Spider-Man wonders how Harry Osborn keeps going as his business, the Coffee Bean, has been suffering financially ever since his father —Norman Osborn — cut him off from the family fortune.[1] Still, Harry tries to not only run a business but be a pillar of the community. Since Harry hasn’t been able to afford employees recently, Peter has been lending a hand, especially since he recently got fired as photographer for J. Jonah Jameson.[2] However, that’s not the only thing that keeps bringing him back, it’s also because he has a history at the Coffee Bean, recalling how he and his friends used to frequent the coffee shop all the time since their days at Empire State University. That’s when a collections officer for Black Gold Coffee comes looking for Osborn. Harry makes an excuse, saying that “Osborn” is recovering after a motorcycle accident and gives the collections agent all the money out of the tip jar to prevent getting cut off from his coffee supply. The agent tells Harry that he better get the rest of the money owed soon, warning him that even if the new business across the street puts the Coffee Bean under they’ll still hunt him down. Harry doesn’t know what he’s talking about until he looks across the street and sees that a new Bargain Donuts franchise is opening up there.

As Harry worries over the bills and the survival of his company, Peter assures him that with his friends they can help save the Coffee Bean. He gets a regular named Andy and his friends to start handing out flyers at Empire State University. Peter then guilts both Betty Brant and Norah Winter to do write-ups for Harry’s businesses. In the case of Winters, her write up in the Front Line is crowded by a massive advertisement for Bargain Donuts. Harry even organizes a rally, however when they ESU students who attend learn that Bargain Donuts is installing a 150-inch television this plan backfires as well. When Harry mentions trying to do web marketing, it gives Peter some inspiration of his own.

Later that day, Spider-Man is chasing after Screwball who is live-streaming her latest robbery as usual. Spider-Man takes this opportunity to snatches Screwball’s helmet camera and take it across town to the Coffee Bean to try and promote the coffee shop to her users. By this point, the representative from Black Gold Coffee has once again demanded payment. Harry loses his temper and chases the man out with a broom, refusing to let the man from Black Gold badmouth his family name.[3] That’s when Spider-Man and Screwball arrive on the scene and continue their fight while Spider-Man tries to plug the Coffee Bean. Seeing the wall-crawler angers Harry even more and he attacks Spider-Man with the broom, telling the masked hero he doesn’t need his help. That’s when Mary Jane arrives to show her support. Surprisingly, it’s Mary Jane’s celebrity status that brings everyone to the Coffee Bean, saving the company from going bankrupt.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Screwball, Harry Osborn, Betty Brant, Norah Winters, Mary Jane Watson, Flash Thompson

Continuity Notes

1. Norman disowned his son after he refused his offer to become the Dark Avenger’s American Son as seen in Amazing Spider-Man #595-599.

2. Peter got fired from this job in Amazing Spider-Man #624.

3. Harry mentions how things didn’t turn out as planned for himself as well as his friends Flash Thompson and Gwen Stacy. He’s referring to two very specific things

   • Recently, Flash lost his legs while on a tour of duty in the Middle East, as seen in Amazing Spider-Man #574

   • Gwen Stacy on the other hand, was murdered in the prime of her life as seen in Amazing Spider-Man #121.

Topical References

• iPods, Plasma televisions