Overview
Watch out, you latte-sipping, bookmark-bending, literary snob! Spider-Man and the Vulture are bringing a whole new meaning to the term "Battle of the Books" as they duke it out in a bookstore! And stuck right in the middle, dodging hardcovers, is poor Deborah Whitman, author of a memoir detailing her tumultuous relationship with Peter Parker. Whoever invented that old saying about words not hurting as much as sticks and stones obviously hasn't lived a day in the webslinger's boots!
As a younger man, Adrian Toombes cared for his brother Marcus, after a motorcycle accident left him a quadriplegic. But Marcus, unable to accept his new life, asked Adrian to kill him. Marcus tells Adrian that, in the wild, he would be food for the lions and vultures, because that’s natures way. Adrian, unable to kill Marcus, is told to stop being weak, be an animal.
The Vulture waits near the book signing for Spider-man, aware of his spider-sense, he knows he must be patient and use Spider-man’s compassion against him.
Before the signing commences, Deb Whitman prepares to be interviewed by a reporter from the Daily Bugle. She is surprised to find it is Betty Brant. Betty wants look in the eyes of the kind of woman who would betray a man like Peter Parker. Deb asks why Betty isn’t outraged by what Peter did to them both. Betty explains that her life makes more sense now, that Peter Parker isn’t a disguise that Spider-man hides behind, Peter is a caring man, what Peter did he did out of love, compassion and decency, what is Deb’s excuse?
Peter, in his new disguise, waits in line to ask Deb a few questions when Flash Thompson pushes in to confront her. Betty pulls Flash aside and is delighted to see him and annoyed that he doesn’t remember dating her. Peter is finding the proceedings amusing until his spider-sense goes off.
The Vulture crashes through the window, Flash punches him and he swats Flash aside. He heads for Deb, intending to take her hostage, when Betty shoots him. The Vulture snaps around and destroys Betty’s gun. Just as he is about do likewise to Betty, he gets an eyeful of webbing and is thrown into a pillar. Spider-man says “HI” to Deb as the Vulture flies outside. Spider-man and the Vulture battle over the city until Spider-man is cut by the Vultures wings, then he starts to become dizzy and lose consciousness. The Vulture gloats as Spider-man plummets towards the streets below.
But his triumph is short-lived as his left arm goes numb and he too looses consciousness and drops from the sky.
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