Ultimate Spider-Man: Men of Influence
Issue: #47
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils: Mark Bagley
Inker: Art Thibert
Colors: Transparency Digital

Spider-Man swings through New York, wondering why nothing of a criminal nature seems to be happening, when he hears a gunshot. We see the Enforcers breaking up a card game run by Julio, who owes the Kingpin money. As Fancy Dan prepares to shoot Julio as a warning, webbing wraps the gun and Spider-man lands in the middle of the card table. He and the Enforcers duke it out, with Spider-Man eventually webbing everyone in the room to the floor with a large, sticky net. He leaves the area as the police arrive.

Wilson Fisk is not happy. Not only have the Enforcers not returned with his money, but they’ve drawn the attention of the police when everyone in Fisk’s organization has orders to lay low. The appearance of Spider-man has just aggravated the situation. Fisk’s lawyer, Walter Dini, sends the Enforcers away, and then discusses the Spider-Man situation with Fisk, pointing out that finding Spider-Man will be nearly impossible. The only thing they know about him is that he’s a sixteen-year-old white boy. But Fisk has other means of meeting his goals.

Sam Bullit is running for District Attorney. He shows Daily Bugle owner J. Jonah Jameson and editor Joe Robertson a tape of his campaign ads and asks for the paper’s endorsement, which Jameson enthusiastically grants. Peter walks in on the end of the tape and the following conversation, and is sent out of the room.

In his basement lab, Peter considers what he should do. Mary Jane Watson walks in with a list of everyone who knows Peter is Spider-Man: Norman Osborn, Otto Octavius, members of the Ultimates, and so on. Peter complains to her that his newest problem is Bullit, who’s running on an anti-Spider-Man platform. MJ points out that politicians usually have financial backers who can influence political decisions, and leaves Peter with her list.

Spider-Man notices a billboard with a picture of his battle with Doc Ock; it’s one of Bullit’s ads. A crowd gathers around him, and a woman throws a bottle at him. He catches it and sets it down without retaliating, then swings away. At the Daily Bugle, Peter sees the latest headline: the Kingpin has been cleared of murder charges. Peter is furious – a murderer goes free, but Spider-Man is the object of public scorn. He overhears Robertson and Jameson arguing about the paper’s endorsement of Bullit and decides to ask Jameson a question: why is Fisk cleared and Spider-Man smeared as a public menace. Jameson fires him on the spot.

Submitted By: Seldes Katne