In Sensational Spider-Man #35, a string of Spider-Man impostors – imbued with powers and costumes nearly identical to Spider-Man – have descended upon Manhattan. Spider-Man rescues one of the imprisoned doppelgangers from prison – and near death – but not before disgusting, spider-like appendages uncontrollably grow out of the spider-replica's abdomen. Enlisting his most brilliant scientific colleagues - Dr. Curt Connors, a.k.a. the Lizard, and Dr. Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four - Spidey sets out to find the cause of these boy's transformations and cure it. But unbeknownst to the wall-crawler, the demented Dr. Calvin Zabo – inventor of a serum that transforms him into the hulking brute, Mr. Hyde – is the one responsible for the cruel experiments. And his latest abducted test subject is Jordan Harrison...Mr. Parker’s best high-school biology student.

ACT 1: Six days ago. Somewhere in an alley, a black clad Spider-Man confronts another one of his doppelgangers. Spidey does not want to fight him and tries to convince him to come with him, so that his friend – one can deduce he means Dr. Curt Connors – can cure him. The impostor refuses at first – throwing a punch at Spidey – but when the wall-crawler explains that he will die unless he comes with him right there and then, the impostor agrees.

ACT 2: The apartment lab of Dr. Curt Connors. The Spider-Man impostor sits in a room, patiently awaiting to be cured by one of the most brilliant scientific mind in the world. Connors tells Spider-Man that he almost has an antidote that will revert the doppelgangers' transformations and that, with having a live subject in the early stages of transformation, it will speed up his work. He then tells Spidey that if there is anything he can do to help his Aunt May, he will be there for him. Spidey replies that his aunt is strong and that she will fight her way back. He tells Connors not to worry about her and to focus on finding a cure for the doppelgangers. Meanwhile, he – meaning Spidey – will track them down and have the police hold them until the cure can be administered.

ACT 3: At the police precinct, Detective Jonas Fogg, relates the events of the last few days to a bunch of Spider-Man doppelgangers that have been apprehended by the real Spider-Man. The captives are wearing different versions or incarnations of the Spider-Man costume. Worth noted are the Scarlet Spider costume, the Spider-Hulk costume, the black costume, and the Iron Spider costume. As Detective Fogg finishes up his recap, Dr. Curt Connors arrives at the precinct. While this takes place, the real Spider-Man is in the process of capturing another one of his doppelgangers.

ACT 4: Back at the precinct, Connors explains to the Spider-Man doppelgangers that the longer the formula, which granted their spider-like powers, remain in their system, the more profound their transformations will be; meaning that – eventually – they will be more spider than human. What this also means is that the person who did this to them either wants them to endure a gruesome and painful death or – more likely – did not foresee this happening. Thankfully for them, Connors has developed a vaccine that will cure them and keep them from changing further. One of the doppelgangers speaks up and tells Connors that the vaccine is fine and all; however, some of them want to keep changing because they did not liked who they were before they were abducted and given those powers. Connors replies that he hates that they think that way but – one way or another – they are getting the vaccine, because they should not have to die for some maniac running around with a chemistry set. He then tells them that the method of administration is their choice – a needle, or a dart gun. As the doppelgangers ponder about their choice, Detective Fogg is informed that another doppelganger has been delivered to their footsteps. He cannot believe it.

ACT 5: Somewhere hidden, Midtown High biology student Jordan Harrison is trapped in some kind of cell, which has a two-way mirror. Using a nearby chair, Jordan tries to shatter the mirror, but to no avail. As he kneels to the ground exhausted, he keeps asking "why me?". On the other side of the two-way mirror, Dr. Calvin Zabo replies – though Jordan cannot hear him – and explains that the reason he was captured is that he is just like Peter Parker; therefore, the ideal control subject.

ACT 6: The next day, Peter Parker meets in secret with Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four. Reed explains that the boy Peter brought to him – in Sensational Spider-Man #35 – is alive and stable and that it was a good thing that Peter got the boy to him in time. Peter asks Reed if he got the formula from Dr. Connors to revert the metamorphosis. Reed replies that he did and that he could have manufactured the antidote himself. Peter responds that he thought Reed would have enough on his hands with just saving Ethan's life but what he really means to say is something else. Reed explains to Peter that, while examining the boy, he found some kind of tracking device surgically embedded in the small his back. Grabbing hold of the device, Peter notes how much it looks like one of his spider-tracers and realizes that the mastermind of this evil scheme must have been keeping tabs on his subject, wherever they went. Reed replies that he concluded the same thing and wagers that the other altered kids also must have had similar devices implanted. As Peter takes a closer look at the device, he realizes that he can probably rig something, home in on the signal using his spider-sense – tracing it back to its point of origin – and find the mastermind's base of operations. As Peter stands up to take his leave, Reed grabs hold of his arm and tells him that he does not have to feel like he is alone in this. Peter responds that if he is alone, it is because Tony Stark and him put him there. Reed retorts that he and his wife, Susan, want him to know that he and his family are in their thoughts and prayers. A frustrated Peter replies that he is tired of hearing people tell him how bad they feel but then tells Reed that he appreciates that he Sue are thinking about him. As the conversation ends, Reed tells Peter that he has a good idea where he can begin his search for the mastermind.

ACT 7: Clad in his black costume, Spider-Man scours the Manhattan sewer system for the mastermind, based on trace evidence Reed found on the first victim's body.

ACT 8: Elsewhere, Dr. Calvin Zabo is in the process of recording a daily entry on his audio journal. Throughout his recording, it is revealed that it is his desire to understand why Peter Parker, having been granted enormous power at such a young age, decided to use said powers to do good and never abuse it. In order to do so, he kidnapped subjects with similar backgrounds, tested on them, outfitted them in the appropriate vestments, and released them into the same habitat as Spider-Man. In so doing, he hoped to see how they would react to having such powers and whether they would do good or bad with them. He also hoped to retrieve each subject after one week so as to evaluate their behavior – making use of the tracking devices imbedded in their heads. Sadly, the real Spider-Man has involved himself in his experiments, by collecting his subjects and bringing them all to the police. As he looks over a bunch of monitors connected to surveillance cameras, he becomes aware of Spider-Man inside the sewer system. Zabo grabs hold of a nearby vial, containing one of his special serum, and records another entry on his audio journal, saying that the next voice that it will heard is that of his associate: Edward Hyde.

To be continued.