Amazing Spider-Man #302

Description

Peter Parker meets a fellow irradiated hero at a job interview. Who is Wes Cassaday, and how did he gain his abilities? Plus, Spidey runs afoul of Dr. Nero!

Martin Jacoby, a representative of On-Line Research has offered Peter a job as chief assistant in Emporia, Kansas on the recommendation of Curt Connors. He has flown out to Emporia to tour the facility.

Plot

While Jacoby shows him around the grounds, Peter overhears an argument between Dr. Royce Nero and construction foreman Wes Cassaday. They are in the process of expansion and the construction is “disturbing” Nero’s sensitive experiments. Before Wes can give Nero a piece of this mind, they hear an explosion. An acetylene torch has ruptured and started a fire, moving rapidly toward the fuel storage area. The call is made to evacuate the area.

Peter changes to Spider-Man and prepares to stop the flames but is beaten to the save by Wes, who has powers of his own. His powers enable him to run at incredible speed which is used – along with several rolls of insulation – to put out the fire. Wes spots Spider-Man watching him and they both leave quickly.

Back in New York, Silver Sable discovers that special operatives will be needed to bring in Franz Kraus when five of six men sent to capture him are brutally beaten and dropped on the doorstep of the Symkarian Embassy. She enlists the aid of the reformed Sandman to assist her in this mission.

Peter looks up Cassaday’s address and arrives there as Spider-Man, watching him from the roof of his house. Wes waits until his family is inside before he acknowledges Spider-Man’s presence. Wes explains to the confused hero how he gained his abilities. During On-Line’s initial construction, an experimental jackrabbit broke loose and bit him. He later discovered it died of radiation poisoning. After some initial sickness, he found that his legs muscles had increased in strength, allowing him to run at high speeds. He admits that he’s kept this a secret from everyone because he’s afraid of what people will think if they find out.

The next day Nero storms into Jacoby’s office. He’s decided to use the rejected riot gear he developed for the government to take all the top secret projects from Jacoby’s vault. Peter and his tour guide arrive just after the alarm sounds. Peter changes to Spider-Man and confronts Nero, who gains the advantage using a built-in sonic weapon. Reeling with pain, he notices Cassaday in the gathering crowd and screams for help. Cassaday wants to but is afraid of being exposed as a freak and does nothing. Spider-Man eventually overcomes the sonics and defeats Nero, but leaves Cassaday feeling guilty for standing by while he needed help.

Peter returns to New York with some good news for Mary Jane: he’s decided to accept the job and move to Kansas. She doesn’t share Peter’s enthusiasm.