Our story begins with the Molten Man being released
from prison. The judge rules that his sentence has been suspended due to his
good behavior. Molten Man heads home to his apartment and tests out his powers,
finding himself just as strong as before, possibly even stronger! Having no
intention of going straight however, Molten Man elects to bide his time and
wait for the right time to strike. Many days later, Molten Man, disguised as a
normal man, visits a jewelry shop, and attempts to rob the place. The owner is
surprised when his bullet has no effect, as Molten Man easily crushes the man’s
gun.
Spider-Man happens to be swinging by and hears the
commotion, entering the store, causing the still disguised Molten Man to feign
surrender. Molten Man takes an overconfident Spidey unawares, stunning him with
several punches before hightailing it out of the store. Spidey sprints up the
roof to see if he can spot him, but Molten Man gets away, making it back to his
apartment. Peter makes his way home, and due to the almost metallic feeling of
the man’s punches, concludes that his foe could be Molten Man! Spidey then
swings over to Molten Man’s apartment and waits around to see if he still lives
there. Eventually, Molten Man comes home, and Spidey takes the opportunity to
sneakily place a spider-tracer on his coat, in order to keep tabs on him.
Throughout the next few days, Peter keeps getting
alerted via his spider-tracer but keeps finding Molten Man doing nothing
overtly suspicious. Eventually though, his tracer leads Spidey to follow Molten
Man once more, as Spidey witnesses him don another disguise. He follows the
disguised Molten Man and catches him breaking into the same jewelry store from
before. Spidey sets up his camera and jumps in on Molten Man, webbing him up
and causing him to shed his disguise. Spidey and Molten Man trade punches until
Molten Man grabs Spidey, causing Spidey to attach his webs to the ceiling, flipping
the both of them over! Molten Man escapes out the window and makes it back to
his apartment to find Spidey waiting for him! Spidey knew he would head here
and sped there first!
Molten Man once again attacks Spidey, but Spidey came
prepared! Spider-Man presents some extra thick web ropes he prepared and thanks
to his agility, manages to hog tie Molten Man, just like last time they fought.
Spidey leaves Molten Man for the police with a note saying that Spidey will
bring proof that Molten Man was responsible for the recent robberies. While
Molten Man is being held at the police station, Spidey swings by with some of
the photos he took, surprising Molten Man and causing him to confess. Peter then heads to the Daily Bugle to sell
the rest of his photos and discovers the new secretary hired to replace Betty.
She tells Peter that Betty left for the west coast, and that Ned possibly went
with her, and presents Peter with his photo that Betty left for him. Our issue
ends with Peter despondent over the news, as he throws out the picture Betty
left him, feeling like their relationship was a lifetime ago.