Ultimate Spider-Man: Strange, Part 1
Issue: #70
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Pencils: Mark Bagley
Inker: Scott Hanna
Colors: J. D. Smith

Peter and Mary Jane meet at the Tavern on the Green Restaurant for their fancy date.  They're both excited about getting dressed up and blowing their money on a big night out -- until they look at the menu prices and decide on soup and bread instead.

MJ asks to hear about something Peter has been wanting to tell her concerning a magician.  Peter doesn't remember mentioning that, but starts with his story anyway.  We get a series of flashbacks to Peter sitting in class, looking at Gwen Stacy's empty desk and feeling guilty over her death.  He leaves, puts on his costume, and notices action on a rooftop.  The Ultimates are fighting a cyborg.  Spider-man kicks the cyborg in the back of the head and knocks him out, then receives a less than enthusiastic "thank you" from Clint Barton and the rest of the group.

Peter continues on to the Daily Bugle.  He's putting stories on the paper's website when J. Jonah Jameson calls him into the office.  Jameson is assigning him to follow Ben Urich on a story -- the paper will be running a profile of Stephen Strange, "Sorcerer to the Stars".  Urich comments that it's a fluff piece and that he's really got better things to write.  There's a brief argument, and Urich finally leaves the office with Peter in tow.

The action returns to Peter and MJ at the restaurant, where Peter begins relating what he knows of Strange's background.  The current Dr. Strange was named after his father, who had been a world-renowned surgeon until he accidentally crashed his car, killing his wife and unforn child and ruining his hands.  Strange Sr. spent years search for a cure.  At last he found a mysterious old man called the Ancient One, who convinced him to leave his medical career behind and learn the ways of magic instead.  He eventually had a son with a woman named Clea, then disappeared mysteriously.  Eventually, when Stephen Jr. was old enough, he began to follow his father's interest and training in the magical arts, and now does talk shows and consultations with celebrities, among other things.

Peter continues his story.  He and Urich arrive at Dr. Strange's mansion, only to be told by the man at the door that Dr. Strange is available.  When Urich points out that they had an appointment, the man apologizes but insists they leave.  Peter, spider sense tingling, stays behind.  Once he's changed into his costume, he climbs onto the roof and looks through a window, to see Strange and the man who answered the door apparently locked in combat.

We go back to Peter and MJ in the restaurant.  MJ comments about what an adventurous life Peter has, as she's cutting up her steak.  She asks how old he is, which sounds like an odd question to Peter, but then insists that Peter continue his story.

Spider-Man bursts through the rooftop window of Strange's home and something attacks him, causing everything to go black.

At the restaurant, MJ asks what happened; Peter replies that he beat up the bad guy.  Or did he?  As the panels progress, we see MJ's eyes and hair begin to change.  She asks someone behind Peter if they've "got him".  Two pairs of hands grab Peter's shoulders, and Peter finds nightmare versions of his Uncle Ben and Gwen Stacy have him by the collar.  A host of strange images appears behind MJ, who no longer looks like MJ.  She tells him he is having a nightmare and will never wake up.



Submitted By: Seldes Katne