Issue(s): Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #96
Cover Date: Nov 84
Title: "The final Answer!"
Credits:
Al Milgrom - Writer
Al Milgrom - Penciler
Jim Mooney - Inker

Review/plot:
The cover copy says, "Featuring: the Black Cat, the Kingpin, the Answer, Cloak & Dagger, Silvermane... and what the well-dressed Spider-Man is wearing this season!"

This issue is a continuation of the story that started in issues #94-95. We saw Cloak teleport away holding Silvermane and the Rose's henchmen at the end of that issue. This issue starts with Cloak returning to our dimension, unable to hold Silvermane.

But it's snowing now, due to Thor's Casket of Ancient Winters story. And we know that Spider-Man was actually returning home from discovering that his black costume was an alien symbiote in Amazing Spider-Man #258 when the snow began. So it seems that Cloak may have been in transit for some time.

Spider-Man is at home picking out some of his old webshooters that still work and dusting off his old costume.

He meets up with the Black Cat so they can look for Dagger. There's tension between them. Spider-Man feels like they are keeping secrets. The Cat is jealous of the fact that she found MJ in Peter's apartment earlier, and that he's so intense about finding Dagger now. She's also conflicted because she knows that the Answer would have taken Dagger to the Kingpin, but doesn't want to reveal how she would know that to Spider-Man.

So instead they swing around aimlessly, hoping Spider-Man's spidey-sense will pick something up. But this is all happening while the Sons of Muspell are running around the city causing havoc.

When the Black Cat suggests that they help the Avengers and FF fight the demons, Spider-Man says, "I don't think so, Cat. The good guys are doing okay without us. And Silvermane is a deadly menace to the entire city". This must occur pretty late during the Casket saga if the good guys are doing okay. Or Spidey is rationalizing. Anyway, the Black Cat finally decides that she'll let on that she knows where the Answer took Dagger. As predicted, Spider-Man jumps down her throat, demanding to know how she knew that and what else she is hiding. She admits to nothing.

When they get to the Kingpin's building, the zombie-like Silvermane is already tearing through the Kingpin's goons.

Cloak has arrived as well.

There's a big brawl. The Kingpin even holds his own against Silvermane for a little while.

During the fight, the Kingpin calls on the debt that Black Cat owes him and demands that she stop Spider-Man. She doesn't comply. When the Kingpin first made the deal with the Cat, he promised her he wouldn't demand that she fight Spider-Man, so this must be a desperation move on his part, since his plans are falling apart.

Meanwhile, the Answer realizes that he can help revive Dagger by donating his own "light". I'm not sure if Dagger would be receptive to receiving light from anyone or if he develops a custom power to transfer it. Either way, this is the end of the Answer (as the title of the issue suggests), but it's an ambiguous enough death that later writers will bring him back.

Imbued with extra light, Dagger returns the light that she drained from Silvermane.

This seems to restore his mind to him, although he doesn't have any dialogue in this issue. He just quietly exits the scene the way he came, down the side of the Kingpin's building.

Dagger still has excess light, and the Kingpin begs her to use it to heal his wife, but Dagger refuses, restoring her partner Cloak instead. Even after he's revived, she still refuses to help Vanessa, which seems a bit cruel. The Kingpin freaks out, blaming everyone and grieving.

This was a big mess for the Kingpin. His idea of using a zombie for an assassin was a bad idea, as anyone who's ever seen a horror movie should know. He played his Black Cat card too soon. He lost his lackey the Answer. And of course his wife remains in a coma. In fact, i'm going to attribute all of his mistakes to the fact that his wife's condition is distracting him.

I think this was a great little arc. The Silverman situation and link with Cloak & Dagger was a unique plot, and i like all the players in this story and how they all come together.

Quality Rating: B-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: This is during the Casket of Ancient Winters storyline. It takes place after the events of Amazing Spider-Man #258.

References:

• "For the reason behind this snowfall, check out Thor #349, on sale now."
  
• Peter learned that Mary Jane knew he was Spider-Man in Amazing Spider-Man #258.
  
• The Sons of Muspell get a footnote for Avengers #249 and Thor #350.
  
• Spider-Man notes that the Black Cat has been acting strange since he got back from Secret Wars.

Crossover: Casket of Ancient Winters

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

This website has an interesting discussion of the chronology of Amazing Spider-Man 258 and 259 and Spectacular Spider-Man 96:
http://stevegoble.blogspot.com/2009/08/peter-parker-spectacular-spider-man-92.html