Norman offered Harry a job with his Avengers but Harry blew him off. Still, Harry's been in trouble lately – his girlfriend Lily Hollister turned out to be the latest glider-riding freak, Menace and that drove him back to drinking. He cleaned up but something else must be up because when Osborn and I last had words/webs/punches-to-the-face, Harry called Norman and took his offer...

REVIEW: The story opens at a press conference where Norman Osborn introduces his son, Harry Osborn, as the newest member of the Avengers. The action switches to a short time later, where Peter Parker confronts Harry about having joined forces with his father. Peter just can't believe that Harry has made such a decision and wonders if Norman has anything on him that threatened him to accept his job offer. What Peter doesn't know is that Lily Hollister, Harry's ex-girlfriend, is pregnant with his child. Harry tells Peter that his situation is what it is and nothing is going to change that. Peter asks Harry if he's going to say the same thing when he starts using drugs again. Harry is angry with Peter for saying that to him. Peter rhetorically asks Harry to look him in the eye and tell him that his sobriety can withstand any real amount of time with his father. Peter tells Harry that he cannot stand by and watch Norman destroy him once again. Harry tells Peter he's a great friend but goes on saying that his family is none of his business. He then tells Peter to trust him and instructs him to stay out of his way; he then takes his leave.

A while later, Peter has donned his Spider-Man costume and is swinging across the city skies, lost in thoughts about what is going on with Harry. He is so deep in thoughts that he almost swings by a burning building, inside which people are trapped. He clears his mind and goes to help them.

The next morning, at Avengers Tower, Harry is gets his first look at his new working pad. His dad hands him a bunch of files that include layouts of all the operational levels from the third subbasement to floor fifteen. He tells Harry to study them. Harry asks if he has access to the restricted floors. Norman answers that there are aspects of the Avengers and H.A.M.M.E.R. that he is not privy to yet, but that time will come soon enough. Norman tells Harry to meet his staff, shake hands and mark his territory, and then get started on his apartment. Harry tells his father that he is not moving in Avengers Tower. Norman argues that all essential personnel live in the building. Harry asks Norman if Lily is essential personnel. Norman tells Harry that he's going to be disappointed if he accepted his offer only to catch a glimpse of Lily, because she isn’t there and is not interested.

Nearby, none other than Norah Winters has gotten herself an undercover job as page girl at Avengers Tower and she uses her flirting skills with some of the security personnel to try and get some dirt on Osborn, presumably. More on that later.

In Forest Hills, Queens, at the Parker home, Peter is helping his Aunt May and soon-to-be husband, J. Jonah Jameson Sr., pick some colors and patterns for their upcoming nuptials. He relates to them what happened earlier with Harry. Aunt May thinks that what's between them is between them and that he shouldn't worry about it. She adds that it's Harry's mistake to make and, as his friend, he – Peter – should trust that he'll ask for help if he needs it. She walks toward the kitchen, leaving Peter and Jameson Sr. to talk. JJJ Sr. tells Peter he would like to address what Norman Osborn said about him (in last issue) when he called him a "deserter". Peter thought Norman was lying but JJJ Sr. reveals that he was telling the truth; he was in fact dishonorably discharged from the Army, from running away from it. Peter doesn't need to know what happened but JJJ Sr. wants him to know that his aunt is not marrying a coward. He thus explains that, at the tender age of twenty, he was in the army and knew that he was about to be deployed to Korea. His then girlfriend was back home and pregnant with child – J. Jonah Jameson – but there was complications. The Army didn't care about his problems and would not allow him to go home to his wife, so he made the tough decision to leave the army so he could be there to see his son born and to stroke his wife's hair as she passed on. JJJ Sr. tells Peter he wouldn't have it any other way. Peter thanks JJJ Sr. for his honesty. JJR Sr. tells Peter that, as far as he's concerned, in regard to Harry, he should do what his gut tells him is right because forever is a heck of a long time to live with a mistake.

At Avengers Tower, Norman informs Harry that, since he'll be working with the team (Avengers), there is a risk of contracting certain pathogens so he must get inoculated. Harry, a recovered drug addict, doesn't want any of that stuff in his body that doesn't belong there. Norman promises Harry that the shot contains nothing that will harm him or threaten his sobriety. Harry is rather skeptical about it but Norman reassures him that there is nothing to it. Reluctantly, Harry pulls his sleeve up and prepares to get the shot. Watching this from somewhere else in the building, Lily Hollister thanks God that Harry actually came (to her rescue).

At the Forest Hills cemetery, Peter visits the grave of the late Gwen Stacy to "talk" to her about the recent events in his life. He wonders what he's ought to do and hopes she can help him figure it out. When he finally leaves, it seems he's found his answer.

Later, Peter is on his way to make amends with Harry Osborn, at Avengers Tower, when he runs into Norah Winters, who is on her way out of her new fake job. She reveals to him that she's working undercover at Avengers Tower and that it was his speech earlier that week at the Daily Bugle that convinced her to do this. She reveals that she's already made nice with the security and janitorial staff. Though he admits the plan to be genius, Peter thinks what she's doing is dangerous and he doesn't want to see her get hurt. Norah thought Peter would be proud of her for doing this; she is rather unhappy that he is giving her a hard time about it. She storms off, angry with him. Peter calls out to her, but to no avail. Suddenly, Peter hears nearby people shouting that "there they are"! Peter looks up to see Venom and Hawkeye. This only serves to reinforce his hatred for Norman Osborn and wanting to do something about it.

Later that night, in the Bronx, Mac Gargan (a.k.a. Venom) is hiring a hooker to seemingly "do the nasty" but it turns out that he, or rather his symbiotic half, actually wants her bone marrow. He thus attacks her. Nearby, Hawkeye, who is stuck babysitting Gargan, has no idea what is going on. Actually, that's not true; he knows what's happening but his order is to keep an eye on him, nothing else (he doesn't do that very well). Venom is playing with his food, so to speak, when Spidey shows up and tackles him. Spidey is wearing some kind of sonic device on his back, which causes Gargan to separate from his symbiote. Venom calls for help but Hawkeye can't hear him; there is some kind of force field preventing any sound from making it to Hawkeye's ears. Spidey tosses a weak Gargan into a nearby wall; he then proceeds to throw him into what looks like a large fridge and he locks the door behind him. He then turns around, revealing to have gotten some help from none other than Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman (she was behind the aforementioned force field). She is carrying a black costume, which she hands to him, after they decide what to do with Gargan (they send him to the Mole Man's backyard – it should take him about a week to get back). Spidey dons the costume, though we don’t get to see what it is, nor is his plan revealed to the reader.

At Avengers Tower, Harry lays in his bed awake. A camera mounted on the wall records his every move. That is quickly taken care of when he hits a button on small device he's holding and the camera stops working. He then proceeds to open a briefcase containing a bunch of electronic devices. Talking to himself, he says that he's going for Lily.

A short time later, Norman Osborn meets with his Avengers. In attendance are Sentry, Ares, Noh-Varr, Daken, Moonstone and arriving late, Bullseye and Venom – actually Spider-Man disguised as Venom! The reason for the meeting is simple: Norman wants to discuss his son and his future in their organization. He goes on saying that his presence there is more than meets the eyes and it avails a unique opportunity, not just for him as a father, but for the entire team. Norman explains that he's been working on a special project, for which Harry is the key. He is prepared to share with them his vision of the future he calls American Son.

To be continued.