From the Captain America ally who can shed his skin like a snake to the X-Man who vomits acid, Marvel has a history of gnarly powers. However, a newly introduced villain who’s taking aim at Spider-Man has the publisher’s most disturbing power in 60 years.

Spider-Man Villain Plague RX Has a Disturbing Pain-Based Superpower

In this week’s Amazing Spider-Man #16 – from Joe Kelly, John Romita Jr., Marcio Menyz, Scott Hanna and Joe Caramagna – fans are introduced to Plague RX. A superhuman enforcer working for the king of New York’s underworld (Lonnie Lincoln’s Tombstone), Plague RX is tasked to take down Norman Osborn, who is wearing Spider-Man’s mask while Peter Parker is off-world. When Plague RX strikes, Spider-Man begins bleeding from a dozen freshly opened wounds, with Tombstone explaining that, “Plague RX is like a bank, but for pain.”

Plague RX seemingly has the power to absorb the pain and injures of others, then transmit them to his chosen target. However, it’s not just the feeling of pain. Plague RX is seen covered in bandages and struggling to walk, suggesting that he still experiences the injuries that store up his power. And when he uses his ability on Osborn’s Spidey, the Wall-Crawler’s costume is quickly soaked in blood, suggesting he’s not just feeling pain, but instantly experiencing grievous injuries.

Plague RX Is the Perfect Villain for Norman Osborn’s Spider-Man

What makes Plague RX’s power so perfect is that during his short tenure as Spider-Man, Norman Osborn has been dealing out vicious injuries to New York’s villains. Breaking bones and even using his webbing as a spear to impale others, the ‘Resolute Spider-Man’ is a far more violent vigilante than Peter Parker. Now, that’s being turned against him, as Plague RX reveals he absorbed the pain that Spidey caused Shocker in a previous issue, and makes him suffer the same.

It’s the perfect metaphor for how Norman’s cruelty is having unintended consequences and harming his attempt at heroic redemption (having had his prior sins purged in recent comics.) If the Resolute Spider-Man keeps hurting his enemies as badly as possible, he’s only charging Plague RX up to bring that pain back to him. But does that mean Osborn will start holding himself back, or will he be caught in a spiral of violence and retribution?

Osborn is struggling as Spider-Man, as Peter Parker’s heroic allies threaten to bring him down if he doesn’t abandon the costumed identity. Now, up against a villain who brings out his worst qualities, the question is whether Norman Osborn will rise above his instinctual cruelty to become a true hero, or whether becoming Spider-Man will drive him back to villainy.

Amazing Spider-Man #16 is coming from Marvel Comics November 19.

First Appearance

Amazing Fantasy

Alias

Peter Parker, Ben Reilly, Otto Octavius, Yu Komori, Kaine Parker, Pavitr Prabhakar, William Braddock, Miles Morales, Kurt Wagner

Alliance

Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Secret Defenders, Future Foundation, Heroes for Hire, Mighty Avengers, New Avengers, Web-Warriors

Race

Human