PREVIOUSLY: After revealing his identity to the world during the Civil War, Peter Parker find himself and his family targets of the world's most dangerous criminals. With his Aunt May downed, shot by a sniper's bullet and barely hanging onto life, Peter has donned his old black costume as a dark warning to the world that he’s no longer the man he used to be.

With the help of his old friend and Daily Bugle reporter Betty Brant, Spider-Man finally defeated the mysterious arachnid-controlling Miss Arrow and rescued Flash Thompson from Arrow's clutches. Safe at home, Betty learns in a voice mail that Bugle managing editor Joe "Robbie" Robertson has finally confronted publisher J. Jonah Jameson on Jameson’s obsession with Spider-Man.

Earlier that day, Jonah was at the Daily Bugle, in the middle of an argument with Betty Brant about his firing of Robbie. When he entered his office, he was stunned to find it entirely covered with webbing, with a small note addressed to him stuck in the middle of the large web. He opens it and reads it out loud. It is from Spider-Man and he wants to meet with Jonah later that evening, presumably before he goes to Robbie’s place.

Jonah goes to meet with Spider-Man. He arrives at Lieber's Gym and opens the front door. The whole place is dark. Jonah yells into the darkness and tells Spidey that if he wants to see him, he has to come out there; otherwise, he is staying put. Before Jonah can do anything, he is snagged in the middle of the chest by a web-line and he is pulled into the darkness.

Jonah pulls himself off the floor and finds Spidey staring at him from a nearby boxing ring. Jonah asks what he wants. Spidey explains that he wants him to rehire Joe Robertson because he feels that Jonah is making a huge mistake by letting him go. Spidey wants Jonah to fix it. A defiant Jonah replies that he won't fix it and asks if they're done. Coming down from the boxing ring, Spidey asks Jonah what he wants from him. Jonah tells Spidey to talk to his lawyers because anything he would say to him is already in the court papers. Spidey retorts that Jonah could say "thank you" because, had it not been for him being Spider-Man, the Daily Bugle would not have the circulation it has, his son would probably be dead, and the world might all be destroyed. Insolently, Jonah asks Spidey how saving his Uncle Ben and Aunt May or George Stacy and his daughter worked out for him. Spidey is so stunned that Jonah sank that low that he remains wordless. Jonah immediately apologizes and comments that it was uncalled for. Ticked off, Spidey rhetorically asks Jonah if he actually has a boundary between what is uncalled for and what isn't. Jonah retorts that if the whole thing is about his editorials, then he feels that he – Spidey – brought those on himself. Spidey replies that Jonah was the one that brought them on him, not the other way around. Spidey argues that Jonah was also vicious, berating and nasty. Not backing down, Jonah replies that maybe he (Spidey) just didn't like the truth. Spidey counterattacks and claims Jonah had an easier time hating him when he didn't know who he really was. Jonah answers that maybe he is right.

Spidey sarcastically remarks that Jonah is agreeing with him, which is something that is pretty much unheard of. Having said that, he jumps back into the boxing ring and once again asks Jonah what he wants from him, since Jonah never answered the first time. In other words, what is it going to take for Jonah to rehire Robbie. Jonah replies by giving Spidey two choices. He'll either drop the lawsuit against him – Spidey – or he'll rehire Robbie. The catch is that Spidey must make that choice. Without hesitating, Spidey chooses the former – to have Jonah drop the lawsuit against him. Jonah is surprised but then he goes on a rant about how he knew Spidey would sell out Robbie in a heartbeat for his own personal gain. As he says that, he climbs into the boxing ring, joining Spidey. Spidey wonders out loud how Jonah could have known he was going to choose the lawsuit, especially since he looked so surprised. Spidey is certain Jonah didn't expect him to say that because Jonah knows that he – Spidey – is that unselfish. Jonah argues that he was just surprised that Spidey was willing to admit to it, that's all. Spidey replies that the reason he chose the lawsuit is because he knows that Jonah has no intention of keeping Robbie fired. In fact, Spidey is sure that Jonah fired him in order to provoke their current confrontation. It worked and now Spidey wants to know what Jonah has to say. Jonah starts to say something but then, he changes his mind and tells Spidey that Robbie stays fired and that he'll see him in court. Jonah prepares to leave the boxing ring when Spidey instructs him to hit him.

Spidey drops his mask and tells Jonah to beat him up. Jonah is stunned and wonders what kind of game he's playing. Spidey, henceforth referred to as Peter, tells Jonah that he, like so many others, is jealous of his power, and the fact that he uses it to help others. Jonah argues that it is not true. Peter stands by his position on the matter and once again instructs Jonah to hit him, to get that jealousy out of his system. Jonah replies that, should he do that, it will only serve to give Peter an excuse to pound him into oblivion. Peter comments that he does not need an excuse since he is already an outlaw and that adding assault and battery to his rap sheet is not going to matter. Claiming that the whole thing is absurd, Jonah turns around and prepares to leave. Peter steps in front of Jonah and tells him that he will not stop him or hit him back; he can get in as many free shots as he wants. Jonah refuses to do it, arguing that there are more mature ways to handle this. Adamant to get Jonah to hit him, Peter calls him a gutless wonder who refuses to get his own hands dirty but has no problem sending robots and home-grown super villains after him. Jonah tells Peter to get away from him. Peter asks Jonah if his wife and son know how gutless he is. Before Jonah can answer, Peter tells Jonah that he will let the whole world know that he – Jonah – is gutless, craven and spineless. Before Peter can finish his sentence, Jonah punches him, telling him to shut up.

As Peter taunts him by asking if that is the best he can do, Jonah continues to pummel on him, until Peter's face is covered in blood and sporting a black eye. Finally, when Jonah's fist is throbbing and skinned near the bone, he stops. Peter leaps toward the ceiling and tells Jonah he has a present for him. Seconds later, he drops a film, taken from a camera he had hidden in the rafters, into Jonah's hands, telling him that the whole thing was recorded and that he can now tell the whole world about it. As well, it is sure to boost the Daily Bugle's circulation, thus making way more money that the lawsuit against him would ever have given him. Having said that, he says goodbye to Jonah and disappears. Seeing how wrong he was to act like he did, Jonah calls after Peter but he's already long gone.

A short time later, at the Daily Bugle, Jonah takes the film given to him by Peter and crushes it under his foot. As he races down the hall toward his office, a door suddenly opens in front of him and he slams head first into it. Jonah really did run into a door, as he mentioned to the whole Robertson clan. It should be pointed out that it was in fact an accident and that Betty Brant was the one that accidentally opens the women’s bathroom door in Jonah's path.

Back in real-time, Robbie is stunned to realize that Jonah really did walk into a door and that his hand is bandaged because he hit Spider-Man. Prompted by Jonah to do so, Robbie asks why he chose to destroy the film. Jonah replies that he has no idea whatsoever. Robbie replies that Jonah must have subconsciously realized he – Spidey – was using him. Robbie goes on explaining that Spidey's life is in turmoil, everything is falling apart and he fells completely responsible. Spidey may not have been thinking about it consciously, but unconsciously he wanted to be punished for every decision he's ever made that brought death, destruction and chaos to his loved ones. Robbie thinks that, as much as Jonah pummelled Spidey, it was probably only a fraction of the punishment he thinks he deserves. Having said that, Robbie asks Jonah if he is dropping the lawsuit and rehiring him (since he only fired him in the first place to get to Peter). Jonah responds in the affirmative to both questions. Robbie asks Jonah if he thinks it is okay that he used him to get to Peter. Jonah replies that he's had years of practice. Robbie retorts that he could say that he does not feel like coming back to the Daily Bugle. Jonah replies that he would butter him up until he agrees to come back. Robbie asks what he is going to do if that doesn't work. Jonah replies that he'll just have to ply him with more wine until he does agree. As he goes to grab hold of the wine bottle he brought in earlier, he finds small note that thanks him for the wine, from Spider-Man. As Spidey is seen web-slinging away, Jonah comments that he hates that effin' Spider-Man.

The end...for now.