The Bat in the Spider's Web

The Bat in the Spider's Web Chapter 7

(Que "Gotham's Reckoning")

Bane turns toward Spider-Man and charges. Spider-Man jumps up, flips above Bane, and comes down behind him. He aims a kick at Bane's side and slams his foot into the enormous man, but much to Spidey's surprise Bane shows little reaction. "You are strong." Bane sneers. He spins around and brings his fist down on Spider-Man's shoulder that sends him crumbling to the ground. "But I am stronger." Spider-Man rolls across the ground to avoid being stomped on and gets back on his feet by doing a quip-up. He then fires webshots at Bane, tying his arms together but the massive man easily rips through the super strong webbing. Spidey ducks down, dodging a punch and pops up beside Bane. He hits Bane in the face with a left hook, knocking him back. Spider-Man then gives out a furious flurry of fists on Bane. The larger man stumbles back as Spider-Man crosses his arms and chuckles. "You want to reconsider who's stronger?" A deep, throaty laugh escapes Bane's masked mouth. His right hand moves down to the device strapped around his left wrist and presses a button. Suddenly, the hose connecting the device to the back of his head begins to pulsate as something pumps directly into Bane's bloodstream. In a matter of seconds, the already massive muscles of the luchadore double in size. His arms become inhumanly large with his veins protruding against his tan skin. The mask around his face strains to stay on with how much bigger the man has gotten and he lets loose a roar that sounded like it came from a Tyrannosaurus Rex. "... Me and my big mouth." Spidey groans. Bane turns towards a large tree. He grips the trunk with both hands and lets out a loud grunt. The sound of wood snapping fills Central Park as he uproots the tree with relative ease. With a loud yell, Bane swings the tree like a baseball bat, trying to smash Spider-Man. The hero jumps and manages to keep from getting crushed, but he gets hit in the chest and gets knocked back several feet. Spidey groans, clutching his chest and tries to catch his breath. Pain radiates through his entire body and beneath his mask he clenches his eyes shut, trying to work up the strength to stand.

Nearby, Batman lets out a sharp yell of pain. Doc Ock's metal tentacles have wrapped around him, one binding his hands and another held his feet together. The Dark Knight is suspended above the mad scientist's head with each of the robotic arms pulling him in a different direction. "Go ahead. Struggle. There is no chance of escape from my clutches, Dark Knight.", Doc Ock sneers. Batman struggles to move his fingers from one glove to the back of the other. On the knuckle of each glove is a small bump beneath the black. Batman's finger barely stretches far enough to press the bump and suddenly, there are electrical sparks on his gloves from both the knuckles and the tips of his fingers. He strains to move his hand and grabs hold of the mechanical tendril wrapped around his waist – and in an instant it sends a powerful surge of electricity through Doc Ock's robotic appendages all the way to where they are connected to his back. Ock screams out in sudden pain as he glows with electricity and he releases Batman as he falls backward onto the ground.

Batman slams against the grassy ground with a loud thud and he groans in pain. His arms and legs feel like jelly, but he knows he can't sit still. He leans up, his hands still sparking with electrical power. Suddenly, Spider-Man comes crashing into him from the side and they both go tumbling to the ground. Bane is standing several yards away, clenching his fists as he glares over at the two heroes. "I will crush you both beneath my boots! Parents will forever tell their children the story of Bane, the Man who Broke the Bat and Squashed the Spider!" Sitting up, Spider-Man watches as Bane starts charging towards him. Batman also notices it and quickly shuts off his shock gloves. The two lock eyes for just a moment before each jump in a different direction. Batman jumps to the left and throws a batarang which flies straight for the tube that runs from Bane's wrist to his head. The corner of the razor-sharp shuriken slices through the rubber tube and a thick, green liquid sprays out from both sides. At the same time, Spider-Man jumps to the right and aims both his hands at the massive brute's legs, shooting several globs of webbing at Bane's ankles, knees, and legs. The thick webbing accumulates in seconds, wrapping the massive man's legs and causing him to fall face first onto the ground.