Spider-Man is driving his spider-mobile down the
street when he suddenly hears police sirens! The police chase down Spider-Man
and attempt to box him in on both sides. He pulls some surprisingly fancy
maneuvers and attempts to escape the police by driving down what appears to be
a foggy alleyway. However, as he drives further, Spidey realizes he’s no longer
being chased and soon discovers why when he drives right off a pier and into
the river! Spidey crawls out, in disbelief that he really just did that, having
sworn there was an alley there. He hides from the police, who are in just as
much disbelief and they decide to leave it for the harbor patrol! Still
confused about what happened, Spidey tries firing his web but finds his
web-shooter waterlogged, adding insult to injury! The next morning, Peter
struggles to stay awake in Professor Warren’s class and Professor Warren asks
to see him. He tells Peter that he’s disappointed, how Peter has more potential
than any student he’s ever seen if he would only apply himself, and offers his
availability whenever Peter should need it.
As Peter exits the classroom, he runs into Mary Jane.
Her doctor told her to take it easy after her shake up, putting her education
on standby. Seeing how tired Peter is, Mary Jane offers to carry his books,
for a role reversal, and teases him that he always seems ready to fall apart.
As they walk, Peter wistfully thinks of Gwen, and wonders if he’ll ever be able
to love someone as much as he loved her. Sensing his grief, Mary Jane just
holds his hand tighter. Across town, J. Jonah Jameson and Joe Robertson arrive
at the club they frequent, where Jameson tells the staff that he’s expecting a
call. He soon gets the call, and seems delighted at the news he hears, asking
for more updates from his mysterious caller. That evening, Spider-Man swings
through the city, wondering how he’s going to salvage the Spider-Mobile now at
the bottom of the river. Feeling starved, he spots a guy leaving a McDonalds
and sneakily swipes his food, thinking he’ll make it up to the guy by sending
down some money.
Before he can though, his spider-sense goes off as he
starts to be enveloped by the same fog that he drove into that morning! The fog
sticks to him, causing him to lose his balance and fall off the building he’s
perched on. Spidey catches a fire escape ladder, breaking his fall but
dislocating his shoulder in the process! The fog envelopes him once more,
increasing into full-on smoke, as he starts to realize who is likely behind
this. His suspicions are seemingly confirmed when he’s attacked by Mysterio, but
quickly realizes something’s wrong when Mysterio seems faster and stronger than
usual, and without his usual gloating. Spidey gives chase after Mysterio across
a wall but soon finds a mack truck driving on the wall straight at him! Spidey
dives out the way and just then ghostly projections of all of his greatest
enemies begin to rise out of the walls and ground, and solidify! They swarm him
and he fights back, hammering at them until they disappear and he realizes he’s
just been hitting a brick wall! His hands all in tatters, Spidey leaps at
Mysterio and knocks himself out against a fire escape when Mysterio vanishes!
Later, Peter heads to the Daily Bugle and claims he
got in the middle of Spider-Man and Mysterio’s battle to explain his damaged
hands to Ned and Betty. That’s when Ned drops the bombshell: Mysterio died in
prison almost a year ago! Horrified, Peter can only come to the conclusion that
he’s finally going crazy! To be continued!
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