Issue(s): Web of Spider-Man #119
Cover Date: Dec 94
Title: "Echoes of silence"
Credits:
Terry Kavanagh - Writer
Steven Butler - Penciler
Randy Emberlin - Inker
Eric Fein - Editor

Review/plot:
Ben Reilly was badly injured by Venom. He manages to make a call to a Dr. Seward Trainer before passing out.

He's found by a woman named Gabrielle Greer, who carries him to a local clinic.

A nurse working at the clinic makes a call to reporter Ken Ellis, who offered a reward for tips about people with a gut wound matching what Venom did to the "Scarlet Spider" (as Ellis has dubbed him). Ellis is secretly followed by Scream, who figures that if Ellis finds "the Spider" it will eventually lead her to Venom.

Venom is currently searching for Peter Parker, thinking that Parker might have answers about the Scarlet Spider. But Parker can't be found anywhere - his new brownstone, the Daily Bugle, ESU, or Aunt May's house. (I'm kind of shocked that there isn't a footnote pointing us to the concurrent Back From The Edge crossover in the other Spider-books.)

Meanwhile, a criminal organization is upset about a rival org lead by a "Papa Granite", and they try to get an assassin to deal with the problem. The assassin apparently wanted to join the organization, but he now sees Ken Ellis' write-up of the new Spider and has changed his mind. The assassin's name is Kaine.

Reilly slips out of the clinic just as Ellis is arriving, but he's spotted by Scream. Luckily Scream just kinda stands there while Reilly escapes.

Reilly actually hides under a ledge while Scream throws a tantrum. Reilly punches debris shaken loose by Scream, trying to pulverize it so it doesn't hurt the people below too much. Reilly then remembers how great power comes with great responsibility and regrets not doing more to try to stop Scream, who has now left. It's a really weird scene. The idea of a super-hero hiding under a ledge punching rocks tossed by a super-villain is really goofy.

In the last chapter's fight with Venom, since the whole idea was to get a fresh new perspective on Spider-Man's villains and the like, you might have expected Reilly to learn about Venom's basic invulnerability except when it comes to fire or sonics. But that didn't happen; Reilly immediately got gutted and then mostly stayed on the sidelines until he bumped Venom into the river. But now we see Reilly creating some new kind of web fluid in preparation for the rematch.

Reilly finds Venom just as he's about to eat Scream's brains. Reilly stops him using "impact webbing".

Ehhh, that's a little underwhelming. But the Scarlet Spider promises Venom that he ain't seen nothing yet. Which, points for honesty, at least.

Quality Rating: D

Historical Significance Rating: 4 - first Kaine

Chronological Placement Considerations: The is part three of The Exile Returns. Part four is in Spider-Man #53.

References:

• Continues directly from Spider-Man #52.
  
• Scream's symbiote is said to have "regenerated" after Venom: Lethal Protector, but she says it's getting more and more difficult to control.
  
• There's another flashback to Amazing Fantasy #15.

Crossover: The Exile Returns

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

One thing never made sense to me about the scan of Kaine dropping the chandelier on the goon- how is Kaine doing it? Energy blasts aren't part of his powers.

For my no-prize, I'd say he threw a Kainerang