The Essential Spider-Man #3 [Second Edition]
In "Where Crawls the Lizard!", Peter Parker tries to leave the life of Spider-Man behind, trading the web-slinging for college and quiet days—until a discarded suit ends up on display at the Daily Bugle, sparking a wave of crime. Written by Stan Lee and illustrated by John Romita with inks by Mickey Demeo and letters by Sam Rosen, this story captures a turning point where Peter’s past choices collide with a rising tide of danger. The cover, by John Romita Sr., perfectly frames the moment of reckoning.
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Fearing for his aunt's health and tired of being hounded by Jameson, Peter gives up being Spider-Man and concentrates on being a simple college student. A kid finds the discarded Spidey suit in the trash can and brings it to the Daily Bugle where Jonah proudly puts it on display. Pete's personal life starts looking up but crime increases as the Kingpin gathers the mob under his leadership. Feeling guilty about the crime wave, Peter remembers the lessons taught to him by his uncle's death and decides to become Spider-Man once again.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).