Our issue opens with Spider-Man quickly and anxiously
making his way through the city. He swings upon a standoff between the police
and some crooks, who surrender upon seeing Spider-Man. Spidey, however, just
swings right on by, quickly getting home, and changing to Peter Parker on the
way. We find out that the reason for Peter’s hurry is that he was filling the
medicine prescriptions for his Aunt May, who has been very sick. Peter sits and
ponders what he can do for her, as she’s worse off than they initially feared.
Meanwhile, across town, a criminal calling himself Electro charges his electric
powers and gets ready for a night of thievery. In order to test his new
abilities, he uses his amazing electric powers to rob an armored truck,
trapping the guards and stealing the money.
The next day, a doctor that Peter called for Aunt May
tells him that she has worsened and needs to be moved to the hospital. Peter’s
worry for Aunt May causes him to be completely spaced out and closed off at
school, leading to all of his classmates thinking he’s just stiffing them. This
includes Flash Thompson, who seemed like he might actually try and make amends
with Peter, but decides against it after Peter’s apparent ignoring him. Peter
then makes his way to the hospital to visit Aunt May, where he finds that
Betty Brant stopped by to keep her company. Peter then heads out looking for some
crime to photograph as Spider-Man, needing the money for the operation that
Aunt May needs. However, it starts to rain, forcing Peter to head home to dry
off and agonize about his various troubles.
The next day, we find J. Jonah Jameson at a bank, when
it suddenly gets held up by Electro. Electro recognizes Jonah and taunts him
before robbing the place and escaping by magnetizing himself up a wall. Jameson
theorizes that Electro must actually be Spider-Man, since they’re both
powerful, able to stick to surfaces, and recognized him. He prints as much in
the Daily Bugle, causing the public to gossip about the possibility and anger
Peter, seeing it as just another thing on his plate. At the hospital, the
doctor informs Peter that the operation Aunt May needs would cost $1,000,
causing Peter to ask Jameson for the money. Jameson tells Peter that he’d only
pay that much for photographic proof that Spider-Man and Electro are one and
the same. Peter then realizes he could also earn it by catching Electro and
collecting the reward, and sets out to find him.
Spider-Man scours the city all over, eventually
finding Electro breaking into a safe. Spidey is spotted by Electro, and
fervently dodges his lightning blasts, before webbing Electro in the eyes.
However, when Spidey tries to grab Electro, the electricity coursing through
his body knocks Spidey out cold. Electro thinks he’s killed Spider-Man, and now
reasons that there’s no one left to stop him. Spidey comes to a bit later,
however, and super imposes some photos together to make it look like Spider-Man
and Electro are the same, which earns him the money from Jonah, and makes Peter
feel ashamed of himself. The whole city sees the apparent proof, including
Electro, who finds it amusing before recounting his origin to himself. He
thinks of how he was once simply a selfish electric lineman named Max Dillon,
who got struck by lightning when working on an electric pole. Instead of
killing him, it granted him electric powers, which he learned how to channel,
deciding to become a criminal after his funds ran out.
Electro then breaks into a detention center, in order
to free the prisoners there being held for transport, promising to free them if
they agree to work for him. Peter hears about this development on his way to
the hospital, but can’t go after Electro yet, as Aunt May has asked that Peter
stay there with her through the operation. Peter agrees, and Betty shows up to
give him support during this time, as they comfort each other during the
stressful waiting. After the operation, Peter is relieved to find that Aunt May
is doing better, and plans to head to the detention center. Betty asks him not
to go there, as it’s too dangerous, and Betty worries that he’s starting to
enjoy the danger, like someone else she knew, confusing and worrying Peter.
Peter nevertheless changes to Spider-Man and stops on his way to the center to
pick up a few things to help him fight Electro.
Spider-Man arrives at the detention center, causing
Jameson to realize that he was wrong about Spider-Man and Electro, blaming
Peter for the misfortune. Inside, Peter dons the rubber gloves and shoes he
bought to help insulate him against Electro and sets up his camera. He jumps
down and tackles the gathered inmates, before tossing various metal objects, in
order to try and draw Electro’s electric attacks to them, and away from him.
Spider-Man lands a punch on Electro, but knocks him back into a cell, causing
the sudden flash from the current through the bars to temporarily blind Spidey!
Spidey uses some ball bearings he used earlier to trip Electro before cutting
off the inmates at the stairs to the roof, preventing their escape. The
prisoners flee back downstairs and are intercepted by the cops.
Electro, now recovered, sends power through some power
cables, and uses them to back Spidey into a corner. Spidey, however, feels a
water main with a hose behind him, and uses it to shoot a stream of water at
Electro, shorting him out and knocking him for a loop! Spidey unmasks Electro
and realizes he has no idea who he is, leaving him for the police. Back at the
Bugle, Jameson is furious but Peter shows him the photos he got of Spider-Man’s
battle with Electro, changing Jameson’s tune. Betty is upset with Peter that he
decided to take pictures at the detention center anyway, and Peter leaves with
them both feeling dejected. The issue ends with Peter leaving the hospital once
more, after visiting Aunt May, when Betty runs up to Peter and apologizes, and
they walk home together, both realizing how strongly they are falling for each
other.