A canon-compliant drabble on The Amazing Spider-Man #103.


Gwen hugged some textbooks to her chest as she and Peter walked to Gwen's place from E.S.U together. "I'm so glad you finally called me, Pete. I was really becoming paranoid about your little vanishing act."

"I wish I could tell you where I was, Gwendy- but I just can't". Peter half-explained, rubbing her back.


All right, Pete- I'll try not to pry. I've got you all to myself now, and that's all that-" Gwen opened the door to her apartment and the phone began ringing.


Gwen answered phone, and then clasped her hand over the receiver. "It's for you. Mr. Robertson from the Bugle." Gwen explained before handing the phone to Peter.

"Jameson probably wants me to cover his mother's hanging." Peter responded dryly. "Tell Robbie I'm in a leper colony. Tell 'im- Oh, let me have it." The brunette begrudgingly conceded.


Peter was one the phone for another moment. He set the phone down, smiling. "Hear that, honey? I leave in a couple of days. This could be my big break-"

"Yes, Mister Parker- I did hear- and I don't like it one bit! H-how could you say yes-now, of all times? I-I-" Gwen interrupted him. She just got him back after he blew her off, now he wanted to leave town again! Gwen began to cry, swiveling in her seat to turn her back to him.

"Don't cry, Gwendy. It means money- money we can use to get mar-" Peter stopped talking.


Instead, he practically dragged her out of her apartment. "Pete- Wh-where are you dragging me?"

"You'll see, lady. Believe me- you'll see." Peter replied.


They were at the Daily Bugle by now, and JJJ was having a mini conniption over something or other with Mr. Robertson.

"There's- Something I've gotta say, Mr. Jameson. And I want Gwen to hear it." Peter began, his arm wrapped around Gwen's shoulders.

"So say already, I've got too many things on my mind to- I've got it! By George, I've got it! You're the missing ingredient I've been wracking my brain for!" Jameson exclaimed, pointing at Gwen. "Yes, I mean you- Gwen Stacy!"

Jameson charged towards them suddenly, and Gwen was startled by Jameson's weird behavior, backing up towards Peter, both of them staring wide-eyed at Jameson.

"I- I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Jameson." Gwen exclaimed. Jameson stormed towards her, pointing his finger towards her, still.

"Well, I do- And I'm warning you, Jonah-" Mr. Robertson began.

"Save it, Robbie. I'm gonna level with these kids. Then it's up to them."


Jameson pitched his idea to Peter and Gwen, and they were sitting down now, and Gwen was coming around to the idea.

"Sounds great to me, sir- but for Gwen- I don't know-" Peter began.

"Why, Peter Parker- what a male chauvinistic pig thing to say!" Gwen replied, refusing to let Peter finish his thought.

"You tell 'im, young lady. A girl like you is just what my expedition needs. Gotta think of the women's angle. They buy papers too, y'know. Besides, a pretty face never scared gents away from the newsstand." Jameson responded firmly.

"It's all very tempting. I could use the money too, and-" Gwen tried to reply, but Jameson interrupted her again.

"Then say yes. Calkin's on his way now. I've got to know." Jameson explained, pointing at the doorway.

"Mr. Jameson- Please- We can't rush into this." Peter intervened.

"Give them time to think, Jonah." Mr. Robertson tried.

"Think? There's no time for that. Did Alexander The Great have time to think? Did Lucky Lindy?" Jameson responded before redirecting his attention back to Gwen. "Well, Gwen, what do you say?"

"I say, a-ok, Mr. J!" Gwen grinned.


The next 48 hours were chaotic.

Peter had his arm around Gwen's waist. "C'mon, woman. We've just got time for Jesus Christ Superstar!"


Their trip began by boat, and Jameson complained the entire voyage about being seasick. Eventually, they took a helicopter ride across to Antartica and settled down for a few to refuel the helicopter for the final part of the trip to the Savage Land.

Jameson, Peter, and Gwen met with Calkin. Peter and Gwen warmed themselves with a cup of hot coffee, while Jameson and Calkin chatted.


The helicopter ride was getting frightening.

"I can't see a thing up ahead." Gwen murmured, nervously.

"Mr. Calkin- What's wrong?" Peter inquired, tense.

"Speak up, man- You're white as a sheet." Jameson added, looking spooked.

Mr. Calkin's eyes were wide, and his teeth clenched. "That- hidden jungle we're looking for, Mr. Jameson-"

SSKRAWWKK!

The helicopter dodged a large- pterosaur! "I think we're here!" Calkin concluded.


It was a tense and rocky finale, but they finally landed safely.

Jameson was the first off the helicopter, followed by Peter. "Wait here, Gwendy, I'll- Holy cow! We're in the middle of Antartica - and it's like a hothouse out here!" Peter exclaimed suddenly, climbing out of the helicopter.

"Quiet, boy, this is a moment for words of substance! Such as- 'that's one small drop for man- And one giant drop for'- Er- Forget it." Jameson shrugged the rest of his thought off.


Jameson was quick to get out of his winter clothes and into some shorts. "Time to take care of business as they say. Get into your outfit, young lady!"

"Outfit? What-" Peter interrupted.

"I saved that for a surprise, Pete. Be right back." Gwen replied.


Gwen left to get 'dressed', and it took longer than usual considering it was in the underbrush. She returned to catch the end half of Jameson and Peter's conversation.

"Wait a minute, here she comes."

Jameson and Peter turned to look at her, eyes wide, and Peter grinning madly. "You better believe it!"

Gwen came out in a red bikini, her body fit and toned, her skin unblemished by stretch marks. "Well? How do I look?" The blonde asked, shrugging her palms questioningly, grinning softly.


Gwen sat on the sand, leaning back on her palms, and Peter was snapping pictures of her. "Mr. J thought it'd be great to transmit back a few pics right away."

"Wild! But, if and when we find that King Kong type- I want you back in the 'copter where you'll be safer."

"Pete- will you stop trying to protect me?" Gwen asked.

"When that day comes, honey, you can bury m-" Peter was interrupted by someone calling for him.

"Parker! That's enough shots of the girl for now! Over here- fast!"

"Now what?" Peter asked, exasperated. "Must've found a buffalo nickel-!"


Peter and Gwen caught up to the rest of the group for the commotion, and what they saw made them gasp.

"Pete- I'm not in any position to do an I-told-you-so, but-"

"Yeah- I know- That's definitely no buffalo nickel! My only question is- what the devil is it?"

Before them, stood a large stoic lizard-looking creature with fangs, mouth agape, almost snarling, ready to swallow all of them whole, standing behind a gong.

Jameson stood on the staircase in front of it, holding a mallet. "Never mind that. Just start earning your pay. It's some kind of overgrown idol- And I want some shots of Gwen in front of it." He explained gruffly.

"And before you start asking- No, this doesn't look anything like the monster we're searching for. Fact is, my boy would eat this lounge-lizard alive!" Calkin explained.

"I've been thinking, sir- Why track down a man-killer like Mr. Calkin's monster? Wouldn't a series on a hidden jungle be just as good?" Peter inquired. Gwen isn't speaking, successfully wasting the author's time again, she's just supposed to be used a pretty prop this issue.

"It's been done, son. Anybody here recall the name of the second guy to fly to the Atlantic?" Jameson shot back.

"Besides, we hope to photograph the behemoth without its seeing us. That will clear my name- and sell your newspapers." Calkin responded.

"You just said the magic word, Mister. Say, I'll bet my old pal Ka-Zar built this thing- Gong and all! And I'll just-"

BONG!

Jameson had swung the mallet, and a thunderous ring rang throughout the jungle.

"Mr. Jameson- Stop! We don't know for certain that-" Mr. Calkin tried.

"Don't be dense, man. Of course, Ka-Zar built it. Who else could?" Jameson replied, glancing over from Calkin towards something in the distance, his movements freezing, and a stunned look crossing his features. "Uh oh."

Mr. Calkin, Peter, and Gwen all turned towards where he was looking and gasped. Gwen earning her first piece of dialogue in forever. "Peter- Look!"

Large green alien-looking creatures were stalking towards them now, there were dozens of them, wearing loincloths and jewelry, and carrying steel spears, They stopped suddenly in front of the short staircase, Mr. Calkin lowered his rifle, perplexed. "Must've seen guns like mine before. They halted." The hulk-wanna-bes were "talking" amongst themselves, pointing towards them.

Peter had his arms around Gwen protectively, watching the monsters. "No- it's not your rifle they're pointing at." Peter explained darkly.

Peter glanced up at the lizard idol, and he and Gwen stepped away from it, Gwen hiding behind Peter.

"-But the lizard idol itself! It represents something to them- and they're not sure they should come any closer." Peter narrated.

Jameson clasped his hand over his mouth. "Well- It sure doesn't look like a Ka-Zar! But if the jungle man didn't build it- who did?" He wondered aloud.

"No time to worry about that now! They seem to have made up their minds. They're slowly edging closer... Closer." Peter warned.

"Get out your pistol lad. We'll take a lot of them with us." Calkin said darkly, lifting his rifle and stepping ahead of the group. Peter did as he was told, and took out his pistol. The monsters were slowly but surely nearing them and Gwen stepped back. They were lifting their spears, ready to pounce when something unexpected happened.

They stopped, looking terrified. "Saying" something amongst themselves backing away.

"They stopped! They're gazing in terror at something beyond the idol- but what? Oh, no! " Peter, Gwen, Jameson, and Calkin turned to see what had spooked the monsters and gasped in horror.

"Good lord!" Jameson said, stunned.

An enormous monster roared suddenly, making Peter flinch, and Gwen falls to the ground. The other monsters had fled by now, and "Gog" (with yellow skin and a red "clothes", resembling a wanna-be-King Kong in Winnie the Pooh colors.) Gog was slowly extending his hand towards the group.

"Pete- That hand- That hand!" Gwen said, her eyes widening with terror as she backed away.

"It's- reaching, Gwen- Reaching for you!" Peter said with horror.

Gwen screamed that terrible "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" that literally no one has ever done in real life as "Gog" reached for her. Peter took his pistol out and fired at him.

BLAM!

"Let her go, blast you!" Peter growled in frustration, still trying to shoot at the thing. "Let- Her- Go!"

The monster grabbed Gwen, and more shots were fired at Gog.

"Don't shoot! He's got Gwen! Whatever you do- Don't shoot!" Peter yelled.

"Our shot's bouncing off this thing's hide like raindrops-" Jameson or Calkin exclaimed, taking a moment before they finally stopped firing at it.

"But what can we-" Calkin was interrupted by Peter running off with his messenger bag. "Hey! Where the devil are you-?"

"He's got our gas bombs! He's gonna try getting close to that beast- To gas him!" Jameson explained, watching Peter scurry after the creature still carrying Gwen.

Gog soon swatted Peter back, and he toppled down over a cliff. Jameson and Calkin tried going after him, but they were too late.


The monster was taking Gwen somewhere, and she screamed that terrible "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" scream, and I wanna throat-punch the writers for this issue.

"You may cease those incoherent gruntings Gog- And you, young lady, your screams." A voice exclaimed confidently, placing his hands on his hips. "Both the savages- And the intruders- have been left far behind. Your friend is here now, Gog- Your friend- Kraven the hunter!"

"Y-you!" Gwen exclaimed in shock. "But- what are you doing here- in this place? And why did this monster bring me here- but not Pete- not the others?" The blonde questioned.

"Because you are far more appealing than they, Miss Stacy- Or may I call you Gwen? With Gog's help, I'm carving out a kingdom down here." Kraven explained, a wicked grin on his lips. "And what good a kingdom- without a Queen-?"


A/N: What bullsh*t. How dare they not give me Gwen Stacy telling Kraven the hunter to F*ck off?