In Peter Parker Spider-Man #44, the Green Goblin resurfaces and he and Peter/Spider-Man go into battle for the entire issue. Neither Spider-Man nor the Green Goblin wins the battle but the Green Goblin invites Peter to partake in an Osborn family reunion, which, according to Osborn, will be a funeral because that’s the only way to bring together all of the Osborn. This is where this issue picks up.

ACT 1: A bruised and battered Peter Parker is back at his apartment and is watching a video of Gwen Stacy's death at the hands of the Green Goblin (at the Brooklyn Bridge), which the latter has released to the media. Throughout the footage, the Goblin explains that when Gwen Stacy was accidentally pushed off the bridge, he tried to save her but Spider-Man got in the way and snagged her with his webbing, which caused her neck to snap like a twig. He adds that Spider-Man was clearly the one responsible for her death. At that moment, Peter throws his remote control into the television, which blows up. He is ticked off.

ACT 2: Later that night, Flash Thompson leaves the Church of Our Lady of Serenity where he was partaking in an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting. On his way out of the church, he is accosted by Norman Osborn who tells him that he has a job for him. Meanwhile, on Larry King Live, Larry King discusses the recent video footage from the Green Goblin with Doctor Andrew McCullough, a noted criminologist, who explains that this footage should only be taken with a pinch of salt but that he personally wonders why the Green Goblin chose to release the footage now and not before.

ACT 3: Meanwhile, Norman Osborn is at a Japanese restaurant where he is meeting with the Tanaka Corporation, a company he's been dealing with for years now. As Norman's just about to toast his business partners, Peter Parker bursts into the restaurant, wanting to talk to him. Norman and Peter step in the next room and the two discuss their recent altercation and what's in store for them in the near future. Osborn subtly threatens Peter that he might do something to Aunt May or Mary Jane, his wife if Peter doesn't play by his rules.

ACT 4: Later that same night, Peter, as Spider-Man, confronts J. Jonah Jameson about the latest Daily Bugle headline, which of course, accuses him of having caused the death of Gwen Stacy. Spidey tells Jameson that the Goblin's allegations are false but Jonah replies that he'll only believe him when he stops hiding behind his mask. Jonah tells Spidey that he'll change the Daily Bugle's front page when Spidey takes off his mask. Furious, Spidey web-slings away.

ACT 5: Elsewhere, Norman Osborn, dressed as the Green Goblin, and his goons are busy forcing whiskey down Flash Thompson's throat. The Green Goblin takes his leave and glides out into the night, where he screams that Spider-Man might not hear him now but that he soon will. While Peter sleeps, disturbed by a recurring dream, Flash Thompson is unconscious behind the wheel of a truck that is guided by remote control and there is an open bottle of wine on the passenger seat next to him. The truck swerves between cars, narrowly hitting them. Flash suddenly starts to wake up just as he's about to crash into something. Meanwhile, Peter is woken up by his phone ringing.

ACT 6: A short time later, Peter arrives at Midtown High School, where the truck that Flash was driving is buried into the outside wall of the classroom where Peter teaches his classes. Peter notices that it is a truck from Osborn Industries but doesn't realize the significance of the truck being there until the police officer he's talking to tells him that an intoxicated Flash Thompson was at the wheel of the truck when it crashed into the school and that he is now at County Hospital in a very bad shape. Leaving the police officer behind, Peter changes to his Spider-Man costume and web-slings away. He makes his way across the City to County Hospital where he finds Liz Osborn talking to a doctor who tells her that Flash has suffered a very serious head trauma and that he has sustained permanent and irreversible brain damage. Talking to himself, Spider-Man says that hears Norman Osborn "loud and clear". To be continued.