In Amazing Spider-Man #528, Peter had the opportunity to put his new abilities to the test and the results were...well...amazing. At issue's end, after a lengthy conversation with Mary Jane, Peter seemed to fully embrace the notion that he was given a second chance at living and that he must make the best of it.

In Amazing Spider-Man #529, Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man, gives Peter Parker the new costume he designed for him. The costume has mesh webbing that can allow Peter to glide for short distances, heat resistant Kevlar micro-fibre that can resist small-calibre bullets, built-in fire, police and emergency scanner, audio and visual amplification, including infrared and ultra-violet, carbon filters in the mouth area to keep toxins out, and a short-range GPS microwave communication system, all routed through a computerized control system in the titanium chest piece. Finally, the costume is red and golden yellow. But with this costume comes somewhat of a price: Tony wants to hire Peter as his personal confident. After consulting with Mary Jane, Peter accepts the proposition and is then told by Tony to pack his bags because they are heading to Washington to face the Metahuman Investigations Committee of the United States Senate.

In Amazing Spider-Man #530, Peter Parker and Tony Stark head to Washington to try and talk the Senate out of forcing super-powered individuals to register their secret identity with the government or else face prosecution. While there, they come under attack by the Titanium Man. Peter dresses up as Spider-Man and takes him on. At issue's end, the Titanium Man takes flight with Spider-Man in tow.

This is where this issue picks up.

ACT 1: Holding on to a web-line attached to the back of the Titanium Man's armour, Spider-Man snags the nearby Washington Monument and sends the Titanium Man crashing near the Lincoln Memorial. Spidey takes off after him but cannot find him. As Spidey becomes enthralled by beauty of the Lincoln Memorial, the Titanium Man suddenly reappears, grabs hold of him, takes flight vertically, and then throws him back towards the pool in front of the Washington Monument. Using the fluttering devices on his new suit, Spidey manages to fly himself to safety, then he proceeds to fly after the Titanium Man and causes him to crash into a nearby building. Unfortunately, Spidey takes the brunt of the fall, which gives the Titanium Man the opportunity to grab hold of him in a chokehold and slam him into a wall. As Spidey tries to break free from his grip, the Titanium Man tells Spidey that it is right that he should die now because he is soon to be an extinct breed, leaving the county defenceless. He then goes on saying that his employer believes that when Tony Stark is dead, there will be no one to speak for the superheroes, and the government will then hunt them down and eradicate them, which is only fitting. Having heard enough, Spidey mentally activates the extra "arms" in his costume and uses them to damage the sensors in the Titanium Man’s helmet. Knowing full well that the Titanium Man probably has backups, Spidey hits him hard before he can get them online. Spidey feels that the armour is about to give but the Titanium Man manages to free himself and fly away before that happens.

ACT 2: The next day, Tony Stark faces the senate once more to argue against forcing superheroes to register their secret identity. He tells them that the attack against him was neither random nor ill-considered and that it was in fact a deliberate attempt to interfere in the deliberations of the committee and the outcome of the proposed superhuman registration act. He proceeds to show them a recording of the Titanium Man's dialogue, which was taken from Spidey’s mask, and then tells them that perhaps it would be a good idea to table the act for the time being. Senator Whitmore comments that the recording appears to be very convenient to his argument (i.e. Tony’s) and asks how they can know if it is authentic. On cue, Spider-Man shows up to vouch for its authenticity. He then proceeds to give his two cents about the whole registration act. Senator Whitmore comments that he made some interesting and compelling points but goes on saying that if he wants them to record them to be considered, he is to take off his mask, sit in the witness chair and swear to his testimony under oath, meaning that he will have to provide his full name and place of residence. Spidey replies that he can't so Senator Whitmore instructs the Senate recorder to strike his statements from the record. Spidey then takes his leave.

ACT 3: A short time later, Tony meets up with Peter and informs him that the water has been muddied enough that the whole process of the superhuman registration act will be delayed for a while. Peter is pleased but lets Tony know that he has something else on his mind; something else that has been bothering him. He comments on how the Titanium Man knew that he – Tony – was meeting with the Senate Committee, whereas not even the media knew about the meeting, and he then proceeds to ask Tony if he had anything to do with the attack, since it seems to help encourage the committee to consider that maybe the registration was not in the best national interest. Tony replies that, of course, he had nothing to do with the attack.

ACT 4: Later that night, the Titanium Man stands in the middle of a forest, seemingly waiting for someone, or something. Seconds later, Iron Man comes flying down with a briefcase, presumably filled with money, and lands in front of him. After exchanging brief pleasantries and dialogue, Iron Man hands over the briefcase and takes flight.

ACT 5: Even later that night, back in New York, Peter is watching TV while Mary Jane takes a shower, when there is a breaking news report on TV about a disaster in Stamford, Connecticut, that took the lives of at least six hundred people and countless more badly wounded, and the person responsible for all the devastation, according to authorities on the scene, is named Speedball.

To be continued in the pages of Civil War #1 and Amazing Spider-Man #532.