Amazing Spider-Man #516
Skin Deep Part Two
Now
In order to prevent getting his experiment shut down, Charlie Weiderman tried to rush the creation of his experimental metal skin that would be used to protect American soldiers. Unfortunately, his sloppy work resulted in an explosion. When firefighters arrive on the scene they find Charlie, who is still alive because he was coated in the protective metal. When the firefighters try to carry him to safety, Charlie wakes up and struggles to get free. The result of the fight causes one of the firefighter’s oxygen tanks to rupture, causing another explosion, allowing Weiderman to escape.
Meanwhile, Peter and Mary Jane are getting ready for the day when Peter catches a news report about the explosion at Charlie’s lab. Knowing he should have done something soon, Peter changes into Spider-Man and swings off to the scene. As he goes, Peter thinks back to his high school days when he used to know Charlie Weiderman.
Then[1]
One day, Peter met up with Charlie and noticed that he had a black eye. When Peter asks what happened, Charlie tells him that it is the guys who bully him at school. No matter how hard he tries to avoid them they always find him and always beat on him. It’s the same in school, with the bullies constantly pushing him around and stealing his lunch money. He can’t tell any of the teachers because he’ll only get tormented even more and his parents choose not to see that their son is being bullied at school. Charlie thinks they won’t stop until something is done to make him stop, but when Peter asks what he’s talking about, Charlie went silent.
Later that day, Peter and Charlie were trying to get to class by cutting across the field but are stopped by the jocks who bully Charlie. They demand that Weiderman pay them to pass through. Peter then sees Charlie pull a pocket knife out of his back pocket and intentionally shoves into him, making Charlie drop the weapon. One of the jocks sees it and calls over the teacher who confiscates that weapon. When the coach demands to know who brought the knife to school, Peter takes the blame knowing that he won’t get in much trouble for having it. He makes an excuse that it belonged to his Uncle Ben and he was going to sharpen it in the metal shop as a surprise. Peter is taken to the office and his Uncle Ben is called and told what happened. On the ride home, Ben tells Peter that he went along with the lie that he told his teachers and wants to know the truth. When Peter tells him what really happened, Ben was actually proud of Peter.
Now
By this time, Spider-Man has arrived at the ruins of the science lab and overhears the assessment of the explosion at the science lab being made by firefighters on the scene. They confirm his fears that Charlie didn’t use the proper safety protocols and the explosion was due to his own negligence. They also report that they found Charlie and that his skin was coated with some kind of metal. More seriously, the authorities want to capture Charlie and at least charge him for manslaughter after everything happened. Having heard enough, Spider-Man swings off to continue searching for him.
He returns home and changes out of his costume to think about what to do next and what may have actually happened to Charlie. That’s when there is a knock at the door. Peter answers it and is shocked to see charlie, clad in a trenchcoat and hat. He opens the coat, revealing the metallic skin has covered his entire body. Charlie pleads with Peter to help him. This instantly reminds him of the last time Charlie came begging for his help…
Then
Charlie came running to the Parker home to ask Peter for help because he slashed his bullies bicycle tires. Coming downstairs, Uncle Ben and Aunt May hear that there are some boys after Charlie and suggest they call the police. Charlie panics saying it will only make things worse. That’s when the bullies arrive and demand they hand of Weiderman. Ben asks them to prove how they know Charlie slashed his tires. When they don’t, Ben tells them the only way they can get Charlie is by getting through him. The boys try to attack Ben, but he easily trounces them with his military training and sends the bullies packing.
Going back inside, Ben asks Charlie if he slashed their ties and he denies doing it. Ben can tell Charlie is lying and tells Peter that he is forbidden to associate with Charlie anymore. He tells Weiderman that he can stay for a half-hour, long enough for his bullies to leave the area, but then he has to go. Ben then warns Peter that he better be more careful when choosing friends otherwise he’ll never know what kind of trouble he’d get himself in.
Now
Peter tries to convince Charlie to turn himself in, especially since people died because of his carelessness. However, Charlie is too busy trying to come up with a scapegoat for the accident. He suggests they blame it on Spider-Man, but Peter refuses to lie for Charlie and tells him to turn himself in and get help. Charlie then loses his temper and strikes the wall so hard he shatters it. He orders Peter to help him or he’ll kill him and his entire family.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Charlie Weiderman, (in flashback) Aunt May, Uncle Ben
Continuity Notes
This story only states that this takes place before Peter was bitten by the radioactive spider that gave him his powers in Amazing Fantasy #15. Per Civil War #2, Peter was 15 years ago. According to Amazing Fantasy #17, Peter started going to Midtown High when he was 13 years old. So this story takes place in the 2-year span in-between. Peter first became Spider-Man during the first year of the modern age so these flashbacks take place a year or two before the beginning of the modern age, making them take place 12 or 13 years prior to this story.
