PREVIOUSLY: A trip to Peter Parker's past – the days immediately after Uncle Ben's death were a hero was born in the Untold Tales of Spider-Man! REVIEW: His story is well known. After acquiring amazing abilities from the bite of a radioactive spider, Peter Parker created an alter-ego for himself – the Amazing Spider-Man – and entered the world of wresting, intended to make money. This one night, as he was leaving a stadium, a robber came running past him. Though he could have stopped him quite easily, he did not. He discovered, upon returning home later, that his Uncle Ben had been murdered. He tracked said robber to an abandoned warehouse and confronted him, only to realize that his uncle's killer was the robber he had failed to stopper earlier. That night, he learned an invaluable lesson, that "with great power there must also be great responsibility".

Later that night, Peter lies in bed, wondering what to do with his Spider-Man costume. He is unsure if he is meant to be a hero, to save lives, but after pondering the question thoroughly, he figures it wouldn't hurt if the did give it a try. He soon grabs his chemistry set and starts whipping up a new batch of web-fluid; stronger than the last. Minutes later, Aunt May is awakened by the sound of an explosion. She gets out of bed and goes to check on Peter. She opens the door to his room and finds him lying on the floor, his glasses crooked on his face, his body covered in webbing and clouded in smoke. At first speechless, she soon breaks down laughing at the sight of Peter, who tries to apologize. Aunt May tells him not to be sorry, as she needed a good laugh. She helps him get back on his two feet and walks him downstairs, where she'll make him a midnight snack. On the way down, she asks what he was trying to concoct in there. Peter tells Aunt May that she wouldn't believe him, even if he told her.

Once Aunt May goes back to sleep, Peter dons his Spider-Man costume and goes out for a swing. Within minutes, he comes across a robbery in progress – a woman's purse has been stolen by two very young miscreants wannabe. Spidey swings down and confronts the thieving duo. Terrified, they beg Spidey not to kill him and they hand him the lady's purse. Spidey goes to give it back to her but she yells at him to stay away and sics her dog on him, accusing him of scaring the robbers and taking her purse for good measure. As Spidey tries to explain himself, a police cruiser with two cops onboard, stops by to see what is going on. Hanging to the wall from a nearby building, Spidey explains that he was only trying to help and that he didn't do anything wrong. All the while, the woman's dog keeps yapping and yapping, to the point that Spidey loses his temper and attempts to web the dog's mouth. Unfortunately, both Spidey's web-shooters blow up as soon as he presses on the activation switch. Thinking Spidey set a bomb off, the two police officers draw their weapons and start shooting at him. Making use of his spider-sense, Spidey dodges the bullets and gets the heck out of there. When he returns home, he lies on top of his bed in the foetal position.

When Peter heads back to school the next day, people are avoiding him like the plague. Word of his uncle's death has gotten around so most people leave him alone, lacking the knowledge to approach him and express sympathy. Oblivious to Peter's inner turmoil, jock-spectaculaire Flash Thompson berates Peter for ignoring him and Liz Allan when he walks past them in the hall. Furious at Flash, Liz goes up to Peter and offers her condolences, telling him she feels really awful about what happened to his uncle. Peter doesn't understand why she's nice to him, all of a sudden, but thanks her anyways, and walks off. Flash comes over to Liz and calls Peter a "major tool" for blowing her off like that. Frustrated with Flash, Liz slams her feet down on top of his. Still oblivious as ever, Flash has no idea why she is so angry with him.

Later at the Parker residence, Peter arrives home and finds Aunt May at the kitchen table going over bills and other paperwork. Though they should be getting some insurance money, which will tide them over for a while, their financial situation isn't all that great. Peter suggests getting an after-school job but Aunt May refuses, telling him to concentrate on his studies instead. Having lived through her share of tragedies, she has always done more than just survive; she has made her life into something worth living. And though losing Ben was the most difficult thing she's ever had to endure, she and Peter will endure it together, and together they will build a new life. Peter believes her.

Later that night, Peter, as Spider-Man, swings toward Manhattan, realizing that the city is where someone like him will be appreciated. As he lands in the middle of Times Square – a little too sure of himself – he causes a small fender-bender, which leaves the drivers of the vehicles quite ticked off at him. Spidey is saved by the sirens of a passing fire truck, heading toward an emergency. Leaving the frustrated drivers to figure out what they're going to do, Spidey swings off after the truck. Minutes later, he arrives at the scene of an apartment complex entirely engulfed in flames. Watching the flames devour the building, Spidey overhears one of the tenants tell a firefighter that her daughter and grandson are still in the building and that they mean the world to her. The fireman replies that they're doing everything they can, as there are a lot of people trapped in the tenement. The woman reminding Spidey of Aunt May, he crawls up the burning building and enters the inferno. Making his way through thick smoke, he finds the woman's daughter and grandson and helps them out of the building. For the next little while, Spidey forgets about everything else and just helps as many people as he can.

The fire mostly extinguished, Spidey sits on the front step of a building, catching his breath. Bystanders, firemen, and people he's saved are all in awe of him, calling him a hero. He doesn’t know what to tell them and simply swings away, just then realizing that he could have died. Later on, sitting on the edge of a building, Peter comes to the realization that he's no hero; he's just a dumb kid who got really lucky. He did it however and he didn't know he had it in himself. Speaking to his late Uncle Ben, Peter tells him that he might just try again one of these days, not for fame or for money, but because it is the right thing to do.

The next morning, Peter lies in its bed, pale as a sheet. Checking up on him, Aunt May comments that she's never seen him puke like that before. Peter claims he needs some rest and he'll be better and Aunt May asks what he was doing running around half the night. She reveals that she woke up after midnight and came to check on him and he wasn't there. Peter says he had some things to work through and tells her that he doesn’t want to lie to her, nor tell her the truth. Aunt May replies that she'll let it go this once, but he better not make a habit of it. She kisses him on the forehead and Peter replies that he'll do his best.

REVIEW: While battling Doc Ook in the villain's underwater hideout, the wisecracking web-swinger became trapped beneath tons of fallen steel as the tentacled terrorist escaped! The fight created a fracture in the structure's ceiling – a crack that is growing bigger, and bigger – as the fatal seconds tick by.

Spider-Monkey, trapped underneath the rubble, tries in vain to extract himself from certain death. While struggling to break free, his thoughts go back to earlier times, as he relives the days where he acquired super-powers and tried to amass a fortune through TV appearances and wrestling. He also painfully relives the death of his Uncle Ben at the hands of a baboon he could have stopped, had he not been busy grooming his own fur. He learned an invaluable lesson – with great power comes great responsibility – and he took it upon himself to try and live the kind of life that would make his uncle proud. It hasn't been easy, however, as his web-swinging has more often than not come in between him and his loved ones. But, how can he explain to either Aunt May and/or Mary Jane that he couldn't be with them because he was too busy fighting the likes of the Green Goblin, the Lizard, Sandmonk, Kongpin or Doc Ook, as the Serpent Crown, who is planning to marry his aunt!

Spider-Monkey calls on his inner strength, the strength that lies in every fibre of his body, and slowly, he pushes the pile of broken steel off of him and frees himself. Or so he thought. It turns out that Ape-X heard Spider-Monkey talk, came over, and lifted off the steel rubble. Spider-Monkey mentions that he did not know Ape-X was there. Ape-X explains that he and Speedball thought he could use some backup so they followed his ape-vengers tracer. Spider-Monkey points out that Doc Ook still made it away with the Serpent Crown but Ape-X reveals that he and Speedball got it back from him quite easily, like taking bananas from a baby. Ook, however, has escaped and has been tearing up the whole jungle in anger and frustration. Spider-Monkey tells Ape-X to say no more, as this is a job for the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Monkey!!

To be continued in Marvel Apes #1 in sale in September 2008.

PREVIOUSLY: There are countless planes of reality, containing alternate worlds very similar to ours. Peter Parker is Spider-Man on many of them. On one particular Earth, he is married to Mary Jane. Their baby daughter May is destined to follow in his web-steps, as Spider-Girl, but these are the adventures of Mr. and Mrs. Spider-Man.

REVIEW: Deep within the bowels of the New York City sewer system, the ever-amazing web-slinger confronts an old enemy and learns the importance of family ties. The Lizard, accompanied by a horde of reptilians, is battling Spider-Man for the possession of what he believes is poison destined to kill his family, when it is in fact chemicals that can save his wife and son. Spidey tries to convince him of that, but to no avail; the Lizard just lashes out at Spidey mindlessly, sending him slamming into sewer tunnel walls. Shaken, Spidey tries to regain his footing – and his mind delves back to earlier that evening, in Forest Hills, Queens.

Peter Parker and Mary Jane are getting ready to go out for an evening at Curt Connors' but Peter is rather uncomfortable with the thought that he could have to change into Spider-Man, because of Connors' unique situation (i.e. he's the aforementioned Lizard!). MJ tells Peter not to worry about it and to just enjoy their recent good fortune with the Connorses.

When Peter and MJ show up at the Connors' residence, Curt's wife Martha tells them that Curt has not returned from university yet and that her calls to his office have gone unanswered. When questioned by Peter and MJ, Martha reveals that, after she and Billy, their son, recently began experiencing certain symptoms, Curt started suspecting that the water they'd been using at their home in Florida had been tainted. He thus began working on finding a cure for the symptoms. Just then, Billy stumbles out of his bedroom, looking haggard and feverish. Peter and MJ tell Martha to look after Billy and they'll go check up on Curt at Empire State University.

A few minutes later, Peter and MJ arrive at ESU and find Connors' lab, which – they come to find – has been trashed. Perusing through Connors' lab notes, Peter discovers that Curt was working on a formula to purify the Floridian tainted water but the process could threaten the reptiles in the Everglades. Peter deduces that the conflict between his family and the environment must have pushed Connors over the edge, causing him to change into the Lizard. Peter tells MJ they need to call 911 and warn the police that the Lizard may be back in town. MJ tells Peter to save it, as she and him both know this is a job for Spider-Man. Peter replies that they agreed that he wouldn't play superhero anymore but MJ reminds him that they cannot build a family by turning their backs on another one. She tells Peter to "go get'im Tiger"!

Back in the sewer tunnel, Spider-Man gets back on his feet and starts disposing of the various reptiles attacking him. This angers the Lizard, who hollers at Spidey to stay away from his family and accuses him of being just like Curt Connors: a self-centred murderer who thinks his family is more important than the Lizard's. Spidey cannot believe that the Lizard thinks that Connors would sacrifice the Lizard's family to save his.

At the Connors' residence, MJ lies to Martha and tells her that Peter and Curt are working on something back at ESU. Martha comments to MJ that Peter is lucky to have her, as she is very tolerant. MJ replies that they are married to very special men, whose jobs are always demanding, and sometimes dangerous, but they do those jobs because they love them and their communities.

In the sewer tunnels, the Lizard screams that he hates Connors and he'll destroy him and everyone he loves if he harms his family. He then tail-swipes Spidey and flattens him into the tunnel wall, telling him to shut up, as he's heard enough. Lizard hollers that Connors will never hurt his family. A battered Spidey yells at the Lizard that he's right; Connors won't do it, which is exactly what he's been trying to tell him. Spidey explains to the Lizard that the only reason he's there right now is that Connors called him, because he couldn’t use a formula that would save only one of the families and not the other. "Connors is a part of you, Lizard. He is family!", bellows Spidey, "he wouldn't, couldn't harm his own family". Spidey's words finally reach Doc Connors, as he reverts back to his human self and realizes what needs to be done.

Later, at the Parker home in Forest Hills Queens, Peter tells MJ that Doc Connors is going back to the drawing board, more determined than ever in finding a formula that serves all his families. As well, he's hired Peter as his lab assistant, at a whopping $8.50 per hour. Peter thanks MJ for being so supportive about continuing to be Spider-Man, even though they have a child together. MJ replies that she knew what she was getting into when she married him. Peter agrees but confesses that his responsibilities should have changed once May came along. MJ suggests that they take each day as it comes. Peter likes the idea and plants a kiss on her.

The end...for now.

REVIEW: The story opens at the FEAST centre, where Aunt May learns that one of the centre's regular, a young girl named Samantha, stopped by earlier than expected and, while everybody was busy frantically hiding her decorations, she found the list of riddles Aunt May had prepared – to lead her through a birthday scavenger hunt – and she is now out somewhere in the city by herself. Aunt May decides she better go out and look for her, as she should have been back by now.

On her way out of the centre, Aunt May calls Peter (Parker) and leaves him a message to let him know about Samantha and remind him to bring his camera when he comes over to take pictures of the birthday party later that afternoon. May reaches the first destination of the riddles: Egg's One Stop shop. She enters the store and starts talking to Mr. Egg who's preoccupied with watching a young man who is in the midst of stealing cupcakes from him. Aunt May recognizes the young man as Kyle from the FEAST Centre and asks Mr. Egg if he would allow her to talk to him; he agrees. Aunt May approaches Kyle and bluntly tells him that thieves are not allowed at the FEAST centre. She suggests he gives back what he took. Kyle pulls the cupcakes out of his shirt and apologizes to Aunt May. She replies that he should be apologizing to Mr. Egg, not her. Kyle turns around and proceeds to apologize to Mr. Egg. Mr. Egg accepts his apology but threatens to call the police the next time he does something like that. After Kyle takes his leave, Aunt May asks Mr. Egg if he saw Samantha; he reveals she left approximately twenty minutes earlier.

Aunt May goes to the next location of the riddle but the shop owner, Juanita, reveals that Samantha hasn't been there yet. Aunt May tells Juanita to tell Samantha, should she come in, to return to the FEAST centre and wait for her there. Aunt May exits the shop and calls Peter once more, asking for his help – she gets his answering machine again. Kyle, who happens to be standing nearby, looks as if he knows something but he’s hesitant about sharing information with Aunt May, for some unknown reason. Aunt May persuades him to talk and he reveals that he saw some guy trying to talk to Samantha, as she was leaving Egg's store, and though he couldn't hear what they were saying, he saw Samantha take off down Canal Street, with the guy hot on her heels.

A few minutes later, Aunt May calls Peter once again to give him an update about Samantha. Again, she gets the answering machine. As she hangs up the phone, she sees (and hears) a young girl yelling at a man while he tries to drag her into a waiting cab. Mistakenly thinking that the girl is Samantha, Aunt May approaches the man and orders that he leave her alone. It turns out, however, that the girl is not Samantha and that the reason she was yelling is because her father is making her go to the dentist. Once the father and his daughter finally make it into the cab, it speeds off rapidly, leaving Aunt May to continue on her search for Samantha.

Just then, she hears someone singing "Happy Birthday" in a nearby alley; she goes to investigate. When she rounds the corner and looks down the alley, she is surprised to see Samantha’s father Kenneth on his knees, a cupcake with a candle in his hands, singing a birthday song. Aunt May interrupts Kenneth and talks directly to Samantha, telling her that everybody at the centre are waiting for her to celebrate her big day. Turning to Kenneth, she reminds him that a current court order bars him from seeing Samantha. Kenneth is angry that they won't let him see his little girl on her birthday; after all he's not the only who's made mistakes before and he's still her father. Pulling a can of pepper spray out of her purse, she points it at Kenneth and tells him she would rather discuss this more calmly. Kenneth seems ready to retaliate verbally when Spider-Man, who had been watching the whole thing from above – unbeknownst to all of them – drops down between Kenneth and Aunt May, just as Aunt May decides to pepper spray Kenneth. The pepper spray hits Spidey straight in the face and he takes off crawling up a nearby wall, coughing and pulling at his mask. Before he disappears over the edge of the building, he lets Kenneth know that he'll be watching him and advises he respect other people's personal space.

Aunt May turns to Kenneth and tells him she knows about his drug problems, which left his daughter without a home and him incarcerated. Kenneth claims he's been clean since spending time behind bars. Aunt May concurs that staying clean is wonderful news; however, it does not change the legal circumstances that bar him from seeing his daughter. Aunt May goes on saying that he has not presently been awarded visitation of any kind so he must know earn that privilege and acting like he just did surely does not help his cause. Kenneth explains that he simply didn't want his daughter to think he had forgotten about her birthday. He goes and picks up the cupcake (and candle) he previously dropped and hands it to his daughter, apologizing for everything he's done. Samantha kisses him on the cheek and thanks him for remembering her birthday Aunt May speaks up and tells Samantha that they need to head back to the FEAST centre before they start worrying about the two of them.

Later, Aunt May and Samantha meet up with Peter, who claims he could not get good reception on the subway, which is why she was not able to reach him. Peter appears to be crying – the result of having been pepper sprayed in the face – and when Aunt May asks what's wrong with him, he lies and says he had some spicy peppers for lunch. As the trio start walking toward the FEAST centre, Aunt May asks Peter if he remembered to bring his camera. Peter's response: "Is there an electronics store nearby?"?

The end...for now.

WEBMASTER'S MESSAGE: Please note that this issue also has a reprint of Amazing Spider-Man #300 featuring the first full appearance of Eddie Brock, a.k.a. Venom. It will not be reviewed here at this point in time.