Marvel‘s Gang War event has thrown New York City into chaos, with multiple costumed criminals fighting for turf. Spider-Man and his allies have been run ragged trying to keep the peace despite the laws that prohibit their taking action, setting the stage for the dramatic return of a major member of the Big Apple’s criminal underworld.
Amazing Spider-Man #40 by Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr. found Peter Parker in an unlikely alliance with the crime-boss Tombstone. Freshly recovered from an assassination attempt, Tombstone threw in with his former enemies to end the Gang War. However, Tombstone cared nothing about recovering his criminal empire. He just wanted to stop his daughter, the Beetle, from ruining her life repeating his mistakes.
Streetwise as ever, Tombstone determined there was no way he and the heroes could just beat the other gangsters into submission. To that end, Tombstone told the heroes that ending the Gang War quickly would mean “dealing with Fisk.” They presumed he meant Richard Fisk, the crime boss known as The Rose. To their astonishment, Tombstone had instead arranged a meeting with Wilson Fisk, the former Kingpin. The comic concluded with Fisk’s arrival, flanked by a squad of Hellfire Club soldiers and his wife, Typhoid Mary.
The return of the Kingpin
There is a irony to Wilson Fisk ending the Gang War, as he was indirectly responsible for its beginnings. It was the Kingpin’s retirement from crime to go into politics that led to the underworld of New York City becoming a collective of disorganized fiefdoms. As Mayor, his outlawing costumed crimefighters further empowered the criminals who took over his turf.
Despite his fractured kingdom, Wilson Fisk is more powerful than ever. As the White King of the Hellfire Club, he commands more clandestine power than ever, and has the ear of Tony Stark, the current Black King. He also has the respect of Earth’s mutants, helping them to combat the efforts of Orchis to destroy Mutantkind. Now he seems poised to help his former enemies end the Gang War threatening New York.
The comic closes before Spider-Man and She-Hulk can agree to work with Kingpin. Unfortunately, their options are limited. In the end, Wilson Fisk is the devil they know, and the Kingpin does keep crime in New York organized.
Amazing Spider-Man #40 is now available in comic shops everywhere.
