Untold Tales of Spider-Man #8
Harry's Story
Harry Osborn bursts into his father's office to show him the front page of the Daily Bugle, which features a story about how Spider-Man recently captured the Big Man and his Enforcers.[1] Norman is not happy with the interruption, telling his son that he can't just stop his business to deal with his son's constant interruptions. However, Harry was just trying to help since he noticed that his father had been clipping crime stories out of the newspaper. Still, Norman doesn't want any interruptions and tells his son to leave. Harry doesn't understand what has made his father so angry recently and sheepishly leaves the room. On his way out, Harry tells Norman that he is going to the movies with Gwen Stacy, but Norman isn't the least bit interested. With Harry finally gone, Norman opens the door to his secret lab so he can focus on his real work. Inside the privacy of his lab, Osborn thinks about how opportunity has struck for him. After discovering that his partner, Mendel Stromm, was embezzling money from the company he was able to take full control of the company. With Stromm's notes, he began working on one of his experiments when it suddenly exploded in his face. After the accident, he was given new clarity on what to do next.[2] Deciding that the world belongs to the strong, he hired the Scorcher to steal more scientific secrets for him. Inspired by other super-powered criminals, he has been using these stolen secrets to his advantage. Now, after all this time, he is about ready to strike, all he needs to do is wait for the right moment. That's when the police scanner on his desk reports that the Enforcers have escaped police custody. Taking this as a sign, Norman contacts one of his agents, telling him that it is time to act.
At that moment, Spider-Man is battling Fancy Dan in the middle of a crowded shopping mall. That's when Dan's partner, Montana, tries to rope the wall-crawler in his lasso but the hero turns this around and tosses Montana into Dan. He is about to deal with Ox when he hears the cable of a nearby elevator snap. Letting Ox go, Spider-Man quickly stops the falling elevator and webs it in place. This leaves him open to attack from the man responsible for cutting the elevator cable, an ax-wielding maniac calling himself the Headsman. Between his hover platform and electronically enhanced ax, the Headman keeps Spider-Man on the defensive. This allows the Enforcers to regroup, but the Headman tells him to escape handing them a slip of paper with an address where they should meet. The Headsman then resumes his attack on the wall-crawler. With a single swing of his ax barely misses the web-spinner, but slices open his mask. Fearing that someone might see his face, Spider-Man flees the scene.
Outside, Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy are walking toward the mall. Along the way, Harry talks about how his father has been very distant recently. Gwen can relate, telling Harry that her father often gets deeply involved in his work with the police. At the main entrance to the mall, the pair is almost bowled over by Peter Parker who is rushing out. Peter trips and falls to the ground, dropping a roll of film he was carrying. The Parker luck strikes again as the roll of film rolls toward Flash Thompson, Jason Ionello, and Sally Avril. Jason mocks Peter over what could be contained in the roll of photography. However, Peter tells him that it is none of his business, grabs the roll of film back, and runs away. Flash tells them to forget about Peter Parker as he wants to go inside the mall and try and get some kind of souvenir of Spider-Man's battle. The only person who finds Peter's behavior suspicious is Sally Avril who lingers outside for a moment to watch Parker run away before following the others. Watching this whole display, Harry Osborn recognizes Flash Thompson as the quarterback for Midtown High. However, he dismisses the whole thing as unimportant. Despite this dismissal, Gwen wonders where the other boy could be going in such a hurry.
Later, Peter Parker arrives at the Daily Bugle where he discovers that Betty still isn't back yet.[3] That's when J. Jonah Jameson comes out of his office, he is upset that circulation is down after the Big Man bust as it was revealed that one of the Bugle's reporters, Frederick Foswell, was exposed as the notorious mobster. However, Jonah quickly changes his tune when Peter shows him a roll of film containing Spider-Man's battle with the Enforcers and the Headsman. After haggling with Jameson about his payment, he warns Jonah against spinning things to make it look like Spider-Man helped the Enforcers escape, suspecting that Spider-Man might capture the mobsters later.
That evening, atop the Osborn Chemical building, Harry Osborn is upset that his father has locked himself in his lab again. That's when he hears a noise from down below. Looking, he spots the Enforcers entering the building and fears that his father might be in danger. Spotting Spider-Man swinging by, Harry rushes inside and uses a distress flare to get the web-slinger's attention. Seeing the flare, Spider-Man goes to the Osborn building where he interrupts the meeting between the Headsman and the Enforcer. As Spider-Man battles the villains, Harry thinks he has done something right and tries to tell his father. After dropping some machinery on the Enforcers, Spider-Man then turns his attention to the Headsman. Realizing that the villain needs a power-pack to power his weapon, the wall-crawler damages the power-source. That's when Ox pulls himself out of the rubble and tries to attack Spider-Man again. However, Spider-Man is able to take down his weakened foe with a single punch. Unfortunately, this is all the distraction the Headsman needs to make a hasty retreat. While Spider-Man congratulates himself for a job well done, Harry tries to get his father to come out of his office, but to no avail. Inside, Norman Osborn is furious that his latest operative has failed. Deciding to take matters in his own hand, Norman begins sketching the first designs for his new criminal identity. His initial sketch is the face of a goblin.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Enforcers (Montana, Ox, Fancy Dan), Headsman, Norman Osborn, Harry Osborn, Gwen Stacy, Flash Thompson, Sally Avril, Jason Ionello, J. Jonah Jameson
Continuity Notes
At the time of this story, Spider-Man had recently defeated the Big Man, as seen in Amazing Spider-Man #10.
Norman Osborn taking control of his company and the explosion that gave him his Goblin powers were originally detailed in Amazing Spider-Man #40.
Betty abruptly left the Daily Bugle in Amazing Spider-Man #10. It is later revealed in Amazing Spider-Man #11 that Betty left to get her brother, Bennett, out of his gambling debts.
