From the Mouths of the Marvels:

"Naturally, I wasn't scared of that crumb, Doctor Doom! He couldn't keep me prisoner for long! When he saw I escaped, he was so worried that he ran out before I could get my mitts on him!"

- - Flash Thompson, spinner of tall tales, page 21

Will the REAL Spider-Man please pass out?!?!?!

Amazing Spider-Man #5
October 1963 • 21 pages

Publication Date: June 11, 1963

Letters Page: Not currently in inventory.

I: Feature Story: "Marked For Destruction by Dr. Doom!"

Pages: 21

Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Steve Ditko
Inks: Steve Ditko
Letters: Sam Rosen

Villain: Dr. Doom

Guest Appearance: J. Jonah Jameson, Flash Thompson, Liz Allan, Betty Brant, Aunt May

Cameo Appearance: Fantastic Four

Gadgets & Technology: Spider-Wave transmitter

Marvel Milestones: First monthly issue of Amazing Spider-Man

Synopsis: As J. Jonah Jameson spreads his message of hatred and mistrust of Spider-Man over the city's airwaves, Dr. Doom overhears the news bulletins and is inspired to contact Spider-Man and ask him to join forces with him against the Fantastic Four. Using a "spider-wavelength" message transmitter, he calls out to the wall-crawler. Spider-Man hears the message and heads to the place where it was sent, where he sees Dr. Doom! The evil doctor opens discussion with the offer for Spider-Man to join forces with him to defeat the FF. Spider-Man considers for a moment and then gives a flat "NO" as his answer. After trying to gum up Doctor Doom with some webbing, Doom reveals that all this time, Spider-Man has been talking to a robot. Doom tries to trap Spider-Man, but Spider-Man escapes outside the abandoned building they are fighting in. Before he can return to battle, Doom detonates charges inside the building and takes off, leaving Spider-Man to take the blame for the destruction.

Peter takes pictures of the fire to J. Jonah Jameson - for the first time notices his pretty secretary, Ms. Betty Brant! Jameson reminds him that he wants more and more pictures of Spider-Man so he can keep pounding away on the menace theme - because that is what sells papers after all!

Later, Flash Thompson is showing off for friends in his Spider-Man costume. It's all part of an elaborate prank they plan to pull on Peter Parker to get back at him for ridiculing Spider-Man (which is Peter's attempt at throwing off possible suspicion that he is actually Spider-Man!) At the same time, Doom is working on a plot to locate Spider-Man so he can find out his secret identity. As Flash heads towards Peter Parker's house to finish off his prank, Dr. Doom is homing in on the real Spider-Man. In an amazing act of coincidence, as Peter Parker walks on one side of a fence, causing Doom's "spider-geiger counter" to go off the charts, Flash is hiding on the other side of the fence in his Spider-Man outfit, ready to pounce on the unsuspecting Parker! Mistaking Flash for the real Spider-Man, Doom kidnaps Flash and scurries him away to his helicopter, thinking he's nabbed the real Spider-Man.

As Peter returns home, Doom cuts into programming with a video feed that shows that he has Spider-Man captured and contained in a prison cell. He also demands that the Fantastic Four disband and surrender to him or he will kill Spider-Man. Of course, Peter Parker sees this and wonders what kind of trick is being played, but then Liz Allan calls Peter and tells him that Flash Thompson went missing dressed as Spider-Man. Putting "2 and 2" together,Peter realizes what is going on, and despite loathing Flash, goes into rescue mode. Of course, Aunt May won't permit Peter to leave the house with Dr. Doom on the loose, so Peter has to create the subterfuge of a blown fuse so he can go out and purchase a new fuse at the hardware store.

Thus freed from his Aunt May, he sets out to find Doctor Doom and locates him in an abandoned factory. He informs Doom that he's captured a phony Spider-Man and begins battle. Spider-Man has to make his way through many deadly traps, such as a machine that revolves iron globes around a magnetic core in rapid movement, electrified floor panels, and a floating machine that blasts disintegrating rays of fire. Just when Doom seems to be about to apply the finishing blow to Spider-Man, his security alerts him to the oncoming Fantastic Four. Knowing he cannot defeat all five at the same time, he runs away.

Spider-Man remembers he's left his Aunt May back home in the dark, so he heads immediately back to their Forest Hills home. The FF have arrived to check out the scene and find Flash Thompson dressed as Spider-Man. Of course, Flash takes the opportunity to brag to his schoolmates that he defeated Doctor Doom all by himself!

--synopsis by Gormuu

Issues Reprinted
Spider-Man from Amazing Fantasy #15 and
Amazing Spider-Man #1-10

Click on cover image to learn more about each issue.

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