I: Feature Story: "Captured By J. Jonah Jameson!"

Pages: 20

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

First Appearance: Spencer Smythe, Mary Jane Watson, Spider-Slayer I

Villain: Spider-Slayer I

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

Cameo Appearance: Mary Jane Watson (face obscured)

Marvel Milestones: Peter knits backup Spider-Man costume

Synopsis: Peter Parker leaves the home of Liz Allan, after having successfully tutored her in mathematics (as well as encouraging her puppy love). On his way home, he goes back to the scene of his last action as Spider-Man to retrieve his spider-signal. While there, he is able to stop a set of car thieves and take pictures of their arrest. After going home and knitting a backup Spidey costume (after being stymied by his slow-to-dry uniform in his fight against Mysterio: see LAST ISSUE), he takes his pictures to Jameson in an attempt to sell them.

While pitching his pics to the old skinflint publisher, an inventor named Smythe brings his newest invention in to see Jameson: a life-size robot. He tells Jameson that his robot can help him finally defeat his nemesis, Spider-Man, but JJJ rebuffs him out of hand, saying he doesn't want to get wrapped up with anymore crackpot ideas that will embarrass him. Sensing an opportunity to take (and sell!) more pictures of Spider-Man in battle, Peter encourages Jameson to go along with the plan, and after playing to his ego, he finally convinces him, much to the chagrin of Betty Brant, who feels that Peter should feel more indebted to Spider-Man because of all the good things he's done in the past.

The scientist tests the robot out for Jameson, showing off the robot's abilities to hone in on a "spider's presence". Shockingly, it wraps up Peter in its arms, gripping him tightly and causing Peter to have second thoughts about the wisdom of his plan. This robot is tough! Peter cannot break free of its bonds until Smythe lets him loose. The doctor chalks it up to a design flaw. After getting an earful from Betty about his betrayal of Spider-Man, Peter heads to school, where he finds Liz Allan chasing after him. Flash Thompson sees this, and his gang of friends eggs him on to do something about Parker horning in on his girl Liz. Flash challenges him to a fight after school.

Back at the Daily Bugle, Smythe gets the robot up and running, allowing Jameson to manually control its actions and broadcast his voice and visage through the robot's head. The robot homes in on the powerful presence of Spider-Man, which takes it towards Midtown High School. Peter spots the robot coming, and in a bid to take the fight away from campus, he races off into the city streets. Flash spots him running off, and he and his gang take chase of their "bookworm" quarry. The robot gives rapid chase as well, and the adventure is afoot!

Peter manages to leap to the top of a building, out of view of his teenage pursuers, and is able to don most of his costume before the robot homes in on him. Jameson gleefully taunts Spider-Man from his robot-control panel, fending off web-attacks from Spidey and using his coil-spring arms to reach out for him. Spider-Man is concerned that his webbing is useless, and combined with his earlier, fruitless encounter with the super-strong arms as Peter Parker, he decides to run away until he can think of a better plan to defeat the robot. Jameson chases all the way, enjoying every moment of having his hated enemy on the run!

Betty Brant tries to help Spider-Man by sabotaging the robot-control panel, but JJJ shoos her away. Meanwhile, Flash and his group weary of searching for Peter Parker, so they decide to head to his house in Forest Hills and try and find him there. Liz Allan follows to make sure Peter doesn't get into any trouble with Flash. As Liz walks up the sidewalk to warn Peter about Flash, Betty Brant has arrived to try and talk him into getting Jameson to back down against Spider-Man. Both girls meet each other coldly before they are greeted at the door by Peter's Aunt May, who in turn, introduces the two girls to "Peter's friend", Mary Jane Watson. Mary Jane is seated on the couch, patiently waiting for him to show up. The girls are astonished by Mary Jane's "screen star" good looks (her actual appearance is deftly hidden by a potted plant) as well as the idea that Peter has had this hidden friendship with Mary Jane all this time without telling them. Both girls leave, fed up with their boyfriend Peter.

Tired of running, Spider-Man decides to make his last stand against the robot. Before he can take on the robot, though, the Jameson-controlled robot reaches out its coiled arms and ties him up in knots. Unable to break free, Spider-Man is stuck. Jameson and the scientist leave the Bugle offices to go collect their quarry. Meanwhile, with Jameson away from the robot's controls, Spider-Man locates the control panel in the robot's chest plate, opens it, and goes to work on the circuitry. Just as soon as Smythe and Jameson show up on the scene, they realize that Spider-Man has escaped, leaving only his empty costume being held in the grip of the powered-down robot. Fooled once again, Jameson realizes he's been had by Spider-Man.

Later, after both Mary Jane and Flash Thompson have left the Parker household, Peter arrives home. He is confronted by Aunt May, who has discovered his Spider-Man costume while cleaning up his room! He makes up an excuse - artfully crafted so he isn't technically lying to her - and convinces her he's not Spider-Man, while still worrying what would happen to his frail aunt were she ever to find out his secret!

--synopsis by Gormuu

Issues Reprinted
Spider-Man from
Amazing Spider-Man #20-30 and Annual #2

Click on cover image to learn more about each issue.