What If...? #17

Issue Details

Synopsis

"What If Kraven the Hunter Had Killed Spider-Man?" Script and pencils by Richard Howell, inks by Marie Severin. Guest starring Daredevil, Captain America, and the Human Torch (of the Fantastic Four). One-page back-up, "What If the Living Recorder Had to Work on Earth (part 2)?" Script and art by Gary Fields. Half-page Daredevil/Punisher/Kingpin cartoon, "What If Daredevil Had a Dishonest Tailor?" Script by Harry Candelario, pencils by Rod Ramos, inks by Chris Ivy. John Romita Jr. cover pencils.  Spidey swings to help Mary Jane move into their new place when he's suddenly ambushed by Kraven the Hunter. Using a dart tipped with a drug, Spidey is helpless as Kraven catches him. In the real world, Kraven buries Spider-Man alive as he dons his costume in order to make his victory complete, leading into the story called Kraven's Last Hunt where ultimately Kraven committed suicide. But in this reality, as soon as the spider is within his grasp, Kraven kills him. Which leads us to the story...PlotKraven dances around happily as his attendants lay Spidey to rest on his estate. However, killing Spider-Man was merely the first step in making his victory complete. In order to absorb the essence of his foe, Kraven immerses himself in a room full of spiders and begins to eat them by the handful. Next comes the final phase of his victory; showing that he is greater than his foe by replacing him. Kraven, driven by madness, becomes Spider-Man and sets out around the city.Meanwhile, Peter Parker is very late and his new bride, Mary Jane, is getting more worried by the second. She decides sitting around isn't helping and sets out to find him. However, she ends up harassed by a couple of goons but fortunately, Spider-Kraven shows up. Mary Jane instantly recognizes that this man is not her husband by the way he brutally dispatches the offenders and sets out to find out who the imposter is and what happened to the real one.Failing to find a lead through Peter's friends, MJ goes to try Spidey's...namely the Human Torch. Torch checks up on her claims of an imposter and finds that no way could the man he know put over two dozen men in the hospital, criminals or no. He calls in help from Captain America and Daredevil and they set out to try and find "Spider-Man".J. Jonah Jameson, however, is enjoying Spidey's sudden personality shift and using it to advance his crusade against so-called costumed heroes. At the same time, each of the three heroes manages to catch up to Spidey by themselves....