In Amazing Spider-Man #17, the Sandman resurfaces to get revenge on Mysterio, whom he blames for his current condition, since Mysterio was the one that asked Venom to join the newly reformed Sinister Six. The Sandman finds Mysterio, and his whipping dog, Electro, and picks a fight with them. His condition, however, renders him unable to defeat his two opponents. In comes Spider-Man, who had been following the Sandman. Spider-Man saves the Sandman and makes the building they're all in collapse on top of Mysterio and Electro. It is assumed the Sandman retreats to his apartment to try and cure himself.

In Peter Parker Spider-Man #17, Peter gets evicted from his apartment building because he has neglected to pay rent. As a result, he ends up having to live in the street.

In Peter Parker Spider-Man #18, Peter moves in with Randy Robertson.

ACT 1: The story opens up with the Sandman sitting on a chair in his living room, writing his will and watching soap operas on TV, all the while trying to pull himself back together. Fed up with daytime television, he angrily throws his book, entitled "Chicken Soup for the Criminally Insane", into the television, which blows up. Meanwhile, at Randy's and Peter's apartment, Peter has just come out of the shower and is dancing around the apartment with nothing more on than a towel around his waist, while eating some of Randy's ice cream. Just outside the door in the hall, Randy is making his way back to the apartment accompanied by Gloria Grant, who is there to take Peter out to lunch. As they reach the door, they can hear Peter singing through it although it sounds more like somebody is in pain inside. Just as they open the door, Peter's towel falls off to the floor, his butt facing them. Randy and Gloria are startled at first but they quickly turn around and close the door behind them.

ACT 2: Meanwhile, at a construction site, the Sandman is trying to eat cement to replace the sand he lost when Venom bit him. While he does that, we are treated to a narration of a letter he's written to his mom, explaining his actions and his subsequent demise. Eating cement does not help the Sandman regain his lost mass so he becomes angry and smashes a nearby cement mixer. He then vows revenge on Spider-Man, whom he blames for his current condition.

ACT3: Peter has switched to his Spider-Man costume and is out web-slinging across the City. Suddenly, his spider-sense kicks in but not soon enough. Out of nowhere comes flying a giant fist made of sand, which hits him right in the face and sends him falling into a pile of garbage in an alley down below. The attacker, the Sandman, shows himself and tells Spidey that he is going to get him back for what he's done to him. The story briefly switches to Randy and Gloria, who are enjoying each other's presence at a local café, discussing Peter's ASSets. Back in the alley, Spider-Man has his hands, mouth and probably his ears full, having to battle a badly decomposing Sandman. Throughout their lengthy battle, the Sandman tells Spidey how hard he tried to be a hero, just like him, but that in the end, it just never happened and he just couldn't keep it together. Unable to pull himself back together anymore, the Sandman starts to dissolve. Before completely disappearing into the sewers, he asks Spidey to tell his mother that he did tried to be a good guy and that he's sorry for all the harm he may have caused her.

ACT 4: Spidey is left standing alone in the alley, pondering about what he could have done to help the Sandman and how bad he actually feels for the latter. The story switches to an unknown sandy beach, where we find the Sandman mixed up with the sand and pulling himself back together.