After the story arc titled Identity Crisis which ran through four Spider-Man titles for two months, the identities which Peter Parker had created resurfaced. These four characters (Ricochet, Prodigy, Dusk and Hornet) were brought together by the Black Marvel and were given their costumes, which gave them their powers (except for Ricochet, who is a mutant). Together, the Slingers fought giant rats, living billboards, their own mentor, and many more in their short lived series.