The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #3

…To Become An Avenger

In the Avengers Mansion, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are contemplating whether Spider-Man should be inducted into The Avengers. The team are split on whether Spidey is suitable for membership so decide to seek advice from someone who’s dealt with Spider-Man before. The Avengers summon Daredevil who gives his highest recommendation and based on this they unanimously vote to test Spider-Man for membership. The vote cast, the heroes span the city in search for Spidey. Thor locates Spider-Man and tells him he is to be tested for Avengers membership and Spidey asks why he needs to prove himself. After telling the young hero that is The Avengers way, the Thunder God is disappointed with the web-swingers hesitation and gives him 24 hours to decide. Spidey changes back to his civilian clothes and goes home where Aunt May asks Peter to pick up her medicine from the drug store. As Peter heads to the store he weighs up the pros and cons of joining The Avengers. Peter thinks it’ll be harder to keep his identity secret as he’ll be in the spotlight more often and he’ll have less time for his studies and to look after Aunt May. On the other hand Spider-Man will finally get the respect he deserves. After returning home Peter makes his decision and heads for Avengers HQ to join up.

The Avengers, minus Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch who are in Europe, greet Spider-Man and Iron Man tells him to wait outside while they decide what his test will be. Spidey feels disrespected and says he’ll make as good an Avenger as anyone. This angers Hawkeye and an argument breaks out that leads to Spidey attacking the marksman. Goliath intercepts and smacks Spider-Man away who retaliates by punching him in the face. The Wasp then uses her Wasp’s Sting on Spidey who is being held back by Captain America. As Cap tries to calm things down Spider-Man throws him overhead and into the onrushing Goliath. Winghead strikes back before Thor finally breaks up the fight and Iron Man says he’s thought of a test. Spider-man is told The Hulk has been spotted in New York and Spidey has to bring the Green Giant to The Avengers. Spider-Man says this will easy and leaves to find his target before The Avenger can tell him why they want The Hulk captured.

Spider-Man searches the city for hours with no luck and heads to The Daily Bugle where he hears Freddy Foswell tell J. Jonah Jameson that The Hulk was spotted at a gamma research centre downtown. Spidey arrives at the research centre within minutes and finds The Hulk who doesn’t recognise Spider-Man. Spidey tells Hulk to come with him and The Hulk attacks by tearing the wall off a building and using it as a missile! Spidey manages to dodge the projectile but Hulk leaps at his enemy and crashes into a building. Spider-Man lands a dropkick but Hulk grabs him in a bear hug. Spidey tries a double karate chop but his blows have no effect on his opponent who brushes him away like a mosquito. The Hulk doesn’t understand why Spidey is attacking him like everyone else and the Web-Slinger doesn’t know how to explain this is all for a test. The Hulk comes after webhead again and swings a punch that Spidey ducks, causing his foe to hit a gamma ray machine. A split second later the rays from the machine transform Hulk to Bruce Banner.

Spider-Man is shocked at the transformation and Banner explains who he is and how he became The Incredible Hulk. Spidey recognises Bruce Banner as one of the world’s foremost scientists and doesn’t believe he can be bad. As Spider-Man contemplates why The Avengers sent him after The Hulk instead of a real villain, Banner starts transforming again. The good doctor tells Spider-Man to run while he still can and that his full strength doesn’t return for a few minutes after he’s turned into The Hulk. The transformation completes but remembering Banner’s words, Spider-Man quickly lands a haymaker on The Hulk with all his might before he reaches maximum strength. The Jade Giant is rocked backwards and knocked off his feet and Spidey immediately wraps him up with enough webbing to stop an elephant. However as the confused captive looks up at his conqueror, Spider-Man realises buried somewhere within The Hulk’s clouded brain is an innocent man who deserves better. Spidey goes to free his prisoner but The Hulk’s full strength returns and he breaks free himself. Staggering to his feet, a dazed Hulk pushes Spider-Man out of his way and trudges off not remembering a thing about the fight. Spidey understands The Hulk needs help not hatred and refuses to keep hounding the tortured soul.

In The Avengers meeting room the team wonder where Spider-Man is and opinions are divided on if he has been successful. Suddenly Spidey appears at the window and tells them he couldn’t even find The Hulk so they’ll have to do their Avenging without him. As Spidey swings away, Iron Man is surprised at how lightly he took his failure while Thor thinks there’s more to this than meets the eye. Captain America states The Avengers just wanted to help The Hulk and Hawkeye wonders if Jameson is right about Spider-Man after all. Later in his room, Peter is angry that he had to deliberately give up a chance to join The Avengers and muses that it must be fate’s way of saying Spider-Man is cut out to be a loner.
Second story

Spider-Man goes to Philadelphia to battle mobsters, crooked lawyers and Doc Ock.

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