 |  APR 2002 Secret Files #1 |
Memories
by Chip Caroon
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Memories by Chip Caroon |
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"What's up? Waiting for some new shots?"
Peter turned around. "Huh? Oh, no. No, I'm just thinking. Getting away from everything." He stood up. "Do you realize how lucky we are to have such a peaceful getaway?"
"Um, no. I never really thought about it that way," Jimmy replied. "I usually just come in, develop my pictures, and then leave."
Peter looked around the room, eerily lit by a soft red light. "It'll all be over soon, won't it?"
"You mean the buyout?"
"Yeah. In a few days, Jameson will have sold the place to Luthor, and we'll just be out of jobs."
"What do you mean?" Jimmy asked. "You'll at least get a web designer job. I'm the one that's down on my luck."
"Do you remember your first time here at the Planet?"
Jimmy shook his head. "Not too well. It's been a while. You?"
"It's only been a few months, so, of course . . . "
"Are you the kid who came in with Joker pictures?" he asked.
Peter stood up and handed the photos to the man. "Yes, sir. Here they are."
As the man looked over the photos, his face turned into a smile. "Kid, these are good. I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name."
"Peter Parker, sir."
The man shifted all of the pictures into his left hand and stuck out his right hand. Peter grabbed it and shook it. "Perry White, editor in chief," the man said. "You must tell me how you got these. It's almost as if you were right on top of them!"
"It's a trade secret, Mr. White," Peter replied. "But if you want more, I think I can get more!"
"Good, good," Perry said, putting the pictures down on his secretary's desk. "Peter, there are some people who I would like you to meet. Lois! Jimmy! Come over here!"
Two people walked over to where Perry and Peter were standing. One was a dark haired woman, in her thirties, Peter thought. She was wearing a grey skirt with a red shirt. The other was a red haired young man, about Peter's age, maybe a year older. He was wearing jeans and a t-shirt with a long sleeve shirt over it. Perry put his hand out to introduce him.
He pointed to the woman first. "Peter, this is Lois Lane, our Pulitzer winning reporter." Peter shook her hand. "Please to meet you, Ms. Lane," he said. "I've read a lot of your work, and it's great."
"Thank you," Lois answered.
Perry gestured to the boy. "And this is Jimmy Olsen, our other outstanding photographer."
Peter shook Jimmy's hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Same here," Jimmy replied.
"Lois, Jimmy, this is Peter Parker. He's our newest photographer," Perry announced. "Peter, you'll be working here with Olsen. He'll teach you the rest of what you need to know. I think the three of you will get along fine."
"What was that?" Jimmy asked.
"Oh, I was just saying that Perry thought right. Back when he hired me, he said that he thought the three of us - you, me, and Lois - would get along fine."
"A shame that we'll probably get split up."
"We'll all still be friends, won't we?"
"If the buyout goes the way I think it will, we'll still be friends, but it'll never be the same."
"Kinda like it will be after high school?"
"I tend to not think about that."
Both boys were silent for a moment.
"Hey," Peter said, "do you remember when you first heard about the problems with the paper?"
"Yeah, it was shortly after the Sinister Six battle. Although, you knew about it before I did."
"It was all in the timing, that's all. If you had come in only two minutes earlier, you would have been there. As it was, I was walking into the City Room. I found Lois, and was talking to her, waiting for you, when JJJ came out of Perry's office . . . "
Peter and Lois walked over to Perry's office. He was sitting in his chair, looking out the window behind him.
"So, chief, what happened?" Peter asked.
Perry turned around, and put his hands together, resting his elbows on his desk. He sighed.
"I can't really say much, but Jameson is worried about the future of the paper," he responded.
Lois frowned. "The paper or his wallet?" she asked in a bitter tone.
"For once, both," Perry said. "All I can say is, there are some very powerful people who are interested in partial, or even full ownership of the Planet."
"Why is Jameson worried, then?" Peter asked. "If he's the owner, he can just say no."
Perry leaned back in his chair. "I'm afraid it's not so simple, Peter. You see, some of these people have the means to force a sell. But, I've probably told you too much. You should go."
Peter and Lois left the office and walked back to Lois's desk. Lois sat back down and started typing.
"So, who do you think could be pressuring Jameson?" Peter asked.
"I have my suspicions," Lois replied. "I can think of two or three right offhand."
"Mind telling me who they are?"
Lois looked up. "I don't think you really want to get involved in this mess. You're still new."
Peter was taken back. "What does that mean?" he asked.
"Oh, I didn't mean to sound mean. It's just not good for you to get into too much controversy while you're still learning the ropes here. You understand?"
"Of course," Peter replied. "I understand completely."
He quickly dropped the subject as he saw Jimmy getting off of the elevator.
Peter nodded. "That's right." He paused. "Do you have any pictures to develop?"
"Nah. I was actually looking for you. I needed some help with the physics homework."
"Okay. Can we go to the Crib? It's a better place to get work done than here."
"You just want to see Mary Jane," Jimmy teased.
"No! Well, at least it's a good excuse."
"Hey," Peter said walking in.
"Hey," MJ replied. "Can I get you something?"
"Nah, just thinking," Peter said.
"About the buyout?"
"Yeah."
MJ walked over and hugged Peter. "Don't worry. It's just your job. You'll still have your friends."
Peter smiled. "How did we manage to never meet until this year?"
"Your dumb luck?"
"Maybe my luck was changing when we met . . . "
As they stood up to leave, they heard a crash. A waitress had spilled a tray on a table. That upset the people sitting there: Three boys, looking to be in their late teens and early twenties. They all wore blue jackets. The biggest one was the one that had gotten most of the mess. He had light brown combed hair and looked the oldest. The guy beside him had long black hair, and black eyes. Across from them sat a blonde-haired boy.
"Uh oh," Victor said.
"Intergang," Peter replied. "Let's go."
Peter and Victor began running outside. However, Davis was also at the club. He saw Peter coming, and stuck his foot out. Peter tripped over it, and landed on the waitress, who fell into one of the Intergang members. Just great. The biggest one, Peter thought. Standing up, he noticed that the waitress had red hair. He also saw Davis laughing.
"Davis, you are a real idiot."
The bully shrugged. "I thought it was funny."
"Hey," the brown haired guy said to Peter. "Do you know who you're messin' with?"
Peter shook his head. "Can't say I do."
During this time, Victor slipped out, walked to a remote area, and changed into the Shadow.
"Oh, so you think you're funny?" the guy asked. "Well, maybe me and my buddies had better show you and this chick here who we are."
Peter started backing up. "I don't think that is really necessary. After all, I was tripped by Davis here," he said, pointing to Davis.
"So? You should have been watching where you were going." The guy stepped out. Peter grabbed the waitress by the arm. "Get behind me," he whispered. She got behind him.
"Oh? Being the big time hero? Save the girl?"
"Look, I'm just trying to do the right thing. I was leaving. You're the one that's being the jerk here. If you weren't so uptight, and spoiled, I'd be gone," Peter replied. I sure hope this goes the way I planned. He could feel the waitress holding on to his arms.
The guy started forward.
"Hey, Parker, you're wormfood!" Davis shouted.
The blond guy turned, grabbed hold of Davis's shirt, and picked him up. "Shut up. This isn't your business." He threw him down onto the floor. Davis stood up and threw a punch.
The next thing everyone knew, Davis was in a fight with two guys bigger than him. The "leader" kept coming towards Peter, who stopped moving backward.
"Shouldn't we keep moving?" the waitress whispered.
"Don't worry."
"'Parker,' is it? Well, Parker, you're as good as dead."
"I seriously doubt that."
"Why?"
Suddenly, the guy felt a chop to the back of his neck. He turned around. "What the--?" he shouted.
Peter came up and kicked him in the back, knocking him down. The Shadow then kicked him in the balls.
"Juke! It's The Shadow! Get him?"
"I thought he was supposed to be invisible?" the guy with long hair asked.
"Find him anyway!"
Peter replied, grabbing the waitress's hand and running out.
"Where can we go?" he asked once they had gotten outside.
"My car's around back," she said.
"Let's go there." As they were running back, Peter asked "What's your name?"
"Mary Jane Watson. You?"
"Peter Parker."
"Well, Peter, I guess I owe you."
Peter blushed. "Hey, I had to help."
"Here's my car." They had stopped at a grey 1991 Ford Taurus.
"Get in," Peter said. "Stay in there. Keep the doors locked. If those guys come out, drive away."
Before Peter could do anything else, Mary Jane leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.
"What was that for?" he asked after she pulled away.
"Thanking you." Mary Jane opened her car. "What are you going to do?"
Peter looked at The Crib. "I'm going back in."
Mary Jane grabbed his wrist and squeezed it. "Good luck."
Peter smiled. "I'll be back for you when it's safe."
"Or if I had and Davis hadn't been such an idiot."
"We might never have met, or become friends."
"Even though we were next door neighbor's forever."
MJ had finished cleaning the booths, and was ready to leave. She walked into the back room, grabbed her jacket, turned the lights off, and activated the security system. Peter quickly opened the door, and MJ rushed through to take advantage of the thirty second grace period.
"Ready for that physics test tomorrow?" Peter asked.
"Mostly," MJ replied. "But it'd be nice if you could come over and help me out with a few things."
Peter looked at his watch. "I have time."
"Cool. Wanna ride?"
"Sure."
Peter and MJ walked to her car and climbed in. Then, they sped off into the night.
Spider-Man
Real Name: Peter Parker
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 165 lbs.
Eyes: Hazel
Hair: Brown
Occupation: Photographer for Daily Planet, student at Midtown High
First Appearance: (as Peter Parker) Spider-Man #1
(as Spider-Man) Spider-Man #1 (cameo), #2 (full)
The son of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, Peter Parker was sent to live with his aunt and uncle at a young age when his parents were to go on a very important mission. They never came back. Peter grew up to be a bright person, and excelled at all academics. However, that attributed to his "geekiness," which left him out of the in crowd. That all changed when a radioactive spider bit him and he gained superhuman powers. While his peers know nothing of his dual identity, his powers have given him confidence, and made him into a cooler guy.
Mary Jane Watson
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 120 lbs.
Eyes: Green
Hair: Red
Occupation: Waitress at The Crib, student at Midtown High
First Appearance: The Shadow 2000 #2
She had a rough family life as a child, but eventually came to live with her aunt. Now, she lives next door to Peter, and is one of his closest friends. Could there be something more developing?
J.Jonah Jameson
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 195 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black with Gray temples
Occupation: Owner of Daily Planet
First appearance: Spider-Man #4
If you don't have a headache or an ulcer before meeting J. Jonah Jameson, you will afterward. Jameson does whatever he can to sell papers, and he doesn't care who it hurts. However, the corporate takeover is showing a softer side to Jameson. But, deep down, he just cares about his money.
May Parker
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 120 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Gray
Occupation: Retired
First Appearance: Spider-Man #1
Loving aunt and caretaker of Peter Parker, yet totally oblivous to the fact that he is Spider-Man. She tried hard ever since Ben's death, even though Peter assures her that she doesn't have to.
Perry White
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 180 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: White, with a touch of gray
Occupation: Editor-in-chief of Daily Planet
First appearance: Spider-Man #3
When you first meet him, you wonder why he's working for Jameson. Later, it's becomes clear. He loves his work, and he can be as nasty as Jonah if need be. While Jameson may own the actual paper, Perry controls it.
Lois Lane
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 130 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
Occupation: Reporter for Daily Planet
First appearance: Spider-Man #3
Ambitious. Lois's dream has been to work for a major paper. That dream was finally realized in 1989, when she landed a job as an intern at the Daily Planet. It wasn't long before she had moved up to hotshot reporter, becoming one of the city's most trusted and famous reporters. Her fame and brutal honesty in her stories, though, has gotten her quite the list of enemies.
Jimmy Olsen
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 160 lbs.
Eyes: Green
Hair: Red
Occupation: Photographer for Daily Planet, student at Midtown High
First appearance: Spider-Man #3
Photographer for the Daily Planet, Jimmy first met Peter Parker in the summer before their senior year in high school. Because of their many common interests, the two became good friends, and often work together.
Norman Osborn
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 150 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown
Occupation: Chief Executive Officer, Osborn Industries (formerly Oscorp)
First appearance: Spider-Man #7
Since 1973, Osborn Industries Inc. has been providing innovative materials for the manufacturing, construction, automotive and chemical-processing industries, as well as numerous others. A leading global manufacturer, the company produces chemically engineered products with a special focus on the replacement of EHS hazardous acids and solvents.
What the general public is unaware of is the fact that Osborn is developing a mystery drug called "Oz." While it is not a secret, the employees don't openly talk about it.
Lex Luthor
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 210 lbs.
Eyes: Green
Hair: Bald, formerly red
Occupation: Chief Executive Officer, LexCorp International
First appearance: Iron Man #1
The most powerful man in New York City, Lex Luthor gets what he wants. Involved in numerous activities and organizations, Luthor is very involved with the operations of the city, and the country. He hasn't yet had many dealings with Spider-Man personally, but he has had many dealing with Iron Man, and has been shown to have a hand in the newest Avengers League, as well as Operation: Wideawake.
Ben Parker
Deceased
First appearance: Spider-Man #1
Last appearance: Spider-Man #2
Peter Parker's uncle, who was a father to the young boy after his parents were declared MIA. Unfortunately, it was Ben's death that set Peter on the path as a superhero, instead of a fameseeker.
Captain Arthur Stacy
Height: 6'
Weight: 190 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Gray
Occupation: Police Captain, NYPD
First appearance: Spider-Man #11
A friend to Spider-Man, he is the one responsible for getting the webslinger deputized. He has worked with Spider-Man several times, and they have shared information on cases.
Harry Osborn
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 185 lbs.
Eyes: Green
Hair: Brown
Occupation: student at Midtown High
First appearance: Spider-Man #8
Star athlete. Rich family. Popular kid. Harry Osborn has it all . . . almost. To him, he has everything except the one thing he wants that is right in front of him, but he can't have: the love and support of his father, Norman Osborn.
The Joker
Real Name: Jack Napier
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 192 lbs.
Eyes: Green
Hair: Green
Occupation: Professional criminal
First appearance: Spider-Man #2
Jack Napier was just a regular second story guy, having had many run-ins with the law. However, on the night that he decided to case the Parker house, he didn't realize how he would end up. After murdering Ben Parker, he was hunted down by Spider-Man. In a showdown, Napier fell into a vat of acid. That acid changed his features, and radically altered his personality, making him the clown prince of crime known only as the Joker.
Green Goblin
Real Name: Unknown
Height: assumed to be 6'
Weight: unknown
Eyes: Black
Hair: None
Occupation: Professional criminal
First appearance: Spider-Man #12
Who is the Green Goblin? Is he man or monster? These are just a few of the questions raised by this strange creature. Unfortunately, no answers have been forthcoming. However, most of his attacks have something to do with the Daily Planet. Coincidence? Highly unlikely.
This issue started out as Spider-Man #23. However, due to some time crunches, I had to shuffle the schedule around, and the Spider-Man Unmasked story got merged with Save the Planet! This was originally supposed to be the first part of Save the Planet!, looking back at what had happened before (and maybe just a little filler to buy me some time). Anyway, it got squeezed out of the arc, and ended up here. Fortunately, I had the majority of the secret file entries written up back when this issue was scheduled to be part of a Spider-Man month that never happened.
In case you're wondering, the flashbacks come courtesy of Spider-Man #3, #7, and The Shadow 2000 #2, respectively.
-Chip