Peter now lives in a luxurious midtown Manhattan penthouse with his sickly Aunt May, thanks to the large income from his absent model wife, Mary Jane.

ACT 1: The Human Torch is flying above the New York City skyscrapers, writing "Where are u Spider-Man?" in the skies using his flames. While flying around, he recaps Spider-Man's latest encounter with the Green Goblin to the reader. Growing tired of waiting for his buddy, the Torch leaves. From a nearby balcony, Peter Parker is looking up at him, pondering about the choice he made when he decided to end his career as Spider-Man. When he goes inside he is immediately doted by Aunt May who insists to make him a sandwich as she feels that he is too skinny and should be putting on some muscle. The phone rings. It's Mary Jane. She tells Peter that she has just gotten another job offer and that she won't be home for another week. Peter replies to not worry about it and tells her that he’s gotten himself an interview with Tri Corp Research Foundation. She is more than happy for him and reminds him of the promise he’s made to her not to wear the Spider-Man costume ever again. He retorts that he is sticking to his promise and hopes to see her very soon.

ACT 2: Meanwhile, other superheroes such as Daredevil, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Vision, Justice and the Scarlet Witch are concerned with the sudden disappearance of Spider-Man and are appalled by the Daily Bugle's latest headline about Spider-Man: "Spider-Man: Coward or Criminal". The scene shifts to the Daily Bugle newsroom where J. Jonah Jameson is giving his staff the usual costume-vigilante-ranting speech that is so dear to his heart. Peter Parker is also at the Bugle trying to sell some pictures. Jameson doesn't want any of them unless they show Spider-Man breaking the law but Robbie Robertson, who his still the editor-in-chief of the Bugle, buys a few. Robbie asks Peter if he is in the know about Spider-Man's current whereabouts but the latter denies knowing anything at all. Betty Brant comes up running and tells them that the Scorpion is apparently on a rampage downtown. Robbie asks Peter to go take some photographs but the latter replies that he can't make it, because he has a job interview.

ACT 3: The Scorpion is literally tearing up the streets and everybody who stands in the way of his rampaging self, claiming he is needs to find someone. Betty Brant, who is on the scene, tries to get closer to the Scorpion to get the money shots, since the newbie photographer Robbie sent with her is to scare to come any closer. However, she gets a little too close and the Scorpion spots her. Fortunately for Betty, Spider-Man suddenly appears! The two battle ferociously but Scorpion gets the upper hand and traps Spider-Man under falling debris. The villain simply walks away.

ACT 4: A short time later at the Tri Crop Research Foundation, Peter meets with Terry Kwan, who spoke to him on the phone about the interview. She gives him a quick tour of the facilities and introduces him to the people he will work with, providing he gets the job: Walter Thorson, an astrophysicist, Javier Caldrone, a molecular chemist, Stan Hardy, a geneticist, Chantal Stone, a quantum mechanics specialist who is physically handicapped and consigned to a wheelchair, and herself, Terry Kwan, the cell supervisor and foundation liaison. She is just about to finish her sentence when the wall behind them bursts into pieces. The Scorpion appears through the huge hole in the wall.

ACT 5: Peter quickly grabs Chantal and brings her to safety and then focuses his energy on saving the others without revealing that he actually has superpowers. Meanwhile the Scorpion is gazing at the mechanical device he is wearing on his wrist, which is some kind of bio-tracking beacon that is allowing him to locate the person he was looking for earlier. That person coincidently happens to be Peter Parker. Peter realizes that he's going to have to reveal his secret identity and go toe-to-toe with the Scorpion when Spider-Man jumps in. Scorpion again gets the upper hand and kicks this new Spider-Man butt across the room. Meanwhile, Peter, who is watching the spectacle from the stands, realizes that a nearby generator may prove useful in defeating the Scorpion. Helped by Terry and Javier, Peter manages to neutralize the Scorpion by sending an electrical discharge through a cable he lassoes around the villain's arm. Scorpion releases his grip on Spider-Man and falls to the ground. Peter rushes to Spider-Man's aid and asks him who he is underneath that mask. Spider-Man runs away replying that he has a secret identity. Terry approaches Peter and oddly introduces him to Dr. Ted Twaki, head of the Tri Corp Foundation. Peter feels that he may have just lost his only chance of working for the foundation.

ACT 6: Later that day, Peter returns home from the interview and reveals to Aunt May that he got the job. May tells him that Uncle Ben would be very proud of him if he was still alive.

STORY #2

WRITER:  Howard Mackie
PENCILLER:  Rafael Kayanan
INKER:  Jimmy Palmiotti
STORY TITLE #2: Rebirth
REVIEW: It's basically a four-page story of the creation of the newly improved Scorpion. Nothing happens at all.

STORY #3

WRITER:  John Byrne
PENCILLER:  John Byrne
INKER:  John Byrne
STORY TITLE #3: The Secrets of Spider-Man
REVIEW: This third story is a quick recap of the origin of Spider-Man. Nothing that hasn't been told before really.