Ultimate Spider-Man: Temptations
Issue: #42
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils: Mark Bagley
Inker: Art Thibert
Colors: Transparency Digital

Peter is grumbling to himself about his situation and following a line of police cars that are converging on a school. In the parking lot are several cars that have been blown up. Peter swings down and confronts the same young man that had been at the party the night before. He webs the teen’s hands, but Geldoff’s fingers begin to glow and the webs burn away. After a verbal warning, Peter tries to leave, but Geldoff grabs his costume and is pulled along for the ride. As Geldoff loses his grip, Peter rescues him, and the two finally stop on a rooftop to talk. Geldoff had had a few drinks the night before and had blown the cars up as a joke. The next morning the school’s principal had suspended half of the football team because of the incident, and Geldoff had blown up the principal’s car, along with a couple others. During the explanation, Peter is shaking his head in disbelief.

He and Geldoff compare powers, and Geldoff demonstrates how he blows things up. Peter tells him that he’s a mutant, but Geldoff disagrees, insisting he is not. He’s an orphan from Latveria who’s been adopted by American parents. Peter finds himself lecturing Geldoff about using his powers responsibly (however he got them).

Suddenly Peter sees a robbery in progress (at Thibert Checking) and goes to the rescue. He finds several people inside wearing plastic superhero masks and holding up the employees and customers. One of them shoots point-blank at Peter and misses, drawing criticism from his own teammates. Peter knocks him out and is about to subdue the rest of the group when the window behind him explodes. After checking to make sure the hostages are all right, Peter confronts Geldoff, who had been trying to help by blowing up a car parked outside the building. Peter is about ready to drag Geldoff back to his school and let the police deal with him, and Geldoff is about to try his explosive powers on Peter, when someone interrupts. Three of the X-Men are now on the rooftop.

Submitted By: Seldes Katne