Our story begins right where the last left off, with
Peter Parker heading home after helping Liz Allan in her science studies. Before he
heads home, Peter goes to retrieve his spider-signal, which he left on a roof
to distract Flash the previous issue. While he’s up there, Peter notices some
carjackers making rounds and uses his spider-signal to alert a nearby cop into
seeing them. Back at home, Peter checks on Aunt May before patching up a spare
Spidey costume. The next day, at the Bugle, Peter desperately tries to sell the
pictures he took of the carjacking incident to J. Jonah Jameson, even resorting
to arguing how they make Spider-Man look bad, in order to make them seem more
appealing. Jameson agrees to buy the photos, but this earns Peter the
disapproval of Betty Brant.
Just then, an inventor by the name of Spencer Smythe
enters, wanting to show Jameson a robot he built that is sure to catch
Spider-Man. Jameson is reluctant, not wanting to be made a laughingstock again,
but Peter is underwhelmed by the robot and tries to persuade Jameson to try it
out, thinking it could make for an amusing turn of events and possibly net him
more photos to sell. This earns Peter more scolding from Betty but Jameson
finally agrees to see what the robot can do. Smythe has Peter hold an encaged
spider, to demonstrate how the robot is attuned specifically to spiders, when
powerful tendrils shoot out of the robot, entangling Peter as well as the
spider. Jameson and Smythe work out the details while Peter struggles to get
free. After Peter is freed, Betty lays into him, ashamed in him because of all
Spider-Man has done for them, leading Peter to feel lousy and concerned,
considering the robot really is dangerous.
Later at school, Flash Thompson once again sees Liz
talking to Peter, causing him to actually challenge Peter to a genuine fight
after school. Peter is jumpy throughout the day, due to worrying about the
robot possibly showing up, while Flash thinks Peter is scared of him. Back at
the Bugle, Smythe sets everything up for Jameson to control the robot, even
including a screen that projects Jameson’s face, allowing him to see whatever
the robot sees. Then, as school ends, Peter notices the robot approaching from
the window and runs out a side door, in order to get safely away from the
school. Flash is alerted to this and he and his gang of friends run after
Peter, thinking Peter is running away from their fight. Jameson’s robot is then
following them in turn, leading to quite the conga line! Peter ducks around a
corner and flips up to a roof, leaving Flash and his cronies confused, while
the robot climbs up the wall after him.
Peter is able to change to Spider-Man, just barely,
before Jameson catches up. Spider-Man leaps from the rooftop as Jameson gives
chase, and Flash decides he should try and help Spider-Man rather than continue
to chase after Peter. Spidey leads the robot to an open street and tries
webbing up the robot, but finds that his webs are quite ineffective! The
robot’s tendrils try to grab Spidey, as he continues to run and evade them.
Back at the Bugle, Betty tries to help in her own way by attempting to “accidentally”
disconnect the robot’s power source. She is caught by Jameson and kicked out of
the room. Betty then tries to call Peter but can’t reach him and so decides to
head to his house to see if she can find him there. Flash has the same idea and
he, Liz and that whole group head to Peter’s house to find him as well.
Spider-Man continues to evade the robot but notes that
he’s starting to get tired, while the robot never will. Outside Peter’s house,
Betty and Liz run into each other and both make their way inside to see Peter.
Inside, Aunt May introduces them to another girl there to see Peter,
Mary Jane Watson, the niece of her neighbor, and the two are stunned by her beauty,
though her face is obscured for the audience. Both girls dejectedly leave while
Flash decides to wait outside for Peter to eventually come home. Back with
Spidey, the robot eventually catches up with him, wrapping him up in its
powerful tendrils. Thinking that Spider-Man is trapped, Jameson and Smythe
leave the Bugle to head to where the robot has Spider-Man while Spidey uses
their absence as an opportunity to rip open the plating to the robot’s power
source.
Jameson and Smythe reach the spot where the robot has
Spider-Man ensnared and Jameson removes Spider-Man’s mask to find that his
costume is empty! Up above, we see Peter puppeteering his costume via web
strands, as he looks on amused. Jameson angrily realizes that Spider-Man
escaped him again, while Smythe concedes to make more improvements for the
future. Our story ends with Peter arriving home to find Aunt May quite angry at
him. Turns out, she found his spare Spidey costume, and Peter fumbles for an explanation,
saying he got it to fool some people. Aunt May tells him she doesn’t want him
wearing it to any parties, taking it with her. This leaves Peter relieved but
at the same time worriedly amused that he’s now currently a superhero without a
costume!