The Sinister Secret of Spider-Man's New Costume! As Peter tries to stop MJ from leaving, the Black Cat arrives, confirming MJ's beliefs that he is Spider-Man. Both depart, but Peter stops the Cat by inadvertently shooting webbing at her, convincing her that he cares.
Back in New Mexico, Thomas Fireheart instructs Jenna to assemble a dossier on Spider-Man. Meanwhile, MJ packs a bag until she spies a photo of her sister, reminding her that she runs away from every problem. A depressed Peter falls asleep and his costume takes him web-swinging. Peter dreams that his new and old costume fight over him, then wakes up in bed, having slept the day away. Decided to find out what kind of alien material his suit is done with, he visits the Baxter Building. He meets the Human Torch and Mister Fantastic there. Reed Richards examines his costume, determining that it is a living, highly evolved symbiote that immediately tries to permanently graft itself to Spider-Man's body. Reed drives it off with a sonic blaster and holds it in a special container.
The Human Torch provides Spider-Man with an old Fantastic Four uniform and a paper bag (with a "Kick Me" sign on his back) to preserve his secret identity, and brings him to a nearer street to Peter's flat. Heading home, Spider-Man breaks up a gunfight and is ambushed by reporters who label him the "Unknown Super-Hero." Later, Mary Jane visits Peter, promising to reveal her own secrets. Meanwhile, the captured symbiote hates and hungers for revenge.
