The Measure of a Man!

When Peter Parker takes Mary Jane out on a date to a local circus, the two find that the Man-Thing is one of the exhibits on display in the circus. When Parker tries to use his press credentials to inquire about the bog-monster, the owner of the circus kicks him and Mary Jane out. Feeling sorry for the Man-Thing, Peter returns as Spider-Man and breaks Man-Thing free with the help of the circus' security guard, who is a big Spider-Man fan.

With the help of Curt Connors' pilot Nina, Spider-Man arranges to travel back to Florida to return the Man-Thing to his swamp. Along the way, the plane experiences an explosion and crashes. Only the quick thinking of Spider-Man saves them from permanent damage. Leaving Nina and her co-pilot behind to get help, he follows the Man-Thing, hoping the revitalized bog monster will bring him to civilization.

Instead, Spider-Man finds a strange cabin where Dakimh and Jennifer Kale have been tied up. This is really a disguised spire erected by the demon named D'Spayre, who hopes to plunge the universe into a state of deep despair. When the Man-Thing cannot help but burst into flames due to its fear of D'Spayre, Peter tries to fight off the demon but succumbs to its attacks, which cause him to become a sobbing coward.

Eventually, Spider-Man gets over his fear, and in a fit of rage beats D'Spayre into unconsciousness until he is stopped by Kale and Dakimh. The two mystics destroy D'Spayre's tower and return to their mystical realm with D'Spayre. With the memories fleeting in his mind, Spider-Man wonders if the whole experience was only a dream or if it really happened.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Man-Thing, Mary Jane Watson, Jennifer Kale, D’Spayre, Amos Jardine, Dakhim the Enchanter

Continuity Notes

• Spider-Man wonders if the Man-Thing remembers him from their last encounter, that happened in Giant-Size Spider-Man #5. He also recalls Man-Thing's rampage in Atlanta, that happened in Man-Thing #19-22.

• The man who pays for Spider-Man and Man-Thing's chartered flight is Dane Gavin of the New York Ecological History Museum. He examined the Man-Thing in Giant-Size Man-Thing #2.