PREVIOUSLY: In Spectacular Spider-Man #241, Peter Parker and Mary Jane decide to move out of their house in Forest Hills, Queens and move back into the city to leave painful memories behind and start a new life. Meanwhile, at Ravencroft Institute, Dr. Ashley Kafka, long-time friend of Spider-Man, orchestrates the escape of Dmitri Smerdyakov, the Chameleon, because she fears that taking him away now will undo everything they have worked for and will only serve to further fragment his already fragile mind and create more pain and suffering. And why the heck is Jack O'Lantern spying on J. Jonah Jameson?

In Spectacular Spider-Man #242, there is a brief confrontation between the Kangaroo and Spider-Man, resulting into another humiliating defeat for the super-villain. In another part of town, the Chameleon betrays Dr. Ashley Kafka and turns against her, despite the fact that she was responsible for his escape from Ravencroft Institute. Soon after, while impersonating Dr. Kafka, the Chameleon lures John Jameson into a trap and shoots him. Later, the Chameleon uses a fake holographic projection of Dr. Octopus attacking Peter Parker to lure Spider-Man into an even bigger trap. When Spider-Man awakens a short time later, Dr. Kafka confronts him and, as she removes his mask, explains that his name his Herbert Filmore Smith, a science-fiction author who recently suffered a trauma, which has caused him to retreat into a delusion that he is the superhero known as Spider-Man.

While all this takes place, the Chameleon – impersonating Dr. Kafka – continues on with his evil plan to make Peter Parker/Spider-Man believe that he is in fact a science fiction writer by the name of Herbert Filmore Smith who had a breakdown and who now believes that he is the superhero known as Spider-Man. Despite being fed these lies by the Chameleon, and almost coming close to believing them, Peter breaks through the spell cast by the Chameleon and sends him running for his life. At issue's end, while on the run, the Chameleon runs into Kraven the Hunter?

In Spectacular Spider-Man #244, Spider-Man goes in search of the Chameleon, after first defeating the Kangaroo and then stopping home to check up on Mary Jane. At Ravencroft, Dr. Ashley Kafka and John Jameson are trying to find the Chameleon as well, before the government catches wind of his escape. Unbeknownst to them, the Jack O'Lantern watches their every move. While all this takes place, the Chameleon is caught in the midst of a hallucinatory battle with the late Kraven the Hunter. When the Chameleon finally defeats his (non-existent) opponent, it is revealed that he and Kraven were half-brothers. In the middle of dealing with this revelation, Spider-Man finds him and a confrontation ensues. The Chameleon, however, has the upper hand, as he reveals a steel cage, inside which Dr. Kafka and John Jameson are being held captive.

In Spectacular Spider-Man #245, Spider-Man tries to free Dr. Kafka and John Jameson from the electrified steel cage only to be felled by a poisoned dart from an unknown assailant. When he awakens, he finds himself trapped inside said cage, with the Chameleon taunting him by transforming into Mary Jane and telling him that he is going out on the town to pay a special visit to an old friend (meaning MJ of course). A ticked off Spider-Man manages to break free from the electrified steel cage and races after the Chameleon. Spider-Man arrives at the Parker home and, to his amazement, Mary Jane has knocked the lights out of the Chameleon with a baseball bat. As they laugh it off, the Chameleon escapes only to run into Kraven the Hunter who, before shooting the Chameleon, reveals that he is not a hallucination, as it was he that felled Spider-Man earlier. As all these events take place, a new group of super-villains is formed. Its members are the Grizzly, the Kangaroo, the Gibbon, and the Spot.

In Spectacular Spider-Man #246, Spider-Man goes out in search of the Chameleon, who has disappeared. At Ravencroft, Dr. Ashley Kafka is told by Senator Roeberg that she is no longer the director of the institute and John Jameson is fired on the spot for doing such a poor job as Head of Security; both as a result of the Chameleon’s escape. In another part of the City, the Spot, the Gibbon, the Kangaroo, and the Grizzly break into a bank as a group but when they realize that their ultimate goal is not the same, they split into two groups; the Spot and the Kangaroo and the Grizzly and the Gibbon. Spider-Man, who is web-slinging nearby, catches wind of the break-in and tries to put a stop to it. Unfortunately, Spider-Man underestimates his opponents (all four of them) and is captured. Fortunately for Spider-Man, the quartet argues about what to do with him and a fight ensues during which the Spot and the Kangaroo are neutralized. Spider-Man comes back to and agrees to let the Grizzly and the Gibbon go and gives them a second chance to change their destiny. As the issue concludes, J. Jonah Jameson is found inside an elevator badly bruised and battered to within an inch of his life, courtesy of the Jack O'Lantern.

From a nearby ledge, Spider-Man watches on as the limousine takes off into the night. He too takes off into the night, wondering if John was perhaps under the spell of some kind of mind control by the Jack O’Lantern when he attacked his father at the hospital.

At the hospital, J. Jonah Jameson is telling a police officer, Sergeant Stark, that Spider-Man was harassing him before his son ever got there and that he is lying about what happened. Jonah also tells Stark that if they are going to start hounding his son, they are going to have him and the whole Daily Bugle on their tails every step of the way. Stark tells Jonah that no one is trying to railroad is son. All they are trying to do is figure out what happened. Having said that, Stark asks Jonah if he knows anything about the costume criminal known as the Jack O'Lantern. Jonah tells Stark to get out of his room, as he knows nothing about him, and because he wants to get some rest. Stark walks out and when asked by another police officer what he thinks of the whole thing, he tells her that he has no doubt Jonah is lying and that he would do anything to protect his son., even die.

Later that night, Jonah is sound asleep when he gets an unexpected visitor: the Jack O'Lantern. Jonah tells the pumpkin-headed villain that he is not scared of him and that cops are posted outside his door. The Jack O'Lantern tells Jonah that he has seen to that and the two cops are revealed to be in some kind of trance, staring blankly ahead of themselves. The Jack O'Lantern proceeds to tell Jonah that his son John is the gun and that he – himself – is the trigger. As such, he can fire John at him – or anyone – any time he wants. Jonah asks the Jack O'Lantern why he is doing this and comments that the past should count for something (obviously suggesting that they somehow know each other). The Jack O'Lantern tells Jonah that he is surprised he does remember who he really is and Jonah replies that he does remember, however he still cannot believe it, claiming that it must be a trick . The Jack O'Lantern makes his pumpkin head disappears – though the reader only sees the back of his head – and tells Jonah that there is no trick and that he was hired to do this, not that he would not have done it for free. He then explains that the price for his family's safety is the Daily Bugle. Jonah tells the Jack O'Lantern that he might as well kill him now because he will never give up his newspaper. The Jack O'Lantern tells Jonah that killing him now would be too easy and that he would much rather see him squirm. With that said, he disappears, as the two cops burst into the room, their weapons drawn, asking Jonah if he is all right. Jonah tells the cops that everything is okay and that he was only having a very bad dream.

Flash Thompson is paying a visit to his family at his childhood home in Queens. Flash, however, is scared to even go into the house to face his father – himself a drunk – as a result of years of verbal and physical abuse at his father's hands. Flash swallows his fear and rings the doorbell. His mother answers with cheerfulness that is almost sickening and welcomes her son in. Flash tells his mom that he was in the neighborhood and hope she does not mind him stopping by to say hello. Flash's mother tells Flash not to be silly, as it has been months since they have heard from him, and she adds that his father will be thrilled to see him. She hands Flash some snacks and tells him to go up and surprise his father, who is in his bedroom. Flash goes up and finds his dad sitting in front of the TV. Flash's father asks what he wants and Flash answers that he came by to see him. His father yells at him that he probably stopped by to see if he was dead and since he is not, then he is free to go. Flash turns around and storms out of the room, not before telling his dad that he hopes he dies soon. He races past his mother, who is clueless as to what happened, and takes off into the rainy night, thinking to himself that nothing changed.

Meanwhile, in Manhattan, at the Jameson's penthouse apartment, Marla Jameson is in the middle of a furious rant against Spider-Man and the police department. John Jameson tells his step mom to stop complaining because she is beginning to sound like his dad. He also tells her that if Spider-Man says he saw him doing it, then he is telling the truth. Marla is taken aback and tells John that she is going to take a shower. Dr. Kafka, who is also there, tells John to give his step mom a break, as she is only trying to protect her husband and does not know what she is saying. John grabs his head with his two hands and asks Dr. Kafka what he should do. Dr. Kafka proposes they use hypnosis to try and figure out what is going on in his head. John agrees.

Spider-Man is web-slinging through the city in search of the Jack O'Lantern, when his spider-sense suddenly warns him of danger. Out of the darkness, some kind of animal leaps toward him. Spidey is able to dodge its primary attack but is caught by the leg and slammed into the rooftop of a nearby building. Looking up to see his attacker, Spidey is stunned to discover that it is a large gorilla. Wasting no time, Spidey tries to take the beast down but is caught off guard when a lion comes out of nowhere and attacks him. Spidey defends himself admirably but the two wild animals are too much for him to handle and he is knocked to the ground. They then take off into the night. As he slowly gets back up to his feet, he wonders what just happened. Suddenly lighting strikes, illuminating the sky, and Spidey is shocked when he catches a glimpse of Kraven the Hunter standing on the ledge of a nearby rooftop. But as the light rescinds, so does "Kraven". As Spidey sits there, he is not sure what to think of this sudden appearance since Kraven put a bullet through his brains years ago and is dead.

At the Jameson's penthouse apartment, Marla Jameson is in the process of taking a shower, all the while thinking about how she has been negatively reacting to the recent events in her life and blaming Spider-Man for everything that has happened. As a scientist, she knows better than to think foolishly; she therefore has to start thinking logically and not let herself be overwhelmed by emotion. Unbeknownst to Marla, the Jack O'Lantern is inside the penthouse, looking saddened. He heads over to a nearby bookshelf and grabs an picture of a younger Marla, seemingly suggesting that he has known her for years, perhaps even loved her or something like that. He then notices a book of poems on the nightstand beside her bed and when Marla comes out of the bathroom, the book is gone.

Now under hypnosis, John Jameson delves into his subconscious with the help of Dr. Kafka, who is by his side. The insides of John's mind are frightening and he comments that he is scared. Dr. Kafka tells John to trust her and to believe that he controls his mind, not the other way around. That is the only way he can win. All of a sudden, they come to a huge brick wall with the Jack O'Lantern's face upon it. Dr. Kafka tells John that the Jack O'Lantern must have implanted something in his mind that drove him to make an attempt on his father's life, just like the Jack O'Lantern did before him, and they must now destroy it. The Jack O'Lantern's mouth suddenly opens and hundreds of bats come pouring out of it. Dr. Kafka tells John to stay calm and use his mind to drive them back. John concentrates really hard and finally, the bats turn around and head back inside the Jack O'Lantern's mouth. John is ecstatic that he was able to do it but realizes that he must now concentrate extra hard on tearing the brick wall to pieces. His fists clenched, his mind focused, he concentrates with all his mental strength and the brick wall suddenly blows apart. John is jubilant until Dr. Kafka points out that he must now face what is behind the wall, must now confront his own personal demon – the one he has kept repressed all these years: Man-Wolf.

Spider-Man stops by the hospital to pay a visit to J. Jonah Jameson. As he climbs through the window, he tells Jonah not to freak out, as he simply wants to know how he is doing. Jonah does not immediately answer; instead, he seems to be clutching a book in his hands. Just then, the two cops standing guard outside his door burst into the room to arrest Spidey, thinking that he is ought to hurt Jonah (they heard another voice through the door). Jonah, however, tells them to leave Spider-Man alone since he didn't do anything wrong. Confused, Spidey asks Jonah if he is all right. Jonah replies that he wants to be left alone so the two cops and Spidey leave their separate ways. On his way out the window, Spidey notices that Jonah is clutching a book, as if it is the most important thing in the world to him. The book Jonah is holding is revealed to be the book of poem the Jack O’Lantern stole from the Jameson's penthouse apartment earlier.

The Jack O'Lantern visits his benefactor and relates to him how Jonah was when he handed him the book of poems and how he will now be more inclined to "play ball". The Jack O'Lantern tells his employer that he can now make his move, since he got Jonah where he is most vulnerable. The benefactor, hidden in the shadows, replies that every man has vulnerabilities, no matter how strong they may appear and, as such, every man can be manipulated and broken. When asked by the Jack O'Lantern if he was ever broken, the benefactor replies that it happened once, a long time ago, when he still had a heart and a soul. With that said, the benefactor tells the Jack O'Lantern to take his money, which he earned quite well. The Jack O'Lantern replies that he did not do this for the money; he did if for his own reasons. Having said that, he burns the money offered to him. The benefactor tells Jack that it was fortuitous then that their respective needs intersected and adds that he has other work for him, if he is interested. The Jack O'Lantern storms out, telling the benefactor to go to "hades". Despite the departure of the Jack O'Lantern, the benefactor comments to him that he has already been there and reveals himself as being none other than Norman Osborn.

To be continued.