Amazing Spider-Man #10
The Enforcers!
The crime boss Big Man has gathered a group called the Enforcers in order to strong arm all the other gangs in New York to work for him. When the other mobsters refuse, they are beaten into submission by Ox, Montana and Fancy Dan. Meanwhile, Peter visits his Aunt May in the hospital and is told that she needs a blood transfusion. He's worried that his radioactive blood would have an adverse effect on his aunt, but he is pressured into participating in the transfusion.
Later as Spider-Man, Peter busts some crooks working for the Big Man. When Jameson is on the scene, he demands that the police also arrest Spider-Man, because he suspects that Big Man and Spider-Man are the same character, and Spider-Man's aiding the law is just to throw the police off. Returning to the Bugle, he demands writer Frederick Foswell say as such in the Bugle's paper. Foswell reminds Jameson that the last time the Bugle reported that Spider-Man was doubling as a costumed villain (Electro), the Bugle ended up looking bad when it turned out to be false.
When Betty Brant gets off work, she is confronted by the Enforcers who are coming to collect a loan from her. Peter tries to get involved and allows the Enforcers to push him around, not wishing to reveal his identity. When Peter tries to find out what was going on, Betty flees.
Deciding to deal with the Enforcers and Big Man, Peter constructs a giant spider's web, complete with a giant spider in order to scare a crook stool pigeon into revealing the location of Big Man's secret hideout.
His battle with the Enforcers ends with the Enforcers retreating. When Spider-Man sees J. Jonah Jameson on the scene, he begins to suspect that Jameson might be the Big Man. Peter finds that Betty is not answering her phone, and later at the Bugle, he learns that she has quit her job.
Peter deals with the Big Man with a new plan: The next day at school, he brags about how he's figured out the Big Man's secret identity, hoping that word would get back to the Big Man. Sure enough, it does and the Big Man sends the Enforcers to capture Peter. Locked in a cell, Peter changes into Spider-Man and breaks out. He then battles Big Man, the Enforcers, and their hoods.
The Big Man escapes during the fight, but Spider-Man is more than convinced that Jameson is really the Big Man. Going to the Bugle to expose Jameson, he finds Jameson yelling at Foswell about the story he wrote when the police burst in and reveal the Big Man is Foswell, who shows that he pulled off the identity with padded clothing that made him look bigger. After the police take Foswell away, Jameson admits to himself that he hates Spider-Man because he represents everything that he is not. While Peter returns home to find that there is still no word from Betty Brant, Betty sits alone in a small town in Pennsylvania, wishing there was some way she could get Spider-Man's help.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Aunt May, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Brant, Flash Thompson, Liz Allan, Big Man, Enforcers (Montana, Ox, Fancy Dan)
Continuity Notes
The blood transfusion Peter gives to his Aunt May has dangerous consequences, as seen in Amazing Spider-Man #31-33.
The events of Untold Tales of Spider-Man #5-7 happen between pages 5 and 6 of this story.
Foswell reminds Jameson the folly of accusing Spider-Man of being the Big Man, pointing out how a similar incident with Electro last issue backfired on him.
The reason why the Enforcers are harassing Betty Brant here is revealed in next issue.
