INTRODUCING SPIDER-MAN

Summary

  We start off with a quick intro page where a bunch of high school kids are talking about who they should invite to a party. Someone mentions Peter Parker, and the others talk about how he's such a nerd. We then see Peter in the background, sad that he has no friends. Awwwwww.

  We're then treated to a glimpse of what life as Peter Parker is like. While he's adored by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, other kids his age bully him around and treat him like dirt. He even gets turned down by all the girls when he asks them to the science exhibit that night (not exactly a smooth move there Pete). Instead they choose to go driving with the school jock Flash Thompson. Did you ever actually meet anyone named Flash?

  So Peter is left to go to the science exhibit alone. The topic of the night just so happens to be radioactive experiments. Just as a radioactive ray is demonstrated for the students, a spider sinks down from the ceiling. It gets caught inside the ray, and quickly falls down on top of Peter's hand. Before it dies, the insect bites young Parker. Peter feels strange, and goes outside to get some air.

  Wrapped up in his thoughts, he doesn't notice as a car comes barreling down the street. He is just barely able to jump out of the way and avoid being hit. But not only did he jump…he landed on the side of a building. AND HE BEGINS CLIMBING IT WITH HIS BARE HANDS!! When he gets to the roof he also realizes he has increased strength and fantastic balance and agility. He comes to the conclusion that it must be the spider which gave him these abilities.

  On his way home he notices a sign offering $100 to the person who can stay three minutes in the ring with the wrestler "Crusher Hogan". He quickly runs home to change, and when he returns to the wrestling arena he is wearing a white outfit with a netted mask. He easily defeats the wrestler, and is approached by a TV producer. Apparently the guy thinks the masked gimmick and Peter's abilities will make for great television. He even says they can get on the Ed Sullivan show. Remember what I said about these comics being dated?

  Back at home, Peter is excited about the TV opportunity and begins to design a suit resembling a spider. He creates what is pretty much the Spider-Man suit we all know, except it has webbing between the arms and waist. He also designs his web cartridges, with liquid cement on the end so he can move as easily as a spider. Being a fan of the movie, I always thought it was better just to say his webbing was organic. But moving on…

  Part 2 of the story begins with Peter in the television studio. He's showing off his amazing abilities while being recorded by a camera crew. After the show he walks down a corridor, only to have a man rush by him. A guard yells to stop the man, as he's a thief. Peter does nothing and the crook gets away. The guard asks why he just stood there, but Peter says that's not his job and from now on he's just looking out for himself.

  Over the next few weeks the news of Spider-Man spreads across the country. Every newspaper and every TV station are reporting about him. All is going well, until Peter returns home one night. There's a police car in front of his house. When he asks what's going on, a police officer informs him that his uncle was shot and killed by a burglar. He says they have the thief pinned down at an old warehouse. Peter is distraught, but filled with anger. He puts on the Spider-Man outfight and races to the warehouse.

  When Spidey gets there he confronts the crook, and begins to beat him down. But when he sees his face, he realizes that this is the same robber he could have stopped at the TV studio. He ties him up with his webbing for the police to find, and goes off into the city by himself. He now sees that he could have prevented his uncle's death. And that with great power…comes great responsibility.