Squash Goes the Spider!

Spider-Man notices a security camera recording him changing back into Peter Parker and webs it up, however, he is too late as Spencer Smythe (who had taken control of the camera) had already taken a picture of Spider-Man's real face. Deciding to err on the side of caution, Spider-Man pays a visit to Curt Connors and uses his lab to create a synthetic mask based on his own face to try and reverse any potential compromise the camera has caused his secret identity.

As news about the theft of the control device to the police's security cameras gets out to the Bugle, Smythe invites various underworld types to try to get them to buy his services. He reveals to them that thanks to his brilliance he has learned the secret identity of Spider-Man. However, when he trains the camera on Spider-Man again, the wall-crawler is ready with his synthetic Parker mask and takes it off in front of the camera, which discredits Smythe. However, Smythe offers to make it up by attacking Spider-Man in his new Spider-Slayer model, which is piloted by himself.

Meanwhile, Spider-Man spots another protest happening in front of the police station, the people there are protesting the privacy invasion caused by the polices cameras. Surprisingly enough, J. Jonah Jameson is in the crowd lending his support. Spider-Man pops in and tells them that he agrees with them before slinging off and returning to his civilian identity.

He briefly checks in on Harry when Mary Jane and other revelers come with pizza. When Mary Jane asks Peter he's in he tells her that he's got a date with Gwen. When Peter meets up with Gwen, he learns that they aren't going out on a date so much as checking in on Flash Thompson, who Gwen is worried about since he's come back from Vietnam. When Flash Thompson loses his temper over their concern, the couple decides to leave him be and go out for a romantic evening together.

After his date with Gwen is over, Peter changes into Spider-Man, when he detects that he's being monitored by the security cameras, he soon finds out who's been watching when he's attacked by Smythe in his new Spider-Slayer robot.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Spencer Smythe, Mary Jane Watson, Harry Osborn, Gwen Stacy, Flash Thompson, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Curt Connors, Randy Robertson

Continuity Notes

• Spider-Man finds it almost hard to believe that Curt Connors was once the Lizard. Spider-Man has been regularly saving Connors from transformations into the Lizard since Amazing Spider-Man #6.

• References to Flash Thompson had fought in the Vietnam War should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616. Per History of the Marvel Universe #1, Flash may have fought in the fictional Sin Cong Conflict.