The following is a fan fic featuring an epic adventure of the Amalgam Universe's coolest teen hero ... the Awesome Spider-Boy [Superboy/Spider-Man].

---

"This will be the last time you interfere with the Scavulture! My Evil Eye will see to that!" -- Spider-Boy Team-Up (1997)

---

It was a dark, stormy evening and death was in the air - literally. Silver Racer, the Asgodian avatar of death, sped across the Manhattan skies upon his enchanted skis. The emotionless entity had but one duty on his mind, for it was foretold that the mortal known to the world as Spider-Boy would fall in combat to his most dangerous rival on this very night ...

THE TOXIC RACER - PART ONE

"Whoa!", exclaimed Spider-Boy as he side-stepped a massive right hook, "who taught ya to swing like that, Eddie? Evander Tyson?"

The massive, black-clad beast growled with anger as he released a dosage of Venom into his veins. "DO NOT CALL US THAT, ROSS. EDDIE BANE NO LONGER EXISTS. WE ARE NOW TOXIC!"

"Well then, Toxie, you're just goin' to have to kick that filthy steroid habit of yours. It's bad for your health, not to mention mine!"

Toxic did not respond. He had bested Spider-Boy in battle before and let him survive, something that Toxic had lived to regret. Toxic had even teamed up with the Arach-Kid in the past in order to defeat greater evils such as Bizarnage and Grinning Death. But that truce ended long ago.

Spider-Boy felt somewhat responsible for the merging of the Toxic symbiote with Eddie Bane, and he made it his business to interfere with the villain's misguided plans on every occasion. Fueled by jealousy and revenge, Toxic vowed that Spider-Boy would not survive this particular confrontation on the rooftop of the World Trade Building.

The muscle-bound Toxic extended three tentacle-like appendages from his body and lunged at the Arach-Kid. Spider-Boy somersaulted backward to avoid the grasping tentacles and clung to a nearby wall. He drew his Web Shooter, aimed it at Toxic, and pulled the trigger.  

"Sheese! It's jammed again! It must be all this rain!" Spider-Boy dropped the Web Shooter and leapt to an adjacent wall. "Alrighty then, on to Plan B." Using his superior speed, he flipped over Toxic's head, landed on the ground behind him, and applied a headlock to the villain. "This oughta hold you for a while, bright eyes", Spider-Boy boasted.

Toxic gasped for air. Spider-Boy was cutting off the oxygen supply to his brain. Toxic staggered, dropped to his knees, and blindly grasped for his wrist-mounted Venom injector. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Toxic found the injector's button and pressed it. "AAARGH! You are no match for us, Spider-Boy!" At that moment, Toxic's body mass increased by four times.

Spider-Boy was immediately thrown to the ground by Toxic's sudden increase in size. His own super strength was no match for the steroid-enhanced might of Toxic. If Spider-Boy were going to win, he would have to exploit his opponent's weaknesses. The Arach-Kid decided that it would be best to lure Toxic into a confined area where he would not be able to maneuver his bulk as easily.

"Catch me if you can, big boy!" Spider-Boy attempted to retreat from the rooftop.

"Oh no you don't, Ross!" Toxic grabbed Spider-Boy's ankle in midair and slammed him to the ground, knocking the air out of him. The villain then seized the opportunity and viciously beat the Arach-Kid senseless. Punch after punch, the brutal assault did not stop until Spider-Boy was about to lose consciousness. Toxic lifted Spider-Boy over his head in glory. "You are ours, Ross." Toxic's symbiotic tentacles again extended from his body and engulfed Spider-Boy's head. It was only a matter of time before the Arach-Kid would be suffocated.

It was then that the Silver Racer landed on the rooftop behind Toxic, patiently awaiting the death of the young hero so that he could collect the body. Hearing a faint splash in the distance, Toxic was made aware of the Silver Racer's presence. His tentacles ceased to smother Spider-Boy as his opponent's body was dropped to the ground. It was as if Spider-Boy's destruction now meant nothing to Toxic. Suddenly, Eddie Bane screamed in pain as the Toxic symbiote tore apart from his body. The symbiote knew of the Silver Racer's otherworldly powers and sought to control them.Before the Silver Racer could react, the symbiote had flung itself over a distance of ten feet and attached itself to the death herald. Silver Racer resisted, but the element of surprise worked to the advantage of the symbiote, which was soon completely bonded to the Asgod. Now, with a mouth full of dagger-like teeth and a black spider insignia on his chest, Silver Racer turned around. He glanced over his shoulder and gazed upon the fallen Spider-Boy and the pain-ridden Eddie Bane just before again taking to the skies on his mystical skis.

Spider-Boy forced himself to his knees just as the symbiote-infected Silver Racer vanished through a portal. "He could've killed us both just then but he chose not to. We didn't mean anything to him. That's the kinda thing that makes a kid feel real important!"

Eddie Bane's steroid-enhanced body was still in shock from the separation of the symbiote. He was curled up in the fetal position in a cold sweat. His veins were enlarged and pulsating. "We are Toxic ... We are Toxic ... We are ... "

"You are going to Riker's Slab, Eddie", said Spider-Boy as he struggled to his feet and wiped the blood from his lip. He cut off Eddie's Venom supply and then hoisted the man over his shoulder, delivering him to the authorities.

Later that night, at Project Cadmus, Spider-Boy began to recuperate from his wounds while Dr. Octavius repaired his Web Shooter.  

"Where do ya think he is now, Doc? The Toxic symbiote and the Silver Racer, I mean."  

"I can't say for sure, my boy", replied Octavius, "but just be thankful he isn't here."

Just then, a portal, similar to the one Silver Racer created, opened up in the Octavius' laboratory. Countless papers and experiments were blown around the room while two figures stepped out of the portal.

The blonde-haired figure spoke. "Hail, Spider-Boy. The Almighty Highfather Odin requests your services on New Asgard."

Spider-Boy barely recognized the warrior. "Orion? Is that you? But I saw you die with my own eyes on Apokolips!"

The figure replied. "Alas, Orion did die on Apokolips. But the Almighty Highfather used the hammer of the old God of Thunder to resurrect me. Now I live on as Thorion the Warrior!"

Spider-Boy took it all in for a moment. "Ohhhh ... That 'd explain the makeover! But what does the Highfather Odin want with me?"

The dark-haired figure accompanying Thorion responded. "The Silver Racer has merged with a being of great evil. In the few hours that he has been in New Asgard, this being has been the cause of yet untold amounts of destruction and death."

Thorion chimed in. "Know this, that Bald'r does not exaggerate, Spider-Boy. Silver Racer must be stopped. With the ability to induce death with but a touch, he threatens all existence on New Asgard. In his infinite wisdom, the Highfather chose to enlist your aid, as your experience with this evil "Toxic" demon will help us bring about its downfall."

"So that's where Toxic went", Spider-Boy exclaimed. "Well, boys, if this 'Toxic Racer' needs to be stopped, you've come to the right super hero! Lead me to him!"  

"Very well."

And with that, Spider-Boy followed the two Asgods of legend into the portal, not knowing what great dangers lay on the other side.

TO BE CONTINUED...

DISCLAIMERS:
Story written by LOBORINE.
Spider-Boy, Silver Racer, Bizarnage, Thorion, Bald'r Lightbringer, Otto Octavius, and Highfather
Odin are property of AMALGAM COMICS.
Grinning Death, Toxic, and Eddie Bane are property of DEERDEVIL.

[return to journal index]