PREVIOUSLY: In Spectacular Spider-Man #149, a university student rival of Peter's by the name of Malcolm McBride stumbled across a vial containing the Carrion virus after he secretly followed Peter inside the lab of the late Professor Miles Warren, also known as the Jackal. McBride experimented with the virus and was accidentally transformed into the new Carrion. The new Carrion immediately set out to avenge the death of Gwen Stacy by confronting he whom Carrion deemed responsible for her death: Spider-Man. The two arch-nemesis battled it out in a cemetery but Spider-Man got the upper hand and managed to subdue his foe.

Also in that issue and the subsequent ones, Joe Robbie Robertson is found guilty of misprision of felony and sentenced to three years in prison at the Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately for Robbie, his troubles are far from over when he finds out that Tombstone, whom he helped put behind bars, is assigned to the same cellblock. Fortunately for Robbie, a humongous black man named Bruiser comes to his rescue during a particular incident with Tombstone, and the two become good friends. However, Tombstone ends up killing Bruiser during a brutal fight.

In Spectacular Spider-Man #156, Spidey ventures out to the forest to look for Robbie and Tombstone but does not find them and returns to New York empty-handed. At issue's end, it is revealed that they did both survive the fall and that they are temporarily living with the Mormon family that rescued them, until such time that Robbie can walk properly again – one of his legs having been broken during the fall. When that time comes, Robbie confronts Tombstone and the two finally exchange blows (in Spectacular Spider-Man #157). Surprisingly, Robbie somehow wins when he drives a pitchfork in Tombstone's chest. Tombstone disappears into a nearby hayfield while Robbie enlists Aaron's help to make necessary arrangements to turn himself in. Tombstone is later seen in New York City where he meets with his new employers: Chameleon and Hammerhead, who were also behind the prison escape.

In Spectacular Spider-Man #158, Robbie Robertson returns to the Federal Courthouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to attend an appeal for his sentence of misprision of felony – an appeal complicated by his recent, unwilling, participation in the prison breakout organized by Tombstone. Robbie's lawyer, Cynthia Bernhammer, is about to admit defeat when Stuart McPhee, Bruiser's brother and an adviser to the White House for Domestic Affairs, shows up and tells her that he might be able to get Robbie a presidential pardon.

In Spectacular Spider-Man #161, Robbie is finally exonerated of the charges of misprision of felony. But just as things seem to be looking good for him, he and his wife Martha come under attack by the Hobgoblin at their son's house during a celebration for his recent acquittal. Fortunately, both the Puma and Spider-Man, and Tombstone – who remained unseen – come to the Robertson's rescue and the Hobgoblin is sent packing. During said battle with the Hobgoblin, Spider-Man drops pieces of paper containing information about the Carrion virus, which the Hobgoblin picks up.

Seven hours later, three thousand miles east, above the forty-fifth floor of Four Freedoms Plaza, headquarters of the Fantastic Four, Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic, and Spider-Man are busy fixing up Reed’s lab, which was broken into the night before. Reed informs Spidey that the Carrion virus and all his notes on Spidey's struggle with its creator, Miles Warren, seem to be the only objects missing from the lab, as if the intruder broke in, seeking those items specifically. Spidey's response is that of the trademark "uh-oh" and at that exact moment, he finds the shell of a pumpkin bomb amidst the wreckage. He informs Reed that the intruder was the Hobgoblin and explains how the latter must have taken the notes he lost during their run-in the previous night. While Reed notifies the authorities at the Vault, Spider-Man heads back to Empire State University. While there, he asks Professor Swann of the Science Department for some advice. After conversing with him for a while, Peter sits down at one of the lab tables and ponders about what he should do about the whole Carrion fiasco. Lost in thoughts, he doesn't hear Mary Jane coming behind him and almost takes her out when his spider-sense suddenly kicks in (he doesn’t though). MJ has come to surprise Peter with an early-evening picnic dinner so the two of them take off to have their picnic...leaving behind a newspaper with the headline: "Breakout at the Vault".

Meanwhile beneath the City, inside the sewer system, the Hobgoblin shows Carrion the notes he took from Spidey when they last fought each other. Carrion refuses to believe that he is in fact a genetic construct that was sprung to life when his former human self, Malcolm McBride, was infected with the Carrion virus. The Hobgoblin turns the knife in the wound and talks about how the virus stole his mind, life, family and future from him. Hearing those words, Carrion somehow remembers his family, more specifically, his mother and asks the Hobgoblin if he knows where she is. Flying off on his glider, dragging Carrion behind on some kind of leash, the Hobgoblin replies that he will do better than that and take him home.

A short time later at the penthouse apartment of J. Jonah Jameson, former owner and publisher of the Daily Bugle, Jameson tells Robbie Robertson that he was going to offer him the job of editor-in-chief of his newsmagazine but now that Thomas Fireheart has offered to make him publisher of the Daily Bugle, he knows he cannot match his offer and will understand if he says no to his offer. Extending his hand out, Robbie tells Jonah that he didn’t even have to ask and that he accepts his offer.

Meanwhile at the campus quad at Empire State University, Peter and Mary Jane Parker are enjoying their picnic together but Peter is lost in thoughts, unable to keep his mind off Malcolm McBride and what happened to him. MJ tries to comfort him and tells him that he has unfinished business to take care of. Peter agrees and tells her that he's found out where McBride's mother lives and that, as Spider-Man, he owes her an explanation, no matter how painful it is for him to make it. Kissing MJ goodbye, Peter takes off.

Later that night in Astoria, Queens, Carrion (i.e. McBride, if you haven't figured it out yet) emerges from a manhole and heads towards his mother’s house. His mother is busy scrubbing off some dishes when he appears on the other side of the kitchen window. Dropping her dishes on the floor, his mother falls to the ground and hides her face with her arms. Using red dust, Carrion disintegrates the wall standing between him and his mother and makes his way into the kitchen towards her, asking her to break through her fear to recognize him. Slowly realizing that the creature standing in front of her is her son, the mother extends her hand out towards his. Their fingers are about to meet when Carrion is suddenly snagged with a web-line, pulled away from her, and thrown out of the window, courtesy of Spider-Man. Carrion falls to the ground while Spidey makes his way towards him to finish him off. But Carrion quickly reacts and kicks Spidey right in the face as he nears him. He then proceeds to launch himself at Spidey to administer his touch of death but Spidey dodges his attack by leaping out of the way. As he lands back on his feet, he tries to convince Carrion to give himself up and that the two of them can find a cure for his disease but Carrion declines his offer, telling him that his knowledge of genetics is that of his creator, Miles Warren, and it is sufficient to assure him there is no cure for his condition. Spidey replies that he cannot believe that since nothing is ever hopeless. Hovering towards Spidey, Carrion tells him that he is wrong to think that way because where there is no life there can be no hope. Spidey slowly starts stepping back towards the manhole from which Carrion emerged earlier when his spider-sense suddenly but faintly kicks in. The Hobgoblin emerges from the manhole behind him and using his finger-blasters knocks Spidey unconscious before the latter is able to protect himself. He then grabs Spidey and pulls him down into the sewer system, closely followed by Carrion who is very looking forward to destroying Spider-Man.

To be continued.