Web of Spider-Man #83
Entrepreneurs
Bob Robbins is some sort of marketing executive who is in over his head with bills. He worries about finding the big thing that will prevent him from going out of business when he suddenly sees Spider-Man swing past his window. It's then that Bob decides to try and sign Spider-Man up, hoping the masked hero is the miracle that he needs. Rushing out of his office, he hopes to catch the wall-crawler and pitch his idea to the hero. At that moment, an armored criminal calling himself Hypertron 1.0 is committing a bank robbery. The robbery is interrupted by Spider-Man, prompting Hypertron to enter battle mode to try and fend off the hero.[1] Getting advice from somebody remotely, the inexperienced Hypertron is no match for Spider-Man. When the hero ambushes him, Hypertron knocks him into a nearby alley.
As he recovers, Spider-Man is approached by Robbins offering his services. The wall-crawler finds this sudden interruption absurd and tells Robbins to get to safety before continuing his pursuit of Hypertron. Hypertron tries to fly away with his stolen money, but the web-slinger is quickly gaining on him. Unwilling to pass up the opportunity of representing Spider-Man, Robbins follows after the pair in his car. While trying to flee, Hypertron is forced to dump the money, forcing Spider-Man to stop and recover the stolen cash. This allows Hypertron to escape into a nearby alley. Unfortunately for the novice, he is ambushed by Bob who waits for Spider-Man to show up. Hearing Bob's pitch a second time, Spider-Man declines it again and leaves. With Hypertron webbed up, Bob decides to initiate a different scheme by taking the villain’s armor for his own use.
However, unknown to both Bob and Spider-Man, Hypertron was being directed by two failed AIM scientists who had designed the armor to realize that their friend Chester was defeated and begin tracking the armor so they can recover it. Also, unaware that Bob took the armor, Spider-Man searches the area to find it, but comes up empty-handed. By this point, Bob has returned home where he begins making modifying the armor so he can wear it. Later, after bailing Chester out, the crooks begin tracking the armor and discover that it is moving again. This is because Bob has put on the armor and has begun testing it out. As he flies over his neighborhood, Bob is exhilarated by the experience and starts trying to figure out what to call himself. Later that evening, Peter Parker and his wife Mary Jane have come by Aunt May's home for dinner.[2] However, Peter can't help but think about Bob's offer. It reminds Peter about how he entered show business after he first got his powers and how his lack of responsibility led to the death of his Uncle Ben.[3] His thoughts are interrupted when a news report about Bob flying around the city appears on television, prompting Peter to rush off to stop him.
Changing into Spider-Man, Peter catches up with Bob as he is being attacked by the scientists trying to get their armor back. Spider-Man comes to Bob's aid, but is soon incapacitated by the scientists. Even though Bob is inexperienced with his new armor, he helps the wall-crawler by overloading their weapons. With the scientists wrapped up, Spider-Man tells Bob that he has to turn over his armor as it is evidence of their crimes. Bob protests this at first but eventually relents. He later has to call his wife to get picked up. When she complains about their mounting bills, Bob tells her that they won't have to worry about money for much longer, as he kept a copy of the designs for the Hypertron armor.
Recurring Characters
Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, Aunt May, Hypertron
Continuity Notes
Hypertron is depicted as changing "modes" by inserting a cassette tape or 3.5" floppy disc into his armor. This should be considered a topical reference as these are obsolete methods of data storage.
Peter and Mary Jane are referred to as husband and wife here. However, years later, their marriage is erased from existence by the demon Mephisto in Amazing Spider-Man #545. As such, they should be considered a common-law couple here.
Spider-Man's brief celebrity and the murder of his Uncle Ben both happened in Amazing Fantasy #15.
