After saving Spider-Man and unwittingly spoiling his
plan last issue, Human Torch attacks the Lizard. Spidey tries to convince Torch
to let him handle the Lizard alone, and Lizard takes the opportunity to strike
back! Spidey snags Torch with his asbestos webbing when he tries to follow the
fleeing Lizard, unable to explain lest he reveal Connors’ secret. Torch breaks
free and continues to attack the Lizard, who ends up falling, getting caught
mid-air by Spidey. Meanwhile, while holed up in their hotel, Martha and Billy
Connors hear on the radio about the intense battle raging across the city.
Billy runs out, hoping he’ll be able to help his father in some way.
The three-way deadlock continues, as the Torch
continues to attack the Lizard and Spidey keeps Torch from hurting the Lizard,
and the Lizard from hurting anyone else! The Lizard heads for the waterfront,
hoping to get to the water, where he’ll be in his element. Meanwhile, Spidey
snags Torch once again before chasing after the Lizard himself. Torch frees
himself again quickly and finds the Lizard wreaking havoc on a boat on the
pier. The Lizard jumps into the water and the Torch uses his powers to superheat
the surface of the water. Spidey dives in after the Lizard but soon discovers
he was just playing possum when the Lizard grabs him once more! Spidey twists
the Lizard’s lab coat, cutting off his air supply long enough to temporarily
knock the Lizard out!
Spidey hauls the Lizard to land and bluffs out Johnny,
claiming he heard a distress call from the Fantastic Four with his
“spider-sonic hearing.” Human Torch flies off, leaving a relieved Spidey to
carry the Lizard into the nearby warehouses for the final part of his plan.
They are unknowingly spotted by Billy Connors, who follows them in as Spidey
looks for something specific in the warehouse that he’s hoping will cure the
Lizard. The Lizard comes to and attacks Billy but enough of Connors’
subconscious remains that he finds himself unable to really hurt his son.
Spidey douses the Lizard with dehydrating powder, the very chemical he was
looking for, which dries out the Lizard and causes him to transform back into
Curt Connors! Spidey reunites the Connors family once more and swings off,
wondering what he’s going to say when the Torch realizes that Spidey tricked
him!