Book 1: My Funny Valentine
(Inspired by events from Amazing Spider-Man #40-41)
24 pages + cover • July 2002

Peter Parker spends one particular Valentine's Day reminiscing into his Uncle Ben's old tape recorder about his past, especially his feelings about his long-lost love Gwen Stacy. He thinks about how, on Valentine's Day each year, he goes to the location where Gwen lost her life to the Green Goblin and leaves a long-stem red rose to honor her. His reminiscence takes him back to the time when Norman Osborn, as the Green Goblin, had kidnaped him as Peter Parker, and was threatening to reveal his identity as Spider-Man to the world. Peter escapes from his bonds and defeats the Goblin in battle, somehow knocking Osborn into an amnesiac state where he forgets all about Peter's super-hero alter ego, as well as his life of crime as a maniacal villain. He rescues him from the fire which was created by their battle and turns him over to the firemen, telling them that Norman Osborn helped him defeat the Green Goblin, who has perished in the blaze.

Peter heads to the Daily Bugle to ask for an advance from editor-in-chief J. Jonah Jameson. All he gets is bluster from the curmudgeon, and assistant editor Robbie Robertson sends him on an assignment to the hospital where Norman Osborn is recovering to get some snaps. While there, he helps reassure his former antagonist Harry Osborn, who is keeping vigil over his father. Flash Thompson arrives to support his friend, with the lovely Gwen Stacy in tow. The two share a glance before Peter is off, wondering what, if anything, she must feel for him.

Peter has been pining for a motorcycle, and Aunt May surprises him with some money she and Uncle Ben had set aside for his first set of wheels. He goes to the bike store to purchase it, and rides off to ESU where he picks up an impressed Gwen Stacy and gives her a ride home.

Later that evening, a young lady comes calling to the home of Peter Parker. His Aunt May tells the young lady he isn't home, but to check in again. Mary Jane Watson tells her that she definitely will.

Book 2: Let's Fall In Love
(Inspired by events from Amazing Spider-Man #42-43)
22 pages + cover • August 2002

As news spreads of the Goblin's death, it finally reaches the ears of a man who moves in the shadows, lurking for unseen prey. Once he finds out the Goblin is dead and that Spider-Man is responsible (so says the Bugle!) he sets out to track down the wall-crawler. Peter is working in his lab science class with Gwen, seemingly oblivious that she's flirting with him to try and get his attention. Meanwhile, across town, a super-human goliath called the Rhino is being held in captivity, but not for long, as the mystery man in the shadows sneaks into the cell and releases him.

Robbie Robertson alerts Peter to the news story of the Rhino's rampage, who wants revenge against Spider-Man for a previous battle he had lost. Peter runs down to the scene to get some action shots as well as take care of the Rhino once again. They have a long battle that results in another defeat (though temporary) for the Rhino, and Spidey collects a sample of the ultra-thick Rhino hide and takes it to his scientist-friend Dr. Curtis Connors, formerly the Lizard. They research to find a solution that will help them solve the mystery of the Rhino's seemingly impervious hide, even though Connors risks reinfecting himself with a similar chemical that turned him once into the Lizard. They crack the code of the Rhino's hide, and Spider-Man takes his newfound chemical webbing solution into battle. He sprays the webbing all over the Rhino, and the rhino hide slowly burns itself off his skin, leaving him vulnerable to a Spidey haymaker. It's a knockout punch! From the rooftop, the mystery man watches...and waits.

Peter heads home to get ready for his study session with Gwen, but is corralled by his clever Aunt May to stop a second and finally meet Mary Jane Watson. Peter has dreaded this "blind date" moment for months, but it is finally here, to his great surprise. He opens the door, and there's Mary Jane. "Face it, tiger," she says. "You just hit the jackpot!"

Book 3: Anything Goes
(Inspired by events from Amazing Spider-Man #43-45)
22 pages + cover • September 2002

Mary Jane meets Peter at the gang's hangout, where Flash Thompson spends a little time flirting with and getting rebuffed by the redhead. Gwen Stacy knows competition when she sees it and plays it very, very cool. Peter's friends are astonished that he's making time with such an incredibly bodacious girl. When a news report about the Lizard being on the loose flashes across the cafe's TV screen, Mary Jane suggests to Peter that they go chase down the action.

They hop on his motorcycle and head into town, with Mary Jane helping sweet talk a cop so Peter can sneak past a police barricade. He heads into Penn Station as Spider-Man and spots Dr. Curt Connor's wife with her son, looking worriedly for her husband. Spidey reassures her he'll help locate her husband and get him back to normal, and he takes off for the subway tunnels where the Lizard was last seen. His spidey sense alerts Spidey that the Lizard is about, and then he launches a surprise attack with his whiplike tail. A furious battle erupts before an oncoming subway train seperates them on either side of the tracks.

The mystery man who has been stalking Spidey hides in an alleyway, promising safe passage for the Lizard. Despite misgivings, the reptile man takes him up on the offer and disappears from Spider-Man's sight. Peter heads back out to greet MJ, who gives him a kiss on his bruised eye for a reward. He takes off to the Bugle to turn his shots in, then heads over to Dr. Connors' office, thinking that might be where the Lizard would go next.

Sure enough, that's where the crazed creature is, searching high and low for serums to help build a reptile army. Spider-Man is able to freeze the Lizard in liquid nitrogen, which disables the cold-blooded reptile long enough so that Spidey can apply a serum that reverts the creature back into the mild-mannered Curtis Connors. The Connors family is reunited, with much heartfelt thanks to the amazing Spider-Man.

When Peter arrives back home, he finds Harry Osborn on his front porch. His new friend makes him an offer that is very irresistible: his father, Norman Osborn, is going to spring for an apartment-free of charge- near the ESU campus, and he wants to know if Peter would be his roommate. Pete says he must first talk to his Aunt May. Harry also asks if he can make a play for Mary Jane, if it's alright with Peter. Harry also suggests that the one and only Gwen Stacy has been giving him the eye. This causes Peter to stop dead in his tracks and wonder...

Book 4: Autumn In New York
(Inspired by events from Amazing Spider-Man #46-48)
22 pages + cover • October 2002

Aunt May and Peter are nervous about asking each other about moving on with their lives in different homes. Finally, Aunt May gets the gumption to mention she had been thinking about moving in with Anna Watson. Peter eagerly gives that move his blessing. Aunt May then encourages him to move in with Harry Osborn. She also gives him some romantic advice concerning Mary Jane...

At the Municipal Prison, the Vulture goes into cardiac arrest. While he lays there in a near-death state, a con named Blackie Drago cajoles information out of him regarding the location of his vulture costume. The old man spills it right before he passes out.

Peter escorts his Aunt May to Anna Watson's house, where he see Mary Jane about to be picked up for a date with Harry Osborn. Peter tells him he's going to move in with him after all, and they set up a house-warming party.

Back at the prison, the mystery man is back at his tricks, helping Blackie Drago bust out of jail and locate the vulture costume. He reminds him about their deal before Blackie Drago takes off in flight, evading a hail of policeman's bullets. Spidey heads towards the house-warming party at his new pad with Harry. MJ and Gwen are playing pool while Flash gazes out the window. He spots Spider-Man, but the girls don't see him and poke fun at their jock friend. The girls start dancing up a storm, while Peter has a little fun with his number #1 fan, swinging by the window once again.

Taken by surprise, Spidey's web is snapped by the Vulture. As Gwen and MJ and the gang wonder what is keeping Peter, Spidey is being beaten down by the winged villain, until finally he is left in a crumpled mess on the top of a roof, dazed in a snowdrift and wondering what Gwen must be thinking of him right at that moment.

Book 5: If I Had You
(Inspired by events from Amazing Spider-Man #48-49)
23 pages + cover • November 2002

Peter shambles in to his new pad from his defeat at the hands of the Vulture. Harry greets him at the door and helps him get to bed, where Peter passes out. The mystery man notes that Spider-Man, declared dead by the Vulture, has survived his encounter; he begins to track his path. Part of his mission takes him to the Municipal Prison ICU, where he gives the old man Vulture an antidote, and demands he help him to succeed where Blackie Drago failed.

The next day, both Mary Jane and Gwen compete to get Peter's attention by visiting him in his sick bed. Peter is startled and quite enamored of the girls fighting over him, but his fantasy is wrecked when he sees Blackie Drago flying by outside his window. Knowing he must swing into action as Spider-Man, he tells the girls that he needs his privacy for some rest. They leave in a huff.

Peter reluctantly changes into Spider-Man and heads outside into the snowy day, where not only Blackie Drago is flying, but the original Vulture has tracked him down and they begin a dogfight in the air. He tries to break up the fight, and swings Blackie into the side of a building, knocking a cash bag out of his hand and dislodging a heavy piece of concrete. The concrete falls through the air, nearly killing Flash Thompson, but Spidey rescues him. He asks Flash to take the cash bag back to the bank, and this act of heroism and sacrifice inspires Flash to do some soul-searching. Spidey heads back into battle and delivers a simultaneous knock-out maneuver on both Vultures.

Back at the bachelor pad, Peter comes downstairs to join the girls and Harry, who are about to receive an announcement from Flash: he's going to join the army. Outside the window, the mystery man clutches a piece of Spider-Man's costume, sniffing it for a scent, gazing inside at the kids gathered around and enjoying their quiet evening.

Book 6: All of Me
(Inspired by events from Amazing Spider-Man #48)
22 pages + cover • April 2003

The mystery man watches reel footage of Spider-Man battling several animal-inspired super-villians: the Scorpion, Dr. Octopus, the Rhino, the Lizard and the Vulture. He has studied their moves and Spider-Man's abilities and now it is time for him to hunt. He is, Kraven the Hunter!

While Harry and Peter enjoy some roomie time together (Harry asks to use Peter's aftershave lotion,) the girls show up. Both look ravishing. Then the rest of the overflow party crowd rushes in to Harry and Peter's place to start the Flash party. Harry mentions to Peter that his father called and was asking about him, which creates a bit of tension between the friends. The tension is quickly broken, though, by the sound of Kraven crashing through the skylight window. He makes a beeline for Harry and kidnaps him, then leaping out the window. Peter rushes off to "get his camera," then changes into Spidey and goes to save Harry.

Kraven is convinced Harry is Spider-Man, and is threatening to toss the boy down to the ground. Spider-Man shows up and knocks around a confused Kraven, who was confused by the friends sharing aftershave lotion. Norman Osborn shows up to protect his son, and Kraven looks up and recognizes him. Spidey throws a knockout punch before he can speak any further, and Kraven's last words before he goes unconscious are that this was all about an honor contract- a debt the Goblin owed him.

Norman Osborn gleefully thanks Spider-Man for saving his son, but is overcome by the emotion of it all and has to be taken off by Harry. Peter heads back home to rest up, and Gwen surprises him by making her way into his bedroom and sharing a special "Be My Valentine" moment.

This brings Peter to the end of his reminiscence, as he is recording his final thoughts to Gwen on his tape recorder. Mary Jane walks in and senses what Peter is up to. She kisses him and tells him to "tell Gwen I miss her too." He signs off on this year's message to Gwen that it's this time of year- Valentine's Day- that he always feels a little blue.

-- synopsis by Gormuu