Untold Tales of Spider-Man #11
Shock Follows Shock!"
At a New York Correctional Facility on Long Island, Max Dillon fumes in his cell as his bunkmate mocks him over his last defeat.[1] That's when the Eel arrives outside the cell in his helicopter and blasts open the wall. Dillon accepts the Eel's offer of an escape, leaving Ramon behind as punishment for not showing respect. As the two villains getaway, the Eel reveals his true identity -- Leopold Stryke -- to Max. He explains that like Electro against Spider-Man, the Eel is always defeated by the Human Torch.[2] When the Eel suggests that they team-up and combine their electrical powers, Electro gladly accepts the offer.
Meanwhile, in Forest Hills, Peter Parker is busy mending his costume when suddenly there is a knock on his window. Quickly hiding his costume, he is surprised when a costumed woman calling herself Bluebird enter his bedroom. Fearing that this intruder may have seen his costume, Peter begins sputtering an excuse. However, his worries are unfounded as Bluebird -- who did not see Peter's Spider-Man costume -- takes off her mask revealing herself to be his classmate Sally Avril. She explains that after she helped Spider-Man takedown Electro she became inspired to use her gymnastic abilities to fight crime. She then reveals that her gear was created by Jason Ionello, who used his father's engineering equipment. She then asks Peter to take pictures of her as Bluebird for the Daily Bugle as he does with Spider-Man. However, Peter warns Sally that costumed heroics are dangerous and refuses to be any part of her stunt. Insulted, Sally swings out the window, warning Peter that if he doesn't do it, she will tell everyone at school that she will tell everyone about his secret photography job.[3] Not liking the idea of being blackmailed for such a stupid stunt, Peter decides to do something to try and stop Sally from putting her life at risk.
The next day at school, Peter decides to reveal his photography career to his fellow students as part of a class project.[4] While this comes as a surprise to his fellow students, they are all delighted by the photos, particularly Flash Thompson who is Spider-Man's biggest fan. The only person unhappy with this revelation is Sally Avril, who no longer has a bargaining chip to hold over Peter's head. Although Peter's report ruins Sally's plans, it suddenly gains unwanted attention from Flash Thompson. Flash has decided to make Peter his new best friend in the hopes of meeting his idol, even going so far as inviting Peter out with him and Liz Allan after class. Although Peter sees right through Flash's transparent ploy, he goes along with it anyway. Later, at a diner, Peter overhears a radio report about the Eel and Electro attacking the Con Edison building downtown. Peter tries to rush off on his own, but Flash insists on he and Liz tagging along.
Although they arrive on the scene in time to hear the two villains threaten to shut off the city power supply, Peter can't get away from Flash and Liz to change into Spider-Man. After delivering their demands, Electro and the Eel escape in the Eel's helicopter. Telling Flash that he needs to change the film in his camera, Peter at least slips away long enough to tag the Eel's escape vehicle with one of his spider-tracers. Flash is disappointed that Spider-Man didn't show up, but Peter tries to explain that Spider-Man is unpredictable and doesn't always show up when you'd expect him to. After getting a ride to the Bugle with Flash, Peter develops his photos, but J. Jonah Jameson is uninterested in the bland on-the-scene photographs that Peter was forced to take. Worse, Betty Brant is still giving him the cold shoulder after her brother's death in Philidelphia. When Peter tries to get her to talk about what's wrong, she rebuffs him again. When Peter leaves, Betty allows herself to break down to tears.[5]
By the time Peter has gotten home, Aunt May tells him that Betty Brant has called a number of times. However, Peter has other concerns as he rushes up to his room. Digging through a box of radio parts he finds the radio transmitter that allows him to track his spider-tracers.[6] With the tracking device, Spider-Man manages to track down Electro and the Eel to a power station in Brooklyn. After setting up his camera to take photos, Spider-Man then ambushes the two villains. Although Spider-Man is able to hold his own against both the Eel and Electro, things become more dangerous when Bluebird arrives to join the battle. The wall-crawler tries to convince Bluebird that it is too dangerous and that she needs to getaway. However, Bluebird insists that she has the situation under control. She tosses one of her ether filled eggs at Electro, however, she quickly realizes how useless the weapon is when the ether quickly evaporates when exposed to air. Meanwhile, Flash Thompson, Liz Allan, and Jason Ionello arrive on the scene hoping to catch a glimpse of Spider-Man in battle.
Back inside, Spider-Man manages to take charge of the situation by pulling out the Anti-Magnetic Inverter device which he has modified for this battle.[7] The wall-crawler uses this device to reverse the Eel's electric field turning him into a human magnet that attracts Electro to him. With both villains incapacitated, Bluebird kicks them into the water below the water station, much to Spider-Man's annoyance because it allows them to get away. With his classmates arriving on the scene, Spider-Man leaves, saying that he is going to track down his foes. In reality, he recovers his camera and changes back into Peter Parker so that he can safeguard his identity. Not far away, Electro pulls himself out of the water, vowing never to take on a partner again. When Flash asks Peter if Spider-Man if he talked to Spider-Man, Peter decides to use this as an opportunity to make Thompson hate him again. Peter goes on a tirade about how he and Spider-Man aren't friends, how he keeps to the shadows when he takes his photos, and how the wall-crawler probably doesn't like him because he sells his photos to the Daily Bugle. This causes Flash to once again consider Peter a coward and a weasel and warns Parker that he is going to tell everyone about this at school the next day. Pouring salt on his wounds, Peter watches as Flash and the others ask Bluebird for autographs and wonders what he is going to do about Sally Avril.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Bluebird, Electro, Eel, Flash Thompson, Liz Allan, Jason Ionello, Seymour O’Reilly, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Brant, Aunt May
Continuity Notes
↑ Electro was defeated by Spider-Man in Untold Tales of Spider-Man #7, although to add insult to injury, the wall-crawler allowed Sally Avril and Jason Ionello to take credit for his capture.
At the time of this story the Eel had been defeated by the Torch twice in Strange Tales #112 and 117 respectively.
At the time of this story, Peter Parker had just recently started taking photos for the Daily Bugle. When he got the job in Amazing Spider-Man #2, he asked J. Jonah Jameson to keep his name out of the paper. Peter's fear at the time was that people could connect his photos to Spider-Man and expose his double identity.
Among the photos that Peter shows his classmates are Spider-Man's battles with the Vulture, Sandman, Electro and the Enforcers. Peter says these are his "earliest photos" placing these battles as happening in Amazing Spider-Man #2, 4, 9 and 10 respectively.
Betty's brother, Bennett, seemingly died during a battle between Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus in Amazing Spider-Man #11. However, unknown to everyone at this time, Bennett survived as explained in Venom Vol 2 #21. He will eventually resurface in Venom Vol 2 #1.
At the time of this story, Peter needed a device to follow his spider-tracers. He will later develop a new model that he can track with his spider-sense in Amazing Spider-Man #51.
This is the same device that Spider-Man created in Amazing Spider-Man #2 to defeat the Vulture.
