This issue opens up action-packed from the get-go, as
Spider-Man intercepts a fleeing gang of crooks, easily taking them out as the
public looks on. Meanwhile, one crook hangs back, making himself seem innocent,
as he goes to warn his boss. We then cut
to a nearby lecture hall, where J. Jonah Jameson is about to give a lecture on
how he proved Spider-Man was a fraud. However, just at that moment, one of
Jameson’s underlings comes in and breaks the news to Jonah that Spider-Man is
back as his face quickly falls and he leaves. As Jameson is venting his
frustrations outside, the Human Torch is flying by, when he suddenly gets
ambushed by the Enforcers, snagged by Montana’s fireproof lasso! Ox pulls him
down and Fancy Dan uses some chemical foam to douse the Torch’s flame. Sandman
then appears and smothers the Torch, extinguishing him for good, before taking
him back to their lair.
Satisfied with his night of crimefighting, Spidey
heads home, to check on Aunt May, none the wiser about the Torch’s predicament.
The next morning, Peter heads to school, where Flash Thompson is popular once
more, having been right about Spider-Man all along. While Liz Allan remains
angry at Flash due to his harsh treatment of her last issue, Peter tries to
console him, earning his usual threats from Flash, leaving Peter frustrated
that their interactions always go in circles like this. After school, Peter spots
Fancy Dan and follows him discreetly as Spider-Man back to his hideout.
There, he ends up tussling with the Enforcers and the other mooks for a little
bit, but the Enforcers end up escaping in all the confusion.
At the Daily Bugle, Peter runs into Betty Brant, who
introduces him to Ned Leeds, a reporter for the Bugle and the man Peter saw her
with last issue. Betty admits she’s been seeing a lot of Ned and Peter seems
rather unconcerned, confusing Betty. Back at the villains’ hideout, Sandman and
the Enforcers plan to use the Human Torch as bait to lure Spider-Man there.
They cleverly have the Torch trapped in a glass cage, with only enough air for
him to breathe, but not use his powers. Spidey, meanwhile, swings by Jonah’s
office to let him know he’s back for good, before interrogating a stoolie named
Louie for information about the Enforcers. Spidey learns that the villains have
the Torch hostage and swings over to save him, easily maneuvering around the
lookouts they have posted.
Spidey finds the Torch, but just as he’s about to
rescue him, Sandman reveals himself, causing Spidey to have to contend with
Sandman and the Enforcers simultaneously! Spidey jumps and dodges, taking out
the low level mooks, as he avoids the bigger threats. He then rolls to avoid
Sandman, using the momentum to roll right into the Torch’s prison, smashing it
and freeing the Torch! The two heroes then work together to fight their
enemies, noting how they make a pretty good team! As both Spidey and the Torch
are grabbed, they knock their various opponents into each other, taking out the
Enforcers, leaving only Sandman to contend with. As the two heroes rush to
chase the fleeing Sandman, however, they get in each other’s way, causing them
both to get tangled up in Spidey’s webs, needing the Torch to use a
concentrated nova flame to burn through them. Before the two heroes can reach
Sandman however, he gets caught by a couple of police officers, too tired from
the previous battle to put up a fight.
The next day, at the Daily Bugle, Jameson is still
sulking in his misery over Spider-Man’s return, when Peter stops by with photos
of the fight, perking Jameson right up. Peter asks Betty if she wants to go
out, but she says that she already has a date with Ned, leaving Peter once
again unconcerned. This worries Betty, as she was hoping he’d feel at least a
little jealous, leaving her wondering if she’s lost him for good. The issue
ends with a mysterious figure tailing Peter on his way home, who then reports
to yet another mystery person, one who wants Peter kept under surveillance
before the time is right to act!