Spider-Man: The Name of the Rose

"The Name of the Rose" is a six-part storyline presented in issues #84-89 of the Web of Spider-Man comic book series published by Marvel Comics. The story was written by Howard Mackie with artwork by Alex Saviuk and inks by Keith Williams and Sam de la Rosa. It was colored by Bob Sharen with lettering by Rick Parker and Chris Eliopoulos. The story was edited by Danny Fingeroth with Eric Fein as assistant editor.

Part One
Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin, is engaged in a training exercise with a group of paid ninjas. His son, Richard Fisk, watches as his father waxes on about the consolidation of power. To punctuate his point, he snaps the neck of the last ninja.

On the Upper West Side, Spider-Man engages a brute named Jessie, who has abducted a little girl on a playground. Holding a knife to her throat, he complains about how everybody thinks that he is dumb - an insult he refuses to bear any longer. Spider-Man gets an opportunity to web his hands up and leaves him dangling from a lamp post. He then web-slings home to be with his wife, Mary Jane. All Peter wants to do is relax and read the Daily Bugle, but Mary Jane reminds him that they have dinner at Aunt May's.

An hour later on the Lower East Side, photographer Nick Katzenberg meets with an informant named Twitch. He hands him a wad of money in exchange for a hot tip. Twitch remarks about how its not as hot as his last one, and that its a shame that he got scooped on the story. Nick is confused until Twitch shows him a copy of the Bugle, which causes Katzenberg to grow incensed.

Meanwhile, back at the Fisk building, Richard Fisk has a private phone call with a mysterious figure. They are equally upset about a situation that they must now contain. They send men to Peter and Mary Jane's apartment and toss it over. One of them, Michael, reports back to his boss. When the crime figure learns that Michael called him on an unsecured line, he has another of his men shoot Michael dead.

In Forest Hills, Peter and Mary Jane enjoy their dinner at May's. Other guests include Kristy Watson and Willie Lumpkin. Peter keeps trying to steal time to read his paper, but never gets the chance. His spider-sense goes off as a group of armed men approach the front door of the house masquerading as NYPD detectives. He switches to his Spider-Man costume and engages the men. A helicopter flies overhead with another man opening fire on Spider-Man down below. He yanks the shooter out of the copter and then enters the cabin where he forces the pilot to land. He rushes back inside to make sure everyone is safe. Mary Jane tells him that the armed men were not looking for Spider-Man, but rather, for Peter Parker. Pete finally catches sight of his newspaper on the ground, which has run a story about blowing the lid on the criminal underworld with Parker's name as the photographer by-line. However, Peter never took the incriminating photo. It was actually taken by Nick Katzenberg.

Later, Richard Fisk telephones his secret contact, who is the new Rose. They are satisfied that the Peter Parker problem will soon be resolved and that this is but the first of many steps in a larger scheme to bring down the Kingpin.


 * Spider-Man, Peter Parker


 * Kristy Watson
 * Mary Jane Watson
 * May Parker
 * Nick Katzenberg
 * Willie Lumpkin


 * Kingpin, Wilson Fisk
 * Richard Fisk
 * The Rose
 * Jesse
 * Michael


 * Hobgoblin, Jason Macendale
 * Twitch
 * Walt


 * Humans
 * Altered humans (2)


 * New York
 * New York City
 * Manhattan
 * Lower East Side
 * Upper West Side
 * Fisk Tower
 * SoHo
 * Peter and Mary Jane's apartment
 * Queens
 * Forest Hills
 * Parker residence


 * Katana
 * Nunchaku
 * Sai
 * Web-shooters


 * Helicopter
 * Taxicab


 * Adhesion
 * Spider-sense
 * Superhuman agility


 * Broken neck
 * Gunshot victims
 * Ninjas

Part Two




















Part Three




















Part Four




















Part Five




















Part Six