Amazing Spider-Man (vol. 2) #1.2
Learning to Crawl Part Two
Inspired by Spider-Man and other super-heroes, Clayton Cole has decided to become one as well. With his high-tech sound gear and costume, he has decided to call himself the Clash. Deciding that he needs a villain to fight, Clash listens in to the police band and hears about how the Vulture just struck again.[1] Using his sonic powers to fly, Clash begins showing off to the crowd below until he catches up with the Vulture. However, when there are reports of Spider-Man breaking into the Baxter Building, the Clash decides to head off and see the possible fight between Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four.[2]
However, when the Clash arrives, Spider-Man is leaving, vowing to make the Fantastic Four look like pikers. The Clash tries to catch up with Spider-Man in the hopes of meeting him, but Clayton’s sonic boots begin running low on power. He is forced to stop on a Daily Bugle billboard denouncing Spider-Man as a menace. There he wonders why he can’t catch a break.
The following day, Peter Parker is late for his Thursday afternoon session with Mr. Flannigan, the school counselor. Flannigan notices that Peter has a black eye and asks him to talk about it, telling him everything he says is off the record. Peter recalls getting it when the Fantastic Four’s Thing punched him in the eye and makes a joke about walking into something. Flannigan tells Peter that if he is not open with him he can’t help. Peter then realizes that he could talk about his experiences as Spider-Man in vague ways to get Flannigan off his back. Thinking of his recent clash with the Fantastic Four, Peter tells the counselor that he has a hard time fitting in with the cool kids. Flannigan then asks Peter to sit outside for a moment and calls Flash Thompson into his office to talk. Thinking that Flash was responsible for Peter’s black eye, he warns Thompson to lay off Parker, threatening to pull him from the football team if the bullying continues. He then makes Flash and Peter shake hands and make a truce. However, Flash uses this opportunity to warn Peter that he can get back at him without raising a finger.
Flannigan then decides that Peter needs to engage in after school activities. He takes Parker down to the AV Club where he is introduced to Polly McKenna and her classmates, Martin and Lawson. He then shows Peter the bulletin board of upcoming school events. Peter takes particular interest in the regional science fair hosted by Osborn Chemical which is offering a cash prize for the winner. Since money at home is tight, Peter figures that he and Aunt May could use that prize money. Peter wishes he could live in a world where he doesn’t have to worry about stuff like this.
Meanwhile, Clayton Cole is showing his parents a version of his sonic pulse generator by making a done fly around by soundwaves. His parents are impressed with his creation and Clayton’s father gives him an advance on his allowance. That night, as the Clash, Clayton pays a visit to the office of Maxie Shiffman. Shiffman tells the youth that he isn’t representing costume acts and complains how Spider-Man washed up the business. However, the Clash isn’t looking for work, but looking to hire Spider-Man for a one-on-one session together.
The following day, Mr. Flannigan takes Peter and the AV Club to set up their equipment at the science exhibit. Peter reluctantly joined but can’t help but worry about the current financial struggles and is debating getting a job. Eventually, an exhibit on spiders attracts his attention. It’s then that the Chameleon sends out a message to Spider-Man inviting him to a profitable meeting. This is picked up by Peter’s spider-sense and decides to cut out and see what this offer is all about.[3]
This meeting turns out to be a disaster and later, Aunt May watches the news coverage about how Spider-Man assisted in the capture of the Chameleon, a Russian spy. May is wondering what the world is coming to when she hears a loud thump from upstairs. Fearing it might be another burglar, she calls up to Peter. Peter tells her he is fine but not to come in because he is still wearing his Spider-Man costume. May doesn’t understand why Peter doesn’t want her to come in and considers using her key to unlock the door, but decides against it. As she leaves, she tells Peter that dinner is in the fridge. Peter sulks in his room because, on top of being tricked by the Chameleon, Spider-Man’s successful rescue of a space capsule a few days earlier. Although Spider-Man saved his son, J. Jonah Jameson is spinning the news to continue his crusade against the wall-crawler. Peter can’t understand why people continue to see him as the bad guy when he’s just trying to do the right thing.
The next day at lunch, Peter is eating with the AV Club who are going over the internet buzz about Spider-Man’s recent clash with the Chameleon. The Daily Bugle is accusing Spider-Man of being a spy, something that Flash Thompson doesn’t agree with. Peter is surprised to learn that Flash actually like Spider-Man. They then watch an interview with Maxie Shiffman, who denies the allegations against his client. Shiffman also uses the opportunity to send a message to Spider-Man, who hasn’t been answering his e-mail, asking him to come by his office as he has a new job lined up.
Peter decides to pay Shiffman a visit as Spider-Man and see what he wants. Maxie tells him that he is being hired for a one-on-one fight with a client. At first, Spider-Man refuses to do the job, but relents because he really needs the money. He soon meets with the Clash, who wants to record a fight between him and Spider-Man across the rooftops of the Upper West Side. The Clash gushes over Spider-Man and tells him how he was inspired by the web-slinger. Spider-Man is only interested in getting paid and getting this over with. However, when they finally start sparring, Spider-Man’s spider-sense warns him of danger, causing him to leap out of the way of one of Clash’s sonic blasts which was powerful enough to shatter a chimney. The web-head decides to pull the plug and webs up Clash. The Clash can’t believe it because they were supposed to fight for an hour and the Clash was supposed to win. Spider-Man makes a joke about how his webbing will dissolve in an hour and that Clash won because he’s fleeing the scene. Clayton is hurt by this rejection and decides that Spider-Man is nothing more than a fake that only cares about money. Spider-Man figure he should feel bad, but after all of his recent troubles he feels better taking out his frustrations on someone else.
However, he decides to take responsibility for his past actions. Back at school, he has a meeting with Mr. Flannigan and Flash Thompson and admits that Flash didn’t give him his black eye. Flannigan is convinced, and Flash takes this as an opportunity to not get immediately blamed if Parker gets any new bruises. Flannigan is disappointed with Peter’s behavior and admits that he’s not sure if he can trust Peter in the future. He also reports this back to Aunt May, who decides to check on Peter. When she discovers his door locked again she decides to unlock it and see what he is doing. Going inside, May is shocked to see the window open and no sign of her nephew.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Clash, Mr. Flannigan, Flash Thompson, Polly McKenna, Maxie Shiffman, Aunt May, Chameleon, Vulture
Continuity Notes
This crime spree is what prefaced Spider-Man’s later battle with the Vulture in Amazing Spider-Man #2.
This battle between Spidey and the FF took place way back in Amazing Spider-Man #1.
Spider-Man’s meeting with the Chameleon also happened in Amazing Spider-Man #1.
