All That Glitters

Peter Parker's landlady, Maimie Muggins, has come to his door with a copy of their lease agreement. Telling him that if he doesn't fix the fire damage done to his apartment in the next two days, she will have him evicted. Peter tries to tell her that he wasn't responsible for the damage done, but Muggins refuses to accept this excuse, telling him that repairs are his responsibility. Muggins hopes that she can finally be rid of Peter, especially after he was responsible for a vigilante movement in the neighborhood. Left with his thoughts, Peter thinks about all of the bad luck he has been having recently. Particularly the fact that his Aunt May's fiancee Nathan Lubensky is in the hospital after a beating that Peter could have prevented, and his trouble selling photos at the Daily Bugle. As he paces around his apartment, Peter kicks the golden notebook that he recovered from a building that the Beyonder had recently turned into gold. Peter considers the value of this notebook and that selling it could put him on easy street.

Suddenly, Peter realizes what time it is and that he is late to meet Aunt May at Nathan Lubensky's hospital room. As he begins changing into his black-and-white costume, Peter realizes that it smells pretty ripe. After a quick shower, he puts on his classic red-and-blue outfit even though it still smells smokey after the fire. Elsewhere, the Black Fox is walking down a street and leaps up onto a rooftop. He almost slips, realizing that he is getting too old for these sorts of stunts. Still, he climbs up onto the upper level of the building and deactivates the security alarm on a nearby window. Going inside, he greets his old friend and fence Andre Boullion to celebrate his recent release from police custody. The two toast the Black Fox's upcoming heist, but Andre explains that he can't help him fence it as the police will be monitoring his activities for the next few months. Thinking to himself, this complicates the Black Fox's plans, and he hopes that he can convince Bullion to make an exception in this case.

By this time, Peter arrives at the hospital and learns from Aunt May and Mary Jane that he just missed visiting hours. May tells Peter not to worry about it since Nathan is expected to return home the following day. When Peter apologizes to Nathan for being late, he gets a cold reception from his aunt's fiancee. Peter feels bad because Nathan feels that he is neglecting his Aunt May, and this just proves his point. On their way out, Aunt May tells Peter and Mary Jane that Nathan's health insurance is refusing to pay his hospital expenses because of the suspicious nature of his injuries. She then tells the pair that she and Nathan are too proud to accept any charity from them and leaves. Peter is hurt by his Aunt's inability to ask for help and decides that he needs to get some money fast. To this end, Peter goes to the Daily Bugle building to see if there are any assignments available for him. When he arrives it is in the middle of an argument between J. Jonah Jameson and Joe Robertson. When Peter tries to talk to Jonah, Jameson tells him to leave him alone.

Peter learns from Joe that Jonah might be missing his old job and may be trying to get it back. That's when Parker asks Joe if he can get an advance for photos because he is strapped for cash. However, before Joe can authorize this, Kate Cushing interrupts telling them that as city editor, all vouchers need to go through her. She tells Peter that his work is sporadic and inconsistent in quality, and as such, she can't authorize an advance. As Peter heads home, he once more thinks about the golden notebook, but can't think of a way of selling it that wouldn't raise attention or be illegal. That evening, at the Carnelian Embassy, guards on the roof are distracted when a teddy bear is tossed onto the roof. Dismissing this as a non-threat, the guards are surprised when the teddy bear suddenly explodes spraying them with taser darts that knock them out. With the guards down, the Black Fox gets to work to steal a jewel called the Eye of Carnelia. Shortly thereafter, Spider-Man is swinging by looking for crimes to photograph. Spotting the knocked out guards, Spider-Man goes to investigate and discovers the Black Fox committing a robbery. Spider-Man is upset tht the Black Fox played him for a dupe the last time they met and decides to stop him.

However, before Spider-Man can swoop in and stop him, the Black Fox is interrupted by more guards. As the Black Fox blinds the guards with some smoke bombs, the wall-crawler leaps down to try and stop the thief. In the hopes of getting action photos for the Bugle, the web-slinger knocks out the guards. Moments later, soldiers enter the room, and Spider-Man realizes that he is in an embassy. As he fights off the soldiers, Spider-Man regrets trying to sensationalize the battle for money, as he is on the verge of creating an international incident. With bullets flying, the Fox decides to get out before he is shot and leaps out of the skylight. Spider-Man follows shortly thereafter, intending to sell his photos to the Bugle after he captures the Black Fox. However, he realizing that he has nothing worth selling because of all the smoke and that any clear photos would show Spider-Man fighting the authorities. Witnessing the Black Fox change into his civies in an alley, he overhears him talk about bringing the stolen gem to his fence. Intrigued by this, Spider-Man tags the Black Fox with a spider-tracer and returns to his apartment. There, he recovers his golden notebook and swings back out into the city. Even though Spider-Man struggles with the ethics of what he is planning on doing, he realizes that he doesn't have much choice.

Tracking the Black Fox, the wall-crawler witnesses him leaping out of the window of Andre Boullion. As Spider-Man approaches the window his spider-sense begins to go off, but he ignores it since the Black Fox is fleeing. Entering the apartment, Spider-Man turns on the life and discovers the dead body of Andre Boullion. Thinking that the Black Fox murdered the man, Spider-Man vows to bring him to justice once and for all.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Black Fox, Mary Jane Watson, Aunt May, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe Robertson, Kate Cushing, Mamie Muggins, Nathan Lubensky, Aundre Boullion

Continuity Notes

• Peter was harassed by a gang of hoods which led to the brief formation of the "Peter Parker Patrol" and his apartment being firebombed in Web of Spider-Man #11-12.

• Nathan Lubensky was beaten up over his gambling debts in Amazing Spider-Man #271. Peter has had troubles selling his photos to the Bugle since J. Jonah Jameson stepped down as editor-in-chief in Amazing Spider-Man #281.

• The Beyonder turned this building into gold in Secret Wars II #2. Peter recovered the golden notebook in Web of Spider-Man #6/Amazing Spider-Man #268.

• Bullion was arrested for fencing stolen jewels for the Black Fox in Amazing Spider-Man #265.

• Bouillion offers the Black Fox a glass of Möet '65. The vintage of the wine here should be considered a topical reference per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616 as there is a certain point when aged wine is no longer fit for consumption.

• Nathan has started to become critical of Peter after he failed to meet him and Aunt May for lunch in Amazing Spider-Man #254.

• The pair are arguing over the Bugle's editorial direction. This has changed when Jonah stepped down as editor-in-chief of the Bugle in Amazing Spider-Man #281.

• Spider-Man let the Black Fox go when he claimed to have a wife and children in Amazing Spider-Man #265.