Spider-Man Goes Mad!

Peter's day doesn't start off well as he breaks up a burglary, but can't sell pictures since Frederick Foswell spotted Spider-Man but not Peter Parker. While trying to hide from J. Jonah Jameson at The Daily Bugle, he spots a letter from Ned Leeds to Betty Brant. When Peter comments on it, as much as he tries, he comes off as jealous and webslings around the city to keep his mind off of it. Suddenly, Jameson decides to have Bugle staff interview normal people and tell them why they hate Spider-Man (even if the Bugle staff never publish the good things). When Flash catches wind of this, he scares all the staff off. Meanwhile, Liz Allan allows Peter to be her tutor for science, much to Flash's dislike. As Jameson celebrates his biased poll, he gets a visit from Dr. Ludwig Rinehart who tells Jameson that due to a split personality between that of a man and a spider, it's only a matter of time before Spider-Man breaks down. When Peter hears this, he worries he might be going crazy and not know it. He makes his way down to the Bugle to tell Dr. Rinehart that he's wrong, but his spider-sense tells him that a jealous Flash is following him. Peter finally loses Flash covertly by throwing his "spider beam" to a roof while rounding a corner that Flash hasn't rounded yet. He gets distracted by the beam and loses interest in Peter.

Peter then turns into Spider-Man and makes his way to Jameson's office but, out of nowhere, Doctor Octopus comes to attack him but disappears just as quick. This repeats again with Sandman as well as The Vulture and Spider-Man starts doubting his sanity. He worries that he might start attacking innocent people believing they're criminals so he heads home for rest. When he sees himself in the mirror, he decides not to wait and visits Dr. Rinehart immediately. As he enters the doctor's house, the entire room is upside down including the furniture, bookshelves, and even the doctor. As he runs to another room, it's also upside down and as Dr. Rinehart starts to consult him, Pete is taken to a room where everything is normal. As the consulting begins, more images of his enemies appear and vanish. At The Daily Bugle, however, Foswell comes to Jameson with news and Jameson tells the press room to kill the story on Rinehart as Jameson goes out to find him. Jameson enters in (with an angry Flash) just as Spider-Man is ready to confess who he is and confronts Dr. Rinehart of being a fraud. As the fraud is revealed, Flash tackles Jameson and Spider-Man runs after Dr. Rinehart realizing that the house had been staged with furniture nailed to the ceiling. The mask is pulled off and the doctor is none other than Mysterio.

Mysterio tells Jameson that due to his editorials he picked the right time for Spider-Man to crack and tells Jameson that had he not have interrupted, Spider-Man would have been finished. Liz finally catches up to Peter and they go out to study. Before doing so, Peter tells a worried Aunt May where he's going.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Aunt May, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Brant, Flash Thompson, Liz Allan, Mysterio, Frederick Foswell

Continuity Notes

• Certain elements in this story should be considered topical references per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616. Particularly, the type of camera that Spider-Man uses, and the massive hearing aid that is clipped onto "Doctor Reinhart's" jacket.

• There are a number of references to the fact that Frederick Foswell used to be the mob boss known as the Big Man until he was arrested. Those events are chronicled in Amazing Spider-Man #10.

• Peter discovers that Betty got a letter from Ned Leeds. He was sent to Europe on an assignment in Amazing Spider-Man #20.

• Mysterio uses the Dr. Ludwig Rinehart identity again in Amazing Spider-Man #193-198 and again to pose as Mary Jane Watson’s therapist circa Spectacular Spider-Man #200 as part of a complex scheme to manipulate Spider-Man, however this won’t be revealed until many years later in Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 5) #71.