Our story begins with Peter Parker in class,
distractedly thinking about his last tussle with the Green Goblin, and
wondering whatever became of him. Coincidentally, the Green Goblin is also
thinking about Spider-Man, as across town in his lair, the Goblin tests some of
his new equipment on a Spider-Man dummy. Afterwards, the Goblin sets out in his
normal guise, his face still obscured, as he goes to hunt down Spider-Man. Back
at school, after class is over, Flash Thompson is telling everyone about the new
Spider-Man fan club he’s starting. He characteristically brushes off Peter,
refusing to let him join, which causes Liz Allan to start to plot to make sure
Peter gets included.
On his way to the Daily Bugle, Peter witnesses some
costumed thugs trying to escape a robbery in waiting whirlybird. He changes to
Spider-Man and makes his way up to the aircraft, but discovers that they’re
just a bunch of actors, and he’s just ruined a movie shoot. Peter makes his way
to the Daily Bugle, embarrassed, as he listens to the ribbing Spider-Man is now
getting from the public over is mistake. At the Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson is
rejoicing at the news of Spider-Man making a fool of himself, as Peter departs
with Betty Brant, to walk her home. On their way home, they run into Liz and
Flash, giving Liz and Betty the opportunity to act catty to each other. Liz
shows off the advertisement of the Spider-Man fan club, advertising that
Spider-Man himself will be at the first meeting! Suddenly a passing figure sets
off Pete’s spider sense, who we see is the Green Goblin in his normal guise,
and very interested in the fan club notice in the paper.
Peter finishes taking Betty home and now free to track
down the mysterious figure, Peter changes to Spider-Man but has no luck in
finding his quarry. He spots another man that seems suspicious but concludes
that he’s just getting jumpy and changes back to Peter Parker. No sooner has
this happened, then a shot rings out, and the previous man runs by, actually
having been a crook! The man is suddenly captured by the Human Torch who stops
to sign autographs for people afterwards, even handing one to Peter. The next
day, Jameson decides they should be at the Spidey fan club meeting, while
Aunt May continues to try to get Peter to go out with Mary Jane Watson. Peter
continues to rebuff Aunt May, who then gets a call that Mary Jane is sick and
can’t go out after all. Elated, Peter heads out.
Later at the venue for the club, supplied by Liz’s
father, all of our various players make their way to the first club meeting,
including the Human Torch. Spidey then makes a grand entrance, while the fan
club members cheer, as the Green Goblin also makes his daring entrance! The
Goblin fires his new finger bolts at Spider-Man who dodges out of the way,
trying to make it all look like an act, so as not to panic the crowd. The
Goblin throws more at Spidey, including a blinding smokescreen, and a pumpkin bomb,
but Spidey continues to dodge. Spidey then hears Liz wonder about where Peter
is, and decides he needs to think of something to divert her suspicions. As
Spider-Man and the Goblin continue to tussle, Human Torch spots three gunmen
near the roof, planning to rob the place, and flames on, flying up to intercept
them. Unfortunately, he gets right in the way of Spider-Man’s web about to
capture the Goblin. Spidey uses the confusion as opportunity to switch back to
Peter, making an appearance so as to throw off suspicion, but Betty ends up
seeing him with Liz, upsetting her.
Meanwhile, the Goblin envelops the Human Torch in a
cloud seal, trying to cut off his air supply. Peter rushes to switch back to
Spidey, as the Goblin uses his glider exhaust to briefly extinguish the Torch.
Spider-Man engages the Green Goblin once more to continue their battle, but
after dodging around for a bit, Spider-Man hears a nearby phone call for Peter
Parker, saying that his Aunt May has had another heart attack! Reasoning that
the Human Torch can handle the Green Goblin, Spidey rushes out, to get to Aunt
May as quickly as he can! While everyone thinks Spider-Man is now a coward, the
Goblin manages to escape the Torch with a blinding pumpkin bomb. Everyone
leaves the Spidey fan club, with only Flash still having faith in his hero.
Peter makes his way to Aunt May and our story ends with Peter having to contend
with the public’s new, even more negative view of him, as Peter questions why
things never turn out well for him, with Spider-Man only bringing him misery.