Amazing Spider-Man (Canada) #2
Double Trouble!
Arriving in the town of Fredericton, New Brunswick, to cover the International Junior Science Fair, Peter Parker heads to the exhibition hall as Spider-Man. Along the way, he stops a mugging and is thanked by the local police. Once he arrives at the convention hall, Spider-Man changes back into his civilian guise. There he meets up with Beth Smith and her hockey coach.[1] He is also introduced to another winner from Winnipeg, a boy named Charlie. Charlie wonders why they are bothering as he believes Beth's project is sure to win. Both Peter and Beth's coach tell Charlie not to count himself or the other competitors short as they all have amazing projects.
Suddenly, Peter's spider-sense begins going off warning him of nearby danger. Remembering his clash with Electro in Winnipeg and how his partner was interested in Beth and managed to escape, he wonders if this man is somewhere in the room.[2] Peter's suspicions are correct as the man, actually his old foe the Chameleon, is among the attendees. Noting that everyone is in the exhibition hall, the Chameleon goes to the near boy hotel disguised as Beth's hockey coach and convinces the desk clerk to give him the key to Beth's hotel room. He searches Beth's room but can't find the notes for her science project. Deciding to change tactics, the Chameleon leaves the room and assumes the guise of a teenager in the hopes of befriending and gaining Beth's trust. Back at the convention hall, Beth's coach is giving a speech about good sportsmanship. The Chameleon asks to sit with Beth and Charlie, telling them his name is Dave and tells the youths that they are going to be good friends. Suddenly, a kid is about to fall off a nearby balcony but is saved at the last moment as Spider-Man. Seeing the hero, the Chameleon is surprised to see Spider-Man here as well. "Dave" invites Beth and Charlie to join him at the local video arcade that evening and agree to meet with him. This works into the Chameleon's hands, and he figures he knows just the way to get Beth's notes from her.
That evening, the kids play video games for hours, but Beth decides to call it a night and goes back to the hotel. The Chameleon is upset that she left before he could manipulate her but decides to focus his attention on Charlie. Talking as "just one of the guys", "Dave" learns that Charlie takes pills to make himself in order to get high. He then asks Charlie to do a favor for him. Later, when Beth returns to her hotel room, she finds the door unlocked. Inside she finds Charlie rummaging through her room and demands to know what he is doing. Charlie explains that he has come to make a copy of her notes in exchange for more drugs. She tells Charlie not to go through her stuff and he angrily tells her how jealous he is of her and the drugs make him feel better. He then storms out of the room, running into Peter Parker in the hall. Peter pokes his head into Beth's room and asks what's wrong. She tells him it's nothing, but spotting some of Charlie's pills on top of her dresser, he realizes that there is something she isn't telling him.
Soon, Charlie is back at the video arcade telling "Dave" that he failed to get the notes. "Dave" tells him that it is no big deal and gives him more drugs. Soon, Charlie goes back to Beth's room to apologize for how he was acting. Beth also apologizes for over-reacting and tells Charlie that he's smart as well, otherwise, he'd wouldn't be at the international expo and tells him that he doesn't need drugs to accomplish anything. Suddenly, they are interrupted by a man who appears to be Spider-Man. He tells Beth that there is an emergency and that her notes will help solve the crisis. Beth hands over the notes without question and this man leaves out the window, where he bumps into the real Spider-Man. The two struggle over the notes, but ultimately Spider-Man recovers them, forcing the Chameleon to flee. As he does, he shoves a kid walking on the street with his mother. When the real Spider-Man arrives, the mother berates him for pushing her son, but he points out that it was an impostor. However, this is enough of a distraction for the Chameleon to change disguises. Around the corner, Spider-Man runs into "Dave" who doesn't help him with his search. With no sign of the Chameleon, Spider-Man returns to Beth's hotel room and hands back her notes.
Unaware that the drugs in her room were Charlie's, Spider-Man gives her a speech about the dangers of drugs. Charlie fears that she is going to tell Spider-Man that they are his, but she doesn't say a thing. As he leaves, Spider-Man decides to keep a close eye on Beth the following day. The next day, Peter Parker is taking photos of the science fair and keeps an eye out for his foe. He spots a judge taking Beth's notes and trying to flee the scene. Peter slips away and changes into Spider-Man, but loses sight of the phony judge among the crowd. Looking around, Spider-Man spots "Dave" trying to rush from the scene. Spider-Man webs him up and recovers Beth's notes. That's when the Chameleon drops his disguise and activates a trap he set up in advance. Suddenly, a number of the science exhibits begin to run wild. While Spider-Man helps the attendees, the Chameleon resumes his "Dave" disguise and bets, Charlie and Beth, to help free him. When Beth points out that Spider-Man wouldn't have webbed up "Dave" unless he was dangerous. Charlie finally realizes that "Dave" isn't looking out for his best interest and throws his drugs into the Chameleon's face. With the rogue science exhibits stopped, Spider-Man makes sure everyone is okay and turns the Chameleon over to the police.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Chameleon
Continuity Notes
The hockey coach is depicted as Herb Carnegie, a retired hockey player who played for the Quebec Aces from 1944-1954. Like all real-life people, his appearance here should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616. Particularly since Mr. Carnegie passed away in 2012.
These events occurred in Amazing Spider-Man: Skating on Thin Ice #1.
