"In a New York Minute" is the seventh chapter of The Last Son, Book One: Gatherings. Clark Kent goes to the Daily Bugle as part of his university study and meets Spider-Man, who is currently tracking down a crime spree committed by Quicksilver.
Plot[]
Clark goes to the Daily Bugle in New York City as part of his essay for his journalism degree. Also, Ororo Monroe announces the Xavier students about her nephew Evan Daniels, who can grow bony spikes, is being enroll to the Institute.
At the Bugle, Clark meets with the Editor-in-Chief J. Jonah Jameson, who assigns photographer Peter Parker to show him around the workplace. At the same time, a crime spree is being committed by the mutant speedster Quicksilver. He is approach by Tombstone, a enforcer for Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin, who came to offer Quicksilver to work for his boss.
Meanwhile, Peter changes into Spider-Man and is having a difficult time in being unable to capture Quicksilver. He is attacked by the Kingpin's "Spider-Seekers" and is helped by Superman. After properly meeting the web-crawler, Superman is brief on the Kingpin and Quicksilver's crime spree. Superman then helps Spider-Man to the recent crime scene and finds a trace of Quicksilver's hair and transfer its analyzed data to Professor Xavier, who identifies him as Pietro Maximoff and is Magneto's son, and implore that Pietro must be apprehended to prevent any suspicions on mutantkind's existence. Superman then use his hearing to learn where Quicksilver will strike next and decide to lay a plan to capture the speedster.
With the X-Men's help (along with Evans who calls himself Spyke and also a student rival of Pietro), Superman and Spider-Man caught up with Quicksilver, whose power is outmatched by Superman's speed. With nowhere to escape due to being outrun by Superman, Quicksilver fell into the heroes' trap and is webbed into onto a wall by Spider-Man. He is left there along with a tape-recorder that had recorded Quicksilver's unwanted confession to be apprehend by the police.
As they left the scene, Superman had saw Tombstone through his X-ray vision which Spider-Man explains about his connections to the Kingpin; in which they deduce the Kingpin had put Quicksilver up to the crimes. Superman and the X-Men share their thanks with Spider-Man and making him a new ally.
Superman later pays a visit to Wilson Fisk's office. At first, only Fisk talks as Superman gives him the silent treatment. Fisk that he has total control over New York and offers Superman a position in his operations by offering him a stack of money bills. When Superman remains silent, Fisk loses his composure by throwing bills at him. Superman incinerates the money with his heat-vision and tells Fisk that he is not interested in money or power and frown upon Fisk's criminal operations. He warns Fisk that he'll be watching him. Superman then flies away.
While Fisk fumes Superman's audacity, he is contacted by Doctor Doom. Doom express his interest in Superman and wish to discuss about him. He wants to know more about him in owing to the interest of an associate in return in establishing future dealings with Fisk. Fisk can only suffice on Superman's known abilities. Wilson question Doom as to know why he is concern about this, in which Doom vaguely state he has his own reason before ending his transmission. Fisk decide to bide his time in some way to hurt Superman.
At the Institute, Superman and the X-Men celebrates Spyke's decision to enroll.
Quotes[]
J. Jonah Jameson: Where are those pictures, Parker?
Peter Parker: Sorry, Mr. Jameson, but there haven't been any Spider-Man sightings, lately.
J. Jonah Jameson: 'Spider-Man'? That wall-crawling menace is old news! What I want are pictures of Superman! So far, no other paper has gotten so much as a snapshot of this guy! I can't get ahead with ineptness like yours, Parker! You're fired!
Spider-Man: Uh...thanks, big guy. (thinking) Oh, dear God, please don't let him read Jameson's articles...
Spyke: Cyclops, I thought you said this training would pay off!
Cyclops: Training's just one part, Spyke; teamwork's another.
Cyclops: That was an excellent plan, Superman. You've got the makings of a real leader; you could be leading your own team, one day!
Superman: Right; me, leading my own 'Hero Legion'!
Kingpin: Don't be foolish, boy. You don't know what you're turning down. It's not just money; there's power...and there's respect. And it can all be yours...
Superman: Get real, Fisk. Your 'power' doesn't interest me; I've got more in my pinky finger than you have in your whole crooked organization. And as for respect...that I've got. I've got real friends, Fisk, ones that you can't buy, either; they'd lay down their lives to help me, and I'd do the same for them in a heartbeat. That's real respect. You have nothing that I want.
Kingpin: Then why are you here?
Superman: My eyes can see through walls, Fisk, and my hearing lets me pick up cell phone conversations. And now I know what you look like, and what you sound like. (points at Fisk) I suggest you mind your P's and Q's, Fisk...because I'm watching you.
Doctor Doom: I will say this, Fisk. If driving a hard bargain is a mark of a businessman, recognizing opportunity is another.
Continuity[]
- First appearances of Spyke, Peter Parker/Spider-Man, J. Jonah Jameson, Robbie Robertson, Quicksilver, Tombstone, Kingpin, and Doctor Doom.
Background information[]
- This story is partially based on the X-Men: Evolution episode "Speed and Spyke".
- The Kingpin's interaction with Superman is based from a scene between Lex Luthor and Superman in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "The Last Son of Krypton (Part III)".
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