Spider-Man, Nova (secretly Rider’s nephew) and Captain Steele discuss the murder including that Photon killed the butler Manners before he could share what he knew. Daze, Dean and Risk have all escaped the house. Spidey and Nova, explore land, rail and sea for them. In Chinatown, a shadowy fi gure watches Harry and Liz. Meanwhile at a lighthouse, the three suspects agree to an alliance to profi t from the invention they all came to purchase from Rider. An AIM transport arrives as do the heroes. Photon joins the fi ght and knocks the heroes out. AIM ties them to an anchor, dropping them in the water. Breaking free, they return to Rider’s mansion where the police surround the invading AIM agents. Photon takes Nova’s father hostage, but Spidey webs Rider to safety while Nova knocks Photon out. Captain Steele reveals that Dr. Rider identified his killer by spreading the calendar from July to December around him: the first letter of each month spell out “Jason D.” Steele unmasks Photon to reveal Jason Dean.
Peter Parker visits Dr. Ralph Rider and is discussing his love of anagrams when Photon burns through Rider’s offi ce wall, knocks Peter unconscious and kills Rider who is found with months from a calendar surrounding him. Maggia representative Jason Dean, AIM agent Harry Daze, ruthless businessman Franklin Risk, and Rider’s bitter ex-assistant Michael Lincoln are all on the scene (Nova #12, ’77).
