Peter Parker's House - Forest Hill
Peter has spent the entire summer as a hermit, barely leaving his house or speaking to his friends. Gwen leaving him and the shocking news about his parents, who he really is and where he came from has caused him to seek solitude, and answers. Whilst in his room Peter has been amassing information on Oscorp, communicating with hackers who have been providing him with information on Oscorp's operations, research and illegal activity.
Today however, he finally decides to leave the house, go outside in the sunshine and get some fresh air. As he stands in the front yard, allowing the warm rays of sunshine to bathe his body a voice startles him, "Hey Peter, where have you been all summer?"
MJ stands on the other side of the fence, "Ah… Hi M.J., I've just been busy" he replies.
"Is this about Gwen? Are you still upset that she went to England?"
Peter looks to the ground with sadness, M.J. immediately jumps the fence and gives him a hug. "I'm sorry Peter I didn't mean to bring it up."
"It's all right, we wouldn't be together anyway, she dumped me" Peter replies.
"She dumped you, why?"
"I kept missing dates with her, or running late, she didn't like that."
M.J. gives Peter another hug, "Peter, Gwen was one of my best friends and I love her dearly, but she was a little up tight, maybe you just weren't meant to be together, maybe there's someone else for you."
"Thanks M.J., I appreciate it."
"Well, I know what will cheer you up, how about you come to a party on Friday?" Peter becomes uncomfortable, "Sorry I can't" he replies, slightly embarrassed, "Why not, it'll be fun" M.J. continues, "I don't have any money, I'm sorry maybe next time."
Peter walks away leaving M.J. standing in his front yard, watching him as her face fills with sadness and sympathy.
Peter enters the kitchen to get himself some lunch when he sees a pile of overdue bills that Aunt May hadn't paid. The amounts owed shocking him, What have I done to help my Aunt May, she's done nothing but look after me for all these years and this is how I repay her? Locked away in my room.
Peter decides to stop wallowing in his own sadness and think about other people, he looks at a photo of his uncle and aunt when they were young, with great power comes great responsibility. Peter picks up the paper and finds his way to the classifieds, he looks through the various jobs available. He crosses most of them off as he has no real experience. During his searches he comes across a wrestling ad "I better not try that again."
He continues looking and comes across a whole group of ads that are right up his alley, "Surely Spider-man would be great at building websites, I could be a web developer! Webmaster thats totally me" he jokes, then he sees an advert for photos of the Shocker.
Peter reads the ad then goes online to find out more. Online he finds that the Shocker is a new high tech bank robber using vibration producing gauntlets. The police have been unable to capture him and the Daily Bugle are offering $1000 for a decent picture of him in the act. Peter's eyes light up, $1000 that could really help Aunt May. Peter goes down to the basement where his camera sits.
Peter has recorded the locations of all the bank robberies to find a pattern, but he can't discern anything. As he searches through the records he realizes there's only one person who has the technical ability to work out a pattern from the noise, he needs Harry. Peter calls Harry and they meet at a park, Peter apologizes for how he's not replied to Harry's calls and explains that he found out some really bad news about his family and it's really shaken him to the core. When Harry probes Peter closes up and just tells him he can't speak about it yet. Harry accepts Peter's apology and explains that he can relate to what Peter is going through, that he went through something very similar, "I'm always here for you Peter if you need to talk."
The boys work through the previous robberies and find a pattern allowing Harry to predict where the Shocker will hit next. Peter waits out the front of the bank Harry's predicted to be the next target. He waits for hours until he notices a man in a large overcoat with a beanie looking very suspicious. Suddenly there's commotion inside the bank as patrons flee through the front door, Peter moves through them towards the action where he gets a number of great shots of the Shocker in action robbing the bank. When the Shocker sees Peter and his camera he fires waves of vibration at him, Peter is too quick and escapes out the front door with his photos.
The next day Peter arrives at the Daily Bugle where he meets with Robbie Robinson and shows him the photos, Robinson is amazed and offers him $500 for all of them, Peter protests that the ad said $1000, Robinson then softens and agrees to $1000 but warns him to not tell Jameson. Robinson makes a comment that a picture of Spider-man would be worth double maybe triple, Triple, I'm sure I could manage that Peter thinks to himself.
Peter is pleased with himself returning home with the money, as he arrives home Harry messages him that the Shocker has just hit the midtown bank just around the corner. Peter excitedly runs and grabs his camera, as he runs through the kitchen he notices a note on the fridge from his Aunt May telling him that he's she's gone to the bank. Peter now fears for his aunts life, he'd convince himself that the shocker isn't hurting anyone and it's a victimless crime, but now that victim is someone he cares about.
Peter runs to the bank where police and ambulances crowd the entrance, sirens, red and blue lights fill the air. Dread fills Peter as he flashes back to that fateful night with his uncle, please let her be all right, not again, not again, please let her be all right.
As he enters the bank its apparent the Shocker has already left the scene but his vibration attacks have weakened the structure of the bank and one of the walls has collapsed severely injuring three people including his Aunt May who has a broken leg. The paramedics are taking her out on a stretcher, Peter rushes to her side asking if she's all right, she doesn't reply and falls unconscious.
After a day in hospital Peter takes his aunt home, as they sit drinking a cup of tea Aunt May complains that the police are no match for this Shocker criminal, "We need someone like Spider-man to keep us safe."
Peter contacts Harry to find out when the Shocker is likely to attack next. Harry narrows down the possibilities to three banks in Midtown, New York, Peter takes his Spider-man outfit from where he had hidden it, stuffs it in his bag and heads to the city.
Midtown New York
Spider-man sit on the roof of a 20 story building listening to a police scanner waiting to hear about the shocker robbing a bank. Finally a call goes out for a bank robbery, Spider-man leaps off the building and web slings his way to the scene. As he arrives he notices the Shocker leaving the bank through a hole in the side wall with the sack full of gold. Spider-man swings down and kicks the Shocker in the back sending him and the gold rolling onto the street. The Shocker quickly gets back to his feet and fires concentrated streams of vibration at him, Spider-man avoids them firing webbing back in retaliation.
Spider-man swings towards a lamp post just as the Shocker fires a vibration stream at its base, causing the post to buckle and crash into the sidewalk. Spider-man reaches for the post but misses it and falls, hitting the road hard. Spider-man gets to his feet but he's too slow to avoid the Shockers follow-up attack, the vibration stream hits Spider-man directly, his entire body, organs, stomach and brain vibrate making him queasy and sends his head spinning. As he tries to get his bearings Spider-man pulls up his mask above his mouth and vomits on the floor. The Shocker walks over laughing to himself, "So New York's great crime fighter is back, but it seems you've met your match, and now your encore is about to end."
Shocker raises his vibration gauntlets at Spider-man firing them, but he misses as Spider-man leaps over his head landing behind him and covering him with webbing tying his arms to his body. Spiderman then lifts his web covered body off the ground, hanging him upside down just in time for a camera stuck to the wall to flash taking his photo. Spider-man takes the camera and swings away as the police arrive to apprehend the Shocker.
Daily Bugle - New York
Later that day Peter Parker arrives at the Daily Bugle and asks to see Robinson. He shows the pictures he has of Spider-man battling the Shocker, Robinson smiles with delight, "These are great Peter, the best I've seen, Jameson is going to love them, come with me."
Inside Jameson's office JJ sits with an editor looking through large piles of photo's of the Shocker and Spider-man. Jonah complains that they're all crap and he can't even see him, "That's just a blur, what a load of crap."
He arrives at one and looks at it closely "Um I'm not sure what that is, is it a bird" he asks the editor who looks at it closely "I'm not sure, it kinda of looks like a plane" Jonah looks at it even harder, suddenly yelling "I know what it is, a piece of crap, get me some decent photos."
Robinson tentatively knocks on Jameson's door, "What do you want?" he yells, "Sir I have Peter Parker here, he took the shot of the Shocker yesterday" Jameson looks him up and down, "What this kid? He looks ten, why's he in my office?" Peter steps back uncomfortable with Jameson's combative style of conversation. "He's brought us some pictures of the Shocker and Spider-man in battle, they're really good." Jameson waves them in, Robinson hands him the photo's "Run it, front page," Jameson immediately exclaims handing the pictures to the editor then turning to Peter, "I'll put you on as a freelancer, get me more photo's like that and I'll keep signing cheques."
Peter smiles broadly, "Thank you sir" Jameson hands him a cheque for $500, "Um sir" Peter speaks softly, "What is it boy speak up" Jameson replies without looking up, "I was told I'd get $2000 for a photo of Spiderman."
Jamison stares at Peter intensely, "Everyone has to start somewhere, and that somewhere is the bottom. If you keep bringing me photos like this then you might start getting $1000 per photo, how does that sound? You can buy lots of candy with that."
Peter tries to reply but his mouth is dry, his nerves have taken over, "Ok sir" he replies limply and walks out of the office with Robinson placing a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry about Jameson, he'll soften up and pay what they're worth, just keep bringing good pictures."
Peter walks towards the front desk where Eddie Brock flirts with the receptionist Betty Brant. "So you're the kid with the photos?" Peter recognizes Eddie from the shuttle launch, "Yeah I guess." Eddie glares at him, "Don't get too comfortable kid, I'm the Daily Bugle's number one photographer, luck can only get you so far."
Peter is taken aback by Eddies confrontational tone, "Sorry Mr Brock, I'm only trying to make some money to help my aunt." Betty smiles warmly towards Peter, "Awwww that's so sweet, your aunt is very lucky to have you." Peter thanks her then leaves the building, Eddie shoots a look of disgust at Betty and storms off.
New York
A few days later Spider-man swings through the New York City skyline on his way to rescue a worker trapped in an unstable crane. As he swings past a figure emerges from the shadows, dressed in a Lab coat. He stands on the corner of the roof looking on as Spider-man helps the trapped man.
The man in the Lab coat turns revealing his identity as Curt Conners, he has two normal arms. He faces four other figures who emerge from the shadows, "You see Spider-Man is back as I predicted" he announces smugly, "What are we going to do about him? Are we going to eliminate him?" one of the figures asks, "No, no, we're not going to eliminate him we need him, he's a brother, a friend and an enemy, and you know what they say about friends and enemies" Connors asks rhetorically, he's met with silence from the four figures, he studies their faces for a sign of recognition, "Keep them close."