With Spider-Man seemingly gone, the Kingpin is free to
take over the criminal underworld. Kingpin starts to put his plans in motion,
sending out some guys to bring him J. Jonah Jameson, deciding he must be
silenced due to his editorials about the crime wave. Kingpin then sends out
some other goons, led by Big Turk, to collect at some service stations around
the city, much to their chagrin. It is at one such service station that
Spider-Man encounters said goons, relieving them of their guns with his webs.
The goons pile on Spidey, letting Big Turk get a clean hit in, though Spidey
blithely compares it to scratching an itch. Spidey takes note of the Kingpin’s
name after a goon mentions it, as Big Turk and a couple of the goons get away,
leaving Spidey to quickly deal with the rest. Spidey then realizes he quit the
Bugle last issue and will have to go crawling back to Jameson with his photos.
Back with the Kingpin, he regards Frederick Foswell,
still his prisoner, and debates what to do with him. He brings Foswell in and
they come to the decision to work together, as Kingpin doesn’t want to throw
away perfectly good manpower. Just then, Big Turk storms in, yelling about
Spider-Man’s return and saying he’s finished with the Kingpin. He knocks out
Kingpin’s guard and takes a swing at the crime lord himself but his punch is
easily caught. Kingpin demonstrates his tremendous strength, crushing Turk’s
hand and casually tossing him across the room, as Foswell looks on in shocked
awe. Kingpin dismisses Turk and tells Foswell that he’ll be used to silence
Jameson once and for all.
Speaking of whom, over at the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah
Jameson is fiercely looking into his crime wave story, unable to find Foswell.
Joe Robertson suggests getting Ned Leeds on the story and Jameson calls him in.
Just then, Peter shows up, enraging Jameson even more, but Pete dissuades him
with the latest Spidey photos he took. Peter ponders Foswell’s disappearance as
he heads out on his bike, looking for leads. He’s so preoccupied, he rides
right by the hangout spot that Mary Jane Watson, Gwen Stacy, and Harry Osborn
are currently in, as MJ bemoans the ride she wanted Peter to give her. Gwen and
Harry offer to take her home, as she teases Gwen lightly on her clear crush on
Peter, to Harry’s obliviousness.
Peter continues to ride around, when his spider-sense
tingles after riding past a private club. Pete changes to Spider-Man and peeks
in the club, witnessing some of the Kingpin’s goons threatening the owner.
Spidey makes a dramatic entrance, crashing through the window and tackling the
goons, taking them on in stylish fashion! One of them throws a miniature
explosive, stunning Spidey and damaging the building, as they make their
getaway. Spidey sneakily throws a spider-tracer on one of the fleeing goons, before
holding up the main support beam in an impressive display of strength, giving
the people time to get clear. Spidey then escapes the collapsing room to follow
his tracer’s signal, hoping it’ll lead right to the Kingpin. Meanwhile, the
Kingpin’s goons stop in at the Daily Bugle, taking Jameson captive to bring
back to their boss.
Jameson is brought before the Kingpin, who tries to
give him a chance to cease his editorials on the crime wave but Jameson
refuses. Kingpin is sure to mention Foswell by name, ensuring that Foswell
can’t betray him, as Foswell advises Jameson to play along. Spidey then makes
his way there, shocked at seeing Foswell with the Kingpin. Spidey shines his
spider-signal in through the window, webbing up the goons when they come out to
investigate. Spidey then dodges around the Kingpin’s obliterator cane, delivering
a powerful kick to the Kingpin, before destroying the cane. Spidey is surprised
at the Kingpin’s fortitude and the Kingpin capitalizes on Spidey
underestimating him to launch his own surprising attacks, throwing Spidey into
a wall. Spidey decides to stop going easy and rushes the Kingpin, but gets
surprised by the knockout gas that streams from his tiepin. With Spider-Man now
helpless, the shocked Foswell, as well as the audience, wonder: what happens
now?