The Amazing Avengers Issue 8

“Lethal Shadows” is the 8th issue and chapter of The Amazing Avengers.

Featured Characters

 * Captain America / Peter Parker
 * Captain Marvel / Mary Jane Watson

Supporting Characters

 * Sally Stark
 * Liz Allan
 * S.H.I.E.L.D.
 * Tony Stark
 * Maria Hill
 * Henry "Hank" Pym
 * Commissioner George Stacy
 * Jefferson Davis
 * Dora Skirth
 * Redwing
 * MAC / America Chavez

Villains

 * Venom / Eddie Brock
 * Oscorp
 * Green Goblin / Norman Osborn
 * Harry Osborn
 * Crimson Spider / Flash Thompson

Other Characters

 * Maria (mentioned only)
 * Uncle Ben (mentioned only)
 * Aunt May (mentioned only)

Premise
Continuing the events of the previous issue, Eddie Brock, now the host of Life Foundation's fugitive Symbiote which imbues him with super-human abilities and a horrific alter-ego: "Venom", is given the opportunity to get revenge on Crimson Spider for ruining his life and killing his lover Maria. And Brock plans to do so by directly attacking Harry Osborn and his father Norman and kidnapping Sally Stark and threatening to kill her unless Crimson Spider reveals himself. Captain America and Captain Marvel now rush to save their friend and stop both Venom and Crimson Spider from making a more devastating mistake. Things get worse when Norman as Green Goblin also learns the Crimson Spider's identity and seeks his own revenge, but by his own terms.

Plot
In the Oscorp Building, Norman Osborn is caught on a argument with his son Harry, who scolds at him and blames him for his break-up with Liz Allan. The argument is interrupted when Venom breaks through the room and knocks Harry unconscious. As Venom is about to take Harry and Norman hostage after voicing his plans for revenge on Crimson Spider, Norman's Green Goblin persona takes over and offers an "alliance" (although Goblin actually hides his own personal plans), while Dr. Dora Skirth spies on them both and reports back to Commissioner Stacy.

In the Stark Mansion, Sally is feeling insecure because of her self-doubts until her father Tony comes by and comforts her. Just as she is about to tell her father she actually loves Liz "more than she could love any man... even Flash Thompson", however, the mansion is broken through by Green Goblin and Venom, who knock Tony unconscious and abduct Sally. Tony recovers and summons Captain America for help. While spending a night with Mary Jane Watson, Peter Parker answers Stark's distress call and he and Mary Jane as Captain Marvel take action. Meanwhile, Thompson finds himself too late to attend to Sally's performance at the Rhythmic Ribbon tournament before he overhears news about Green Goblin and Venom wreaking havoc at the Queensboro Bridge and setting up a challenge for Crimson Spider.

Thompson as the Crimson Spider answers the situation, but finds himself in trouble while facing his two foes, who hold Sally, the unconscious Harry and a Roosevelt Island Tram car full of children hostage while forcing him to choose whom he wants to save before dropping the hostages to their deaths. Captain America, Captain Marvel and MAC arrive in time to save Sally, Harry and the children as Crimson Spider fights back against the two villains. The fight takes place where Sally is landed to safety and, right when Captain America faces Goblin and Captain Marvel and MAC secure the hostages, Venom (still bent to get his revenge on Crimson Spider) exposes Crimson Spider's identity of Flash Thompson for a horrified Sally to see. Venom attempts to complete his revenge by killing Sally like Thompson killed Maria, but is intercepted by Captain Marvel, who (having fought Symbiotes in her journey around the galaxy before ) defeats him in combat and traps him into a Life Foundation rocket while planning to send him flying to a lifeless uninhabited planet.

Goblin, who was planning to clone Venom in Oscorp using the Life Foundation resources, attempts to stop her, but is defeated by Captain America and blasted unconscious by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents leb by Commissioner Stacy and Officer Davis while Mary Jane successfully sends the rocket flying to space, ending Venom's threat. While the public cheers on Captain America and Captain Marvel's victory and Goblin is taken to S.H.I.E.L.D. custody, Thompson attempts to explain himself, but the greatly upset Sally scolds at him for having used his mantle of Crimson Spider to do nothing more than bring the men he hated to their misery (mostly for having made most of Peter's life miserable and for being indirectly responsible for the deaths of Uncle Ben and Aunt May ). Consequently, Sally forever ends her relationship with the now brokenhearted and guilty Thompson, who returns to his saloon and drops his Crimson Spider suit in the nearby junkyard, deciding to quit his superhero career. Back in her home residence, Sally apologizes to Peter for having not known Flash's connection with the Crimson Spider... and mostly for having not considered their troubled past in high school. Peter gently forgives her as Sally wishes him and Mary Jane the best of luck. Sally is then visited by Liz, who comforts her over the incident. Sally (given strength to overcome her inner doubts thanks to her friends and her father) finally confesses her feelings and her love for Liz and the two share a passionate kiss.

Quotes

 * (as the people cheer on Captain America and Captain Marvel on streets, Flash Thompson (still wearing the Crimson Spider suit, but unmasked) is in the docks with Sally Stark, who is laying down crying)
 * Flash Thompson: Sally? Are you okay?
 * Sally Stark: (Thompson helps her up, but she pushes him away) Get away from me!
 * Flash Thompson: Sally, please. I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you, but...
 * Sally Stark: (interrupts) "But" what? You were too afraid to admit that you never needed me?! That you wore this damn costume for nothing more than money?! Or the misery of the men you hated so much?!!
 * Flash Thompson: That' not true! I... I did this for you!
 * Sally Stark: Is that why you hurt Peter that day? Why you made him so miserable by leaving his uncle and aunt to die in that hospital when you could've saved them?!
 * Flash Thompson: (stunned) They... died? Sally... I... I didn't know...
 * Sally Stark: (slaps at his face with her shoes, facing his mouth bleed) YOU DIDN'T KNOW BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T WANT TO KNOW!! And that made you rich! DIDN'T IT?!?! That ruined the man you hated so much! DIDN'T IT, FLASH?!!! (still tearfully angry, she turns her back on him) Go home! Go away! Go party with those drunk douchebags you call "friends"! It's just them you really need! And I'm out. Isn't that right?! I never really was our girl anyway! Was I?! So don't even think about coming back to me! Don't ever talk to me! (she leaves as Thompson lays down in his knees. We see Sally approaching Captain America as Crimson Spider is swinging away) Peter... (she approaches him and hugs him in tears) I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. (sobs)
 * Captain America: It's alright, Sally. It's alright.
 * Captain Marvel: (comforting Sally with a kiss in her forehead) Let's get you home. (we see Flash Thompson in his saloon sitting on table in tears and the Crimson Spider costume in the nearby junkyard)