Web of Spider-Man # 85 1991 FN+

Web of Spider-Man #85, published in 1991 (cover dated February 1992), is the second chapter of the six-part story arc "The Name of the Rose." Written by Howard Mackie with art by Alex Saviuk, this issue escalates the mysterious new Rose's campaign to assassinate Peter Parker.

Plot Summary: "Three the Hard Way"

Following the previous issue's attack, the bounty on Peter Parker's head draws out more freelance assassins.

• The Triad Brothers: The Rose and Richard Fisk hire the lethal Triad Brothers to finish the job. They ambush Peter and Mary Jane in a Manhattan alley, forcing Peter to defend them with a level of fury that nearly leads him to cross his own moral boundaries.
• A Darker Spider-Man: Shaken by the threat to his family, Spider-Man tracks the assassins to their hideout. He nearly maims one of the brothers with their own sword before catching himself and fleeing to avoid doing something he'll regret.
• The Mastermind: The issue reveals that the villainous Deathwatch is the employer of the Triad Brothers, while Richard Fisk—secretly conspiring with the Rose—orders the wall-crawler's elimination.

Key Details

• Price Milestone: This issue marked the series' first $1.25 cover price.
• Creative Team: Script by Howard Mackie, pencils by Alex Saviuk, and a cover by Saviuk and Klaus Janson.
• Cameos: Includes appearances by the Kingpin, Deathwatch, and the Hobgoblin.