Spider-Man recalls how John Jameson vanished as he fell from the tower of the Brooklyn Bridge the day before, and how J. Jonah Jameson accused Spider-Man of killing his son. When he hears a speeding car in the street below, he spins a web-net to trap it, but the web is too weak to hold the vehicle. The car careens toward an old lady crossing the street. When Spider-Man rescues her, however, she hits him with her purse. She has read Jameson's latest editorial and thinks Spider-Man is a murderer. Spider-Man leaps away with her screams for the police ringing in his ears. Then he chases the out-of-control car and stops it by lifting its rear wheels off the pavement and anchoring himself against a curb. When the driver sees his rescuer, he begs Spider-Man not to hurt him. Then he quickly re-enters his car and speeds away. Spider-Man is perplexed by this reaction from a man he has Just saved. Then he sees the Daily Bugle headline. Enraged, he shreds the paper and heads for Blake Tower's office at city hall.

When the doorbell buzzes at Spencer Smythe's laboratory and the criminal scientist admits Jameson and Marla Madison, he cannot believe his good fortune. Jameson is the very person Smythe desperately wants revenge against, and here he is with an offer to pay an enormous sum of money for another Spider Slayer robot. Coughing frequently and swallowing the pills that keep him alive, Smythe agrees to build the machine. He tells Jameson to send Marla away before the work begins. Spider-Man tells Blake Tower that he is sick of Jameson's editorials and wants to know what can be done about Jameson's accusation. When Tower asks whether the accusation is true, Spider-Man replies that of course it is not. Then Tower recommends Spider-Man sue Jameson for defamation of character. But, he continues, Spider-Man will have to reveal his secret identity. Even Jameson has the right to face his accuser. This, of course, is unacceptable to Spider-Man, and he shatters Tower's desk in frustration. Tower accepts Spider-Man's apology and then tells Spider-Man that he cannot offer legal advice. Handing Spider-Man a letter addressed to him care of Tower's office, he requests that Spider-Man not use city hall as his mail box. Thanking Tower for everything, Spider-Man departs. The next morning, Smythe unveils his final Spider Slayer robot to Jameson. Resembling a large spider, the machine is built from shatterproof materials and responds instantly to Smythe's mental commands. Evidently having all the strengths but none of the weaknesses of Smythe's earlier models, it is the finest Spider Slayer Smythe has ever built. Talking fast and distracting Jameson, Smythe manages to lock a handcuff-shaped device on Jameson's wrist. As soon as the lock snaps shut, Smythe exults that Jameson has but 24 hours to live. He says that he hates Jameson for corrupting him with his mad schemes against Spider-Man, which have condemned Smythe to die from overexposure to radioactive material. Jameson pleads ignorance, but to no avail. Smythe promises that Jameson and Spider-Man will die together once Smythe lures the crimefighter there. Smythe says he will have his revenge on his deathbed.

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