X-Men #10: Meet Silk Spider

Marvel Girl and Mystique came in from the grounds of Xavier’s mansion with a guest, a strange man in a black butterfly mask, red cape and hood. 

It was Wolverine that noticed the scent of ozone, blood, and fear on the man. They’d been in a fight, on the property and this man, a mutant, was what they came back with. Jean had received a strange psychic signal that alerted her to noticed four unknowns wandering the property. She hadn’t heard them. She hadn’t seen them. But she knew they were there. Three fugitives, escaped from the super-powered detention center in New York City and the teenage super-hero that was hunting them. 

The fugitives were Crossbones, with whom Marvel Girl was already familiar; The Vulture an octogenarian super-powered bank robber; and the media famous, Vanisher. The hero was the Silk Spider, a new NYC based crime fighter, with arachnid abilities. 

Marvel Girl, Mystique, and Silk Spider fought the villains in the wooded area to the north of the mansion, while the other students and staff were inside attending Xavier’s first graduation ceremony. Crossbones was violent and filled with rage. Silk Spider fought hard and appeared to need some help. Meanwhile, Mystique fought the Vulture. Since his last battle with a superhero, the Vulture had enhanced his suit to not only fly faster, but give him greater strength. It made him a worthy adversary for the mutant shape shifter. At least for a while. 

But the interesting part of this battle was that Marvel Girl sensed that the villain known as the Vanisher wasn’t quite dedicated to his part of the fight. She pulled him out of the fray and spoke to him personally. She asked him if he really wanted to be a criminal. His response was that there was nothing else for him. He claimed that his dreams were always dashed by someone bigger, stronger, richer, or non-mutant. And that is when Jean did it. She invited the Vanisher to join Xavier’s school, a place where he could be a mutant and not be judged. A place where he could learn to use his power for good. The Vanisher agreed. 

Marvel Girl helped the others end their fight, then convinced Silk Spider to leave the Vanisher to her and Xavier’s. Of course this meant Silk Spider would have to lie to the authorities. The teenage superhero left the property with Crossbones and the Vulture and returned them to the jail they escaped from. It seemed light a small battle, but two allies were made that day, and one of them had been accepted into the fold.