Bugs!

At the Marvel Comics office Al Milgrom is furious that his pencils for this months issue have all been rejected. Heading to the office of Danny Fingeroth. Instead he finds assistant editor Bob DeNatale in his place, and demands some answers. Bob explains that Danny has gone with the other Marvel editors to the San Diego Comicon and left all the assistant editors in charge of the company. Bob goes on to explain that although he likes Al's work he has a different vision of Spider-Man and introduces the man he's hired to write this months issue of Peter Parker: Fred Hembeck. When Hembeck turns over his finished pencils DeNatale is impressed much to Milgrom's chagrin. The story is as follows:

The Fly is back in New York, seeking to get revenge against Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson, the Wall-Crawler for his earlier defeat and Jameson for turning him into an inhuman freak. However along the way he stops to terrorize a garbage scowl's crow and much to his horror and disgust finds himself compulsively eating the garbage much like a real fly would.

Elsewhere in the city, Spider-Man is trying to get away from the Black Cat so that he can contemplate their relationship, however the Cat won't let him and tries to confront him about the situation. Finally stopping the Wall-Crawler the two talk things out. Spidey admits that he is concerned for the Black Cat's safety if she continues to act as his side-kick however she explains to him that she has the same need for adventure he does and the two sort it out and decide to make their partnership as crime fighters work. Spider-Man takes Felicia to the building across from the Daily Bugle and tells her that he works for the newspaper. Felicia is surprised to learn that Spider-Man uses a secret identity and has a day job. Spidey tries to explain that when he got his powers his old life didn't stop.

Before they can discuss this further, Spider-Man witnesses the Fly crash into the window into J. Jonah Jameson's office, where Jonah has been working on a new story. As they swing over to the Bugle building, Spider-Man explains his previous encounter with the Fly. When he tells Felicia to stay behind, she refuses and follows after him. While back in the office the Fly threatens Jonah until he is distracted by, and begins licking, a spilled can of soda. As Spider-Man and the Black Cat come to the rescue, Jonah learns that the two costumed adventurers are dating and tries to wrap his head around the concept.

The battle leads them down into the Daily Bugle's printing press with Jameson in tow. There the Fly becomes distracted by a sandwich and the heroes eventually manage to use it to trip up the villain leaving him easy prey when Spider-Man wraps him up in webbing, and save Jameson whom the Fly attempts to drop into the rolling printing press. With the Fly stopped, Spider-Man storms out and warns Jameson to do whatever it takes to restore the Fly to normal or next time the hero will not come to his rescue.

The story narrative is interrupted by the return of Danny Fingeroth returns to the office and is furious that Al Milgrom's pencils were replaced by that of Fred Hembeck and replaces the rest of Al's pages for the remainder of the story.

Spider-Man and the Black Cat make a stop on a rooftop where the Black Cat found the experience of seeing Spider-Man's civilian job exciting and asks if she can see where he lives. This cause an inner struggle with Spider-Man as he doubts once again if the Black Cat could love both Spider-Man and Peter Parker, but ultimately decides to take the chance and agrees to take her to see his place.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Black Cat, J. Jonah Jameson, Human Fly, Al Milgrom, Bob Harras, Fred Hembeck, Vision

Continuity Notes

• The appearance of the various members of Marvel Staff are exempt from the topical reference rules of the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616. All Marvel staffers exist in the modern age of Earth-616 and are in their relative prime.

• The Fly recounts his origins as they were told in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #10.

• Spider-Man worries that the Black Cat might get hurt like she did during his recent battle with Doctor Octopus in Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man #77.