Learning to Crawl Part Three

Clayton Cole was humiliated by Spider-Man. Going over the footage he filmed of their mock battle, he thinks about how he was responsible for Spider-Man becoming famous. When none of the footage is usable, Clayton begins to rage. His mother then comes knocking at his door and asks him to keep it down. Using his sonic generator, Clayton seals himself in a bubble of null-sound so he can rage and play his music as loud as he wants without disturbing his parents. His rage growing, Clayton vows to get revenge against Spider-Man.

Meanwhile, Peter Parker has returned home and is horrified to see that Aunt May has unlocked his door and been snooping around his room. She is concerned Peter is selling drugs based on his chemistry set and an unmarked envelope of money in his room. Quick thinking, Peter tells her that the money is from an anonymous donor in the neighborhood and that he is actually working on something for the regional science fair, showing her the advertisement he got at school. He then shows her his web-fluid, telling her that it is a new type of adhesive. This relieves May, who apologizes for doubting him and goes back downstairs. However, Peter feels bad for lying to his Aunt, and worries that if people like J. Jonah Jameson have their way, Spider-Man will be arrested and locked away. Peter then wonders why his life has become a big mess of late.

The next day, as students are setting up for the regional science fair, the AV Club at Midtown High takes pictures for the year book. Most of the exhibits are super-hero themed but Polly McKinna is impressed by the demonstration on sound being set up by Clayton Cole. When she expresses an interest in both his work and super-heroes, he tells her that she should check out his exhibit on Saturday, intending on showing up as the Clash.

Back at Midtown High, Peter is busy in science class when he overhears Flash Thompson talking about the recent rash of crimes being committed by the Vulture. He is particularly interested in how people will pay a fortune for a photo of the criminal. Peter rushes home after school and asks to borrow his Uncle Ben’s old camera. Surprised to find himself putting on his Spider-Man costume again, Peter goes out looking for the Vulture so he can snap a picture of him.[1] Spider-Man scours the city and eventually his spider-sense pin-points the Vulture. However, as he is busy snapping photos the Vulture sneaks up behind the wall-crawler and clobbers him. Spider-Man decides to use his scientific expertise to build a device to negate the magnetic harness the Vulture uses to fly. This time, not only does Spider-Man get the photos of the Vulture, he also documents his defeat. He then takes the photos to J. Jonah Jameson of the Daily Bugle. Jameson agrees to buy the photos under the condition that Peter remain anonymous.

He then rushes home ot show Aunt May the big bonus that Jameson paid to him and assures her that their money problems are over. May is pleased and decides to take a more active role in Peter’s life, starting by visiting the science exhibition he’s participating in.

The next day, Peter is demonstrating his anti-magnetic inverter to the judges. However, they aren’t overly impressed by Peter’s plain demonstration since all of the other exhibits are super-hero themed. That’s when Aunt May arrives and Peter introduces him to his friends in the AV Club. May is particularly delighted to learn that one of them, Polly McKinna, is a girl. When Clayton Cole notices Polly talking to Peter and his Aunt May, he becomes jealous and decides to go change into Clash so he can really impress people. As May goes to talk to Mr. Flannigan, Peter’s school counsilor, Polly asks him about his invention. That’s when the Clash arrives to demonstrate his sonic device. Recognizing Clash from earlier, Peter takes his appearance as a threat and slips off to change into Spider-Man.

Spider-Man ambushes the clash and the pair begin to fight it out in the middle of the science fair. When the Clash makes the roof cave in, Spider-Man holds up the debris while people clear out. Seeing Spider-Man up close upsets May, who calls both he and the Clash monsters. With the Clash assaulting him with sonic blasts, Spider-Man quickly shuts off his devices using his anti-magnetic inverter. Once everyone is clear, Spider-Man demands to know if Aunt May is safe. Mr. Flannagan assures him that May is fine, and May tells Spider-Man to get away from her. Ashamed that his Aunt fears him, Spider-Man makes a quick exit. While Peter changes out of his costume and reunites with his Aunt, Clayton is furious that Spider-Man upstaged him as he was going to unmask and impress everyone at the science fair. When he returns home and tells his parents what happened — omitting that he was the Clash — Clayton’s parents are disappointed and instantly dismiss the entire thing. This leads Clayton to blame Spider-Man for this and once again vows to get back against the web-slinger.

Meanwhile, Peter returns home with his Aunt May and she has nothing nice to say about Spider-Man. She tells him that Jameson was right about the masked vigilante and hopes that whoever raised him are ashamed. Hearing all of this, Peter wonders what he should do now that he has let down both his Aunt and Uncle. Now she thinks Spider-Man is worse than the drug dealer she feared that Peter was earlier and figures his career as Spider-Man is finished.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, the Clash, Aunt May, Polly McKenna, J. Jonah Jameson, Mr. Flannigan, Vulture

Continuity Notes

1. This whole squence is lifted from Amazing Spider-Man #2. This story obviously takes place in between the events of Spider-Man’s first encounter for the Vulture.