PREVIOUSLY: The evil White Rabbit demanded ransom for her hostages, the do-gooders Grizzly and Gibbon from the city of New York. Realizing the enormous risks of becoming Spider-Man because of the bounty on his head, Peter Parker attempted the duo's rescue in the makeshift disguise of the "Bombastic Bag-Man"! Meanwhile, Mary Jane put together a costume for Peter that would give him yet another alternate identity in which to fight crime and protect innocents. Now, look up in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it's the pulse-pounding Prodigy!

REVIEW: The story opens on the roof of Manhattan's most celebrated hotel: The Top Of New York, where Ambassador Hazram Chaliz of the Eastern Kingdom of Sufind, threads his way through a swarm of media predators. Chaliz and his wife, Shanaz nod calmly to the assembled reporters; neither disturbed by nor interested in their babble. However, when they reach their waiting helicopter, the couple's Buddha-like poise is rudely shattered by a terrorist pointing a high-powered rifle and their heads.

A short time later at the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson is absolutely delighted with the pictures taken by Billy Walters. Norman Osborn, the paper’s owner, shows up and indicates that he too thinks Billy's shots are terrific. Putting his arm around Billy, Norman congratulates him. Billy responds that taking pictures isn’t really his "thing" and that most of what he knows, he picked up from Peter Parker, whom he considers a genius with the camera. Norman, thinking that Billy is modest, tells him not to waste his time on humility; he should know his strengths and exploit them without excuses. Having said that, Osborn invites Billy into his office to further talk about Prodigy. What Norman doesn't tell Billy is that he hopes to use Prodigy against Spider-Man somehow. Before Osborn can leave, Jonah points out that it is kind of strange that Prodigy, Hornet, Dusk, and Ricochet have all popped up at the same time out of nowhere. Osborn responds that it is no different than when Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Daredevil, and Thor made their first appearance all those years ago. With that said, Osborn takes Billy into his office and Jameson is not invited.

Sitting at his desk, Flash Thompson congratulates Billy as he heads into Norman's office. Betty Brant shows up, surprising Flash in the process, and kisses him passionately. Flash asks Betty if they are still going out later that night. Betty replies that she wouldn't miss it for the world. She then takes off, as she has to get back to work. Daydreaming, Flash realizes that his life couldn't get any better; he has a great jog for Norman Osborn, a great girlfriend, and he's been sober for over a month.

Somewhere in the City, Conundrum, whose puzzled-like face/mask changes like the parts of a Rubik's cube, is meditating, seeking guidance from his long-dead master to proceed with his plans. As his face/mask continues to shift, he approaches a large lever on a nearby wall and proceeds to pull down on it. In so doing, a large steel cage drops down from the ceiling, revealing the kidnapped daughter of Ambassador Chaliz. It turns out that while Conundrum's men attacked the ambassador, he broke into the Sufindian Embassy and kidnapped his daughter. A frightened Tabriaz speaks up and asks Conundrum what he intends to do with her. Conundrum responds that she ought not to worry, as he needs her alive in order to get what he needs from her father. Then, laughing hysterically at something funny he said, he disappears into a large cloud of smoke.

In an alleyway in Forest Hills, Queens, Prodigy comes in for a landing. Removing his helmet, Prodigy is revealed to be none other than Peter Parker in disguise. After yanking off his fake nose, washing out his face paint and removing his costume, Peter dons his civilian clothes and makes his way home, thinking about how much everybody seems to love Prodigy and what a great time he has playing him; though the circumstances that led to him assuming the guise of Prodigy – a bounty on Spider-Man's head – is something he would rather soon forget. As he continues his trek through Forest Hills, he happens to run into Aunt Anna Watson, coming out of the grocery store with a shopping cart full of provisions. Peter offers to push the cart for her, since she went to all that trouble to get groceries for him and MJ; it's the least he can do to help her. Embarrassed and feeling awkward, Aunt Anna asks Peter how he can be so nice to her and cheerful, especially after what she said to him (she accused him of cheating on Mary Jane). Anna says that she wouldn't blame him if he threw her out of the house and never spoke to her again. Peter responds that it is not a big deal; it doesn’t bother him. Anna retorts that it should be a big deal. He works so hard, both at school and at the Daily Bugle, on top of being a good husband, and she tried to turn him into a manipulative villain. She goes on saying that Aunt May was her best friend and that she's known him since he was a little boy. She tells Peter that he is as kind and decent as his Uncle Ben was and that she is disgusted with herself for what she did. Having said that, she begins to tear up. Sitting on a nearby bench, she begins recounting how she cheated on her husband years ago, which led her to believe that Peter was cheating on MJ, because of his frequent absences and constant disappearances. Peter tells Aunt Anna that he understands why she would have thought that and tells her that he loves her.

Meanwhile, at the Metropolitan Museum, temporary home of the "Hand of Mumthazi", a priceless ruby donated by the Sufindian Empire, crowds are gathering in masses to view the exquisite jewel. Legend has it that the ruby – and the sculpted hand (modeled on Mumthazi's) that hold it – are possessed of mystical powers: he who owns the Hand, owns the key to Heaven itself. There are many who scoff at such talk, but there are others that know better. His face hidden by shadows, a man approaches the exhibit and suddenly self-combusts into a ball of fire. Seconds later, he is transformed into none other than Jack O'Lantern (accompanied by his cat Maguire). Security guards immediately show up, weapons in hand, and instruct Jack O’Lantern to surrender. Jack O'Lantern’s pumpkin head separates from his body and begins floating above the guard, telling them that bullets won't hurt him. Then, before the guards can even react, the pumpkin head explodes, knocking the guards unconscious. Minutes later, the glass display that had been holding the ruby is shattered to pieces and the "Hand of Mumthazi" is gone.

Later at the Parker home in Forest Hills, Queens, Peter and Mary Jane are cuddling on the couch, watching TV. Just as they are getting more comfortable, a breaking news report about Conundrum having kidnapped the Sufindian Ambassador's daughter is shown on TV. Ambassador Chaliz appears live during the news telecast and begs Conundrum to give them back their daughter, as he no longer possesses the Hand of Mumthazi – it has been stolen by Jack O'Lantern (as seen earlier) – which is what Conundrum wants in exchange for the daughter. Realizing that his new alter ego, Prodigy, is needed, Peter rips his shirt open to expose...his bare chest. It turns out that he can't wear the costume underneath his street clothes. He heads upstairs to get it out of the closet.

At the Sufindian Embassy, Norman Osborn (accompanied by Flash Thompson) shows up to offer his support to Ambassador Chaliz, who happens to be an old friend of his. Minutes later, Prodigy also shows up to offer his help, using several corny lines in the process. Flash Thompson is unimpressed with Prodigy and silently thinks Spider-Man could beat him with one hand tied behind his back. He obviously does not realize that Spider-Man and prodigy are one and the same. Prodigy approaches Norman and, while shaking his hand, tells him that he wished he had been around to help Norman a few weeks earlier with the whole Green Goblin mess (as seen in Spectacular Spider-Man #255). Norman replies that he and the ambassador are happy that he’s there now, though his thoughts reveal that he hopes to manipulate him. Prodigy's thoughts reveal that he's hoping to use Osborn to gather evidence to use against him. Just then, the ambassador approaches them and tells them that he just received a message from Conundrum, providing him with instructions to a meeting to discuss the terms of his daughter's return. Prodigy tells the ambassador to give him the note, as he'll be glad to discuss it with him man-to-man. Having said that, Prodigy flies away into the sunset. Watching Prodigy fly away, the ambassador comments that they are blessed to have Prodigy on their side. Flash comments that, as far as he knows, Prodigy is all talk and body armour. Norman tells Flash that he thinks he’s wrong, as he believes Prodigy to be a genuine, real hero, and he – for one – would like to know him better.

In lower Manhattan, in an abandoned Irish pub, Jack O'Lantern (a.k.a. Mad Jack) sits atop a makeshift throne with Maguire, his cat, sitting on his lap. Suddenly, a spiral of smoke materializes out of thin air and Conundrum appears. Unimpressed, Jack O'Lantern makes comments that seemingly indicate they share a past together. Conundrum asks the pumpkin-headed villain how he knew the old pub was where he was meeting the ambassador. Jack O'Lantern replies that an idiot could have figured it out and he’s anything but. Conundrum tells Mad Jack that he hopes he's there to turn the ruby over to him but Jack O'Lantern is apparently not. Frustrated, Conundrum tosses a nearby table to the ground. Mad Jack tells Conundrum that he does not care for the ruby; all he wants is the girl. Conundrum cannot believe Mad Jack wants a girl over a ruby that can give him power beyond imagining. Mad Jack replies hat he has no personal interest in the ambassador's daughter but his employer does. Conundrum comments that the fact Mad Jack is working as a common mercenary would break their former master's heart. Jack O'Lantern replies that it doesn't really matter, as he's already dead. Answering that he too is about to be dead, Conundrum envelops Mad Jack into a cloud of smoke. Mad Jack, however, is no fool and had anticipated that Conundrum would use that trick on him. As the two villains start to tussle, Maguire the cat meows loudly, warning Mad Jack that trouble is coming. On cue, Prodigy comes crashing through the warehouse wall. Before Mad Jack or Conundrum can even react, Prodigy grabs the back of both their heads and proceeds to smash them together. As he releases the two of them, he is stunned to find their costumes empty. Wondering where they've gone, a voice from above tells him to look up. As he does so, he is absolutely floored to discover that his two opponents are about twenty feet tall and getting ready to squash him like a bug.

To be continued.