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Quote1 He always tries to protect me. It's what he DOES. He doesn't understand. It's not that I don't want to be protected, because sometimes I do. But sometimes I want to protect HIM, and I can't do that when he's too busy protecting ME. When he's keeping secrets. But I have to respect his secrets. Because that's what I do. I keep people's secrets. Quote2
Mary Jane Watson

Appearing in "Sins Past - Part Three"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Amazing Spider-Man #511

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Synopsis for "Sins Past - Part Three"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Amazing Spider-Man #511

Spider-Man is being strong for Mary Jane while Mary Jane worries about him, as per usual. Peter is keeping secrets from her and she's upset because she wants to help him. Spider-Man breaks in to a lab to test DNA on Gabe and Sarah to see if they're his kids with Gwen. The DNA test says that they are his kids. Just as he receives the results, he's confronted by Sarah. She tells Spider-Man that Gabe is determined to kill everyone he loves before killing him. The only way to save his loved ones is to allow her to kill him right then and there.

A machine in the lab distracts just long enough for Spider-Man to pounce. He gains the upper hand, but Gabe blows a window right next to him. When Spider-Man gets back on his feet both Sarah and Gabe are gone. They've moved on to a rooftop where they discuss their motivation for attacking Spider-Man. They feel he abandoned their mom and blame him for her death.

Back at home, Mary Jane confronts Peter about the letter. She read it while he was out and knows Peter thinks Sarah and Gabe are his kids. He explains to her that it's impossible because he and Gwen never had sex. She says she knows. Even more, she knows who the real father is.

Appearing in "Hearts and Powers"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Amazing Spider-Man #344

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Synopsis for "Hearts and Powers"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Amazing Spider-Man #344

Slipping past the guards in a warehouse, Spider-Man takes photos of chemicals that are used in the production of cocaine that is being kept there. As the wall-crawler begins taking photos for the Daily Bugle, his spider-sense begins to go off. Suddenly, one of the walls blows open, revealing a costumed individual calling himself Cardiac. The guards open fire, but the bullets bounce off Cardiac's invulnerable hide. He then turns his staff on the barrels of chemicals and blast them. That's when Spider-Man intervenes. At first, Cardiac is delighted to see a fellow crime fighter, but when Spider-Man points out that he can't just blow up property at a legitimate operation, Cardiac considers the wall-crawler an enemy and tries to blast the hero. Spider-Man dodges the blast, and while he is avoiding getting crushed by debris Cardiac makes his escape. Hearing police sirens, Spider-Man leaves the scene and changes back into Peter Parker. As the officers are cordoning off the area, he meets up with reporter Joy Mercado and confirms that he managed to get pictures inside. While Peter worries that the coincidence of Spider-Man and Peter Parker being in the same place might compromise his double identity, Doctor Elias Wirtham considers the implications of being Cardiac due to his Hippocratic oath as a physician. However, Wirtham takes to heart what Spider-Man told him during their battle, that the world is not perfect.

The next morning, Mary Jane has just finished acting a scene for her character on the soap opera "Secret Hospital". On break, she finds her husband, Peter Parker, have come bring her breakfast.[Continuity 1] Peter is glad that the scene, which involved Mary Jane kissing a co-actor, is all part of the script. This causes Mary Jane to feel guilty by the comment, given what almost happened between her and actor Jason Jerome.[Continuity 2] However, this unease is quickly forgotten as the couple sit down to eat.

Meanwhile, at Wirtham Tower, Elias checks his schedule for the day. Learning that he has a charity function to attend that evening, he tells his secretary to cancel the appearance as he has more pressing matters to attend to. Entering his office, he remembers the vow that he made to someone special that set him on this course to take preventative measures to stop those whose illegal activities are ignored, hence his attack on the Spirdyne Chemicals warehouse the night before. He intends to use his newfound powers to right these sorts of shady operations.

At that moment, Justin Hammer is enjoying a tranquil vacation within his secret facility hidden within an arctic iceberg. He is informed of the financial losses caused by Cardiac's attack on the Sapirdyne Chemicals. Upset at being interrupted, Hammer tells his assistant to send his costumed operative the Rhino, as he has prepared a new suit of armor for the villain.

While at Empire State University, Peter Parker is busy working on a scientific experiment in his advanced chemistry class. Unfortunately, he is unable to focus on his work when he realizes that the chemicals he is using were produced by Sapirdyne. He decides to look into the company to find out what Cardiac's attack was all about.

Later that evening, at Rykers Island, Eddie Brock exercises in his cell, much to the annoyance of his cellmate, Cletus Kasady, a notorious serial killer. Brock explains that he needs to keep his body in peak physical condition so that he can avenge the death of the symbiote that made him Venom.[Continuity 3] When Cletus explains that one can do what they want if they have the will to do it, which wearies Brock, who is unhappy with being cellmates with the killer. Looking out the window of their cell, Cletus is frightened by something he sees looking in on them. However, when they go for a closer look, there is nothing there.

Later that evening, Spider-Man swings across the city. Along the way, he passes the Osborn Chemical Company and he briefly wonders what his friend Harry's company does with the chemicals they create. Soon, he arrives at his destination, the Sapirdyne Chemical factory. Also arriving at the scene is Elias Wirtham, who changes into his costume inside his van and prepares to attack the facility. When Cardiac gets past the main gates, he is ambushed by the Rhino who is protecting the facility. Unprepared for an encounter with a super-villain, Cardiac begins to panic. As he flees the Rhino, Spider-Man arrives on the scene and attacks the Rhino. However, the Rhino rams into the wall, damaging the catwalk that Cardiac has fled to. Spider-Man comes to Cardiac's aid, and when he tries to web up the Rhino, his webbing dissolves once it hits the villain's costume.[Continuity 4] When the Rhino charges again, Spider-Man manages to knock over a drum filled with liquid teflon to trip up his enemy.

In response, the Rhino pulls free a number of wires and throws them at Spider-Man, forcing the wall-crawler to dodge them. Before the Rhino could attack the hero, Cardiac interferes, sending the Rhino crashing through a wall. With the Rhino distracted, Cardiac uses his staff to blast the vats of chemicals he came to destroy, despite the protests from Spider-Man. With the live wires snaking on the ground near the highly flammable chemicals all the combatants flee the scene just moments before the chemical plant explodes. Spider-Man stays on the scene as firefighters. He hopes they can find a clue as to why Cardiac attacked the facility, as he doesn't have anymore answers than when he first arrived. When the reports of the incident get to Justin Hammer, he is amused to discover that Spider-Man tried to stop Cardiac and decides to use this to his advantage.

Appearing in "Gun From the Heart"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Amazing Spider-Man #345

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Synopsis for "Gun From the Heart"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Amazing Spider-Man #345

Cardiac continues his attacks on Sapirdyne Chemicals by targeting their main office. He blasts open a safe looking for records, however, he finds none. One of the executives tells him that the CEO, Mr. Sapir, had taken them early that morning. Cardiac figures they were taken intentionally after his last attack. Suddenly, the security guards come bursting into the room. Not wanting to hurt them, Cardiac tries stuns them with a blast from his beta-powered pulse staff. However, with bullets flying all over the office, Cardiac decides to leave the scene to find the information he is looking for and leaps out of the window. Quickly getting away, Cardiac slips into the ambulance that he has parked nearby and changes into his civilian guise of Doctor Elias Wertham. As he heads back to the hospital he owns, he fears that his attacks on Sapirdyne have caused them to start covering up their ethically questionable business deals. Meanwhile, Spider-Man is swinging across Queens trying to find some lead on Cardiac. He questions Cardiac's methods of attacking Sapirdyne's sale of chemicals to South America. While they could be used to produce cocaine, the chemicals also have a legitimate use and they can't jump to the conclusion that they are going to be used in criminal activity. No matter how noble Cardiac's intentions are, Spider-Man has to stop him. Moments later, Mary Jane arrives at Aunt May's house and worries that Peter is going to be late. However, he surprises her by arriving on time.[Continuity 5]

After Peter changes into his civilian clothes, he and Mary Jane are invited into May's house for lunch. Also, there is May's new boyfriend, Willie Lumpkin. Left alone with Willie while the women are serving lunch, Peter has an awkward time striking up a conversation with the mail man. Willie breaks the ice by telling Peter he knows how he must feel after the death of his Uncle Ben and the more recent passing of May's fiancee Nathan Lubenski, but he assures Peter that he has nothing but honorable intentions for May.[Continuity 6] Peter thanks Willie for speaking so candidly with him and apologizes for being stand-offish. Willie takes no offense as he knows Peter loves his aunt and only wants what is best for her. Meanwhile, at the Arctic retreat of industrialist Justin Hammer, the crooked businessman cannot take his mind off of how Cardiac is interfering with his business operations. Hammer decides to take things a step further, telling his assistant Phillip Barnett to get him the contact information for the press and various embassies located in New York City.

Two days later, Peter Parker still has found no trace of Cardiac and it has started to affect his grades. Returning to Empire State University, Peter comes across a poster of Silver Sable asking Spider-Man to contact her immediately. He wonders what Sable wants with his alter-ego this time. Changing into Spider-Man, the wall-crawler pays a visit to the Symkarian Embassy where Silver Sable introduces him to Herschel Sapir the owner of Sapirdyne Chemicals who has hired Silver Sable International to deal with Cardiac. Since he also knows that Spider-Man had previously assisted Silver Sable in the past he has also asked for the web-slingers assistance as well. He is willing to pay Spider-Man for his time, and the web-slinger accepts the offer although he doesn't entirely trust Sapir considering he had hired the Rhino to protect one of his chemical plants. At sunset, Elias Wertham's media alert system informs him of a news report about how Sapirdyne Chemicals making a massive shipment of chemicals aboard the S.S. Palermo in what the company insists is a legal sale of chemicals. Seeing this Elias begins to be wracked with pain. He rushes to his secret lab where he uses the maintenance program to stabilize his artificial heart that not only keeps him alive but also channels his powers. He insists that he must stay alive as long as possible so he can fulfill the promise he made to his brother Josh.

That evening, tugboats pull the S.S. Palermo out of New York Harbor for its trip.[Continuity 7] Onboard, the ship is Spider-Man, who is on board to protect the ship from attack by Cardiac. Also on board is an Australian man who has been to hired to deal with Spider-Man after. While at Riker's Island, Eddie Brock continues his ongoing exercise regime, much to the annoyance of his cellmate Cletus Kasady, a notorious serial killer. Suddenly, the window of their sell is filled with a black substance that seems to be alive. Cletus is frightened by the mass, but Eddie Brock is delighted to see that his symbiote is alive after all.[Continuity 8] Bonding with his "other", Eddie Brock then smashes the outer wall of his cell and flees. Cletus is still frightened but figures the incident is over with, unaware that the symbiote left a dripping portion of itself on the bars of the window.

By this time, the tugboats have finished pulling the ship out to sea. No sooner than the S.S. Palermo begins its voyage, Spider-Man's spider-sense goes off. He warns the crew to abandon ship and they all comply except for the Australian man. He turns out to be Spider-Man's foe Boomerang. Meanwhile, Spider-Man confronts Cardiac in the ship's cargo hold. He tries to reason with Cardiac, telling him that laws are not to be broken, even if they need to be changed. Not willing to listen, Cardiac opens fire with his beta-staff, but the wall-crawler dodges it. The hero then tries to pull the weapon from Cardiac's hands but fails. As the battle rages, Boomerang watches from the sidelines. Even though Justin Hammer ordered him not to reveal himself until after the battle is over and to finish whoever was left. However, the villain wants to make a reputation for himself and attacks the pair. He tosses two "disruptorangs". While one briefly stuns Spider-Man, the other affects Cardiac's, artificial heart. Seeing Cardiac in distress, the wall-crawler quickly stops Boomerang's attack by webbing up one of his rocket boots sending him flying out of control into the ocean.

When Spider-Man turns to aid Cardiac, he discovers that his foe has recovered and he successfully blasts a hole in the ship, causing it to sink. Cardiac gloats that he has struck a crippling blow to Sapirdyne Chemicals that will lead to the organization's financial ruin. Summoning a glider, Cardiac makes his escape despite Spider-Man's failed attempt to tag him with a spider-tracer. While back ashore, Eddie Brock climbs out of the waters. With his symbiote enveloping his entire body, he becomes Venom once more.

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