The Gathering Of Five Part 1 of 5. Continued in Amazing Spider-Man #440.

Sensational Spider-Man #32 is the issue that has a dubious distinction in the history of Spider-Man, for it marks the beginning of the end. The end of what exactly? Well, within sight, is the end of the four Spider-Man titles, after this storyline and one other. A "re-boot" is in the plans at this point, and that means current storylines must come to some kind of conclusion, making the way for the new creative teams on the two titles that are to be re-booted: Amazing Spider-Man and Peter Parker: Spider-Man. This was a somewhat controversial storyline that also introduced some new characters, while re-charging some others. This five part storyline entitled "The Gathering Of Five" begins and ends here in the last two issues of Sensational Spider-Man. The shorter storyline that follows, "The Final Chapter", takes place in the two remaining titles that are to be re-booted and concludes the first volume of those series. Bear with me, as I review these issues, I will try to shine as much light as possible on these storylines. Here we go!

It all starts in the Aleister building, a gothic tower that stands above the Manhattan skyline. It is home to the Technomancers Agency, a powerful financial institution that has influence around the world (Also see Sensational Spider-Man #21-23 for more on the Technomancers). Inside the building is a secret society dedicated to acquiring power through many means, including the supernatural. A man named Hamilton Cromwell is one of the more powerful men in the society. He is a member of the elite dark chamber and taking center stage this night, is talk of an ancient ritual that involves four fragments of rock with an accompanying center spindle. The rocks have been found, but the spindle hasn't been seen since the 12th century...Until now. The society has been in contact with the owners of the spindle, which has been in Istanbul, and Cromwell is very interested in seeing it. One of the owners in none other than Norman Osborn, who has been laying low for awhile, and is also very eager to see all the pieces of the ancient fragment set together. They all go into the basement of the building where one piece of the fragment has been laying for forty years, and Cromwell begins to talk about the "Gifts" and powers that would be released if the "Coming together of the five" would take place. Hamilton is now an old man, so when Osborn proposes that they perform the ritual, he labels Osborn "mad" and wants no part of the ritual. He states that no sane man would partake in such an evil undertaking and warns him of taking part in it. Anyway, Hamilton keeps his fragment and declines to sell it, but Osborn now knows the location of the fragment.

Blocks away at the same moment, Spider-Man is swinging through the city, and he spots a man being held up at an ATM machine. Spider-Man shoots a web at the man's gun, quickly defusing the robbery, and swings away again. A little bit later, Spider-Man spots Override running through the streets. Override can "override" any electrical or mechanical device and was last seen in Spectacular Spider-Man #255, where he became one of Norman Osborn's many employees. After shutting down many cars in the streets, Override is headed towards the Technomancers building and Spider-Man if closely following him, they both make their way down into the basement where the stone fragment lies. Override easily overrides the guns of two guards by jamming their mechanisms, then easily disposes of them. He walks into the room and shuts down a laser alarm, and is confronted by Spider-Man just as he is about to take the stone fragment. Override is still a little miffed at how Spider-Man battled his wife, Aura, in Sensational Spider-Man #25, so he accesses his web-shooters and opens all the valves. Now without any web-fluid, Spider-Man is less powerful when Override takes the stone fragment, then turns the laser alarms back on just for Spider-Man. Spider-Man uses his great agility to get through the deadly lasers, and attempts to chase after Override again. Override is having a tough time finding his way out of the building, and runs into some more guards, and jams their guns up. He finds himself in some kind of strange menagerie where creatures are glassed up in green liquids. While Spider-Man reloads a fresh cartridge into his web-shooters, Override lets one of the creatures out. The creatures takes the guards into it's claws, but Spider-Man saves them while Override gets away.

When Spider-Man finally gets outside the building, he realizes that Override is free, and has stolen the stone fragment. Override brings the fragment to Osborn, who is very pleased to say the least. Override (Greg Herd) asks Osborn if he can take the place of Cromwell in the ceremony, since he was unaccommodating to participate in it. Herd hopes to gain some metaphysical gift from the ceremony in order to help his ailing wife, and Osborn accepts him as a participant after warning him of the risks involved. When Herd leaves, Osborn has another visitor in the guise of a Scrier, who speaks of a "package" that has arrive and is being delivered to the sub-basement as they speak. Osborn then asks about Alison Mongrain, the former "caretaker" of the package, and Scrier indicates that they believe that she is in Paris. She is in Paris indeed, as a man taps her on her shoulder while she eats, and the man tells her not to be alarmed and introduces himself. His name is Joe Robertson, and the mystery just begins.

Just what this "package" is will revealed later, and the mystery surrounding Alison Mongrain as well. Remember, Alison Mongrain was the woman who induced Mary Jane's pregnancy, and was involved somehow in the lost pregnancy when and after it occurred during the end of the clone saga. As for the impending ceremony involving the gathering of the five, look for the second part of The Gathering Of Five in Amazing Spider-Man #440.