“Did you know the kingpin is actually the center pin in a bowling rack?“
Black Cat has turned over a piece of the symbiote to Mysterio! What kind of trouble can he get into now? Is he finally a threat to Spider-Man?
WRITER: Peter David
PENCILER: Greg Land
INKER: Jay Leisten
COLORIST: Frank D’Armata
LETTERER: VC’s Joe Sabino
COVER ARTISTS: Greg Land & Frank D’Armata
VARIANT COVER ARTISTS: Ron Lim & Israel Silva; Alex Saviuk & Chris Sotomayor
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Danny Khazem
EDITOR: Devin Lewis
SPIDER-MAN created by STAN LEE & STEVE DITKO
STORY: Black Cat turns over a symbiote sliver to Mysterio as Symbiote Spider-Man watches. Mysterio takes the sample to Ohnn at the Kingpin’s. Symbiote Spider-Man tries to take it back, but the sample refuses to merge back. Under attack by the Kingpin’s goons, Symbiote Spider-Man leaves as the Kingpin arrives to find an unconscious Mysterio. Kingpin attempts to interrogate Mysterio, but the symbiote sliver bonds with the illusionist, giving him the strength to break free. Peter wakes up to a phone call from Aunt May, who wants to meet him. On his way to see her, Spidey gets attacked by Symbiote Mysterio.
THOUGHTS: Once again, Land goes to capture a horror aesthetic for the cover and succeeds far more here than in his attempt back in #2. Mysterio looks suitably terrified as he becomes engulfed by the symbiote and pulls off a classic horror pose. 
The issue starts off with Black Cat going through with her betrayal of her beloved “Spider” to ensure he never finds out her dark secret. Mysterio is very Mephisto-like in the exchange, almost reneging on his end of the deal, using a technicality-he never said he would give her the file, just that it wouldn’t go to Spider-Man. Land’s expression for Felicia is off here. Instead of showing evidence of anger, she is smiling as she says she hates Mysterio. However, he makes up for it as the Symbiote-controlled Spider-Man stalks the clandestine meeting, creeping and retreating to the shadows when need be. The latter part of the scene is expertly staged, getting across the desired mood.
The mood continues as the Symbiote Spider-Man goes to liberate his missing sliver from Mysterio and Ohnn at the Kingpin’s tower. His attack is swift and silent as he tears through Mysterio and the Kingpin’s lackeys. David does something interesting here though, having the symbiote’s shard not want to rejoin the main mass. It’s unexpected and thanks to Land’s art, you can tell it frustrates and confounds the Symbiote Spider-Man. This development leads to the Kingpin realizing something is off with the Web-Slinger.
I liked seeing Fisk rolling up and getting his sleeves dirty interrogating Mysterio. Professional courtesy for one of his fellow Spider-Rogues instead of leaving the job to an underling? I had a hard time not hearing the voice of Roscoe Lee Browne here as I read. For those unfamiliar, he was the voice of Kingpin on Spider-Man: The Animated Series back in the ’90s. He always captured a kind of suave menace and would’ve nailed David’s dialogue here if he were still with us.
It’s chilling the way Kingpin coldly observes the symbiote shard grow and overtake a frightened Mysterio. He really couldn’t care less about Quentin Beck and Mysterio’s own friend, Ohnn, seems to have disavowed him. Once Beck and the symbiote have bonded, I found myself liking the dark neon suit that Land came up with. It really captures the merging of the two concepts. Unlike Spidey, I’m assuming it didn’t overtake his look completely since there was less of the symbiote. The now-glowing eyes as provided by D’Armata, really work for me, giving more expression to an element of Mysterio’s suit that many write off as silly. 
I had to think of the Crawlspace’s own JR “Mad Goblin” Fettinger and his oft-stated opinion how Kingpin should be terrified of the clock-cleaning Spidey gave him during the Back in Black story-line here as Symbiote Mysterio used Fisk as a bowling ball. Beck definitely proves JR’s point that Kingpin is still just a man against something far more powerful than he. I think Kingpin knows it, too, angrily striking out at Ohnn in frustration and embarrassment.
Once Mysterio makes his getaway, he kind of has his own Spider-catharsis moment. Peter has often contemplated throwing in the towel on his double life, just like Mysterio is doing in this series. Now that he has this newfound power of the symbiote, he is renewed in his commitment to being a world-class criminal as he looks out over the New York skyline. As his greed and motivation take over, I enjoyed how the art slowly pushes in on Mysterio, finally taking us inside the cloudy helmet and letting us view Beck’s wicked determination.
Lest you think this issue is all about Mysterio and a silent Spidey, David turns his attention at the end towards Peter, no longer under the symbiote’s control as he responds to the sound of his phone ringing. It’s May, who’s having second thoughts about not speaking to Peter after her chat with Felicia back in #1. They agree to meet for breakfast, allowing David to bring in the classic Spidey conflict of his super-hero life interfering with his personal life. Thanks to the machinations of Mysterio (and Spidey trying to make his breakfast date in costume) he’s not going to arrive on time, most likely keeping up the continuity that May was mad at him. It may be a trope, but it’s used correctly and feels so appropriate.
As Mysterio begins his attack on Spidey, with the Black Cat watching from the wings, our stage is set for the series’ final confrontation. Why did the shard go to Mysterio and not rejoin the Symbiote Spider-Man? That really is the main mystery that this series presents since we know how things will play out with May and Felicia due to history. I’m assuming, too, that this will somehow tie into Absolute Carnage. David and Co. have done an excellent job playing between the lines of existing stories so far and I’m looking forward to what they do in the final issue. This book looks great and is a blast to read! What more could a Spider-Fan ask for? 
MY GRADE: B+
JAVI’S HUH?: How did Black Cat keep up with Spidey and go unnoticed by him? Even with the train stopping, she would’ve had a heck of a time!
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William, don’t tell Ashley, but Black Cat is my 3rd favorite Spidey love interest. I can understand why you don’t feel invested, especially given the historical context. I like them together, but I feel similarly to you-they are more interesting having had a past than being currently involved.
It’s weird to think that thanks to this retcon, Mysterio now had contact with the Symbiote before Eddie. I guess this means Carnage will be going after Mysterio soon, then! I actually think Mysterio is a villain with an awesome enough gimmick on his own, that getting Symbiote powers almost feels like a downgrade. I’m kind of thankful he only got the Symbiote at this late stage in the story so we could get him doing his classic shtick for the majority. I think he’s been just the right balance between pathetic, and genuinely threatening overall, and has definitely carried a lot of the story for me. I personally can’t get invested in Spidey and Felicia together, I think they’ve historically been much more interesting when they were either opponents with a clear interest in each other, or how they are in the current continuity, exes turned close friends, with a mutual respect despite their differences.