Chapter Summaries

Chen Mo and Jason spent the day helping people and clearing dangerous streets in Gotham, with Jason proving useful as his guide. The night ended when Peter arrived and Jason discovered that he was wearing Spider-Man's suit.

• Chen Mo subdued gang enforcers blocking a truck and drove his Spider-Mobile through Gotham while Batman and the others handled emergencies.
• Jason went to school looking for Peter and Dick, then found Chen Mo's car and tried to remove one of its wheels.
• Chen Mo caught Jason, invited him along for a drive, and let him help navigate around damaged roads and dangerous areas.
• Chen Mo and Jason rescued people caught in a firefight, helped clear delivery routes, and received instructions from Penguin and Harvey.
• After Jason asked to join Chen Mo again, Peter arrived with food, and Jason recognized him beneath the Spider-Man mask.

Chen Mo, Peter, and Jason patrolled Gotham together, and Jason joined their vigilante team after learning their identities and receiving armor. They stopped an armed gang and found Black Mask, then discovered another thug assaulting a victim in a workshop as Chen Mo and Peter intervened.

• Jason learned that Chen Mo and Peter were superheroes and that Bruce Wayne was Batman, then accepted armor and joined their patrol.
• Chen Mo and Peter discussed how injured criminals were staying off the streets before stopping armed men who were harassing a driver.
• The spiders fought their way through the gang’s yard and building while Jason helped free the captives.
• Chen Mo and Peter confronted Black Mask in his office, then heard a victim screaming in the Repair Workshop below.
• Chen Mo kicked the gang leader assaulting the victim as Peter webbed the man holding him down.

Chen Mo tracked down Roman and nearly killed him after seeing the cycle of Gotham criminals escaping and hurting people again. Batman intervened in Anti-Superman armor, and Chen Mo turned on him for blocking the execution and doubting him.

• Chen Mo and Peter rescued injured workers at Black Mask's hideout, while Black Mask fled into the storerooms and Peter asked Batman for help.
• Chen Mo fought through Joker's projections and traps, ignored the taunts about his anger, and found Roman trying to escape through a locked back door.
• Chen Mo webbed Roman to a post and beat him, then considered killing him rather than letting him return to crime after another prison escape.
• Batman arrived in Anti-Superman armor and caught Chen Mo's punch before it could hit Roman.
• Chen Mo accused Batman of protecting Roman and never trusting him, then lunged at Batman and swung a punch at him.

Chen Mo fought Batman after Batman stopped him from killing Black Mask, while Joker broadcast the clash and accused Spider-Man of abandoning his old restraint. Pamela was exposed to Harley’s enhanced toxin and forced to go with her as her powers began spiraling out of control, while an enormous spaceship approached Earth.

• Chen Mo fought Batman in the warehouse and yard after Batman intervened to protect Black Mask, while Peter rescued Roman and moved onlookers away.
• Joker took over a television broadcast and used edited footage of the fight to provoke Gotham’s citizens into arguing about Spider-Man, Batman, and Black Mask.
• Chen Mo continued attacking Batman, warned a bystander away from falling rubble, and told Peter he would confront Joker after the fight.
• Pamela saw the broadcast, tried to call Chen Mo, and headed toward the livestream’s location after helping an injured man.
• Harley attacked Pamela with an enhanced toxin, causing Pamela to lose control of her laughter and her plant powers, then led her toward Spider-Man.
• An enormous spaceship approached Earth as the Gotham livestream continued.

Chen Mo and Batman stopped fighting when Joker’s coordinated attacks spread across Gotham, forcing the heroes to rescue civilians and confront the wider crisis. As fires and mind-controlled crowds overwhelmed the city, Chen Mo headed for Joker’s television station with Jason, determined to reach him first.

• Peter left to help Robin at the Shopping Mall, while Jason joined the fight between Chen Mo and Batman.
• A laughter-inducing toxin began spreading through Gotham, and Chen Mo and Batman ended their fight to respond to Joker’s attacks and identify Tetch’s mind-controlled civilians.
• Joker used a live broadcast to threaten people by phone and set fire to homes and shops, while Barbara coordinated emergency responses.
• Peter and Dick rescued civilians at the Shopping Mall, stopped Scarecrow’s fear toxin from trapping them, and opened a safe exit despite Riddler’s misleading directions.
• Chen Mo and Batman organized rescues as fires spread, then Chen Mo took Jason toward the television station to reach Joker before Batman did.

Chen Mo tried to stop Pamela as she laughed uncontrollably and attacked people with growing roots, while Batman and the others headed for Joker’s chaos at the TV Station. After a collapsing street sent Chen Mo and Pamela into old tunnels beneath Gotham, he kept trying to reach her and finally got her attention.

• Joker forced a woman to choose between two buildings, then set both buildings on fire after she asked for help.
• Chen Mo and Jason rescued a patient from an ambulance trapped by Pamela’s roots, and Chen Mo recognized Pamela as the source of the attack.
• Chen Mo fought Pamela’s vines while Batman took Jason and the injured person toward the TV Station, and Chen Mo told Batgirl to investigate what had happened to Pamela.
• Chen Mo tried to restrain Pamela and calm her, but she kept attacking as burning plants and collapsing walls opened a huge hole beneath them.
• Chen Mo and Pamela fell into old tunnels, where Chen Mo freed himself from the roots and reached for her hand.
• Pamela’s laughter briefly stopped, and she looked at Chen Mo when he asked her to look at him.

Chen Mo and Pamela tried to escape the burning passage, but an alien ship attacked and Pamela took a blast meant for him. As Chen Mo sank with her into the underground spring containing the Dionysian Factor, he held her lifeless body and faced an uncertain miracle.

• Chen Mo helped Pamela recognize him as Spider-Man, and she admitted she loved him and had saved people earlier that day.
• Chen Mo and Pamela climbed toward the passage entrance, but an alien spacecraft attacked Gotham and blasted apart the tunnels around them.
• Pamela shielded Chen Mo from a second beam with roots and foliage, taking the blast herself; Chen Mo covered her wounds with his nanotech armor and tried to get her to safety.
• Pamela died in Chen Mo's arms, and he vowed that Joker and the attackers would pay.
• As the collapsing passage carried them toward the underground spring, Chen Mo plunged into its water with Pamela and the Dionysian Factor seeped into him.

Chen Mo survived his injuries as Venom and escaped the flooded ruins, leaving Pamela behind. In Gotham, Venom killed a gang of escaped criminals who were attacking a wounded man and nurse, then disappeared when more gunfire sounded nearby.

• Chen Mo's healing powers and Venom's influence revived him, while vines lifted him from the pool and carried him away from Pamela.
• Venom climbed through a bomb-damaged passage and emerged into Gotham as criminals celebrated their release from Blackgate.
• The criminals stole a van from a driver transporting a wounded man, killed the driver, and prepared to set off a firework beside the stretcher.
• Venom attacked and killed the criminals, stopping their assault and leaving the nurse and wounded man alive.
• The nurse asked Venom for help, but he turned toward distant gunfire and leaped away.

Venom attacked the gang threatening Penguin’s restaurant and killed Gold Earring before pursuing a fleeing pickup to the Freight Yard. There, he confronted Black Mask, Alberto Falcone, Scarecrow, Riddler, and Mad Hatter as they prepared to fight him.

• Venom defeated the gunmen outside the restaurant and killed Gold Earring after he offered Penguin payment.
• Venom chased a pickup toward the Freight Yard while the restaurant guards carried the wounded to safety.
• At the warehouse, Black Mask learned Alberto Falcone had taken his car, then Alberto returned with the vehicle and the people he had collected.
• A man warned the group that Venom was coming, and Venom webbed the pickup across the warehouse exit.
• The gang raised their weapons and prepared to attack as Venom swung through the warehouse doors into their gunfire.

Venom tore through Roman's men at the Freight Yard while Scarecrow's fear toxin distorted his senses, and Joker broadcast the fight for Gotham to watch. Roman, Alberto Falcone, Riddler, Mad Hatter, and Scarecrow fled into the loading area, but Venom followed them inside and disabled the shutter controls as the survivors raised their guns.

• Venom fought through the gunmen as Scarecrow sprayed fear toxin that made him see distorted images, but Venom destroyed the shelving and killed or incapacitated the attackers.
• Mad Hatter ordered guards to pin Venom down, but Venom used webs and brute force to knock them aside while Roman and Alberto Falcone escaped through a passage.
• Venom forced his way through a steel door as Roman and Alberto fled, and Riddler searched for another route to draw him away.
• Joker watched the surveillance feed, broadcast Venom's fight over the Freight Yard speakers, and taunted Roman as the men continued to retreat.
• Venom pursued the survivors into the loading area, and Edward tried to close the rolling shutter after them.
• Venom hung from the beam inside the loading area, tore the shutter control box from the wall, and left the remaining men aiming their guns at him.

Venom slaughtered Roman’s crew at the Freight Yard while Joker watched and celebrated the violence. Batman identified Venom as the one controlling Chen Mo and raced to the scene with sonic equipment as Peter was sent the location.

• Venom killed Mad Hatter, Jonathan Crane, Riddler, Alberto Falcone, and Roman while the remaining gunmen cowered nearby.
• Joker watched the Freight Yard footage, praised Venom’s brutality, and joked about giving him a new name.
• Batman and Peter evacuated casualties while Barbara sent Batman footage of the massacre and confirmed that the crew was dead.
• Batman recognized that Venom had taken over Chen Mo’s body and ordered Alfred to send sonic equipment while Barbara cleared the nearby streets and alerted Peter.
• Batman drove the Batmobile toward the Freight Yard as Venom climbed among the web-covered strands.

Batman and the others prepared to separate Venom from Chen Mo and bring him home, while Peter and the others reached the Freight Yard to confront him. The chapter ended with Venom emerging above the cocooned survivors as Peter told Chen Mo they had come to get him.

• Batman told Gordon that Venom was controlling Spider-Man and ordered the police to pull back and send ambulances.
• Peter joined Batman, and they agreed that Peter would draw Venom toward the square while Batman handled Joker and prepared the sonic equipment.
• Dick, Barbara, and Jason joined the rescue effort, and Batman explained that Venom was responsible for the killings while accepting blame for failing to separate it from Chen Mo sooner.
• Superman and Diana fought alien ships above Gotham, destroying weapons and aircraft as more attackers surrounded them.
• Peter, Barbara, Dick, and Jason reached the Freight Yard and found survivors wrapped in webbing across the street.
• Venom appeared upside down behind a lamppost, and Peter stepped forward and told Chen Mo they had come to pick him up.

Peter fought Venom while Jason, Barbara, and Dick rescued people trapped in cocoons around the street. After Venom badly injured Peter and Barbara’s Sonic Device only briefly drove it back, the group fled east through a passage with Venom close behind.

• Venom ambushed Peter, and Jason and Barbara took cover while Dick and Jason helped rescue a cocooned man and discovered more captives hanging around a billboard.
• Peter drew Venom away from the captives, but their fight damaged nearby buildings and left Peter struggling with chest pain.
• Barbara used a portable Sonic Device to make Venom loosen its grip on Peter, and Jason and Dick pulled Peter to safety.
• Venom recovered and pursued the group as Peter led it east, while Barbara and Dick guided Jason and the injured Peter through a passage.
• Peter kicked Venom back to protect Jason, then ran with the others toward the exit as Venom followed them into the street.

Batman struggled to protect Joker-controlled civilians from trampling and injury while Joker taunted him through a broadcast. As Batman’s allies prepared backstage, Joker showed him a live feed of a family in Crime Alley and raised the threat of another attack there.

• Joker broadcast from the plaza screen and urged the laughing crowd to attack Batman, who restrained and shielded them without using force that could seriously injure them.
• Batman cleared space behind a pillar and helped officers and medics carry two injured civilians through a side door, but the crowd immediately filled the gap.
• Harley sprayed more mist into the crowd while Joker’s henchmen blocked escape routes, forcing Batman to protect people as the press of bodies drove them toward the central platform.
• Batman heard Jason and Peter struggling nearby, while Alfred reported that everything was in position backstage and Batman told them to wait for his signal.
• Joker showed Batman a family being confronted by him in Crime Alley, while the infected man in Batman’s arms continued to slam into his chest.

Batman struggled to protect the laughing civilians while Joker replayed the murder of Bruce’s parents and taunted him into nearly attacking. Venom shattered the screen, and Batman kept rescuing people as Venom broke into the studio and dragged Joker out through the window.

• Batman watched Joker’s recording of his parents’ murder and ordered Alfred to send it to Gordon and find the child shown in it.
• Joker replayed the shooting and urged Batman to kill him, while Batman resisted throwing a Batarang and continued protecting the civilians around him.
• Jason, Peter, Dick, and Barbara took cover as Venom tore a steel beam from its mountings and smashed the screen.
• Batman shielded nearby people from the falling screen and carried civilians to the side door while Dick and Barbara helped evacuate them.
• Venom smashed through the studio window, wrapped Joker in black tendrils, and dragged him out of the building.

Batman and Spider-Man struggled to stop Venom while the Joker tried to provoke them into killing him and set off his death-triggered device. As the Joker and Harley were restrained and the crowd remained under the mist’s influence, Peter tried to pry a victim from Venom’s grip.

• The Joker taunted Venom into strangling him, but Batman intervened and discovered a device that would release its contents if the Joker died.
• Batman cut the restraints, secured the Joker to a post, and told Barbara to bring a containment unit while he fought Venom on a collapsing platform.
• Harley restarted the misting unit after the broadcasts failed, but Barbara disarmed and restrained her.
• Venom attacked Batman in the square as laughing civilians swarmed them, and Batman and Spider-Man worked together to protect and restrain the victims.
• Venom grabbed a man who had stabbed it with an iron rod, and Peter wedged himself between its teeth and the victim while trying to pry its fingers loose.

Chen Mo fought Venom over his rage and refusal to kill, while Peter and Batman struggled to keep the possessed man from harming anyone. Chen Mo held on to Batman as they moved him away, leaving his conflict with Venom unresolved.

• Peter braced Venom’s finger away from the man’s neck despite breaking four ribs, while Jason supported him and Batman helped with the rescue.
• Chen Mo fought Venom through memories of violence, poverty, loss, and the childhood pages that first introduced him to Spider-Man.
• Chen Mo admitted that criminals deserved death but refused to let his anger decide who lived, and he and Venom reached a stalemate.
• Peter and Batman freed the man from Venom’s grip, and Dick passed him to the officers while Jason supported the injured Peter.
• Barbara secured Joker in a containment shell and had officers lower him from the platform as Harley was escorted inside.
• Batman took hold of Chen Mo’s wrist and guided him away from the doorway while Chen Mo continued holding on and resisting Venom.

Batman rescued Chen Mo from Venom and carried him to safety while Chen Mo remained unconscious. Venom escaped aboard an evacuation craft, and Batman took Chen Mo inside for medical care.

• Batman used the sonic emitter to separate Venom from Chen Mo and caught the injured Chen Mo as he collapsed.
• Batman held Chen Mo close and protected him as Venom attacked, then leaped from the collapsing maintenance platform with him.
• Peter saw Batman carry Chen Mo back and collapsed against Jason, while Barbara checked Chen Mo’s breathing and helped secure the cape around him.
• Venom fled the rooftop by hiding on an alien soldier boarding an evacuation craft bound for the mothership.
• Dick arrived with a stretcher, but Batman continued carrying the sleeping Chen Mo into the building.

Batman brought the injured Chen Mo to a treatment room, where doctors found his wounds healing rapidly, and stayed beside him as he slept. With Gotham under attack, Batman blamed Venom for the killings and classified Chen Mo as a victim, while Venom escaped aboard the mothership determined to take Chen Mo back.

• Medical staff used a nebulizer to calm Peggy's violent laughter, then began treating the other affected patients.
• Batman laid Chen Mo in the treatment room, where a doctor checked his rapidly healing wounds and Batman remained at his bedside.
• Gordon detained Joker and Harley, while Venom escaped with an alien soldier aboard an evacuation craft and vowed to retrieve Chen Mo.
• Batman told Alfred that Venom was responsible for the murders and that Chen Mo should be treated as a victim under alien control.
• Superman and Diana fought the invading craft, and Superman landed a damaged passenger plane before checking on Bruce and Chen Mo.
• Clark noticed Bruce's tender attention to Chen Mo, then returned to the battle after Batman asked about the air-combat situation.

Chen Mo woke after Venom was separated from him and learned that Black Mask, Scarecrow, and the other criminals had been killed. He urged Bruce to use the power vacuum to reform Gotham, while Bruce insisted that he only needed to save the world, and artillery fire lit the room as the Communicator buzzed.

• Chen Mo woke in Bruce's Bat-style suit, drank water, and said he had no regrets about what had happened.
• Peter visited with four fractured ribs, and Chen Mo apologized for hurting him while Venom controlled him.
• Dick told Chen Mo that Black Mask, Scarecrow, and the other criminals had been killed, and the survivors were being moved.
• After the others left, Chen Mo urged Bruce to rescue more survivors, keep the lists, and use the empty criminal territory to change Gotham's rules.
• Chen Mo asked Bruce to change Gotham at its roots, but Bruce said he only needed to save the world, making Chen Mo laugh.
• Artillery fire lit the room, and Bruce's Communicator lit up again.