Time to do something that hasn’t happened in quite awhile in this period: Read every book that came out this month. Except I also have to include the previous month’s ASM because it’s a 2-parter. But, whatever, the line is all in the same place-ish for a change, starting with Sensational doing Christmas with guest penciler Todd Nauck and guest inker Andrew Hennessey. Nauck is… not one of my guys.
Everyone on the street starts talking about the bounty on Spidey’s head, and then some dummy opens fire.
Getting some privacy, Spider-Man flashes back to how he finally met the neighbor girl Aunt Anna has been watching, and seeing how happy Anna was working with her, it was easy to pick out a book on sign language to be her present. But he still has one gift left to get, and the clock’s ticking. He swings by to spy on JJJ a second, wondering what Osborn could possibly have on the old codger to make him roll over for all this, and leaves just as JJJ shows signs of despair. Continuing on his way, he flashes back to selling his old comics to buy MJ a great gift we don’t see. So who’s he last minute shopping for? Meanwhile, a paranoid Hydro-Man is walking down the street, unhappy that he stayed in NYC long enough for it to get cold, being made of water and all, and certain he’s being followed by SHIELD agents with special weapons for him, but…
Hydro-Man smashes them into a toy store, ignoring Spidey’s cries to watch out for the kids., then flees. Kids are mad at Spider-Man for destroying their Christmas village.
Billy produced a gift for his “good bud” Peter, and Peter was embarrassed not to have one in return. And so, Spider-Man stalks the night, trying to figure out what to get Billy for Christmas. Kinda seems like it would be easier as Peter Parker. No one trying to kill you. He flashes back one more time to Christmas cheer in the Parker home, but cheer he wasn’t able to participate in because he felt bad about Billy. MJ told him to go out and get something, so now he’s trying.
A good time had by all. Peter’s relationship with Billy is something I really didn’t see back in this period due to not really following this title. I wonder how it ends. Or if it just stops when the books relaunch and Todd DeZago exits. Seems like a real possibility.