However, there are some aspects of Peter's life that are regressing to the way they were before. His friend, Flash Thompson, has awoken from a coma and reverted to the bully he used to be in high school, completely forgetting that he and Peter were best friends for many years.

And J. Jonah Jameson, whose hate for Spider-Man was assuaged after Peter Parker convinced him that his own son, John Jameson, was actually the famous web-slinger, has now realized that Peter intentionally misled him. To get even, he has agreed to fund a charity wrestling match between Spider-Man and an enigmatic wrestler known as El Muerto.

El Muerto's past is a mystery to most, but it is said that a mystical wrestling god known as El Dorado murdered his father and promised to take his life next if he did not best a champion fighter and claim his mask.

During the match, El Muerto's strength and determination were almost enough to unmask Spider-Man, but at the crucial moment, a poisonous stinger reflexively sprung from the wall-crawler's wrist and injured the wrestler.

In last issue of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, El Dorado shows up at the hospital to finish off El Muerto. Fortunately, Spider-Man also shows up and, using his brains and knowledge of chemicals, defeats El Dorado and saves El Muerto. While all this takes place, Aunt May goes out on a date with Jarvis and during supper, she sees her long-time deceased husband, Uncle Ben, staring at her through one of the restaurant's main windows.

This is where this issue picks up.

ACT 1: A young Peter Parker is walking home, thinking about his newly acquired superpowers and the fact that he is the new TV wrestling sensation known as the amazing Spider-Man. He arrives home to find it surrounded by police cars and an ambulance. As he walks up to the house to find out what is going on, a gurney covered by a white sheet is hoisted into a waiting ambulance and there is somebody dead underneath that sheet. Freaked out, Peter heads inside where Uncle Ben grabs him in his arms and explains that Aunt May accidentally fell down the stairs and passed away as a result of her injuries. Obviously, this is an alternate reality.

ACT 2: After visiting Aunt May's grave at the cemetery, Peter and Uncle Ben head back home. During the drive back, Uncle Ben mentions that Aunt May handled all their money – what little they got – and he doesn't know how he is going to pay the bills from now on. Peter tells Uncle Ben not to worry about money because the two of them are going to go into show business together. Uncle Ben is perplexed so Peter tells him that he'll explain everything when they get home.

ACT 3: Peter reveals to Uncle Ben that he's the superhero known as Spider-Man and that he wants him to be his high-powered agent. He explains to Uncle Ben that he needs him to handle his finances, especially when it comes to cashing checks, because no bank would ever cash checks made out to Spider-Man; on the other hand, they'll cash checks made out to Ben Parker. Peter also explains that he's going to put away his share into a college fund. After thoughtful consideration and an agreement for a 15% commission, Uncle Ben accepts Peter's proposition.

ACT 4: Months later, Ben is overly busy handling Spider-Man's fan mail while Peter just lounges around in the kitchen reading the Daily Bugle newspaper. Uncle Ben comments that Peter doesn't put a lot of effort anymore into answering his fan mail and just sends his fans photos of himself as Spider-Man with a rubber-stamped signature on them. Peter is kind of ticked off and smashes the kitchen table, complaining about how he did not want to do this, referring to answering fan mail. Taken aback but composed, Uncle Ben tells Peter that the kitchen table was the first piece of furniture him and Aunt May bought. Peter apologizes and tells him that he will buy a new one just like it. Uncle Ben replies that "something can look just like it did before...but in your heart, you know it’s different". Peter apologizes again, but with more anger in his voice. Uncle Ben tells Peter that he feels like he doesn't know him anymore and that the money has changed him. Peter takes offense at Uncle Ben's accusations and explains to him that they could be living in a more luxurious home but he chose to stay in the old Parker house because he – Uncle Ben – wanted to stay, so Uncle Ben should be grateful that he did not force him out of their home. Peter continues his rant and accuses Uncle Ben of disapproving of him. Uncle Ben replies that he does not disapprove of him, however, he would prefer if Peter would use his powers differently: "You could help people somehow. Not just entertain them". He then tells Peter that he's let himself down. Fed up with the same discussion over and over again, Peter heads upstairs to his room, packs his bags, tells his Uncle Ben that he's found a new agent – his way of "firing" him in a sense – and lets him know that he is moving out. Uncle Ben is taken aback but supports Peter's decision, though reluctantly. After exchanging a warm embrace, Peter takes his leave.

ACT 5: Months later, Uncle Ben tries to reach Peter, who is now – as Spider-Man – a huge superstar, but the task proves to be more difficult than anticipated and he has no other choice but to leave him a message, which he fears might not even make it to Peter.

ACT 6: After watching the fourth Spider-Man movie, Uncle Ben makes his way home. But as he arrives at the Parker residence, he is shocked to find it burned to the ground. A police car driving by stops and one of the policemen asks Uncle Ben if everything is all right. Uncle Ben explains that his house was burned down but the policeman replies that the house burned down several months back and that, as far as he knows, Ben Parker died years ago. Uncle Ben is obviously confused and tells them who he is. The two policemen come out of their car and the older one explains that he was the cop that found Ben Parker's body the night he was shot to death by a burglar. He also mentions that his poor widow and nephew were devastated. Uncle Ben is even more confused so he apologizes for the confusion and takes his leave to try and make sense out of this before the cops arrest him or something like that.

ACT 7: A short time later, while visiting the cemetery, Uncle Ben realizes that the policemen were right when they said that he was dead, because standing before him is his tombstone. As he kneels down in front of his grave and starts to wonder about what happened to his life, a mysterious figure hidden in the shadows (and gliding on some kind of glider) speaks to him and asks if he really wants to know what happened to his life, his wife, and his nephew. Uncle Ben tells the mysterious figure that he would give anything for that opportunity. The mysterious figure grabs hold of him by the wrist and flies off with him in tow.

ACT 8: Back in the "real" reality, Peter/Spider-Man gets a call from Jarvis who informs him about what happened when he and Aunt May were out on a date (she thought she saw Uncle Ben staring at her through the restaurant's main window). Wanting to get to the bottom of this, Peter heads towards the restaurant. Inside the restaurant, Aunt May is freaking out so Jarvis tries his best to calm her down. When Peter/Spider-Man arrives near the restaurant, he spots the alternate-reality Uncle Ben, whom he thinks is an impostor. He drops down to street level to confront him. Uncle Ben remains unfazed at the sight of Spider-Man and asks if it is Peter under there. Peter/Spider-Man is stunned to hear the alternate-reality Uncle Ben ask him that question and goes on to ask him if he is a ghost. Before the alternate-reality Uncle Ben can answer his question, Spider-Man's spider-sense kicks in, warning him of danger, and he has but seconds to tackle alternate-reality Uncle Ben out of harm's way, as a bomb erupts feet from them. As the two of them get back to their feet, they are confronted by the Hobgoblin from the year 2211.

To be continued.