna are visited by J. Jonah Jameson and Madeline Watson as Madeline says goodbye to Jameson. While in the restroom, Mary Jane learns about how each of the Mysterio share an amulet. When Mary Jane asks Gwen when she gets her amulet back, she says that it will be in 11 days. Mary Jane knocks her out and rejoins Peter and Harry stating that Gwen will get somebody killed one day. Meanwhile, Mister Negative polishes his sword. [14]
Mister Negative has James Wesley abducted from the street and then kills the Bullseyes with him as he demands that Wesley tells him everything about Kingpin while recapping some his history that involved his sister Aihan. At "The Paper", Ben Parker and J. Jonah Jameson talk about the amount of information they have and what thread to pull. Meanwhile, Dr. Otto Octavius and Harry Osborn work in their lab as Dr. Octavius takes back the spider specimen he found that Harry tried to touch. More of Mister Negative's history is shown as he rose to power in the criminal underworld and how he and his sister took down their rivals until the day when Mister Negative met Kingpin who overpowered him leading to their allegiance. Mister Negative uses his abilities to learn that Wesley is one of the Mysterio. The next day, Quentin Beck meets with the other Mysterio members where they demand that Gwen explains her actions as Gwen notes that Wesley isn't well. More of Mister Negative's flashbacks are shown as his sister was not pleased that he was beaten by Kingpin. Back to the previous day, Mister Negative bestows on Wesley a gift of gratitude involving special glasses with a camera and microphone in it that enable Mister Negative to see through them. The second gift is bestowed on Wesley as Mister Negative begins to plan against the Hardy family, Mole Man, and Spider-Man's family. Back in the present, Wesley breaks down to the other Mysterio on what happened between him and Mister Negative. He then reveals some explosives on the vest that was placed on him as Aihan figures that her brother is behind this. Mister Negative has Wesley set off the explosives. [15]
