Mysterio, who is visually identified as Quentin Beck in SM:DO:NE 3, "died in prison almost a year ago" per ASM 141 and Spider-Man only learns of the subterfuge in ASM 198.
Octopus is believed dead since the atomic explosion in ASM 131 and so cannot be photographed between 131 and 152 fighting the National Guard as he tried to steal some plutonium.
I've surveyed past comments:
Col Fury:
"Peter and Mary Jane are dating, and given this has to be before ASM 185, it’s now narrowed down to between ASM 143 & ASM 182."
Concerning MCP's placement:PunyBanner wrote: ↑Fri Aug 28, 2020 2:33 pm I personally think the Negative Exposure mini series should be moved much earlier. Someone had suggested it go between issues 82 and 83 of ASM and I think that's a good spot. I believe someone said it had to go later because of Peter and MJ dating but there is no indication that they are actually dating in that brief scene in issue 2. The dialogue seems to suggest that MJ needed to talk about something, and there is mention of a beautiful blonde hanging out with Peter which is probably supposed to be Gwen. The handbooks also place NE much earlier than where it's at in the MCP.
Kevin W.
Hmm, well that placement may not work...there's a reference in Issue #2 to what clearly sounds like Gwen Stacy. Peter is hanging out with Mary Jane in one scene, and Jeffrey Haight says "earlier today, he was walking around with a blonde who was just as stunning."
I was trying to keep placement around where the Index "kind of" had the DO:NE mini-series (in Index #2, it was mentioned in Dr. Octopus and Aunt May's chronology, but no one else's chronology): Around ASM 72...(though that wouldn't work, so I was looking at pushing DO:NE #1-5 forward, to inbetween ASM #82 and 83)...
The 2009 Official Index to the Marvel Universe originally envisioned to place it in that spot.
rider:
But failing a definitive solution, the mini was omitted from the 2010 collected Spider-Man Index.I found a major error in Index 2. In Amazing Spider-Man 72, May Parker is listed as chr next in Doctor Octopus: Negative Exposure 4 and then in ASM 76, but May is in Florida from 72-81 so she can't be in the Doc Ock mini. According to the listing for Doc Ock, DO:NE takes place somewhere between issues 56 and 88. Also, it is not listed in the chronologies for Spider-Man, Mary Jane, Joe Robertson, or Mysterio. Hopefully this will be addressed in a future issue.
A new analysis is in order. First of all, the idea that it has to take place after ASM 143 because Peter is dating MJ needs to be forgotten. Not only the interrupted meeting is not necessarily a date but there is another possible explanation for MJ's reaction to Peter's departure. And anyway even if it was a date, Peter started dating MJ as early as ASM 42.
One key to finding a solution is to abandon the preconceived idea that you need to find one single spot where to fit all five issues of the mini-series. (All my attempts were unsucessful.)
The analysis by newtron freed my thought process. He demonstrated that some time passed between issues 1 and 2. And given that Octopus manipulates Jeffrey Haight, it might also take some time between later issues.
The Spider-Man photos in #1 show ASM 9 (page 10), ASM 44 (page 16), ASM 20 or 29, ASM 4 (page 15).
Octopus says he knows Peter Parker, he's known him since ASM 12. So between ASM 44 and 130.
The sequence Octopus-Vulture-Mysterio matches ASM 53-56 (Octopus), ASM 63-64 (Vulture), ASM 66-67 (Mysterio).
In the mini Octopus wears a new look. However in ASM 53-54 he wears a cape and an overcoat, which is the closest he was to the new look.
In issue 1, Spidey's attempt to glue Octopus's glasses fails, it works in ASM 53 (though the glasses are not the same). It is a slight argument to place it after ASM 53.
The Vulture returns in ASM 63 and on page 16 Peter thought he was dead (from ASM 48). But by ASM 64 page 12 MJ has a new look and so it's too late for SM/DO:NE 3 page 4. I could not find how to make a break in the fight vs the Vulture to insert SM/DO:NE 2.
If we took into account the Vulture chronology the mini could be before ASM 48.
ASM 59 was broken in two to fit FF 73 & SSMMAG 1. Just after the break Spidey thinks, "Doc Ock is behind bars." That's a great spot to insert SM/DO:NE 1. Issue 59 is the start of the Brainwasher storyline where MJ is an unwitting accomplice behind Captain Stacy's subjugation. Her meeting with Peter in SM/DO:NE 2 could be either to talk about her suspicions or to date him as she heard Gwen had broken up (cf. ASM 62). The next issue blurb in ASM 62 says "The Vulture Flies Again" so there is that transition with SM/DO:NE 2.
I place issues #3-5 after Mysterio's appearance in ASM 66-67 to respect Mysterio's comment that he fought Spider-Man last year (in Annual 4).
I moved SM/DO:NE 4-FB "first time I donned my harness" to its proper spot earlier when I reviewed Octopus's early chronology.
These moves maintain Octopus & Mysterio internal chronologies as established in flashbacks, explain the absence of supporting characters (Harry is preoccupied with his father, Gwen is upset over the fight in ASM 60, Flash is in the army), explain the meeting with MJ. Issues 63-67 correspond to the start of the school year and match his excuse to Aunt May in #4 that he needs "to drop off his class choices with the office of the registrar." It matches the summer clothes seen in #2-5. MJ's appearance is before she changes her hairdo in 64. I only use an existing break within 59 and actually make the "Octopus behind bars" comment more relevant. The arrangement also maintains the Octopus-Vulture-Mysterio sequence. It is placed at a time when Octopus wore a cloak or overcoat. And after a time Spider-Man successfully glued Ock's glasses.
The only concession is ignoring that Peter thinks the Vulture had died page 16 of ASM 63. He must have escaped after #2 in a way that Spidey thought he was dead. Other combinations meant more concessions or implausibly breaking up issues of the mini or of ASM.
Suggested corrections:
DOCTOR OCTOPUS/DR. OTTO OCTAVIUS/"ELLIOT TOLLIVER"
ASM 18
ASM 29-BTS
ASM 30-BTS
ASM 31-VO
ASM 32
ASM 33-BTS
ASM 53-FB
*SM/DO:NE 3-FB move here
ASM 53
...
ASM 56
*SM/DO:NE 1 move here
*SM/DO:NE 2 move here
*SM/DO:NE 3 move here
*SM/DO:NE 4 move here
*SM/DO:NE 5 move here
ASM 88
...
ASM 157-FB
SM/DO:NE 3-FB move from here
ASM 152
...
ASM 159
*SM/DO:NE 1 move from here
*SM/DO:NE 2 move from here
*SM/DO:NE 3 move from here
*SM/DO:NE 4 move from here
*SM/DO:NE 5 move from here
JAMESON, JOHN JONAH JR.
SSMMAG 1
*SM/DO:NE 1 move here
ASM 60
...
ASM 169
*SM/DO:NE 1 move from here
M/TU 56
MYSTERIO/QUENTIN BECK
ASM 67
*SM/DO:NE 3 move here
SM/DP 7
ASM 198-FB
*SM/DO:NE 3 move from here
ASM 193
PARKER, MAY REILLY
SSMMAG 2 (20:3 - 58)
*SM/DO:NE 4 move here
ASM 68
...
ASM 167
*SM/DO:NE 4 move from here
PPSSM 7
ROBERTSON, JOE "ROBBIE"
ASM 60-BTS
*SM/DO:NE 2 move here
ASM 64
...
ASM 167
*SM/DO:NE 2 move from here
M/TU 56-VO
SPIDER-MAN/PETER BENJAMIN PARKER
SSMMAG 1
*SM/DO:NE 1 sends Ock to prison move here
ASM 59 (8:2 - 20:5) "Doc Ock is behind bars"
ASM 60
ASM 61
ASM 62 "Next: The Vulture Flies"
*SM/DO:NE 2 vs Vulture move here
ASM@ 5-FB
...
ASM 67 Mysterio
FF 543/3 (4:7 - 12)
SSMMAG 2 (20:3 - 58)
*SM/DO:NE 3 Mysterio move here
*SM/DO:NE 4 move here
*SM/DO:NE 5 move here
A 59
...
SM/DP 7 Mysterio
ASM 68
...
ASM 170
*SM/DO:NE 1 move from here
*SM/DO:NE 2 move from here
*SM/DO:NE 3 move from here
*SM/DO:NE 4 move from here
*SM/DO:NE 5 move from here
M/TU@ 1
SHELDON, PHILIP AARON
MARVELS 3 (1 - 18) delete range
SM/DO:NE 1-BTS
MARVELS 3 (19 - 22) delete
MARVELS 4 (1 - 34)
VULTURE V/ADRIAN TOOMES
ASM 48
ASM 63-FB
*SM/DO:NE 2 move here
ASM 63
ASM 64
SM/HT 2
PPSSM 4
PPSSM 5
*SM/DO:NE 2 move from here
PPSSM 44
WATSON, MARY JANE
ASM 62
*SM/DO:NE 2 move here
ASM 64
...
ASM 170
*SM/DO:NE 2 move from here
PPSSM 7
