THE GREAT SPIDER MAN:
INFO:
Real Name: Matthew Grant
Age: 16
Height: 5’9
Alias: Spider-Man
Reality: Reality-07X-418
Matthew Grant is a 16-year-old kid who, until very recently, had a completely normal life. He’s lean and athletic, built like someone who naturally gravitates toward calisthenics and bodyweight training. He has strawberry-blonde hair that leans more blonde than red, clear-framed glasses that are still slightly visible when light catches them, and a generally unremarkable teenage appearance.
He doesn’t look like a superhero.
And that’s exactly why nobody sees him coming.
He’s not bulky. Not armored. Not intimidating. Just a teenager who can suddenly do things no teenager should be able to do—climb walls, leap across rooftops, and survive falls that should absolutely kill him.
And somehow, he’s Spider-Man.
⸻
Powers
Matthew has the standard spider abilities associated with Spider-Man across most realities.
Superhuman Strength:
He’s stronger than a normal human teenager by a wide margin. Right now, his strength is still unstable under pressure, but he can lift heavy debris, overpower average criminals, and perform explosive, controlled jumps.
Agility & Reflexes:
His body reacts faster than his conscious thought. He can twist mid-air, land in impossible positions, and adjust movement instantly in combat or traversal.
Wall-Crawling:
He can adhere to most solid surfaces—walls, ceilings, glass, metal—through a bio-adhesive response in his hands and feet that activates instinctively.
Spider-Sense:
A danger warning system that manifests as instinctive reaction rather than clear thought. At this stage, it’s inconsistent—sometimes sharp, sometimes delayed, sometimes just a vague unease.
He doesn’t trust it yet. He’s still learning that it’s usually right.
Enhanced Durability:
He can survive impacts that would seriously injure or kill a normal person, but he is not invincible. High-force trauma still staggers him and leaves real pain behind.
Accelerated Healing:
Minor injuries heal faster than normal. Cuts, bruises, and strains fade quickly, but anything serious still takes time and recovery.
⸻
Web Shooters
Matthew uses basic, homemade web shooters.
They are not advanced tech. Not corporate. Not refined.
Just early prototypes built through trial, error, and a lot of frustration.
They fire synthetic web fluid through mechanical wrist-mounted nozzles.
Current web modes:
Web Line:
Single strand for swinging, pulling, or quick grapples.
Web Burst:
Short-range splatter used to stick or disrupt targets.
Web Net:
Wider spread designed to trap or slow multiple opponents.
That’s it.
They jam sometimes. Pressure is inconsistent. Cartridges run out too fast. And Matthew is still learning how not to accidentally web his own fingers together mid-fight.
His early swinging style is less “superhero precision” and more “panic-driven physics experiment.”
⸻
Spider-Suit
This suit is a clearly homemade, early-stage Spider-Man design with a strong focus on function over polish, giving it a raw, street-level aesthetic that feels more like a prototype than a finished hero costume.
The main body is a clean, matte white constructed from flexible athletic fabric. It has a slightly muted tone rather than a bright, reflective finish, helping it avoid looking too flashy under city lights while still standing out as something unusual in motion.
The forearms, chest sides, and lower legs are metallic gold, breaking up the white base in uneven, practical sections rather than clean, symmetrical patterns. These gold areas appear intentionally reinforced, suggesting they were added to protect high-stress zones that take the most impact during climbing, landing, and rapid movement. The gold has a slightly worn, brushed look—less like luxury and more like improvised durability.
The chest features a sharp, angular metallic gold spider emblem. It is minimal, slightly asymmetrical, and deliberately simple in design—more like a quickly finalized concept sketch translated directly onto fabric than a refined logo. A smaller matching spider emblem is placed between the shoulder blades, maintaining visual consistency without overcomplicating the design.
The mask continues the same clean white tone, with white eye lenses framed by thin metallic gold outlines. The lenses are not perfectly uniform, with subtle differences in alignment that add to the suit’s handmade nature. The overall expression of the mask feels functional rather than stylized, prioritizing visibility and practicality over aesthetic precision.
The suit includes:
- Reinforced gold wrist mounts designed for basic web shooters
- Lightweight padding integrated into the elbow and knee areas for impact protection
- Grip-enhanced soles optimized for wall traction and rapid directional changes
- Thin ventilation seams along the torso for breathability during high activity
- Reinforced stitching in high-tension zones prone to stretching during swinging
- Small concealed pockets for spare web cartridges and basic field supplies
There are no glowing elements.
No armor plating.
No advanced integrated systems.
No high-end technological enhancements.
It is purely athletic fabric, reinforced stress points, and improvised equipment assembled with limited resources and a strong focus on practicality.
It does not resemble a polished, established superhero suit.
It resembles a first attempt at becoming something more.
And that is exactly what makes it effective.
STORY START:
SPIDER-MAN: THE FIRST NIGHT
New York City
It started like any other Spider-Man story.
At least, that’s what Matthew would eventually tell people.
If anyone ever found out.
The morning started with Matthew sitting near the back of the bus, one earbud in, staring out the window as Manhattan rolled past.
He wasn’t asleep.
He wasn’t studying.
He wasn’t doing anything particularly interesting.
He was just watching the city.
His school, Westbridge Academy, was one of those private high schools where the students lived on campus during the school year. The place was old, expensive, and absurdly large, with dormitories, laboratories, athletic fields, and enough security cameras to make the students joke that they were attending a prison for rich people.
Matthew didn’t care much.
He was sixteen, had strawberry-blonde hair that leaned more blonde than red, clear-framed glasses, and the general appearance of someone who could disappear into a crowd without anybody remembering what he looked like five minutes later.
He wasn’t a nerd.
He wasn’t a jock.
He wasn’t the class clown.
He was just… Matthew.
Pretty neutral.
He got good grades, but he never made a big deal about them.
In reality, Matthew was ridiculously smart.
He just didn’t feel the need to prove it.
The bus finally stopped in front of a massive research facility in Manhattan.
Their teacher stood at the front.
“Everyone out. Stay with your assigned groups. Do not touch anything.”
Matthew stepped off the bus.
He looked up at the building.
“That’s probably going to work,” he muttered.
His friend beside him laughed.
“You say that like you already know somebody’s going to touch something.”
“I know teenagers.”
They joined the rest of the class.
The facility was hosting a special student science exhibition that day. There were dozens of demonstrations, genetic research displays, robotics experiments, and containment rooms filled with things Matthew only half understood.
The trip was supposed to be educational.
For the most part, it was.
But there was something different about this place.
Something Matthew couldn’t quite put his finger on.
He noticed small details other students ignored.
A security door that required two separate keycards.
A researcher nervously checking a monitor.
A containment system that had far more backup power than seemed necessary.
Matthew noticed it all.
He didn’t say anything.
Eventually, the class entered one of the genetic research sections.
A scientist was explaining genetically modified species to the students.
Matthew listened quietly.
“Genetic modification allows researchers to alter specific traits in an organism,” the scientist explained. “In controlled environments, this can be used to study everything from disease resistance to biological adaptation.”
Matthew glanced at the display cases.
Then something moved.
A spider.
It was small.
Its body was completely white.
The tips of its eight legs were metallic gold.
Matthew leaned slightly closer.
“Huh.”
The spider crawled along the inside of its enclosure.
Nobody else seemed to notice it.
Then the researcher turned away.
For just a moment, the spider disappeared beneath a piece of equipment.
Matthew looked away.
A second later, something landed on his shoulder.
He felt a tiny movement against his shirt.
Matthew looked down.
The spider.
“Oh.”
It bit him.
Matthew barely reacted.
There was no pain.
Nothing.
He calmly slapped his shoulder.
The spider fell onto the floor.
Matthew looked down at it.
“Sorry.”
He stepped away.
The spider disappeared beneath the display.
Matthew rubbed his shoulder once.
Nothing.
No pain.
No blood.
Nothing at all.
He shrugged.
“Probably fine.”
And that was it.
The rest of the trip continued completely normally.
Matthew ate lunch.
He listened to another presentation.
He complained about the amount of walking.
He joked with his friends.
He got back on the bus.
He returned to Westbridge Academy.
He went to dinner.
He finished his homework.
He played games with his roommate.
And eventually, he went to bed.
Nothing happened.
No glowing eyes.
No dramatic transformation.
No sudden explosion of power.
Nothing.
Until the next morning.
⸻
Matthew opened his eyes.
6:42 A.M.
His alarm was going to go off in three minutes.
He reached for his phone.
Then stopped.
Something felt…
Different.
Matthew stared at his hand.
He flexed his fingers.
Nothing.
He sat up.
His body felt lighter.
Not weaker.
Not stronger.
Just… different.
He quietly stood up.
His roommate was still asleep in the other bed.
Matthew looked at him.
Then at the door.
Then back at his roommate.
He decided not to wake him.
He walked toward the bathroom.
His foot caught the edge of his backpack.
Matthew stumbled.
He grabbed the wall.
His hand stuck.
He froze.
“…What?”
He slowly pulled his hand away.
Nothing.
He stared at his palm.
“Okay.”
He put his hand against the wall again.
It stuck.
He pulled it away.
Then stuck it again.
Matthew’s eyebrows slowly rose.
“What the hell?”
He looked around.
His roommate was still asleep.
Matthew quietly walked over to his desk.
He picked up a pencil.
He dropped it.
He tried to catch it.
His hand snapped toward it far faster than he’d expected.
He caught it.
Matthew stared at the pencil.
“…Okay.”
He tossed it into the air.
He caught it again.
Faster.
Then faster.
Then he accidentally threw it across the room.
It hit the wall.
Matthew winced.
His roommate didn’t wake up.
“Okay. Good.”
Matthew walked toward the window.
He opened it.
Cold morning air hit his face.
He looked outside.
The dorm was several floors above the ground.
He stared down.
“That’s pretty high.”
He closed the window.
Then reopened it.
He wasn’t sure why.
Something in his head told him to try.
Matthew leaned forward.
His foot slipped.
His eyes widened.
“Wait.”
He fell.
His eyes slammed shut.
His stomach dropped.
The ground rushed toward him.
Matthew threw his arms out instinctively.
His right hand slammed against the side of the building.
THUD.
His hand stuck.
His body swung beneath it.
Matthew’s eyes remained tightly shut.
He waited for the impact.
Nothing.
He slowly opened one eye.
Then the other.
He looked down.
The ground was far below him.
“…Oh.”
Matthew looked at his hand.
It was stuck to the brick wall.
He carefully placed his other hand against the building.
It stuck too.
He moved one foot.
It stuck.
Then the other.
Matthew stared at the wall.
Then he started climbing.
It was harder than it looked.
His hands didn’t always stick when he wanted them to.
Sometimes they released too quickly.
Sometimes they grabbed too hard.
He pulled himself upward.
A brick cracked.
“Oops.”
Another piece broke loose.
“Oops.”
A chunk of concrete came off with his hand.
Matthew looked at it.
“…That’s not good.”
He kept climbing.
Eventually, he reached the window.
He pulled himself inside.
His fingers were covered with little pieces of concrete and brick.
Matthew stared at his hands.
He slowly looked around his room.
His eyes widened.
He whispered:
“I’m a superhero.”
He immediately started thinking about every superhero he knew.
Thor.
Wolverine.
She-Hulk.
Daredevil.
The Avengers.
Then more.
Ghost Rider.
Deadpool.
The Punisher.
Blade.
Ect.
Matthew looked at his hands again.
“Wait.”
His brain started connecting things.
Yesterday.
The spider.
The scientist.
Genetically modified species.
His eyes widened.
“No way.”
He pointed at himself.
“Did I get bitten by a genetically modified spider?”
He paused.
“…Am I a spider guy?”
He looked at his hands.
Then his arms.
Then his feet.
Then his face.
His eyes widened again.
“Wait.”
A horrifying thought entered his mind.
“Do I shoot webs?”
Matthew slowly turned around.
He looked behind himself.
He stared at his own butt.
There was a long silence.
He reached back.
Nothing.
He squeezed.
Nothing happened.
Matthew stared at the wall.
“…Worth a try.”
Behind him, his roommate slowly opened his eyes.
He stared at Matthew.
Then at the window.
Then at the pieces of concrete covering the floor.
Then at Matthew’s hands.
Then back at Matthew.
“Dude.”
Matthew froze.
His roommate sat up.
“Are you a superhero?”
Matthew slowly turned around.
“…No.”
His roommate stared at him.
“You literally just climbed through the window.”
Matthew looked at the broken wall.
“Okay, that’s fair.”
His roommate blinked several times.
“You’re a superhero.”
Matthew quickly walked over.
“Don’t tell anyone.”
His roommate stared at him.
“Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“You’re actually serious.”
“Very.”
His roommate looked completely stunned.
Then he nodded.
“Okay.”
Matthew exhaled.
“Thank you.”
“Can I ask something?”
“What?”
“Can you shoot webs?”
Matthew’s eyes lit up.
“I don’t know.”
He raised his wrist.
He flicked it.
Nothing.
He tried again.
Nothing.
He changed the angle.
Nothing.
He tried both hands.
Nothing.
He jumped.
Nothing.
He pointed his wrist at the ceiling.
Nothing.
He tried a dramatic superhero pose.
Still nothing.
Matthew lowered his arms.
“…Maybe it doesn’t work like that.”
His roommate stared.
“You just spent ten minutes shooting imaginary webs.”
“I was testing.”
“Right.”
Matthew sighed.
He tried one final time.
Nothing.
Eventually, he gave up.
“Okay. Maybe tomorrow.”
He climbed back into bed.
His roommate stared at him.
“You’re going to school like this?”
Matthew pulled the blanket over himself.
“Apparently.”
He closed his eyes.
For a few seconds, everything was quiet.
Then Matthew opened one eye.
He looked at his hands.
Something had changed.
He didn’t know what.
He didn’t know why.
He didn’t know what else he could do.
But yesterday, he had been an ordinary kid.
Today…
He wasn’t.
Matthew smiled slightly.
“Spider-Man.”
He closed his eyes.
And went back to sleep.
SPIDER-MAN: The Costume
Matthew woke up the next morning with one thought.
He needed answers.
He sat up in bed and looked across the room at his roommate, Ethan Cole, who was still half-buried beneath his blankets.
“Ethan.”
Nothing.
“Ethan.”
A muffled noise came from the bed.
“What?”
“I’m skipping classes today.”
Ethan lifted his head.
“Why?”
“Because I need to figure out what the hell is happening to me.”
Ethan stared at him for a few seconds.
“Fair.”
Matthew grabbed his phone.
“Just tell the teachers I’m sick.”
Ethan sighed.
“Fine. But if they ask what you have?”
“Something contagious.”
“That’s not suspicious at all.”
“Exactly.”
Ethan got dressed, grabbed his backpack, and headed toward the door.
Before leaving, he pointed at Matthew.
“Don’t accidentally destroy the dorm.”
“No promises.”
Ethan left.
Matthew sat there.
Silence.
He looked at his hands.
Then at the wall.
Then at the window.
Then back at his hands.
“If I’m actually going to be a superhero…”
He paused.
“…I need gadgets.”
Matthew’s eyes drifted toward his Chromebook.
“And a costume.”
He sat down.
For the next three hours, Matthew barely moved.
His Chromebook screen filled with diagrams.
Web-shooter designs.
Pressure systems.
Cartridge mechanisms.
Trigger mechanisms.
Fluid containment.
He scrapped designs.
Started again.
Scrapped those.
Started again.
Eventually, he leaned back.
“Wait.”
He stared at one of his diagrams.
“If I can’t shoot webs naturally…”
His eyes moved toward the web-shooter design.
“…why don’t I just make something that does?”
He smiled.
“Okay.”
He got to work.
⸻
Matthew’s first problem was the web fluid.
He needed something that was liquid while contained but rapidly solidified when exposed to air.
He spent another hour figuring out the chemical composition.
Eventually, he had it.
The result was a strange, translucent liquid that looked almost completely ordinary.
Matthew tested a tiny amount.
The instant it touched the air, it hardened into an incredibly strong, flexible strand.
He stared at it.
He pulled.
Nothing.
He pulled harder.
Still nothing.
He smiled.
“Okay.”
The material was remarkably strong for something that could eventually break down naturally.
Biodegradable.
Lightweight.
Flexible.
And, according to his calculations, capable of supporting roughly the weight of thirteen elephants before reaching its breaking point.
Matthew blinked at the number.
“…That’s probably enough.”
Now he needed something to fire it.
He quietly left his dorm.
Engineering class was already underway.
Matthew slipped inside while nobody was looking and collected a few small pieces of metal alloy and other materials he thought he could use.
Then came chemistry.
He managed to gather a few more supplies without drawing attention.
By the time he returned to his dorm, his backpack was considerably heavier.
He locked the door.
“Time to build.”
⸻
Several hours later, two small mechanical devices sat on his desk.
Matthew picked one up.
The right-hand web shooter.
It was ugly.
Extremely ugly.
The metal wasn’t perfectly shaped.
The casing had visible scratches.
Some parts were held together with tiny screws that probably shouldn’t have been there.
But it worked.
Matthew strapped it around his wrist.
He adjusted it.
Then pressed a small button near the lower part of his palm.
THWIP!
A strand of web shot across the room.
It struck an empty soda can.
The can flew backward and slammed against the wall.
The webbing wrapped around it and held it firmly against the surface.
Matthew stared.
Then slowly smiled.
“Cool.”
He looked at the second shooter.
“Very cool.”
He spent the next few minutes testing the range.
Then the strength.
Then the retraction.
Then he accidentally webbed his own desk.
“Not cool.”
Eventually, he had a functioning pair.
Now came the costume.
Matthew looked at the spider from yesterday in his memory.
White body.
Gold tips on its legs.
He opened his Chromebook again.
He started sketching.
But this wasn’t going to be some professionally designed superhero suit.
He didn’t have the money.
He didn’t have the equipment.
And he certainly didn’t have the time.
So he improvised.
He found an old white sweatshirt.
He cut the sleeves off.
Then replaced them with pieces of gold-colored fabric.
He spray-painted the sweatshirt white where necessary.
He grabbed a pair of white pants.
Then spray-painted the sneakers gold.
The shoes looked ridiculous.
Matthew stared at them.
“…They’re kind of growing on me.”
He made a simple mask from cheap fabric.
It covered most of his face, but the eye openings were simply cut into the material.
No lenses.
No goggles.
Nothing fancy.
You could see his actual eyes through them.
A little bit of skin showed around the edges.
The mask was uneven.
The sweatshirt wasn’t perfectly painted.
The gold sleeves didn’t quite match.
The sneakers were probably the most noticeable things on the entire outfit.
Matthew put the web shooters over his wrists.
He looked in the mirror.
He stood there silently.
The reflection looked absolutely ridiculous.
Then Matthew smiled.
“Spider-Man.”
⸻
He walked out of the dorm.
A couple of students passed him in the hallway.
One looked him up and down.
“Weird costume.”
Another laughed.
“Nerd.”
Matthew kept walking.
He didn’t care.
This wasn’t supposed to be perfect.
It was a start.
He left the school grounds and eventually found an abandoned building a few blocks away.
He climbed the exterior wall.
It still felt weird.
His hands didn’t always stick when he wanted them to.
But he managed.
Eventually, he reached the roof.
Matthew stood at the edge.
He looked down.
Very far down.
He swallowed.
“Okay.”
He took a breath.
“I’m Spider-Man.”
Another breath.
“I can do this.”
He took another step.
“Probably.”
He backed up.
“Nope.”
He stepped forward again.
“No.”
He paced around.
Five minutes passed.
“Come on.”
Another minute.
“Just jump.”
He stared over the edge.
His heart was pounding.
“Spider-Man jumps off buildings.”
He pointed at himself.
“Spider-Man.”
He looked down.
“…Spider-Man is also apparently an idiot.”
Matthew took one final breath.
Then jumped.
The wind hit him.
His stomach dropped.
He waited.
Waited.
Waited.
The ground rushed closer.
Matthew raised his wrist.
“Now!”
THWIP!
The web shot upward.
It caught the edge of a nearby building.
Matthew’s body snapped upward.
For one terrifying second, he thought he’d completely screwed it up.
Then the web went taut.
His body swung forward.
His feet lifted.
The city opened beneath him.
Matthew’s eyes widened.
He laughed.
“This is AWESOME!”
He swung between the buildings.
The first swing was terrible.
The second was slightly better.
The third actually worked.
Then he started getting it.
He released.
Fired another web.
Swung.
Released.
Fired.
Swung.
Matthew was flying through New York.
Not literally.
But it felt like it.
“This is the best thing I’ve ever done!”
He kept going.
For several minutes, Matthew completely forgot about school.
Forgot about homework.
Forgot about everything.
He finally swung onto the roof of another building and landed badly.
He rolled across the concrete.
“Ow.”
He sat up.
“…Still counts.”
His phone buzzed.
Matthew pulled it out.
A message from Ethan.
ETHAN:
Dude.
Another message.
ETHAN:
Come back RIGHT NOW.
Matthew frowned.
MATTHEW:
Why?
Three dots appeared.
ETHAN:
Teachers are checking if you’re actually sick.
Matthew’s eyes widened.
“Oh, crap.”
He jumped off the roof.
⸻
Matthew swung through the city as fast as he could.
He reached the school.
Climbed the side of the building.
Pulled himself through his dorm window.
Ethan was standing there.
He looked at Matthew.
Then looked at the costume.
Then looked at the gold shoes.
“What the heck is that?”
Matthew looked down at himself.
“It’s my starter costume.”
Ethan blinked.
“Your what?”
“Starter costume.”
“That’s a thing?”
“All heroes have starter costumes.”
Ethan stared at him.
“You made that today?”
“Yes.”
“Why are your shoes gold?”
“Spider.”
“What?”
“Long story.”
Matthew immediately started taking everything off.
The mask.
The sweatshirt.
The web shooters.
The pants.
Within seconds, everything was shoved beneath his bed.
Matthew threw on normal clothes.
Then he messed up his hair.
He grabbed his pillow.
He made himself look as pale and sick as physically possible.
Ethan stared.
“You look awful.”
“Perfect.”
There was a knock.
Both froze.
The door opened.
One of their teachers stepped inside.
“Matthew?”
Matthew groaned weakly.
“Yeah…”
The teacher walked over.
“Your roommate said you’re sick.”
Matthew nodded.
“Very sick.”
The teacher looked suspicious.
“You were supposed to be in class this morning.”
“I know.”
“What are your symptoms?”
Matthew paused.
“Uh…”
He thought quickly.
“Everything.”
The teacher stared at him.
“Everything?”
“Headache. Stomachache. Tired. Probably dying.”
Ethan covered his mouth.
The teacher sighed.
“You’re not dying.”
“Probably not.”
The teacher looked around the room.
Then his eyes landed on something.
The gold shoes.
They were sticking out from underneath Ethan’s bed.
He pointed.
“Why are those shoes gold?”
Ethan immediately stepped forward.
“They’re mine.”
The teacher looked at him.
“Yours?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
Ethan hesitated.
“Because when I, uh…”
He glanced at Matthew.
“…when I go out for a walk, I think it makes the girls look at me more.”
There was a long silence.
Matthew stared at the ceiling.
The teacher slowly nodded.
“I see.”
Ethan nodded.
“Yeah.”
The teacher looked deeply unconvinced.
“Get some rest, Matthew.”
Matthew gave him a weak thumbs-up.
“Thank you.”
The teacher left.
The door closed.
Silence.
Ethan turned around.
Matthew immediately started laughing.
Ethan stared at him.
“Don’t.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were thinking it.”
“I was.”
Ethan pointed at the gold shoes.
“You’re never wearing those around me again.”
Matthew smiled.
“Can’t promise that.”
He pulled the web shooters from underneath his bed.
Ethan stared at them.
“So what’s next?”
Matthew looked down at the homemade technology sitting around his wrists.
Then toward the window.
Then back at Ethan.
“I have no idea.”
He smiled.
“But I’m gonna figure it out.”
Outside, New York continued moving like nothing had changed.
But somewhere above the city, a sixteen-year-old kid had just taken his first swing.
And he was only getting started.
TO BE CONTINUED.
SPIDER-MAN: THE FIRST SWING
Morning came way too quickly.
Matthew’s alarm buzzed at 6:30.
He opened one eye.
Then the other.
For several seconds, he just stared at the ceiling.
Yesterday, he’d been a normal student.
Yesterday, he’d accidentally discovered that he could stick to walls.
Yesterday, he’d built web shooters.
Yesterday, he’d made the world’s cheapest Spider-Man costume.
And yesterday, he’d taken his first swing through New York.
Matthew sat up.
“Okay.”
He rubbed his face.
“Today I figure out what I’m actually doing.”
He threw the blankets off, got out of bed, and walked over to where his homemade costume was sitting.
The white sweatshirt.
The gold sleeves.
The white pants.
The gold sneakers.
The mask.
And his two web shooters.
Matthew reached for the sweatshirt.
“Wait.”
Matthew stopped.
Ethan was sitting up in his bed.
“You can’t wear that.”
Matthew looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because you have classes.”
“I was going to skip again.”
“Exactly.”
Ethan pointed at him.
“You have to go to at least three.”
Matthew frowned.
“Why?”
“Because if you show up to three classes, there’s a much lower chance the teachers start wondering where you’ve been.”
Matthew considered that.
Ethan continued.
“And just get A’s in those classes.”
“Why?”
“So when you get older, you can still pass high school.”
Matthew stared at him.
“…Good thinking.”
Ethan nodded.
“Thank you.”
“So which classes?”
“Three easy ones.”
Matthew grabbed his backpack.
“Let’s go.”
⸻
The first class was mathematics.
Matthew sat near the back, resting his chin against his hand while the teacher explained a problem on the board.
He already knew how to solve it.
He actually knew three different ways.
But he kept quiet.
The teacher eventually handed out a worksheet.
Matthew finished it in about ten minutes.
He looked around.
Everyone else was still working.
He checked his answers.
All correct.
He leaned back.
“One.”
⸻
The second class was history.
Matthew actually liked history.
He listened.
Took notes.
Answered a couple of questions.
And somehow managed to get through the entire class without thinking about web-swinging.
Mostly.
When the bell rang, Ethan caught up with him in the hallway.
“Two.”
Matthew nodded.
“One more.”
They walked toward their third class.
Matthew stopped when he saw the name on the classroom door.
PROFESSOR OTTO OCTAVIUS
Matthew looked at Ethan.
“Octavius?”
“Yeah.”
“Never had him before.”
“Me neither.”
Matthew shrugged.
“Let’s see what he’s like.”
They entered.
Professor Octavius stood at the front of the room, organizing several pieces of equipment on a table.
He was a serious-looking man, probably in his forties, with dark hair beginning to gray at the sides and a pair of glasses resting low on his nose.
He looked at the students.
“Take your seats.”
Matthew sat down.
Professor Octavius began the lesson.
It was advanced engineering.
Normally, Matthew would have been interested.
Today, however, he kept glancing at the clock.
Finally, the bell rang.
Professor Octavius looked toward Matthew as he left.
For just a second, their eyes met.
Matthew didn’t think much of it.
He walked out.
Three classes.
Done.
Now he could be Spider-Man.
⸻
Matthew returned to the dorm.
He opened the door.
Ethan was sitting at his desk.
Matthew immediately headed for his costume.
“Finally.”
He grabbed the sweatshirt.
Ethan stood.
“Wait.”
Matthew sighed.
“What now?”
Ethan held something up.
It was a tiny earpiece.
Matthew stared.
“What is that?”
“I made it.”
“You made an earbud?”
“Kind of.”
Ethan walked over and handed it to him.
“It’s connected to a police scanner frequency.”
Matthew raised an eyebrow.
“You’re serious?”
“Yeah.”
“You can actually hear police calls with that?”
“Pretty much.”
Matthew looked at the tiny device.
“So I can hear where crimes are happening?”
“That’s the idea.”
Matthew smiled.
“Dude.”
He put it in his ear.
“Thanks. I didn’t know you could do that.”
Ethan shrugged.
“I’m something of a nerd myself.”
Matthew laughed.
“Okay. That’s actually pretty useful.”
He pulled the mask over his head.
Flipped the hood up.
Attached his web shooters.
Then opened the window.
Ethan watched him.
“Be careful.”
Matthew stepped onto the ledge.
“I will.”
He jumped.
⸻
The wind immediately hit him.
Matthew fired a web.
THWIP!
The line caught a building.
His body swung forward.
His feet left the rooftop.
He released.
For a fraction of a second, he was falling.
Then another web shot from his wrist.
THWIP!
It caught another building.
Matthew swung again.
His body arced through the gap between buildings.
He released.
Turned.
Fired.
Caught.
Swing.
Release.
Shoot.
Catch.
Every swing became a little smoother.
His body was beginning to understand the rhythm.
Matthew didn’t have to consciously think about every movement anymore.
His legs tucked automatically.
His shoulders rotated with the swing.
His hands adjusted his grip.
He was learning.
While swinging, Matthew tapped the earpiece.
A tiny click sounded.
The police scanner activated.
Static filled his ear.
Then a voice came through.
“All units, possible robbery in progress at the First Manhattan Bank. Suspects believed to be armed. Officers arriving now.”
Matthew’s eyes widened.
“Whoa.”
He changed direction.
“Okay. Let’s go.”
He fired another web.
⸻
The bank was already surrounded by police when Matthew arrived.
He landed on top of a police cruiser.
The officer inside immediately looked up.
Matthew tried to sound intimidating.
“Hello, officers.”
His voice came out deeper than normal.
But it was extremely obvious that a teenager was trying to sound deep.
The officer stared at him.
“Get off my car.”
Matthew looked down.
“Oh.”
He hopped onto the pavement.
The officer stepped out.
“Who are you?”
Matthew straightened.
“I’m a new hero on the block.”
He pointed toward the bank.
“So what’s the problem here?”
The officer sighed.
“I guess you’re a hero.”
He pointed toward the entrance.
“Maybe you can help.”
Matthew looked.
Inside the bank, a man was holding a woman hostage.
The robber had a gun pointed toward her.
Matthew’s stomach tightened.
“Oh, shoot.”
He looked at the officer.
“I need to go over there and help.”
“Kid, wait!”
Matthew was already walking toward the entrance.
⸻
He stepped inside.
“Hey, bud.”
The robber looked at him.
Matthew raised his hands.
“It’s my first time doing this, so…”
He swallowed.
“…can we just end this quickly?”
The robber stared.
“What?”
“Yeah, I’m hoping we can skip the part where you shoot at me.”
The robber raised his weapon.
Matthew threw his wrist forward.
THWIP!
The web shot toward the gun.
It missed.
The strand slapped against a nearby wall.
Matthew stared at it.
“Okay.”
The robber looked confused.
Matthew tried again.
THWIP!
This time, the web wrapped around the robber’s hand and the gun.
The strand pulled tight.
The robber tried to yank himself free.
Nothing.
He pulled harder.
Still nothing.
Matthew stared.
“Okay.”
He looked at his web shooter.
“That actually worked.”
The robber struggled again.
Matthew walked closer.
“Don’t.”
The robber pulled.
“Seriously.”
The robber pulled again.
Matthew pointed toward the wall.
“You’re literally stuck.”
The robber finally stopped.
Matthew turned toward the hostage.
“Come here.”
The woman hurried toward him.
Matthew guided her outside.
He brought her to the police.
“He’s stuck on the wall.”
The officer looked inside.
“And?”
“I disarmed him.”
The officer stared at Matthew.
“Go arrest him.”
Matthew pointed at himself.
“Me?”
“No. Us.”
“Oh.”
Matthew nodded.
“Right.”
He turned around.
“Good luck.”
He hopped onto the police car.
The officer looked up.
“Hey, kid.”
Matthew paused.
“Yeah?”
“What’s your name?”
Matthew stood there for a moment.
He hadn’t thought about that.
He looked toward the city.
Then back at the officer.
“Spider-Man.”
He jumped.
THWIP!
And disappeared between the buildings.
⸻
Matthew landed back in the dorm room several minutes later.
He pulled himself through the window.
He immediately removed his mask.
“Ethan!”
Ethan looked up.
“What?”
“I took down a robbery!”
Ethan’s eyes widened.
“Wait, seriously?”
“Yeah!”
Matthew couldn’t stop smiling.
“Like an actual robbery.”
Ethan stood.
“Holy crap, dude.”
He pointed at him.
“You’re a real superhero now.”
Matthew grinned.
“I know, right?”
He looked at the mask in his hand.
Then put it back on.
He flipped the hood over his head.
“I’m gonna go do some more.”
He climbed through the window.
Ethan stared after him.
“How do you even breathe in that mask?”
Matthew was already swinging away.
He called back:
“Just trust the process, bro!”
Ethan shook his head.
“That kid is insane.”
⸻
Matthew swung through the city again.
The first robbery had changed something.
Before, he had been testing his powers.
Now?
He was actually doing this.
He swung around a building.
Released.
Fired another web.
His body sailed over the street.
He laughed beneath his mask.
Then everything changed.
BOOM!
Something hit him.
Hard.
Matthew was suddenly thrown sideways.
He couldn’t even understand what had happened.
The city blurred.
Buildings spun around him.
He fell.
His body twisted instinctively.
His feet struck the ground.
One hand slammed down.
His other arm stretched outward.
His knees bent.
The impact cracked against the pavement.
Matthew had landed.
The classic Spider-Man landing.
He stayed there for a moment.
Breathing heavily.
“…What the hell?”
He slowly looked up.
A figure was racing through the street.
Red Goblin.
He was carrying some kind of glowing piece of machinery while moving through the city on his glider.
Behind him came an enormous armored vehicle.
Matthew’s eyes widened.
“Is that…”
The vehicle roared closer.
A strange prickling sensation crawled up the back of Matthew’s neck.
Matthew froze.
He had no idea what the feeling was.
It was faint, almost like a warning from his own body, but he didn’t understand it or know why it had started.
The armored truck was almost on top of him.
Matthew’s body suddenly told him to move.
He hesitated.
“Wait…”
He didn’t know why he was feeling this way.
Then the vehicle was right in front of him.
CRASH!
The vehicle slammed into him.
Matthew was thrown onto the hood.
He rolled across the armored surface.
“OW!”
He grabbed onto the edge and pulled himself onto the roof.
He looked through the windshield.
“Dude!”
The driver looked up.
“Watch where you’re going!”
The man behind the wheel looked at him.
He was wearing heavy tactical armor.
“Who the hell are you?”
Matthew pointed at himself.
“I’m Spider-Man.”
A pause.
“I’m a new hero.”
He shrugged.
“Maybe I could help?”
The driver stared at him.
“Maybe you couldn’t.”
Matthew frowned.
“That’s kind of rude.”
The driver suddenly shouted:
“Duck!”
Matthew felt that strange prickling sensation again.
It crawled up the back of his neck, sharper this time.
He still didn’t understand it, but his body reacted before he could think.
The driver reached behind him and grabbed a rocket launcher.
He opened the side window.
“I SAID DUCK!”
Matthew dropped flat.
The rocket fired.
WHOOSH!
Heat and wind blasted over Matthew’s head.
A massive explosion erupted somewhere behind them.
Matthew lifted his head.
The armored driver looked annoyed.
“Dammit. I missed.”
Matthew stared at him.
“You have a rocket launcher?”
“Get off my car.”
Matthew immediately stood.
“Don’t ask me twice.”
He jumped from the vehicle.
His wrist snapped forward.
THWIP!
The web caught a building.
Matthew swung toward Red Goblin.
The glider roared through the air.
Matthew released.
He fired another web.
For a moment, everything seemed to slow.
The strand left his web shooter.
It stretched through the air.
Straight toward the glider.
The web wrapped around it.
Matthew was suddenly yanked forward.
“WHOA!”
He slammed onto the glider.
Both hands grabbed whatever he could.
His feet dangled behind him as Red Goblin accelerated.
Matthew held on for dear life.
Behind them, the armored vehicle continued racing through the street.
The Punisher looked up at Matthew.
“Well, since you’re up there…”
Matthew looked down.
“Yeah?”
“Give me a boost, kid.”
Matthew stared at him.
“What?”
The Punisher pointed.
“Do it!”
Matthew took a breath.
“Okay!”
He released one hand from the glider.
His body immediately swung backward.
That strange tingling returned to the back of his neck.
Matthew gritted his teeth.
He still had no idea what it meant, but he knew something was wrong.
He fired another web.
THWIP!
The web shot toward the armored vehicle.
It attached to the front.
The line went taut.
The front of the vehicle lifted slightly.
Matthew’s eyes widened.
“Whoa!”
The Punisher looked up.
“Keep pulling!”
Matthew gritted his teeth.
His arms strained.
The vehicle was moving incredibly fast.
The web line shook violently.
Matthew fired another web and grabbed both strands.
He pulled them together.
His muscles burned.
The two lines crossed.
Matthew forced them together and connected them into one reinforced line.
Now he was being pulled between the speeding vehicle and Red Goblin’s glider.
His arms shook.
His feet swung uselessly beneath him.
The city blurred around him.
Matthew clenched his teeth.
“Okay…”
He held on tighter.
“…this might’ve been a bad idea.”
The web line strained.
The glider pulled one way.
The armored vehicle pulled the other.
Matthew was caught directly between them.
And for the first time since becoming Spider-Man…
He realized just how much strength he actually needed.
TO BE CONTINUED.
SPIDER-MAN: THE RED GOBLIN CHASE
Three blocks away, an ordinary New Yorker was having an ordinary afternoon.
A man in his thirties walked down the sidewalk with his dog, one hand holding the leash and the other scrolling through his phone.
His dog sniffed a mailbox.
The man barely looked up.
“Come on, buddy.”
The dog continued sniffing.
The man sighed.
“Every mailbox in New York isn’t a personal investigation.”
The dog finally moved.
The afternoon was peaceful.
For New York, anyway.
Then the man heard something.
A distant mechanical roar.
He stopped walking.
“Huh?”
The noise disappeared.
He shrugged.
Probably a truck.
He went back to his phone.
A few seconds later, the noise returned.
Louder.
And stranger.
It sounded like an engine screaming through the air.
The man looked up.
Nothing.
He continued walking.
“Normal New York.”
His dog suddenly stopped.
The man looked down.
“What?”
The dog stared toward the intersection.
A distant shout echoed between the buildings.
Then another sound.
A deep, raspy voice.
The man froze.
That voice reminded him of someone.
The Punisher.
He slowly looked toward the corner.
For about three seconds, nothing happened.
Cars passed.
People walked.
A taxi honked.
Everything looked completely normal.
Then—
WHOOSH!
A red glider shot around the corner.
The man’s eyes widened.
His dog immediately started barking.
“What the—”
Red Goblin came flying after it.
The man stumbled backward.
Then he saw something else.
A white line.
A web.
It stretched from the speeding glider all the way back toward an armored vehicle racing through the street.
And hanging onto that web was a kid.
A kid wearing a ridiculous-looking white-and-gold costume.
The man’s jaw dropped.
“What?”
Behind the kid was an enormous armored vehicle.
The front end was barely off the ground, being dragged upward by the web.
The Punisher was driving it.
The glider shot over the man’s head.
Then kid flew over him.
The man looked up.
The dog barked louder.
Then the armored vehicle came flying past.
The man grabbed his dog and sprinted in the opposite direction.
“Nope! Nope! Nope!”
⸻
Matthew
Matthew was screaming.
Not yelling.
Not shouting.
Actually screaming.
“Oh my God!”
His hands were locked around the web.
“Oh my God!”
The wind tore past his mask.
“Oh my God!”
He looked down.
The Punisher was still driving the armored vehicle.
Matthew looked back toward Red Goblin.
Then down again.
Then back up.
“I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I’M DOING!”
The Punisher looked up.
“What?”
Matthew shouted over the wind.
“I’m sorry, dude!”
“What do you mean, kid?”
Matthew swallowed.
His brain was racing.
He couldn’t keep holding this forever.
His left hand was gripping the web.
His right hand slowly pointed toward the street below.
The Punisher looked up.
“What do you mean, kid?!”
Matthew looked at Red Goblin.
Then at the ground.
Then back at Red Goblin.
“This might hurt a little bit.”
“What are you—”
Matthew fired a web.
THWIP!
The strand shot downward.
It attached to the street.
Matthew’s eyes widened.
He knew what was about to happen.
His body tensed.
His shoulder felt like it was about to be ripped out of its socket.
“Okay…”
He gripped the other web.
“Okay…”
He closed his eyes.
“Okay!”
The line suddenly went tight.
Everything slowed.
The web stretched.
The glider jerked backward.
Red Goblin’s body was violently pulled away from the glider.
His feet left the board.
His arms flailed.
Matthew’s body swung in the opposite direction.
A faint series of pops and strained grunts came from him as he fought to keep his grip.
The Punisher’s armored vehicle suddenly lifted.
The front wheels came completely off the ground.
The entire vehicle began rotating.
Matthew’s eyes opened.
“Oh no.”
The armored vehicle performed a massive backflip.
Then—
CRASH!
Everything snapped back to normal speed.
Matthew began falling.
He reached for his left arm.
Pain shot through it.
He stopped.
“Oh.”
He looked at it.
“Yeah… that’s definitely not supposed to be like that.”
He reached with his right hand.
THWIP!
The web caught a nearby building.
Matthew swung downward instead of falling.
He hung there, breathing hard.
“I really need to learn what I’m doing.”
Nearby, Red Goblin slammed onto the pavement.
He didn’t stay there.
The red symbiote covering him immediately moved.
It pulled him back upright.
Matthew stared.
“Okay…”
Red Goblin’s head snapped toward the Punisher.
The chase wasn’t over.
⸻
The Punisher climbed out of the armored vehicle.
There was a small smear of blood near his forehead, but he barely seemed to notice it.
He looked toward Red Goblin.
Then toward Matthew.
“Dumb move, kid.”
Matthew was still hanging from his web.
“You’re welcome?”
The Punisher pulled out a grenade launcher.
Matthew blinked.
“You’ve got to be kidding.”
The Punisher fired.
BOOM!
Red Goblin dodged.
Another grenade.
BOOM!
Red Goblin twisted away.
A third.
This one caught him.
The explosion knocked him sideways.
Red material splattered from the symbiote as it recoiled, then immediately began crawling back into place.
Matthew watched.
“That thing is… really hard to put down.”
The Punisher fired again.
Nothing.
He checked the launcher.
Empty.
“Great.”
He threw it aside.
Then reached over his shoulder.
Matthew’s eyes widened when he saw the massive rifle.
“You have a sniper rifle?”
The Punisher ignored him.
He raised it.
BOOM!
The shot hit Red Goblin.
The symbiote splattered backward.
Another shot.
BOOM!
Another impact.
A third.
BOOM!
Red material flew from the suit.
Matthew hung from his web nearby, staring.
“Okay. That’s one way to do it.”
The Punisher lowered the rifle.
“Hold him off.”
Matthew looked at him.
“Me?”
The Punisher pointed toward Red Goblin.
“You.”
Matthew sighed.
“Right.”
He swung down.
⸻
Matthew landed beside the Punisher.
He immediately ducked.
“Are you actually doing any damage?”
The Punisher reloaded.
“I’m holding him off.”
He pointed toward the glowing object Red Goblin had been carrying.
“I need to get that.”
Matthew looked at it.
“What is it?”
“You ask too many questions, kid.”
“That’s not really an answer.”
“Help me and maybe I’ll tell you.”
Matthew sighed.
“Fine.”
The Punisher raised his rifle.
“Go.”
Matthew sprinted forward.
Red Goblin turned.
The symbiote shifted.
Matthew fired.
THWIP!
The web wrapped around Red Goblin’s hand.
Matthew yanked.
The hand slammed against a nearby wall.
He fired another web.
THWIP!
The other hand was caught.
Matthew jumped to the opposite wall.
He stuck.
He pushed off.
THWIP!
Both feet were webbed.
Matthew pulled hard.
Red Goblin’s legs were yanked upward.
For a second, Matthew was practically hanging upside down.
He fired another web.
It caught the roof above.
Matthew released his grip.
He swung upward.
Then landed on the rooftop.
He looked down.
Red Goblin was pinned in place.
Matthew grinned.
“Okay.”
He raised both wrists.
THWIP! THWIP! THWIP!
Web balls slammed into Red Goblin.
More.
And more.
The red symbiote disappeared beneath layer after layer of webbing.
Matthew stepped back.
“That should hold you.”
He pointed toward the glowing object.
“Now…”
He fired a web.
THWIP!
It wrapped around the glowing device.
Matthew pulled.
“Yonk.”
The device flew into his hand.
He jumped from the roof.
The Punisher looked at him.
Matthew landed.
“Well, he’ll be stuck there for a while.”
The Punisher took the device from him.
“He better be.”
Matthew pointed at it.
“So what is that thing?”
The Punisher stared at him.
“You ask too many questions.”
“You’re really committed to that line, huh?”
The Punisher sighed.
“It’s a piece of experimental equipment stolen from Damage Control.”
Matthew’s eyes widened.
“Damage Control?”
“Yes.”
“What does it do?”
“Not your problem.”
“Okay.”
Matthew paused.
“Then why did you need it?”
The Punisher glared.
“Kid.”
“What?”
“Stop talking.”
Matthew raised his hands.
“Okay.”
The Punisher continued explaining.
The device was some kind of experimental energy-storage component, something Damage Control had been developing for a project they weren’t publicly discussing.
Red Goblin had stolen it.
The Punisher had been tracking him.
And now the entire situation had turned into a city-wide chase.
Matthew listened.
Then he asked another question.
The Punisher stopped.
“Didn’t I tell you to stop talking?”
“Yeah.”
“Then stop.”
“Right.”
Matthew nodded.
“Sorry.”
The Punisher looked past him.
His expression changed.
Matthew noticed.
“What?”
The Punisher didn’t answer.
He stared toward the rooftop where Red Goblin had been pinned.
His eyes widened.
Matthew slowly turned around.
The webbing was still there.
The wall was still covered.
The roof was empty.
Red Goblin was gone.
Matthew’s eyes widened.
“…Oh.”
The Punisher turned toward him.
“You said he’d be stuck.”
Matthew pointed at the empty roof.
“Technically, he was.”
“YOU LET HIM ESCAPE!”
“I didn’t let him do anything!”
The Punisher stepped toward him.
“I’ve had enough today.”
Matthew blinked.
“Today?”
The Punisher grabbed the glowing device.
“I’m going home.”
He walked away.
Matthew stood there.
“That’s it?”
The Punisher didn’t answer.
He reached the street.
He spotted a motorcycle.
Matthew watched as the Punisher simply climbed onto it.
The engine roared.
Then he drove away.
Matthew stared after him.
“…Dang.”
He shook his head.
“Never meet your idols, I guess.”
He looked toward the disappearing motorcycle.
“That guy is mean.”
Matthew fired a web.
THWIP!
And swung away.
⸻
Westbridge Academy
Matthew climbed through the dorm window.
He pulled himself inside.
Ethan was sitting in front of the television.
He immediately looked over.
“Dude.”
Matthew took off his mask.
“What?”
“You’re on the news.”
Matthew froze.
“What?”
Ethan pointed toward the television.
Matthew walked over.
The screen showed footage of the city chase.
Red Goblin.
The armored vehicle.
The web stretching between them.
And, unfortunately, a very recognizable white-and-gold suit.
The reporter was speaking.
“Earlier today, the Punisher was involved in what appears to have been a major mix-up following a robbery at a Damage Control facility.”
Matthew stared at the television.
Ethan slowly looked at him.
“You were there.”
Matthew nodded.
“Yeah.”
The reporter continued.
“An object that Damage Control has refused to identify publicly was stolen by the infamous Red Goblin.”
Footage showed Red Goblin flying through the city.
“However, before the Goblin could escape, the Punisher was hot on his trail.”
The screen switched to footage of the armored vehicle.
“Unfortunately for the Punisher, Red Goblin managed to reach his glider before he could be apprehended.”
Matthew watched himself appear on screen.
The footage showed him hanging between the glider and the armored vehicle.
Ethan’s mouth dropped open.
“That’s you.”
Matthew nodded.
“I know.”
The reporter continued.
“And that’s when an unknown hero entered the chase.”
The footage zoomed in on Matthew.
“Local police have begun referring to the mysterious figure as Spider-Man.”
Matthew smiled.
“That’s my name.”
The reporter continued.
“Spider-Man swooped into the conflict and appeared to assist the Punisher.”
The footage showed Matthew webbing the vehicle.
The reporter paused.
“Although…”
The footage showed the vehicle flipping.
“…some witnesses believe Spider-Man may have actually interfered with the Punisher’s pursuit.”
Matthew’s smile disappeared.
The reporter continued.
“Was this mysterious Spider-Man attempting to help a local hero?”
A dramatic pause.
“Or was he deliberately preventing the Punisher from catching his target?”
The screen showed a freeze-frame of Matthew hanging from the glider.
“Personally, I think he’s becoming something of a local nemesis.”
Matthew’s jaw dropped.
Ethan slowly turned toward him.
“Did he just call you a nemesis?”
Matthew pointed at the television.
“HE DID.”
The reporter continued.
“Either way, the city’s newest masked figure has certainly made an impression.”
The screen changed.
“And that’s all for tonight. I’m J. Jonah Jameson.”
Matthew stared at the television.
Jameson’s voice continued.
“Remember, if you see Spider-Man swinging around your neighborhood, ask yourself one question.”
Matthew frowned.
“What?”
The television cut to a commercial.
Matthew stared.
“That’s it?”
Ethan laughed.
“You’ve been Spider-Man for like two days and you’ve already got a guy on TV calling you a menace.”
Matthew put his mask back on.
“I guess I’m famous.”
“That’s not what famous means.”
Matthew pulled his hood up.
He looked toward the window.
Ethan sighed.
“Where are you going?”
Matthew smiled.
“Im beat im going to bed”
Behind him, the television remained on.
And somewhere across the city, beneath a pile of webbing that should have been impossible to escape…
something red moved.
TO BE CONTINUED.
SPIDER-MAN: THE GIRL, THE PROFESSOR, AND THE PROBLEM
Morning came quietly to Westbridge Academy.
For once, Matthew wasn’t waking up because of an alarm.
He was waking up because Ethan was staring at him.
Matthew slowly opened his eyes.
Ethan was standing beside his bed.
“…Why are you looking at me?”
Ethan crossed his arms.
“You were talking in your sleep.”
Matthew sat up.
“What did I say?”
“I don’t know. Something about webs and a rocket launcher.”
Matthew froze.
“…I don’t sleep-talk.”
“You definitely do.”
Matthew rubbed his face.
“Whatever.”
He got out of bed and grabbed his glasses from the nightstand.
He put them on and looked toward the mirror.
His strawberry-blonde hair was sticking up in several directions.
He tried fixing it.
It got worse.
“Good enough.”
Ethan grabbed his backpack.
“Come on.”
Matthew followed him toward the door.
Then he stopped.
“Wait.”
Ethan looked back.
“What?”
Matthew stared at himself in the mirror.
“I have a problem.”
“What?”
Matthew sighed.
“I like someone.”
Ethan’s expression immediately changed.
“Oh.”
Matthew pointed at him.
“Don’t.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were about to.”
Ethan smiled.
“Who?”
Matthew hesitated.
“Emma Jones.”
Ethan stared at him.
“You have a crush?”
“Yeah.”
“Since when?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’ve barely talked to her.”
“I know.”
“So how do you have a crush on her?”
Matthew shrugged.
“She’s cool.”
Ethan nodded slowly.
“Okay.”
Then he grinned.
“So talk to her.”
Matthew immediately shook his head.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because.”
“That’s not a reason.”
“It is to me.”
Ethan opened the door.
“You’re Spider-Man.”
“Exactly.”
“You’ve fought armed criminals.”
“That’s different.”
“You jumped off buildings.”
“I had web shooters.”
“You got hit by a Punisher armored vehicle.”
“That’s also different.”
Ethan laughed.
“You’re scared of talking to a girl.”
Matthew grabbed his backpack.
“I’m not scared.”
“Then prove it.”
Matthew walked past him.
“I’ll think about it.”
“That’s a no.”
“Correct.”
⸻
The first few classes were normal.
Almost too normal.
Matthew sat through mathematics, finished his work, and spent most of the lesson staring out the window.
Every few minutes, his mind wandered back to the same thing.
Emma.
He had seen her around school plenty of times.
They’d talked occasionally.
But never enough for him to actually know her.
And now that he’d admitted to Ethan that he liked her, the idea wouldn’t leave his head.
When the bell rang, Matthew walked into the hallway.
He saw Emma.
His brain immediately stopped functioning.
Emma was standing near her locker, talking with another student.
Matthew slowed down.
He could talk to criminals.
He could swing between buildings.
He could literally stick to walls.
But walking ten feet toward Emma suddenly seemed impossible.
Matthew took one step.
Then another.
He stopped.
He turned around.
Ethan was standing behind him.
Ethan raised an eyebrow.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
“You just walked toward her and then turned around.”
“I changed my mind.”
“You chickened out.”
“I did not.”
Ethan pointed toward Emma.
“Go.”
Matthew shook his head.
“Not yet.”
The bell rang.
Emma closed her locker and walked away.
Matthew watched her disappear around the corner.
Ethan sighed.
“You’re hopeless.”
⸻
The third class of the day was Professor Octavius’s engineering class.
Matthew walked in and immediately noticed several pieces of equipment arranged across the tables.
Professor Octavius stood at the front of the room.
“Good morning.”
The class responded.
Octavius turned toward the board.
“Today we’re going to discuss mechanical efficiency.”
Matthew sat down.
He actually enjoyed Octavius’s classes.
There was something different about him.
Most teachers simply gave students instructions.
Octavius explained why things worked.
He encouraged students to question designs instead of blindly following them.
Matthew liked that.
About halfway through the lesson, Octavius placed a mechanical assembly on the desk.
“This system is functional,” he said, “but inefficient.”
He looked around the room.
“Who can tell me why?”
Several students stared at it.
Matthew raised his hand.
Octavius noticed.
“Matthew?”
“The pressure isn’t being distributed evenly.”
Octavius nodded.
“Continue.”
“If you move this component here, you’d reduce the amount of force lost through the mechanism.”
Matthew pointed toward another section.
“And if you change the angle here, you could make the whole system smaller.”
Octavius walked over.
He examined the mechanism.
Then looked back at Matthew.
“How long did you spend thinking about that?”
Matthew shrugged.
“Maybe five minutes.”
Octavius raised an eyebrow.
“Five?”
“Yeah.”
Octavius smiled slightly.
“Interesting.”
Matthew looked at the design again.
“Was I wrong?”
“No.”
Octavius picked up a pen.
“You were right.”
Matthew smiled.
“Cool.”
The rest of the class continued.
Afterward, most students left.
Matthew was putting his notebook away when Octavius spoke.
“You have an unusual way of thinking.”
Matthew looked up.
“Is that good?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
Matthew laughed.
Octavius smiled.
“You’re not afraid to change a design if you think you can improve it.”
“Sometimes things are just inefficient.”
“That’s true.”
Octavius gathered his papers.
“Do you enjoy engineering?”
“Yeah.”
“Then don’t just learn how things work.”
Matthew looked at him.
“Learn why they’re designed the way they are.”
Matthew nodded.
“I will.”
Octavius smiled.
“Good.”
Matthew left the classroom.
For the first time, he realized something.
He actually liked Professor Octavius.
Not just as a teacher.
As a person.
⸻
Later that afternoon, Matthew and Ethan were walking through the hallway.
Ethan glanced at him.
“So.”
Matthew looked over.
“So what?”
“You and Octavius seemed pretty friendly.”
“He’s cool.”
“He’s your favorite teacher now?”
“Probably.”
Ethan shrugged.
“Fair.”
They kept walking.
Then Matthew saw her again.
Emma.
She was standing near the courtyard doors.
Matthew stopped.
Ethan noticed immediately.
“No.”
Matthew looked at him.
“What?”
“You’re doing it again.”
“Doing what?”
“Thinking about turning around.”
Matthew looked at Emma.
Then back at Ethan.
“I should probably talk to her.”
“Yes.”
Matthew took a breath.
“Okay.”
He started walking.
Ethan stayed behind.
Matthew took another step.
Then another.
Emma noticed him.
She smiled.
“Hey.”
Matthew stopped.
“Hey.”
A brief silence followed.
Matthew’s brain searched desperately for something interesting to say.
Nothing came.
So he went with the first thing that came into his head.
“Nice… hallway.”
Emma blinked.
Matthew immediately regretted it.
“What?”
“I don’t know why I said that.”
Emma laughed.
Matthew smiled awkwardly.
“That sounded way better in my head.”
“No, it’s okay.”
She laughed again.
Matthew relaxed.
“How’s your day?”
“Pretty good. Yours?”
“Not bad.”
He paused.
“Except I have Professor Octavius’s homework.”
Emma groaned.
“Don’t remind me.”
Matthew laughed.
“Seriously. I think he enjoys watching us suffer.”
Emma smiled.
“Probably.”
They continued talking.
Nothing huge.
Just normal conversation.
School.
Teachers.
The cafeteria.
The ridiculous amount of homework.
Matthew discovered that Emma was actually pretty funny herself.
Eventually, Emma smiled.
“You’re funny.”
Matthew raised an eyebrow.
“That’s debatable.”
“No, you’re actually funny.”
“Thanks.”
There was a small pause.
Emma looked at him.
“So what’s your name?”
Matthew blinked.
“My name?”
She laughed.
“Yeah.”
“Matt.”
She smiled.
“Nice to meet you, Matt.”
Matthew smiled.
“Nice to meet you too.”
He paused.
Then added:
“Although…”
Emma tilted her head.
“What?”
“I already knew your name.”
She laughed.
“Really?”
“Yeah. Emma Jones.”
She smiled.
“Please call me Em.”
Matthew raised an eyebrow.
“Em?”
“Yeah. That’s what my friends call me.”
Matthew smiled.
“Okay.”
He nodded.
“Em.”
She smiled.
“See you around, Matt.”
“Yeah.”
Emma walked away.
Matthew stood there for a moment.
He watched her disappear down the hallway.
Then Ethan walked up beside him.
He waited.
Matthew didn’t say anything.
Ethan finally spoke.
“Well?”
Matthew smiled.
“She laughed at my joke.”
Ethan nodded.
“Good.”
“She told me to call her Em.”
Ethan paused.
“Em.”
“Yeah.”
Ethan looked at him.
“Interesting.”
Matthew frowned.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Matthew shrugged.
“Come on.”
They started walking.
Ethan looked over.
“So, Spider-Man.”
Matthew looked at him.
“What?”
“You realize you still have a superhero problem, right?”
Matthew’s smile faded slightly.
He knew exactly what Ethan meant.
The Red Goblin.
The Punisher.
The stolen device.
The strange symbiote.
And whatever else was waiting out there.
Matthew looked through the hallway window.
New York stretched across the horizon.
“I know.”
He adjusted his glasses.
“But today was pretty normal.”
Ethan nodded.
“That’s good.”
Matthew smiled.
“Yeah.”
⸻
After school, Matthew returned to Professor Octavius’s classroom.
He had forgotten his notebook.
The classroom was empty.
Matthew walked over to his desk and picked it up.
As he turned around, he noticed something sitting on Professor Octavius’s desk.
A small mechanical component.
Matthew stopped.
It looked familiar.
Not exactly like his web shooters.
But close enough to make him curious.
He walked over.
He examined it.
A tiny motor.
Several connecting wires.
A strange metal housing.
Matthew reached toward it.
“Interesting.”
“Can I help you?”
Matthew nearly jumped out of his shoes.
He turned around.
Professor Octavius stood in the doorway.
“Sorry.”
Octavius smiled.
“Forgot something?”
“My notebook.”
Matthew held it up.
Octavius nodded.
“Of course.”
Matthew looked back at the device.
“What is that?”
Octavius glanced at it.
“An old project.”
“What does it do?”
Octavius smiled.
“You ask a lot of questions.”
Matthew laughed.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.”
Octavius walked over.
“Curiosity is useful.”
Matthew nodded.
Octavius picked up the device.
“I’m working on something that requires a little more precision than most engineering projects.”
“Can I help?”
Octavius looked at him.
For a moment, he seemed surprised.
Then he smiled.
“Perhaps.”
Matthew smiled back.
“Cool.”
Neither of them knew it yet.
But their friendship had just begun.
And neither of them knew the other’s secret.
Matthew walked out of the classroom.
Professor Octavius watched him leave.
Then looked down at the machine in his hand.
His expression became thoughtful.
⸻
That night, Matthew stood at his dorm window.
His mask was sitting on the desk.
His web shooters were beside it.
He looked down at the city.
Then he smiled.
“Em.”
Ethan looked over from his bed.
“You’re still thinking about her?”
Matthew turned around.
“No.”
Ethan stared.
Matthew paused.
“…Maybe.”
Ethan laughed.
Matthew grabbed his mask.
“Shut up.”
He pulled it over his face.
Then climbed onto the windowsill.
Ethan looked at him.
“Where are you going?”
Matthew looked back.
“Patrolling.”
He fired a web.
THWIP!
The line caught a building.
Matthew jumped.
He swung into the night.
For once, he wasn’t thinking about Red Goblin.
He wasn’t thinking about the Punisher.
He wasn’t thinking about Damage Control.
He wasn’t even thinking about Professor Octavius.
He was thinking about one thing.
Emma Jones.
Or, as her friends called her…
Em.
And somewhere far below, a police scanner suddenly crackled.
Matthew’s smile disappeared.
He tapped the earpiece.
Static filled his ear.
Then a voice came through.
“All units…”
Matthew’s eyes narrowed.
“…we have a situation.”
He looked toward the city.
A grin slowly returned beneath his mask.
“Guess I’m working tonight.”
TO BE CONTINUED