The Essential Spider-Man #3 [Third Edition]

In "From the Depths of Defeat!", Peter Parker, still reeling from his battle with the new Vulture, stumbles upon news footage of the Vulture clashing with Kraven the Hunter. Drawn back into the fray despite his wounds, he pushes through the pain to stop the escalating conflict—before it spirals beyond control.

Peter Parker hangs up the mask, hoping to focus on college and protect his aunt May from the dangers of being Spider-Man. With the suit discarded and displayed at the Daily Bugle, crime begins to rise—especially as the Kingpin consolidates power. When the city starts to suffer, Peter must decide whether the life he left behind was truly the one he wanted to escape.

Spider-Man returns to the fray, determined to disrupt Kingpin’s growing empire—only to find himself outmaneuvered when the criminal mastermind enlists the help of the cunning reporter Foswell and kidnaps J. Jonah Jameson. As Spider-Man races to stop the scheme, he’s caught off guard by a sudden attack, overwhelmed by a cloud of gas that leaves him powerless at Kingpin’s feet.

In "To Die a Hero!", Spider-Man faces a deadly trap when Kingpin attempts to drown him and J. Jonah Jameson in a flooded basement. As the tide rises, Spider-Man fights to break free, while Foswell makes a desperate choice to help Jameson escape—paying the ultimate price. Meanwhile, Flash Thompson returns home on leave, unaware of the storm brewing around him.