Spider-Man: Torment

"Torment" is a comic book trade paperback set within the continuity of the greater Marvel Universe. It reprints issues #1-5 of the Spider-Man, Volume 1 ongoing comic book series from 1990. The story was written, illustrated and inked by Todd McFarlane. McFarlane also produced the cover art illustration for this issue. The story was colored by Bob Sharen with lettering by Rick Parker. It was edited by Jim Salicrup with Dan Cuddy as assistant editor. The trade paperback was released in February, 1992 and carries a cover price of $12.95 per copy (US).

Issues

 * Spider-Man, Vol. 1 #1 - Originally published in August, 1990.
 * Spider-Man, Vol. 1 #2 - Originally published in September, 1990.
 * Spider-Man, Vol. 1 #3 - Originally published in October, 1990.
 * Spider-Man, Vol. 1 #4 - Originally published in November, 1990.
 * Spider-Man, Vol. 1 #5 - Originally published in December, 1990.

Chapter One
Spider-Man web-slings across the city and stumbles upon a mugging in progress. He gets the drop on the criminal who turns around and fires at him. Spider-Man easily dodges the bullets then disarms the man. He hangs him suspended from the cornice of a building wrapped up in web fluid.

Elsewhere, a mysterious individual conducts a ritual that summons forth the Lizard. The Lizard rises from the East River and tries to track down the source of a persistent throbbing in his skull. He comes to shore and attacks a group of would-be thieves. He dives into them demonstrating a savage ferocity unlike any he's ever displayed before. One of the punks fires a gun at the Lizard and blood sprays against the wall behind him. This is hardly enough to stop his rampage.

The next morning, Peter wakes up and decides to a little web-slinging before class. Mary Jane bids him good-bye and looks at the front page of the Daily Bugle. The headline reads "3 Killings - men slashed to death". A photograph in the paper shows a wall with the letters "CNNR" written in blood.

As day turns to night, the Lizard claims another victim.

Appearances

 * Peter Parker, Spider-Man


 * Mary Jane Watson


 * Calypso Ezili
 * The Lizard, Curt Connors


 * Ralph Dill




 * Humans
 * Altered humans
 * Lizard monsters


 * New York
 * New York City
 * Manhattan
 * Upper East Side
 * SoHo
 * Peter and Mary Jane's apartment


 * Web-shooters


 * None


 * Claws
 * Superhuman agility
 * Superhuman strength

Chapter Two
Two businessmen named Stan and Morley are walking down a busy Manhattan street. Stan goes on about a practical joke he played on his boss, while Morley scans the classifieds looking for single women. Suddenly, the Lizard leaps out from behind them and attacks.

The following day, Peter Parker reads the Daily Bugle headlines, which read, "2 More Dead". In a photograph, the letters CNNR are scrawled on a wall in blood. Despite being distracted by Mary Jane Watson, Peter deduces that CNNR stands for Connors, specifically, Curt Connors – the Lizard. He quickly dons his costume and swings off in search of his old foe.

Elsewhere, Calypso Ezili concocts a special potion using a spider, a reptile and body ash as ingredients. The end result is a deadly poison that she uses to coat the Lizard's claws.

Late into the evening, Spider-Man perches himself on the top of a building cornice scanning the city. His spider-sense goes off, but he is not quick enough to avoid the Lizard's attack. The impact sends Spidey sailing across the street through the window of another building. The Lizard follows him and rakes him across the chest with his poisoned claws. Almost immediately, the drugs begin to take effect and Spider-Man's balance begins to waver. Reflexively, he kicks at the Lizard, sending him crashing through a door. His body impales itself on a splintered piece of steel. Horrified and sickened, Spidey leaves the scene.

Spider-Man scales a water tower in an attempt to get some fresh air and clear his head. He reflects upon the events that first transformed Curt Connors into the Lizard. Surprisingly, the Lizard is still alive and has tracked Spider-Man down. As Spidey turns his head, the Lizard leaps upon him.

Appearances

 * Spider-Man, Peter Parker


 * Mary Jane Watson-Parker


 * Calypso Ezili
 * Lizard, Curt Connors


 * Morley
 * Stan


 * None


 * Altered humans
 * Lizard monsters


 * New York
 * New York City
 * Manhattan
 * Upper East Side
 * Soho
 * Peter and Mary Jane's apartment


 * Web-shooters


 * None


 * Spider-sense
 * Superhuman agility
 * Superhuman durability
 * Superhuman strength

Chapter Three
Spider-Man and the Lizard continue to fight one another. Spider-Man notices that the Lizard is much more savage than usual, and there is absolutely no evidence of Curt Connors' personality. Spider-Man tries talking to him, but the Lizard is consumed by blood lust. The poison in Spidey's system kicks into overdrive until all he can hear is a thundering "DOOM" reverberating inside his skull. The Lizard prepares to rip out Spidey’s jugular vein, but Calypso's influence echoes within the creature's mind. "The Spider must suffer." Rather than tearing into his flesh, the mind-controlled reptile lifts Spider-Man's prone body into the air, and hefts it off the top of the building. Spidey lands in a pile of garbage behind an alley.

Elsewhere, Mary Jane has been dancing the night away at a nightclub called Trixie's. Leaving the club, she sees a copy of the Daily Bugle lying in the rain. The headlines remind her of her husband’s current adventure, but she is confident that Peter can take care of things. Hours later, Spider-Man awakens. His head is pounding and he has trouble getting his bearings. He looks up only to see the Lizard standing next to the desiccated form of his late foe, Kraven the Hunter.

Appearances

 * Spider-Man, Peter Parker


 * Mary Jane Watson


 * Calypso Ezili
 * The Lizard


 * Ben Parker
 * Kraven the Hunter, Sergei Kravinoff
 * The burglar


 * New York City Police Department


 * Humans
 * Altered humans


 * New York
 * New York City
 * Manhattan
 * SoHo
 * Upper East Side
 * Trixie's
 * Queens
 * Forest Hills
 * Parker residence


 * Daily Bugle newspaper
 * Web-shooters


 * Adhesion
 * Mind control
 * Primal instinct
 * Superhuman agility
 * Superhuman strength

Chapter Four
Calypso's poison is burning through Spider-Man's system resulting in a severe fever and massive hallucinations. Instead of Calypso, Spider-Man believes that he is staring at his late adversary Kraven the Hunter. He recalls one of their more momentous battles, one in which Kraven buried him alive. Closing his eyes, he concentrates on Mary Jane. He regains enough of his sensibilities to focus past the hallucinations. He sees Calypso standing before him with the Lizard hunched next to her ready to spring.

Spider-Man tries in vain to reach the mind of Curt Connors, but there appears to be nothing of his old friend's mind inside the snarling Lizard. Spider-Man regains enough strength to break free of his bonds. The coiled Lizard springs at him and the two begin fighting. In the scuffle, Calypso's braziers fall over, their contents igniting the brownstone until a giant explosion tears through the building.

Appearances

 * Spider-Man, Peter Parker


 * Mary Jane Watson


 * Calypso Ezili
 * Lizard, Curt Connors


 * Kraven the Hunter, Sergei Kravinoff
 * mambo Ezili


 * Humans
 * Altered humans
 * Lizard monsters


 * New York
 * New York City
 * Manhattan
 * SoHo
 * Upper East Side


 * Web-shooters


 * None


 * Claws
 * Hallucination
 * Superhuman agility
 * Voodoo

Chapter Five
Police cars respond to an emergency taking place on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Mary Jane is returning home in a taxicab as squad cars race past her, their alarms blaring.

Meanwhile, the brownstone that Calypso had been using as her base of operations is a massive pile of burning debris. Spider-Man struggles to free himself from some fallen timbers. The Lizard rises from the wreckage as well and Spider-Man and he resume their fight. Calypso, insane with lust for blood and power, begins dancing through the ashes. Spider-Man pounces on the Lizard, but the creature effortlessly tosses him aside, then leaps on top of him. Spider-Man finds several lengths of chain and uses them to knock the Lizard out. He leaves him wrapped up in the chains, suspended from the rafters. He turns to face Calypso, but there is little he can do now. The building is ready to collapse. Spider-Man makes a hasty exit just as the burning walls come crashing down on top of Calypso.

Later, emergency crews survey the wreckage. They find no trace of either Calypso or the Lizard. Spider-Man, tired and in agony, finally makes it back home to Mary Jane. In the East River, a green scaly hand rises from the water. The Lizard has survived.

Appearances

 * Spider-Man, Peter Parker


 * Mary Jane Watson


 * Calypso Ezili
 * Lizard, Curt Connors


 * George


 * New York City Police Department


 * Humans
 * Altered humans
 * Lizard monsters


 * New York
 * New York City
 * Manhattan
 * Central Park
 * SoHo
 * Upper East Side
 * Peter and Mary Jane's apartment
 * East River


 * Web-Shooters


 * Police cruisers
 * Taxicab


 * Superhuman agility
 * Superhuman durability
 * Voodoo

Notes & Trivia

 * Spider-Man was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 in August, 1962.


 * Spider-Man: Torment (TPB) redirects to this page.