I: Feature Story: "The Brand of the Brainwasher!"

Pages: 20

Script: Stan Lee
Layouts: John Romita
Pencils: Don Heck
Inks: Mike Esposito (credited as Mickey Demeo)
Letters: Artie Simek

First Appearance: Dr. Winkler, Mr. Slade

Villain: Kingpin/The Brainwasher, Dr. Winkler, Mr. Slade

Guest Appearance: Aunt May, Capt. George Stacy, Gwen Stacy, Harry Osborn, Mary Jane Watson

Marvel Milestones: Mary Jane gets a job at the Gloom Room A-Go-Go

Synopsis: Spider-Man has to web up some cops who try to arrest him, for nothing will stop him from visiting his frail Aunt May in the hospital. He sneaks into her room, dressing down to Peter Parker street clothes, and his visit really perks her up. But soon, Peter must face the local police, who had sworn out a missing persons report on him. Capt. Stacy is there as the police interrogate Peter about his interaction with Spider-Man. He tells the police that Spider-Man let him free when his memory returned. This clears Spider-Man of wrongdoing, and another urgent matter takes the police commission's attention.

Captain Stacy takes an interest in Peter's first-hand knowledge of Spider-Man and invites him back to his home so he can ask him more probing questions about the costumed hero. His daughter Gwen walks in and rushes up to Peter, taking him in her arms and giving him a kiss. Peter realizes how much she cares for him, and together they take off to the Coffee Bean to meet up with Norman and the rest.

There, they meet Norman and head over to the Gloom Room A-Go-Go, where Mary Jane has a new job as a dancer. Unknown to her, however, her job is more than just dancing, as a sinister collection of men discuss her job in the back room of the club. Mary Jane is to dance the night away on stage, but between her act, they plan for her to take pictures of particular high-powered men who will be in the audience. The specially designed camera will implant a hypnotic state into their brain, allowing them to be brainwashed by a much larger machine held in the back room. "The Brainwasher", the man behind all this intrigue, barks orders to his men, Mr. Slade and the mad scientist Dr. Winkler, the genius who helped develop the machine.

Spider-Man is swinging around when he notices some thieves knocking over a jewelry store. He wraps up the affair quickly, then heads on with his business. Mary Jane is showing her new employers what a great dancer she is, but they are more interested that she understand to the letter her duties with the camera. MJ reassures them that she can handle it. Later that night, Gwen, Harry and Peter are at the club for MJ's big debut. Also at the club is an invited audience of powerful public officials, including Gwen's dad, Captain George Stacy. They all enjoy Mary Jane's dancing, and the rest of the crowd gets up to dance along with her.

During her break, she heads around to take pictures. Harry asks her to take a picture of them, but MJ tells her friends she's under strict orders to only take pictures of certain people. This strikes Peter as odd. Mary Jane heads over to take the picture of a city councilman. The man is eager to have his picture taken, but when the flash bulb goes off, he is confused and disoriented. Again, the same thing happens when Mary Jane takes Captain Stacy's picture. He wanders out the club to get a breath of fresh air, but Mr. Slade intercepts him and guides the befuddled Capt. Stacy to the back room. There, Capt. Stacy somehow finds the will to resist being strapped into the Brainwasher's chair, but Slade overpowers him.

Gwen wonders where her dad has gone off to, and Peter goes out to investigate. He senses something is amiss, so he changes into Spider-Man. He sees some thugs with guns and takes them out with a swift kick. An alarm goes off, and Slade sends more flunkies out to take care of Spidey, but he's more than a match for them. Mary Jane stumbles backstage and sees Spidey knocking some heads around, and a gunman grabs her and takes her hostage. Spidey plugs his gun barrel with an ace shot from his web-shooters, and then he swings down and lifts MJ to safety.

He webs up some more flunkies guarding the door to the Brainwasher's secret back room, then busts the door down. He sees Dr. Winkler strapping Capt. Stacy into the Brainwashing machine, and just then, he is violently grabbed by the Brainwasher himself - the Kingpin!!!

(continued in ASM #60)

--synopsis by Gormuu

Issues Reprinted
Amazing Spider-Man #51-61, Annual #4

Click on cover image to learn more about each issue.