Appearing in "Spider-Man Versus Doctor Octopus"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- ⏴ Aunt May Parker ⏵
- Daily Bugle
- ⏴ Flash Thompson ⏵
- ⏴ Liz Allan ⏵
- ⏴ Sally Avril ⏵
- ⏴ Human Torch (Johnny Storm) ⏵
Antagonists:
- Doctor Octopus (Otto Octavius) (First appearance) (Origin revealed) (See chronology)
- Charlie (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Unnamed thieves
- NYPD
- Joe (First appearance)
- Army Personnel
- Albert Schweitzer (Mentioned)
- Peter Parker's High School Classmates
- Staff of Bliss Private Hospital
- Fantastic Four (Mentioned)
- The Thing (Ben Grimm) (Mentioned)
Races and Species:
Locations:
Items:
- Spider-Man's Suit and Web-Shooters
- Spider-Man's Utility Belt
- Spider-Man's Spider-Signal (First appearance)
- Doctor Octopus' Tentacles (First appearance)
- Fantastic Four Uniforms
Synopsis for "Spider-Man Versus Doctor Octopus"
Spider-Man catches Charlie and his two pals robbing a warehouse. Surprising them with his Spider Signal light, he quickly overcomes them and webs them up for the police. Meanwhile, atomic scientist Otto Octavius, known to his colleagues as Doctor Octopus because of the unique set of four remote-controlled "arms" he invented for handling radioactive material, is hard at work at the U.S. Atomic Research Center. Suddenly his experiment goes awry. In the ensuing explosion, Otto Octavius's mechanical arms fuse to his body, and the excess radiation alters his brain. When he awakens at Bliss Private Hospital, he discovers that he can make his mechanical arms move by thought alone, just as if they were his real arms. With his brain unbalanced, Dr. Octopus forcibly takes over the hospital as his first criminal act.
J. Jonah Jameson learns of the strange events at the hospital and sends Peter Parker to take some photographs. Peter sneaks into the hospital as Spider-Man and discovers the hospital staff held captive by Dr. Octopus. Spider-Man is badly beaten in their battle, but Dr. Octopus's captives manage to escape.
Dr. Octopus returns to the U.S. Atomic Research Center and takes over its computer, soon gaining possession of the greatest source of atomic power in the nation. Meanwhile, Peter Parker is dispirited following his defeat. The government asks the Fantastic Four to retake the laboratory from Dr. Octopus, but they decline because of other commitments. The Human Torch, unable to use his flame because of a virus, nevertheless appears at Midtown High School to address the student body. The speech he gives is so inspiring that Peter Parker regains his self-confidence. He decides he can defeat Dr. Octopus after all.
Spider-Man soon enters the laboratory, where he builds two devices from chemicals and wire. When Dr. Octopus finds him, Spider-Man tosses one of the devices around two of the criminal's mechanical arms, melting them together. Then he squirts web fluid all over Dr. Octopus's glasses. Temporarily blinded with two of his arms stuck together, Dr. Octopus is easily knocked out and left helpless for the police. When Spider-Man later thanks the Human Torch for his inspiring speech, the Human Torch, cured of his illness, is perplexed.
The next day, the Human Torch gives the Midtown High School students another demonstration of his newly restored powers, while Peter Parker smiles, finding new confidence in his young career as a super-hero.
Notes
Continuity Notes[]
- This story is expanded upon in Spider-Man Unlimited #3, 18, and Spider-Man/Doctor Octopus: Out of Reach #1, and 3.
- Various details in this story should be considered topical references per the Sliding Timescale of Earth-616. Primarily all references to nuclear energy, and the technology that is used throughout this story.
Chronology Notes[]
Events in this story occur behind the scenes that affect the chronology of the following characters: Spider-Man:
- ⏴ Page 1-5 ⏵ - Spider-Man decides to go after Doctor Octopus.
- ⏴ Page 6 ⏵ - Spider-Man faces Doctor Octopus.
- ⏴ Page 7-21 ⏵ - Spider-Man defeats Doctor Octopus.
Doctor Octopus:
- ⏴ Page 1-Page 3, Panel 2 ⏵ - Octavius is caught in an explosion that fuses his metalic arms to his body.
- ⏴ Page 3, Panels 3-6 ⏵ - Otto recovers from the blast, is insane.
- ⏴ Page 4, Panel 1-3 ⏵ - Doctor Octopus breaks out of his hospital room.
- ⏴ Page 4, Panel 4-Page 5 ⏵ - Doctor Octopus takes over the nuclear plant.
- ⏴ Page 6 ⏵ - Doctor Octopus faces Spider-Man for the first time.
- ⏴ Page 7-21 ⏵ - Octopus is defeated by Spider-Man.
Continuity Errors[]
- Spider-Man is erroneously called "Super-Man" by Doctor Octopus on Page 8, Panel 6.
- Doctor Octopus' last name is mislettered "Octavious" in this story, as it is in several other early Spider-Man stories.
Trivia
- This issue also includes a Spider-Man pin-up page and the first "Spider's Web" letters section (two pages long).
- The cover of this issue is one of the 32 that appear in the comic collection from the 2000 video game Spider-Man.