Spider-Man follows Nova, who interrupts a robbery staged by the gun-toting driver and others. Using high-tech weapons, the crooks take the heroes down and escape, but not before Spidey tags them with a tracer. Recognizing the robbery site as the building where Roxxon conducted artificial Vibranium experiments (ASM Ann #25, PPSSM Ann #11, WoSM Ann #7, all '91), Spidey accosts grad student Carlos Munoz who assisted in them. Carlos admits selling Antarctic Vibranium. Later, Peter ditches his plans with an unhappy MJ when he spots Nova overhead, convincing him to team-up. They find a secret mountain base where the Life Foundation has rebuilt the Tri-Sentinel. Nova trips an alarm and is captured. Life Foundation leader Carlton Drake activates the Tri-Sentinel to use on Spidey, but its magic origin overrides his programming as well as the Vibranium fail-safe, going on a rampage. Freeing himself, Nova joins Spidey against the Sentinel but gets caught by its steel coils even as Spidey is trapped in a force bubble within the robot's control center.

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