In Amazing Spider-Man #2, after realizing that no one but him could stop the creature known as Shadrac (a.k.a. Greg Herd, a.k.a. Override), Peter made the fateful decision of reassuming the responsibility of being Spider-Man. This came after Mattie Franklin, who was granted the gift of power during the Gathering of Five ceremony, failed to perform as well as the real Spider-man when she adopted his identity when he decided to call it quits. Peter's wife, Mary Jane, who is away on photo shoots regularly doesn't know that Peter is still Spider-Man, although she is slowly starting to become suspicious.

ACT 1: Jonathan Rickman is studying a list at his desk and seems to have found out what he was searching for, when suddenly the wall to his right blows up and an intruder who remains unrevealed to the reader comes in through the gap in the wall: ",Jonathan Rickman? I've been looking for you".

ACT 2: A short time later. Spider-Man is busy saving a young girl from the blazing inferno that is engulfing the same building that Jonathan Rickman was in. Once he hands over the girl to her parent, he hears a scream for help coming from the roof of the building. He makes his way up the side of the building and reaches the roof to find none other than Jonathan Rickman. JR tells Spider-Man to back off and that he can't have "it"; referring to the notebook he is holding in his hands. He is clearly distressed and tells Spider-Man that he's not going to disappear quietly like the rest of them, that he knows what's behind it all, that he is really close to figuring out who he is, and that the world has got to learn the truth...the insanity! Suddenly, the roof gives away and both Spider-Man and Rickman appear to fall to their deaths. Seconds later, Spider-Man bursts through the front door of the building, Rickman in his arms. Rickman is laid down onto a gurney and transported to the hospital. Spider-Man sits down on the curb for a moment when he notices the notebook that Rickman was clutching up on the roof. He opens it up and finds a list of names. His name is amongst them.

ACT 3: At that moment, on the other side of the world, on a small tropical island a storm is raging. This was supposed to be the photo shoot of a lifetime for Mary Jane Watson-Parker. Not just because the magazine involved had an astronomical circulation...or because she was getting the cover...or because it would solidly place her at the top of the a-list super-models. But this time Mary Jane's husband, Peter, was to accompany her. It was to be a second honeymoon for his young couple. A time to reassess all that has happened to them in their brief lives. A time to enjoy each other and their youth. But some things are not meant to be. No one had counter on a typhoon destroying the natural beauty of the island, or of the magazine going with a back-up shoot. And, most of all, Mary Jane had not counted on Peter missing their airline flight. No cover. No Peter. No second honeymoon. Mary Jane calls their apartment in New York in hopes that Peter will answer but he is not there.

ACT 4: Peter is in fact at the Daily Bugle, bringing in some pictures of the earlier fire for the afternoon edition. There, he runs into Jill Stacy and Gloria Grant who are disgusted by the smell emanating from Peter. He apologizes, explaining where he was, and he hands over the proofs to Gloria, who goes and takes care of getting them into the afternoon edition. Peter is deep in thoughts, unaware that Jill is still standing there, right next to him. She gets his attention when she tells him that Mary Jane called and that she has been trying to reach him all night. Peter tries to call her back but Jill stops him and explains that there is a major storm down there which took out the phone lines. She suggests that he wait a few hours and then try again.

ACT 5: The Daily Bugle "Morgue". The place in which all the back issues, all the research material gathered by the Bugle investigative reporters...pretty much any information one would need regarding events which have taken place in New York City for the past fifty years...is stored. And it is here that Peter Parker decides to see what he can learn of the names on the list. The other people listed in the notebook seem to have either died or disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Peter is still confused as to why his name is in the list.

ACT 6: A short time later, Peter is on his way back to the scene of the earlier fire when he gets the sudden feeling that he is being watched. He looks around but sees no one. In the air above, a shadowy figure is seen flying.

ACT 7: Looking through the wreckage of the collapsed building, he finds a piece of paper with something written on it which he deciphers: "General Tectronics Research Labs". The lab where Otto Octavius became Doctor Octopus and where himself, Peter Parker, was bitten by a radioactive spider, which endowed him with spider-like super-powers. Suddenly, his thoughts are interrupted when his spider-sense goes off. A nearby wall is about to collapse over him but using his spider-speed and agility he manages to evade being crushed by tons of bricks. He can't shake the feeling that he is still being watched and that perhaps the wall just didn’t collapse on its own.

ACT 8: Forest Hills, Queens. The home of Arthur Stacy, father to Jill and her brother Paul Stacy. Peter is confronted by Paul who is jealous that Peter got a job a Tri-Corp. Their confrontation is quickly interrupted when Arthur comes out of his study. Before Peter sits down to talk to Arthur, he notices a thick file on Senator Ward lying on his desk. Peter retells his encounter with Rickman and the infamous list with his name on it. Arthur suggests that Peter go visit Rickman at the hospital.

ACT 9: Peter arrives at the hospital…but so does Doctor Octopus. Peter introduces himself to Rickman who freaks out when he recognizes his name as being on the list. Rickman asks him if he was there the day of the accident that transformed Otto Octavius into Doctor Octopus. Peter answers that he was. Rickman says that he was there as well and that he has figured out who was behind it and was on his way to the police when he got attacked. Meanwhile, Doctor Octopus has taken his trench coat off, which was hiding his many tentacles, and is roaming the halls of the hospital in search of something...or someone. Suddenly, someone grabs him from behind and pulls him into a nearby closet. Doc Ock appears to fight back but next thing you know, his glasses fall to the ground. Inside Rickman’s room, Peter and Rickman have heard the noise. Rickman is ecstatic: "We're going to die!".

ACT 10: At that moment, on the other side of the world. Mary Jane is enjoying a nice bubble bath when the phone rings. She wraps herself in a towel and answers the phone. At the other end of the line a voice is heard: "Did you think you could get away from me, Ms. Super-model? Did you think I couldn't find you? Well I did! And you never can hide from me! You're mine! Do you hear me? Mine!" MJ asks who it is and why he or she is doing this? The voice replies: "Because you are mine! And don't think that little wimp of a husband is going to be able to protect you! He's going to be the first to go! You shouldn't have ignored me, Mary Jane! Now you'll be sorry! Hope you look good in black! 'Cause you're about to become a widow!" MJ drops the phone. She must get home to Peter. To be continued.