Synopsis
Bailey Briggs (Spider-Boy) and his friend Christina Xu are visiting Coney Island. While looking for snacks they can afford he spots a dog-faced boy picking pockets and thinks he may be 1 of Madame Monstrosity's hybrid experiments like himself. Bailey leaves Christina to use a changing room (for swimmers) to change into Spider-Boy and give chase.
Meanwhile Apex (with the Power Stone) and Multitude (with the Soul Stone) have been drawn to Coney Island on the trail of the Mind Stone. Naive Prince Otherone spots a carney show advertised as Mira Moonfire and her Mind Stone and assumes that's their target. Ex-carney worker Ward isn't convinced but he does sense the real Stone nearby. Apex suggests maybe it's in the cotton candy stall, but mainly because he wants to try some (android Ward doesn't eat). But we see the actual Mind Stone bearer Colleen Wing watching them nearby.
Spider-Boy isn't having any luck spotting dog-face until he hears someone chasing the thief. He blocks the boy's escape while saying he wants to help him. The pickpocket evades him and the victim accuses SB of being an accomplice. Our hero promises to get his wallet back and runs off to find the thief again, following him into a tent. The 'dog' attacks him while saying "Bark". Spider-Boy throws him off and the assailant says his names Archie, and also explains that he said "Bark" rather than barking because he has human vocal chords. It turns out that Archie is an Inhuman rather than a product of Madame Monstrosity (he's insulted by the suggestion).
It also turns out that Archie's thieving is part of an audition to join Ringmaster's Circus Of Crime. Maynard Tidbolt sets his crew on the hero promising a bonus to whoever squashes the spider. Agile Spidey sends the Human Cannonball crashing into a wall and evades the aerialist brothers the Great Gambonnos but is trapped in the coils of Princess Python's snake Precious Jr. RM takes the time to bemoan the slings and arrows that fate keeps throwing at him. His personnel keep changing and weird stuff happens to the Clown. He's plagued by rivals Ringmistress and Madame Ringleader who he suggests are relatives. And recently Spider-Man (Peter Parker) humiliated him during the Gang War event. So he tells Bruto the Strongman (who's been extricating the Cannonball from the smashed wall) to hit the hero with his dumbbells. Python screams at him not to hurt her python. But his backswing damages more wall ...
... alerting Apex and Multitude to what's going on. Wade doesn't like bullies and Otherone is annoyed that concrete dust has spoiled his candy floss, so they decide to intervene. Ringmaster tells his minions to attack *them*. Human Cannonball is 1st up but Apex punches him into the sea, and then greets the Strongman as maybe more of a challenge. Multitude sends orange soul constructs of various heroes against the Gambonnos and Princess Python, and various Spider-folk against Ringmaster himself. Spider-Boy finishes him off with a punch to the jaw.
Archie the Dog-Faced Boy is making his escape and intending to try to join the Wrecking Crew instead. But Multitude stops him with an apparition of the Werewolf. SB tells him to hand back the stolen wallets. Apex has found Bruto a disappointing opponent. Tidbolt has recovered until Colleen Wing pops in and renders him unconscious with an energy(?) sword through the head. Ward recognises that she has the Mind Stone. She says she's been watching the 2 Stone-bearers and has decided they are on the side of good. The 3 leave Spider-Boy to report the Circus to the police ...
... and they walk along the beach where they're confronted by Star leading Overtime and Quantum, the other Stone-bearers.
Story 2: The Death Stone Saga chapter 8
Script Derek Landy. Artist Sara Pichelli. Colours Mattia Iacono. Letters Travis Lanham. Editor Nick Lowe.
Resurrected Phil Coulson has the Death Stone and is now a grey-skinned avatar of Death in a black suit. Nick Fury Jr. is driving him away from Nighthawk's lair and asks how he's doing. He replies that being dead isn't something you easily get over. Nick tells him of a support group for the resurrected (heavily-subscribed in the Marvel Universe) and offers to hook him up.
Now they're using NH's scanner to locate the original 6 Infinity Stones which seem to be converging on New York, and his Death Stone agrees. But having been dead makes you hungry so they stop for some food. NF still wants to know if the Death Stone's having any adverse effects, but Phil's busy wolfing down a cheeseburger and then parries the question by asking what they'll do when they find the other Stone bearers. Nick hopes their powers have given them an accompanying sense of responsibility, but if not they might need some muscle. A voice suggests they contact Thor ...
... and Fury recognises its owner as Hector Bautista in a new costume, but Hector says he's now called Overtime. Coulson guesses he's got the Time Stone and says his Death Stone just got stronger. Bautista says that happens when Stone Bearers are close to each other. But he also tells them that he's just popped back from tomorrow afternoon where he's fighting Thanos and losing. But he's also starving so he takes Coulson's burger and starts eating it. In between bites he explains that he wants to give the good guys the edge in the fight without changing the past. Thanos trapped Death in the Death Stone which gives him a hold over it and therefore over Coulson. He impresses on Phil that in the coming fight it's vitally important for the fate of the universe that he resists that hold for as long as he can. Then Overtime returns to the future and takes the burger with him.
Nick orders another cheeseburger for his friend.