And so here it Is as promised! The first issue of….

Lizard Man: The Dark Hunt

Chapter 1: Adjusting to Scales

Peter sat in his Aunt and Uncle's kitchen at their fold-out table he had eaten at so many times. A now cold meal of eggs and a stack of bills both occupied said table. Both were basically untouched as Peter stared down at the floral patterned floor. It had been two weeks since his Uncle Ben's death and no more than a week after his funeral. Aunt May was in a psychiatric-ward home for elderly for trauma and for physical therapy due to a broken leg. The house was as empty as a tomb and from the way Peter looked, he was as well. He was unkempt; bare-foot, lizard arm exposed, and wearing the same pair of jeans he wore on the day of his uncle's death, rips and all (though no longer were they covered in blood). He was also wearing a leather jacket that seemed to have lots of holes in it. Other than that, his upper body was bare exposing his now toning form. Though he was now looking fit, the jacket looked fairly big on him, well in this form that is, for this tattered thing was his Uncle's old work jacket when he was the main electrician for the local power plant. Since his uncle passed, Peter barely took it off.

Much like his tattered attire, Peter looked just as worn in the face. Dark circles engulfed around his eyes. Redness and irritation lied over his blank glazed stare at the floor. Peter looked like a man with insomnia or PTSD; or both. In a lot of ways that is what he had become and less of the normal teenaged cripple he once was.

Peter was allowed leave from school due to his uncle's tragic passing and his aunt's condition. To keep up with his studies, he was assigned cyber classes. Peter attempts to do them every so often to get his mind off of the reality of his new world; how he got his lizard powers, his crazed father, his uncles death….. but distractions like computer classes only did so much. So, now during the night, Peter gives up human distractions and goes "hunting" so to speak. Hunting for the one who was the true target for his rage; Tombstone. The whole idea started the night after his Uncle passed. When he finally returned to his home from MJ's, the house that was now so empty, he wasted no time searching for Tombstone on the web, but was coming up with only dead ends. There were myths about the guy, inquires, but no solid articles or at all proof of his existence. All he could get was that those who do unsavory work know of him and may work with him loosely. Frustrated and heart broken, Peter put on his Uncles old work jacket for comfort, but it only made him worse. Wishing to unleash this anger, Peter went full Lizard mode and took off for the city once again. He slinked through alleyways and shady neighborhoods for hours, awaiting to hear something involving the man called Tombstone. He finally got something from 4 scumbags in Clinton, which is better known as "Hell's Kitchen", in ally by a dive-like boxing arena. These four idiots were beating up a guy in a suit, screaming something about a man called "The Kingpin" and how Tombstone is not afraid of fighting for this turf or of anything for that matter. Peter took this as his chance and attacked the four men, allowing the beast to relish in conflict. One of the men went down easy with Peter breaking both of his arms. Two others got three-way breaks to the ankle. However, with the last one, Peter pulled back and simply slashed multiple times across the face and chest, allowing blood to taint the already dirty ally way. The wounds looked bad, but something told Peter it wasn't fatal. He then picked the guy up and brought him nose to nose to his snout. He snarled at the guy and said "tell your boss these scars will cover his entire body." He then let the guy go and he took off running. Peter then took off himself, but not before something interesting happened.

When he got to the roof of the nearby boxing arena, something hard and leather hit him the face. Peter fell straight on his back but rolled back onto his feet like a defensive animal. His claws were beard but the shadowing figure in front of him now had his back to Peter. Peter couldn't make out much from the figure even with his helpful vision except his wearing red… and had small horns on his head. He then spoke to Peter in a dark undertone, "You're inexperienced and consumed by rage. I can relate to and respect that. But let me give you some advice. Don't work yourself to death. Know your limits. Know yourself. You have a gift. Use it as you see fit but KNOW it. Don't rely on it. Also that kick was a warning to you kid. This is my Kitchen. Stay out of it." And just as he appeared, the man in red was gone.

Peter never returned to Hell's Kitchen after that, but as he now stared at his aunt's dusty floor, he knew he never took that advice to heart. Peter was exhausted and edge and was still as unexperienced as he started. He had been out every night since that day to other locations, going after anything that may relate to Tombstone but was coming up with scraps. Not to mention, he was only fighting scraps. At best he was taking down Tombstones network, but he was still coming up nothing when came to finding him. Peter was so frustrated. He felt helpless and alone and was filled with questions: Would he be able to stand up to people that weren't thugs in the near future, like the man in red? Why was Kasady Hired to find him? Did it have something to do with his new abilities? Could Conners have betrayed him? COULD HE TRUST ANYONE?

But, in this verge of exhausted paranoia, a squeak came from the main door knocked him out of it. Peter quickly hid his arm in his sleeve and looked quickly to right. He sighed of relief when he saw none other than Brainy Jane standing in his living room, caring a stack of books. He then slid his lizard arm back down the sleeve as she sat the books down on the table. When she looked back at him, she was not pleased. "Peter, that's your breakfast from earlier! I've been gone for 7 hours! Have you not eaten anything?". Peter rubbed his eyes and looked at her with a shrug. She sizzled air through her teeth in frustration. "Peter… I know things are hard, I know you're depressed …" Peter had heard this argument for a week now, and was getting sick You need to get or you need this. She doesn't know what I need he thought. He got up to leave but then she said.. "and I know you've been sneaking out at night." Peter froze in his track. His palms began to sweat with nerves as looked back at her. "Pete, I'm your neighbor. I can hear your window open." Peter slunk back into his, chair rubbing his eyes again. When he did his vision went yellow and then back to normal. He had been able to control his transformations since the terrible fated day that he cannot forget, but his exhaustion had caused him to slip here and there. "Peter.. have you slept at all?". She asked. Peter shook his head "Peter…" MJ said as she sat next to him, "I know you feel alone. I know you want to find this Tombstone guy that hired the murderer.. but you, like everyone, need to rest. You need to try and be a man and not just an animal. You were man first, after all".

P: "how can I do that when all I have is revenge?"

MJ: "Well maybe you should think of it this way: What would your uncle Ben want you to do?"

MJ's words stung like rinsing a sore mouth with salt water. It sucks, it stings, but sometimes it's necessary. Peter knew what he was doing was not what his uncle would want; it was immature and childish. Knowing what his uncle wanted is why he hadn't killed Kasady or anyone with his powers, but as MJ said, he was more than an animal and he was not a child. He was Peter Parker and I was raised better than thist. With this thought, Peter couldn't hold back the tears anymore. He began to cry, like he did two weeks ago, on MJ's shoulder. Like that time, she held him tight as he let it all out. All the pain and suffering he felt that was so prominent in his heart. She then wiped his eyes with her sleeve and gave him a kiss on the forehead. Peter looked up at her, seeing for the first time how beautiful her eyes were, but she did not linger. Instead she got back up and took his cold breakfast to the garbage. Peter felt disappointed, but he didn't linger on the thought either. Instead he passed it off as exhaustion. He then got up to leave but finally acknowledged all the books she brought in: History of 1800, physiology, and Stats. All classes MJ did not take.

P: "Hey MJ uh… what's with all the books?"

MJ:"Oh they belong to Harry Osborn. I'm doing his homework for you"

P: "what do you mean his homework for me?"

MJ: "Well he told me that he asked you to do his homework for him during our trip to Oscorp remember? Since you've got a lot going on I told him you were doing it while I actually took care of it."

P: "MJ, you didn't have to…"

MJ: "oh relax tiger, I got this. Besides, he pays well. I'll give you your half after you get some rest"

P: "Tiger? You've never called me that."

MJ: "well I can't exactly call you cripple anymore, can I?" she says with a wink.

Peter blushes a little bit, and turns to walk away. As he does so, he wonders: Am I falling for MJ? Peter had known her since she moved in next door. They had been friends ever since, but even with her natural beauty, he never felt anything more than friendship. That is, until now. She had listen to Peter about everything. She took his new form powers very well, and had been helpful in taking care of the house since that terrible day. She was there for him every morning and every afternoon. She didn't have to be but she was. As he pondered on this, Peter began to imagine her in his head and all the beauty he always took for granted. Her read hair, her curves, her freckles… all this plus a top of the notch brain and personality! Why did he never notice how great she was before?

When Peter got to his room, still fantasizing about MJ, he laid down for the first time in two weeks. His whole body, pleased with the comfort and his mind for the first time at rest. Tomorrow things would be different. He would take action with thought and perhaps see Conners for some assistance in that. After all, MJ and the man in read were right. He need to know his limits and take actions rationally. Tombstone could wait. Tonight, he will have some peace of mind and tomorrow he would be a new man with scales.

10pm and many miles from a resting Peter, a grizzly Kraven smoking a pipe meets with man dressed in all white and wearing a purple mask. "So comrade" says Kraven through his teeth. "Do we have a deal? And remember, I just need your men to lure him in when his out one night. When they make contact, I wish for contact so that I may witness. They are more than welcome to come at him strong. But I do not want him killed. If they do so, my employer will pay you handsomely comrade."Kraven puffs another pink cloud as the man in white and purple nods his head in agreement. "My men will do as you wish. They have wanted pay back on this Lizard creature for so long. They will be pleased with some retribution."

Kraven smiles he gentlemen grin. "Thankyou Mr. Rose."

To be continued in Issue #2: The Thorn of the Rose.