ASM Vol1
Amazing Spider-Man 288

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COMIC DETAILS

Comic Description: Amazing Spider-Man 288 Modern
Grade: 9.8
Page Quality: WHITE
Certification #: 2078760014
Owner: KidsFuture

SET DETAILS

Custom Sets: This comic is not in any custom sets.
Sets Competing: AmSp-All  Score: 96
Spidey201-300  Score: 96
AmSp All  Score: 96
ASM Vol1  Score: 96
Research: See CGC's Census Report for this Comic

Owner's Description

A gang war raging through NYC has kept vigilantes like Spider-Man, the Punisher, and Daredevil (DD) busy against Hammerhead, the Rose, the Arranger and the Blue Boy mobs. This was all caused by the absence of the Kingpin but now he is back and is taking accounts. From his office, the Kingpin gazes at a photo of his wife he keeps in a locket. He calls in Doctor Zachar, the physician who was hired to treat his wife, Vanessa. Kingpin is upset the man has been terrorizing Vanessa, who has the mind of a young girl. He is not impressed Vanessa was given an increase in her medication after recognizing her son, Richard Fisk. When Zachar tries to offer excuses, Kingpin won't hear any and uses the weapon in his cane to kill the doctor. Kingpin then calls in his next appointment. While in Chelsea, MJ has come to Peter Parker's apartment. She wonders what is going on with Peter's life, as he seems to be on the fence about quitting being Spider-Man. Using the spare key to get inside, Mary Jane is shocked to discover the Black Cat is in Peter's apartment. Storming into Peter's room, MJ wakes up Peter and demands to know why the Black Cat is in his apartment. Before he can answer, the Cat informs him he has a phone call from his Aunt May. As Peter answers, MJ demands answers from the Black Cat. The Cat explains her apartment was blown up and she has nowhere to stay. While the two quibble, Peter agrees to visit his Aunt May for lunch and heads out.
Meanwhile, Kingpin called in Jack O'Lantern into his office to inform him he is being fired. Jack is furious but Kingpin explains he served his purpose, but doesn't have what it takes to be his chief assassin. Jack O'Lantern storms out of the Kingpin's office vowing the crimeboss will regret this. While at a Greenwich Village loft, Alfredo Morelli is still upset the Hobogblin attempted to kill him and wants to get revenge. Richard Fisk advises his friend against it. Alfredo won't listen and storms out, leaving Richard to wonder his next move as the Rose. Sgt. Frances Tork then meets with Ben Urich, Matt Murdock, and Sam Wilson to discuss the recent return of the Kingpin. Their meeting is interrupted when a patron and the waitress pull guns and try to shoot them. While Wilson and Murdock deal with the male shooter, Sgt. Tork gets the drop on the waitress. With the danger over, they can all guess who hired these assassins to do in Matt Murdock. When Kingpin hears, he orders the two assassins eliminated before they can talk.
Later that afternoon, Ned Leeds finds Lance Bannon at his home. Ned tells Lance he is going on assignment to Europe and needs a photographer. It's then he notices Lance has a bunch of pictures of the Hobgoblin pinned to the wall. Lance nervously explains he was sorting through morgue files on the Hobgoblin and quickly gets Ned to leave before he can ask more questions. Lance then discovers Ned left behind some notepad behind. He then recalls how Ned said he was going to his old apartment to pick up some notes and decides to meet him there. While back at the Kingpin's office, the crime lord gives the Arranger a list of individuals that need to be eliminated. Meanwhile, at Betty Leed's apartment, Betty finally convinces Flash Thompson to let her go out and get them some groceries. Thompson has been hiding out at her place since bring framed for being the Hobgoblin and was subsequently broken out of prison. As Betty leaves the apartment, Flash waves goodbye to her from the window. Watching from across the street is Lance Bannon who considers this a stroke of luck. An hour later, Betty returns to find the Hobgoblin inside her apartment attacking Flash. He has decided to reveal his true identity to Thompson so he can know who destroyed him. When he hears Betty, the unmasked Hobgoblin turns to see who it is. Betty instantly recognizes who the Hobgoblin is and begins to scream. Fearing the authorities might be called, the Hobgoblin flees the scene before he can finish his job.
While at the Kingpin's skyscraper, the criminal visits with his wife and tenderly tells her that soon it will all be over and she will be free. While in Forest Hills, Peter is being trounced in a game of chess with Aunt May's tenant, Arthur Chekov. Peter can't keep his mind on the game because he can't stop thinking about how the Black Cat invited herself back into his life after her apartment was recently firebombed. This has put him at odds because, despite the fact he and Mary Jane don't have a formal relationship, he still feels like a creep. Suddenly, his outing is interrupted by a phone call from Matt Murdock. Peter tells Murdock not to call his Aunt May's house again and slams down the phone. While at Jack O'Lantern's hideout, the villain is fuming over being fired by the Kingpin. Suddenly, the Hobgoblin comes crashing in and attacks him for deserting him in battle. Things get hairier when Alfredo, who followed the Hobgoblin, tries to shoot the villain from behind. When the Hobgoblin tries to fight back, Alfredo uses a device that jams all of the Hobgoblin's equipment, rendering him helpless. But, before Alfredo can eliminate the Hobgoblin, he is attacked from behind by Jack O'Lantern, who wants the Hobgoblin for himself. Alfredo drops the jamming device, giving the Hobgoblin enough time to recover and flee, as he finds that protracted battle will hinder his plans to take over the underworld for himself.
While back at Richard Fisk's loft, Dina takes a call from Alfredo and informs Richard about his failed attempt on the Hobgoblin's life. Richard is upset by this, because he figures the Hobgoblin will think the Rose has betrayed him. Suddenly, his private line rings, and Richard answers it. Instead of Mr. Varley, as he expected, Richard is shocked to hear the voice of his father. The Kingpin tells Richard they need to talk immediately. While in Hell's Kitchen, Sgt. Tork, DD and the Falcon are planning the next phase of their plan. Falcon is upset Matt pushed Spider-Man to the point where he won't be any help. However, they are soon interrupted by Spider-Man and the Black Cat. The wall-crawler is still furious Murdock called him at his Aunt May's home. Before he can fully vent his anger, he is told the Kingpin is plotting to kill all his lieutenants and this is Spider-Man's chance to nail the Kingpin once and for all. Meanwhile, Hammerhead is tipped off about the Kingpin's meeting. Figuring something big is up, Hammerhead decides to lay low and bide his time before making his next move. While in an alleyway not far from the Kingpin's headquarters, the Punisher is also preparing for his next move. Having heard the police have been instructed to stay away from the Kingpin's office tower, a deal cut for the Kingpin's return. The Punisher continues his watch, intending to deal with the problem himself.
At a quarter to midnight, the Kingpin is spending more time with his comatose wife. He's joined by the Rose, who asks the Kingpin how he discovered the Rose was really his son, Richard Fisk. The Kingpin says it doesn't matter, that he called his son to say goodbye to his mother as this will be the last time he sees her. The Rose pulls a gun, angry his father has been keeping his mother in a comatose state. Kingpin responds back by informing his son he is aware of the rookie police officer he killed the night before. He then tells his son he plans on doing something good for this city and his wife. He explains to Richard how Vanessa had left him recently and fled to Europe. Kingpin monitored her and learned of a plot against her life. He then brought his wife back to the United States and kept her sedated to save her from the shock of learning she had been pulled back into her husband's life. He explains he has dealt with the price on Vanessa's head and she will be soon be taken back to Europe. As a token jesture to the local authorities, Kingpin plans to end the mob war at midnight. As Kingpin calls his lieutenants to his office, Spider-Man and the other heroes make their way there. The Kingpin announces to his minions they have all been "fired" and orders them killed. As Kingpin and the Rose leave to oversee Vanessa's transport to the airport, the heroes come crashing in. Spider-Man, DD, the Falcon, and the Black Cat round up the guns to prevent them from assassinating the Kingpin's failed minions.
As the battle rages, Sgt. Tork reports that Vanessa Fisk's ambulance has just cleared the area and sends in his officers to start making arrests. Spider-Man suddenly realizes this was all a set up as the assassins guns are filled with blanks. Fed up of being manipulated by the Kingpin, Spider-Man leaves the battle to face the fat man alone in his office. The Kingpin gloats over his manipulation over the wall-crawler, explaining that he has had years of experience manipulating dogooders like Spider-Man to suit his own means. He also reminds Spider-Man that he is the unbeatable foe, as killing the Kingpin will only keep the gang war going. That's when DD and the others come into the room, warning Spider-Man to stop. DD finally gets through to Spider-Man, but he doesn't like it. In a fit of rage, Spider-Man smashes the Kingpin's desk with his fist and warns Fisk that one day the Kingpin will push him too far, he then leaves with the Black Cat in tow.
In the aftermath of Spider-Man's outburst, the Kingpin pulls the photo of his wife that was on the desk when Spider-Man smashed it. The symbolism of the situation is not lost on the Kingpin. He and DD have parting words, both agreeing that they lost something important that day for the greater good. DD, his morals, for making a deal with the Kingpin, while the Kingpin lost his wife. As he leaves, DD tells the Kingpin to take a good look at the shattered crystal of the photo and see if he can find his reflection so he can truly know what he has lost. With DD gone, Kingpin reflects on his parting words before putting the photo of his wife into a drawer.



 
 
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