Disclaimer- nothing owned.
Maximum Vengeance - Chapter 4
He had been invited to the celebration of Liz's release, but he'd had to decline. Peter knew that if he was going to get a paycheck in time to help pay for his house utilities, he had to get to Stanley King's apartment immediately. The editor of the 'Spider-Man Fanzine' was going to want to see his pictures. And considering the Daily Bugle had stopped buying them, thank God for that.
He arrived at the proper door and knocked.
"Who is it?" the voice on the other side yelled.
"Peter Parker, Sir. I have some pictures of Spider-Man in Chicago. May I come in?"
"The door's open!"
Peter walked in and made his way through the apartment, to the room that Stanley King used as his office. He entered the room and for the second time in twenty-four hours, stood absolutely shocked. Stanley King was where Peter had figured he would be, behind his desk, but there was a guest in the visitor's chair: Peter Parker's ex-editor at the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson himself, puffing away at his cigar.
"Jonah?!" Peter cried. "What are you doing here?!"
"It's pretty simple, Mister Parker: Mister Jameson here is my business partner!" Stanley King said with a smile. "He owns half of the publishing company that prints my fanzine."
"And you own the other half?"
"Give the man the grand prize, Stanley," Jonah huffed, smoking away. "The traitor's smart."
Peter was reeling, but something within him allowed him an anchor. He had come to sell his photos. Jonah wasn't buying them anymore. "I came to Stanley because he'll buy them, Jonah. It wasn't my decision. If the Daily Bugle hadn't stopped-"
"Parker," Jonah interrupted. "There was a reason we stopped buying Spider- Man photos!"
"Why?"
Now Jonah sighed. His cheeks turned red. "Because, Parker, I wanted your exclusive photos for this fanzine. And- And maybe I figured it was possible we could use your connection with Spider-Man t'get him to endorse it."
For a moment, Peter was stunned.
Then he was laughing. "I don't believe it! J. Jonah Jameson! Now a Spider- Man fan? A publisher of the magazine? I don't believe it! You really have mellowed in your old age!"
"Start blabbing it around and I'll kill you."
"Oh, sure, Jonah. I promise. But hey, since I'm here, why don't I just give you some Spider-Man pictures? Since it seems you're busy in a little editor's meeting, it might help to have an idea of some of the pictures you might be publishing in the next edition."
"Fine," Jameson growled. "It's a deal. Stanley's already given you a rate. Leave the photos and get outta here. We have some paperwork to finish up."
"Whatever, Jonah," Peter said with a smile. He placed the packet on the desk and turned around. "I'll see both of you later. And I promise to talk to Spider-Man about the endorsement!"
Stanley and Jonah were alone again. Stanley picked up a pile of papers and began sorting through them. "Actually, Jonah, it's a good thing he stopped by. We haven't even settled on a theme for the next issue. Maybe Peter's photos will help."
Jonah thought about that, mumbled that the photos might help. He sighed, puffing on his cigar a little more, and then reached for the packet of pictures. It was just then that Stanley King's office window was tapped several times. Then it was opened. Then entered the Astonishing Spider-Man.
"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle if my brother ever has a child!" Spider-Man said. "Peter told me about the fanzine, which was weirdness in itself- But with J. Jonah Jameson at the helm? Pinch me! I'm in an episode of the Twilight Zone, aren't I? Or is this one of those shows where a guy with a television camera pops up and a host cries 'Gotcha'?""
"Hmmp!" Jameson grunted. "If only it were, you little smart-lipped tights- wearer!"
"Now that's the Jonah I know and love. Which is why I think I'll just talk to Stanley over here," Spider-Man said. He looked to the editor. "Mr. King, I was informed of your fine publication just after you first hired Peter. Mr. Parker told me that you might actually be hoping for an endorsement from Little Old Me?"
"If that is possible," Stanley said.
"Well, I'd be happy to endorse your wonderful little periodical!" Spider- Man laughed. "But, I'm afraid I'll only do it under one condition, Guys."
"What's that?"
"You change the name to the 'SPIDER-MAN MAGAZINE'," Spider-Man said. "Deal?"
Stanley and Jonah spoke together. "Deal!"
Maximum Vengeance - Chapter 4
He had been invited to the celebration of Liz's release, but he'd had to decline. Peter knew that if he was going to get a paycheck in time to help pay for his house utilities, he had to get to Stanley King's apartment immediately. The editor of the 'Spider-Man Fanzine' was going to want to see his pictures. And considering the Daily Bugle had stopped buying them, thank God for that.
He arrived at the proper door and knocked.
"Who is it?" the voice on the other side yelled.
"Peter Parker, Sir. I have some pictures of Spider-Man in Chicago. May I come in?"
"The door's open!"
Peter walked in and made his way through the apartment, to the room that Stanley King used as his office. He entered the room and for the second time in twenty-four hours, stood absolutely shocked. Stanley King was where Peter had figured he would be, behind his desk, but there was a guest in the visitor's chair: Peter Parker's ex-editor at the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson himself, puffing away at his cigar.
"Jonah?!" Peter cried. "What are you doing here?!"
"It's pretty simple, Mister Parker: Mister Jameson here is my business partner!" Stanley King said with a smile. "He owns half of the publishing company that prints my fanzine."
"And you own the other half?"
"Give the man the grand prize, Stanley," Jonah huffed, smoking away. "The traitor's smart."
Peter was reeling, but something within him allowed him an anchor. He had come to sell his photos. Jonah wasn't buying them anymore. "I came to Stanley because he'll buy them, Jonah. It wasn't my decision. If the Daily Bugle hadn't stopped-"
"Parker," Jonah interrupted. "There was a reason we stopped buying Spider- Man photos!"
"Why?"
Now Jonah sighed. His cheeks turned red. "Because, Parker, I wanted your exclusive photos for this fanzine. And- And maybe I figured it was possible we could use your connection with Spider-Man t'get him to endorse it."
For a moment, Peter was stunned.
Then he was laughing. "I don't believe it! J. Jonah Jameson! Now a Spider- Man fan? A publisher of the magazine? I don't believe it! You really have mellowed in your old age!"
"Start blabbing it around and I'll kill you."
"Oh, sure, Jonah. I promise. But hey, since I'm here, why don't I just give you some Spider-Man pictures? Since it seems you're busy in a little editor's meeting, it might help to have an idea of some of the pictures you might be publishing in the next edition."
"Fine," Jameson growled. "It's a deal. Stanley's already given you a rate. Leave the photos and get outta here. We have some paperwork to finish up."
"Whatever, Jonah," Peter said with a smile. He placed the packet on the desk and turned around. "I'll see both of you later. And I promise to talk to Spider-Man about the endorsement!"
Stanley and Jonah were alone again. Stanley picked up a pile of papers and began sorting through them. "Actually, Jonah, it's a good thing he stopped by. We haven't even settled on a theme for the next issue. Maybe Peter's photos will help."
Jonah thought about that, mumbled that the photos might help. He sighed, puffing on his cigar a little more, and then reached for the packet of pictures. It was just then that Stanley King's office window was tapped several times. Then it was opened. Then entered the Astonishing Spider-Man.
"Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle if my brother ever has a child!" Spider-Man said. "Peter told me about the fanzine, which was weirdness in itself- But with J. Jonah Jameson at the helm? Pinch me! I'm in an episode of the Twilight Zone, aren't I? Or is this one of those shows where a guy with a television camera pops up and a host cries 'Gotcha'?""
"Hmmp!" Jameson grunted. "If only it were, you little smart-lipped tights- wearer!"
"Now that's the Jonah I know and love. Which is why I think I'll just talk to Stanley over here," Spider-Man said. He looked to the editor. "Mr. King, I was informed of your fine publication just after you first hired Peter. Mr. Parker told me that you might actually be hoping for an endorsement from Little Old Me?"
"If that is possible," Stanley said.
"Well, I'd be happy to endorse your wonderful little periodical!" Spider- Man laughed. "But, I'm afraid I'll only do it under one condition, Guys."
"What's that?"
"You change the name to the 'SPIDER-MAN MAGAZINE'," Spider-Man said. "Deal?"
Stanley and Jonah spoke together. "Deal!"