The Comprehensive Evolution of American Comics

"You… monster!"

A young Spider-Woman lay on the ground, her red and blue suit tattered, her mask torn with a large hole, revealing her beautiful face and black hair.

Standing before her was a strikingly robust man, clad in antiquated aristocratic attire that failed to conceal his bestial nature, like a well-dressed wild dog.

He raised a leg as thick as a log and stomped forcefully on Spider-Woman, tormenting his prey.

"I prefer my food a little more tender," the man sneered, as if the human beneath his foot was nothing more than a vacuum-sealed package of meat.

"Crack!"

"Ugh!"

That was the sound of bones breaking. Spider-Woman bit her lip until it bled, suppressing a cry of pain.

"No! Please, spare her," Mary Jane pleaded, cradling a baby, protecting it from the surrounding flames. She wept, her voice cracking, begging the man with heartfelt desperation.

She wanted the man to spare the girl beneath his foot, her daughter, Mayday Parker.

The young woman’s pleas and the girl’s cries of pain were, to the man, the sweetest music. To savor such an exquisite symphony before enjoying his meal was pure bliss. The man even believed he was born for this moment.

"Get off her, you ugly freak!"

A roar of fury accompanied the strike as a thick wooden beam slammed into the man’s head.

"Crack!"

The beam splintered on impact, the attack doing little to harm the man, but it was enough to draw his attention. He shifted his gaze to the attacker—the previous Spider-Man, and Mayday’s father—Peter Parker.

The battle-hardened hero was a shadow of his former self, but to protect his family, he dragged his prosthetic leg and attacked the man.

"Before enjoying a feast, a bit of old jerky is a nice appetizer," the man sneered, turning towards Peter. Unlike his fastidious brother Morlun, Daemos was impulsive, taking whatever came his way.

"My family is not on your menu!" Peter declared, his eyes filled with resolve. The hero of yesteryear had returned.

But everyone knew Peter was at the end of his rope, his temples graying, his body failing. He could collapse at any moment.

"Get the kids out of here!" Peter shouted, charging at Daemos once more with the broken beam, ready to buy his family a chance to escape with his life, just as he had done before.

Daemos grinned, revealing a mouth full of white teeth, looking more and more like a ravenous dog.

Peter mustered all his strength, slamming Daemos to the side. Mary Jane seized the opportunity to haul Mayday off the ground. Thankfully, her superhuman constitution meant that only a bone or two had been broken, not hindering her movement, only preventing her from running.

Mayday held her baby brother, Benjamin, in one arm, placing her other hand on her mother, Mary Jane. They fled towards the outside of the house, not wanting to waste the time Peter had bought them.

They had barely made it out of the house when a deafening explosion erupted from behind them!

"Boom!"

Peter was blasted out of the house, crashing into Mayday and the others. Unable to dodge, Mayday instinctively pulled her mother and brother into her embrace, shielding them with her slender body.

The flying Peter collided with Mayday, sending the entire family sprawling onto the lawn in front of the house.

"Cough! Cough!"

Mayday coughed up blood, a broken bone seemingly piercing something vital, but she had no time to worry about such trifles.

Peter’s prosthetic leg was nowhere to be seen. He struggled repeatedly to rise from the ground, but to no avail. He was too old, not to mention disabled.

Mary Jane clutched Benjamin tightly, seeing the innocent look in his eyes, she managed a smile.

"I’ve been thinking," Daemos said, emerging from the burning house, smiling.

"I think I prefer a full course meal. After all, I'm famished, and your family is perfect to satisfy my hunger."

"You… bastard!" Peter cursed.

Mayday raised her right hand and fired a web at Daemos, attempting to impede his progress, but it was utterly useless.

Daemos simply raised his hand to his face to avoid obstructing his view, ignoring everything else.

"A century," Daemos sneered.

"Can't you spiders ever give me a surprise? You're good for nothing but filling my belly."

Mayday ran out of web fluid. Daemos reached Peter, grabbing him by the neck and hoisting him up. He could barely contain his impatience.

"Let’s hope your flavor is worth all the trouble I’ve gone through," Daemos said, bringing Peter closer, opening his mouth wide.

Just as he was about to taste the rich, delicious, unparalleled… fist?

"Ugh!"

A fist appeared out of nowhere, smashing into Daemos’s pearly whites, shattering seven or eight of them. The pain was excruciating. He instinctively released Peter and stumbled backward, clutching his mouth.

Daemos’s eyes widened, trying to figure out what had happened. He saw a polygonal portal materialize between him and Peter, and a fist covered in black material emerged from it. Clearly, that fist was responsible for his ruined teeth.

"Who the hell is this!" Daemos cursed, clutching his mouth. The missing teeth gave him a lisp, making him look ridiculous.

"Your friendly neighborhood uncle," George said, stepping out of the portal, wearing a black and white Spider-suit.

"What is this nonsense!" Daemos roared, his rage boiling over. Seeing George’s Spider-Man suit, he realized the newcomer was also a Spider-Man.

"You'll become my dinner too!"

Daemos bellowed, his pretense of civility gone, charging at George like a true beast, without any finesse.

George didn’t move, seemingly paralyzed with fear, making Peter anxious.

"Get out of the way!" Peter shouted, but sadly, he wasn’t the main character, and George wasn’t Pikachu.

George remained still, but two objects flew out of the portal behind him, bypassing George and heading towards Daemos in mid-air.

Only when they were close did Daemos realize what they were: two jack-o'-lanterns with bat wings. The jack-o'-lanterns weren't large, only about the size of a fist, with horrifying smiles carved into them.

Before Daemos could react, he was engulfed in flames.

"Eat pumpkin pie, you ugly freak!"

Harry shouted, flying out of the portal on his glider, mocking Daemos with laughter.