Warning: contains spoilers for Devil’s Reign: Spider-Man #1!
Marvel’s Spider-Man just supremely humiliated the villain Kingpin in a way that not even Daredevil could dream of. The two heroes often team up, with the more seriously-minded Daredevil balanced out by Peter Parker’s sense of humor and optimistic view of the world. Devil’s Reign: Spider-Man #1 is appropriate in that respect, providing much-needed levity during a very serious event in which the Kingpin plans to take over New York.
In Devil’s Reign, the Kingpin is using his power as the Mayor of New York (along with the power of persuasion harnessed from the Purple Man) to outlaw all superhero activity within the city limits. Immediately, the law goes into effect and the Kingpin’s Thunderbolts spring into action, arresting Reed Richards, Susan Storm and even Spider-Man, bringing him into the police office. Spider-Man’s face is so badly beaten that the police can’t identity him (just as well, since this is Ben Reilly and not Peter Parker) and are forced to let him go when confronted by the Human Torch and the Thing.
It isn’t long before Spider-Man finds himself foiling a kidnapping attempt by Richard Fisk, the son of the Kingpin. Eventually, Ben is able to team up with his friend from the Beyond Corporation and get his revenge via a clever ruse. Together, they dress Richard Fisk in a Spider-Man outfit, call the police, and watch as New York’s finest unwittingly deliver the son of their own Mayor to an NYPD interrogation room.
Spider-Man has always been a rather immature character; he would otherwise have long ago learned how to balance his civilian and superhero lives. In this instance, however, it works in his favor: Richard Fisk, much like his father, is a character for whom status means absolutely everything. Both Fisks dress in three-piece suits and will do anything to achieve a crowd’s adoration. For Fisk Jr., being tied up and dressed in an enemy’s attire is the worst possible form of humiliation – but this act might drive Richard to seek revenge on Spider-Man. Daredevil is considerably more mature than Ben Reilly and wouldn’t stoop this low.
It remains to be seen whether or not Spider-Man will escape Richard Fisk’s wrath unscathed. But regardless of Ben’s eventual fate, Richard won’t soon forget this humiliation. The Devil’s Reign crossover event continues and only time will tell the whether the anti-superhero law will eventually be struck down, but regardless, Daredevil hasn’t defeated any member of the Kingpin family quite like Spider-Man.
