The first edited clip reached the New York morning news before the squabbling over emergency repairs at the printing plant had even ended.
The TV station played the shot of Black Spider giving the middle finger three times.
The first time, it came with a headline.
"Masked violence is spiraling out of control"
The second time, it came with an expert.
The third time, it came with a former adviser sitting in the studio, his face heavy with sorrow.
The former adviser spoke slowly, as though he had a piece of cold steak fresh from the congressional cafeteria in his mouth.
"The Daily Bugle has long glorified this kind of masked activity. New York needs to reassess the political ambitions behind these so-called private rescue organizations!"
Jameson stood in the middle of the newsroom, watching the screen.
The newsroom was quiet.
This was what being utterly speechless looked like.
Did these guys even read their own copy when they wrote it? What the hell were they doing?
What did they mean, the Daily Bugle glorified masked activity?
Hadn't the Daily Bugle built its business on insulting masked heroes?
A printer whirred.
Jameson took the cigar out of his mouth.
The intern beside him asked quietly:
"Boss, should we respond?"
Jameson did not immediately yell.
That made the entire newsroom even more nervous.
When Jameson yelled at people, it meant the situation could still be salvaged.
When Jameson went quiet, it meant things had begun racing toward something very undignified.
The TV station cut to its second guest.
The guest was a senior fellow at some policy institute.
The senior fellow's résumé was long, too long for anyone to read in five seconds.
"The problem with Black Spider is that he has never received a public mandate. By continuing to provide