The first page of this graphic novel is a super quick mini-bio of the Spider-Man creation story.

Peter Parker has no trouble with math and science in high school, but with history he struggles. It is the opposite for Gwen Stacy, so their teacher- Mr. Maxwell has teamed them up to tutor each other. Peter has taken a liking to Gwen. He is about to ask her out to the Winter Formal when his ‘spidey’ sense goes off.

Vulture is stealing a brief case from Stark Industries. Vulture gets away from Spidey. Just as Iron Man shows up, Vulture escapes. Spidey and Iron Man have never met before and Iron Man wants to see Spidey’s face. Off Spidey goes chasing Vulture. Iron Man follows, not believing Spidey is innocent of the breaking into Stark Industries. With Vulture in view, Iron Man asks Spidey to team up with him. Vulture is soon captured. Before Iron Man and Spidey go their own ways, Spidey asks Iron Man for advice on how to ask out a girl.

The next day, Gwen and Peter get their history tests back, both with “A”s. Peter finally asks Gwen out to the Winter Formal, but he is a day too late. Gwen has already accepted to go with someone else. Later that night, as Spidey sulks a top a tall building, Iron Man shows up and invites him to help fight off a dragon “trying to eat Brooklyn.”

All of Peter’s insecurity and all of Tony Stark’s self-confidence and arrogance come through in this story. I could hear Robert Downey, Jr., in my head, as I read these pages.

It helped me follow along to see the text boxes’ script in two different colors to distinguish between characters speaking.