This story begins right in the thick of it, with the
Green Goblin paying a visit to notorious crime boss Lucky Lobo. The Green
Goblin offers to take over leadership of Lucky’s gang, in order to take them to
new heights. Lucky disapproves of this idea and tells his men to attack the
Goblin. Gobby easily avoids the goons and leaves, promising things will be
worse next time, as Goblin plans to take over all of the crime in New York!
Meanwhile, Peter Parker is enjoying a lazy Saturday morning, and goes to check
on his Spider-Man costume, which he’d washed the night before, but finds it
still wet. Peter heads off, after promising Aunt May that he’ll call if he’s
going to be out late. On his way to the library, Peter reads in the paper of
the Goblin supposedly raiding a mob boss and wonders if the Goblin is now
trying to be a hero.
Peter heads to the Daily Bugle and spots a letter on
Betty Brant’s desk from Ned Leeds, confusing Peter, as he thought Betty and Ned
were done. Just then, he spots J. Jonah Jameson talking with Frederick Foswell,
the former Big Man, fresh out of prison. Foswell claims to have gone straight,
as Jameson agrees to rehire Foswell as a reporter. Peter tries to ask out
Betty, but she tells him that she has to work late, causing him to wonder why
she didn’t mention Ned’s letter. Outside, Peter spots Foswell talking with a
shady looking character, and goes to change to Spider-Man to follow him,
suddenly remembering that he left his still-wet Spidey costume at home!
Meanwhile, the Green Goblin meets with one of Lucky Lobo’s stooges, who gives
the Goblin an entire list of Lucky’s illegitimate tax documents, much to the
Goblin’s glee!
Later on, at the Midtown Business Executives Club,
Jameson receives a message from Foswell that he was given the list of Lucky’s
tax documents, which Jameson later takes to the police, while the Goblin
watches from outside! With his suit now dry, Spidey goes out on patrol and
happens upon the police raiding one of Lucky’s establishments. One car attempts
to escape, but it’s stopped by the Green Goblin, causing Spidey to follow the
Goblin, in order to see what’s up. Knowing he’s being followed, the Goblin flies
right into Lucky’s hideout, creating a smokescreen from his glider, before
flying back out. Spidey swings in through the window, just as the smokescreen
clears, leaving him surrounded by Lucky and his men, as the Goblin watches from
outside, hoping all his opposition will deal with each other.
Spidey easily takes out a bunch of Lucky’s guys,
webbing them to the walls and floor, before dodging around the shots now being
fired. Spidey then flips into another room, webbing the door shut behind him,
locking the goons in the other room, which gives Peter the chance to use the
phone to call Aunt May real quick. He tells her that he’ll be late getting
home, much to her appreciation. After he hangs up, the goons bust through the
door, only to get caught in a web net from the ceiling that Spidey had prepared.
Spidey questions Lucky, who tells him that the Goblin is only involved because
he wants to take over the mob himself! Spidey leaves all of them for the police
and swings after the Goblin, quickly finding them and landing on his back,
causing the two to fall through a skylight! The two start a climactic battle,
with Spidey avoiding Goblin’s various weapons! After whipping away one of
Goblin’s pumpkin bombs, Spidey attempts to web up the Goblin, who grabs the
webs and attempts trap Spidey in his own webbing!
Both continue to avoid each other’s tricks, before the
Goblin realizes that his bag of tricks is empty and he decides to make a
strategic retreat! Spidey goes to follow, but discovers that his web-shooters
are empty, causing him to have to chase the Goblin on foot! After missing the
Goblin with a hopeful leap, Spidey saves himself by grabbing onto a flagpole
and flipping himself back around to a nearby roof! The Green Goblin makes it
back to his lair and discovers via the radio that Lucky’s entire gang was taken
into custody. His plan was TOO successful, leaving nothing for him to take
over! Peter heads to the Daily Bugle, and discovers it was Foswell’s info that
ultimately led to Lucky’s gang being captured, causing Peter to wonder if
there’s a connection between the Goblin and Foswell. Our issue ends with Peter
heading home to check on Aunt May, with an unexplainable sense of foreboding
for the future!