O, Bitter Victory!

While trying to stop Doctor Winkler from brainwashing Captain Stacy, Spider-Man is suddenly ambushed by Winkler's employer: The Kingpin. The fight is a short one when Spidey is thrown into one of the machines. The resulting jolt blurs his vision enough to make him ineffective in a fight, and so he flees. With Spider-Man gone, the Kingpin completes brainwashing Stacy and lets him go. Stacy meets up with Gwen and Harry who are being told by Mary Jane about Spider-Man's appearance at the club; George alleviates any concern they have about what happened. Meanwhile, Spider-Man struggles to get around the city due to his double vision. Realising web-slinging is too dangerous in this condition, he resigns to change back into his civilian guise so he can get home safely.

That night, Peter has troubled dreams about what the Kingpin had done to Captain Stacy and decides to do something about it in the morning. When he wakes up, he finds his vision has improved, but it is still blurry. He then goes to the Stacy home where he asks to speak to Gwen's father. When Peter tries to confront George over what happened at the night club, Stacy attacks him, forcing Peter to defend himself. Gwen walks in on the situation, and her father accuses Peter of going mad and attacking him. When Peter tries to explain himself, Gwen is too upset to listen to him and tells him to leave and never see her again. Finally alone, George calls the Kingpin to advise him that Parker knows the truth. The Kingpin sends some men after Peter, though when they arrive only Harry is at home, so they instead wreck Peter and Harry's apartment.

However, when the Kingpin's goons force their way into the apartment Peter shares with Harry Osborn, they only find Harry. This is because Peter is visiting his Aunt May in the hospital. When he finally returns home, he is shocked to see that these men trashed their apartment. After learning what has happened, Peter decides to trail Stacy as Spider-Man and learn what the Kingpin has ordered him to do. Spider-Man photographs Stacy going into police headquarters stealing protected documents. Setting up his camera, Spider-Man jumps through the window and tries to stop Stacy. While struggling with some of the Kingpin's men, the wall-crawler is unprepared when George strikes him over the head with his cane. With Spider-Man knocked out, Stacy and the goons flee, deciding to steal the files some other time. When Spider-Man recovers, he takes his camera and flees the scene.

Examining his photos, Peter realises that he has evidence that will ruin any alibis that George Stacy might make, but debates what he should do with the photos. After much debate, Peter decides that giving the photos to the Daily Bugle to publish is the only way to stop the Kingpin and hopefully free Captain Stacy from his control. Jameson is excited to see the photos and orders a special edition to be published immediately. Some time later, Gwen collects the newspaper from her doorstep and is shocked to see the front page story about her father. She is in an even greater shock when she sees that the photos were taken by Peter Parker!

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Gwen Stacy, George Stacy, Harry Osborn, Mary Jane Watson, Dr. Winkler, Kingpin, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Brant, Joe Robertson (voice only), Aunt May, Anna Watson

Continuity Notes

• Spider-Man recalls his last battle with the Kingpin. That happened in Amazing Spider-Man #51.