The landmark 50th issue of Amazing Spider-Man shows-off possibly one of the greatest covers to grace a Spider-Man comic book. It also debuts a character that will go on to become the greatest organized criminal in the Marvel Universe. He is the Kingpin, and he not only rises fast in the ranks of Spider-Man's rogues gallery of villains, but he will go on to become arguably Daredevil's greatest enemy. Spider-Man and the Kingpin doesn't actually meet face to face in this issue, as that will have to wait till the next issue, but the reader is introduced to the Kingpin of crime none the less! The story is entitles "Spider-Man No More" with Peter Parker seemingly throwing his costume into the garbage on the cover. We shall see if this is really the end, but do bet on it! Who do you think has been in the Spider-Man suit for the many years after?

The story opens as Spider-Man swings right into an office building which is being robbed by some criminals. The criminals try to shoot at Spider-Man, but to no avail, since his spider-sense and great agility aids him in dodging every single bullet. In the end, Spider-Man takes easy care of the would-be robbers, and then leaves to eventually change back into Peter Parker. Peter arrives at his apartment, and his roommate Harry Osborn has some bad news for him: His Aunt May is ill (Yes, AGAIN!). Peter gets on his motorbike and heads to her home, where Anna Watson is taking good care of her. He leaves after awhile, then heads back to his apartment. The next day at class, Peter is still very upset about the latest news concerning his Aunt. Professor Miles Warren asks to see young Parker after class, and is warned that his grades have been steadily declining. Peter states that he is going to start buckling down on his studies, then heads on into the campus hall where he meets Gwen Stacy. Gwen asks Peter over at a get-together at her place that night, but Peter has to decline (his Aunt again), and asks for a rain-check. Peter goes home again and sees on the television that J. Jonah Jameson is continuing his campaign against Spider-Man with a vengeance, even offering a $1,000 reward for the capture of Spider-Man.

It is all falling apart for Peter now. With the recent health of his Aunt, and the public tearing-apart by the powerful newspaper editor, Peter begins to think that Spider-Man has brought him nothing but unhappiness. He walks in a steady rain, pondering his life, and then makes a decision in which he thinks is the only thing left to do in his life at the moment: He gives up being Spider-Man, and throws his costume in a garbage can. It is one of the most copied scenes from a Spider-Man comic over the years. The next day in the offices of the Daily Bugle, a young child brings Jameson the costume of Spider-Man that he left in the garbage the night before. Jameson is delighted at this discovery and gives the kid a reward (a free copy of the Daily Bugle!). The next morning, the Daily Bugle runs the headline: "Is Spider-Man Thru?". Jameson even appears on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson talking about the news that is sweeping the nation at this point: (Again) Is Spider-Man really through?

I know if you are reading this, your thinking: "Where the heck is the Kingpin?". Well, halfway through the issue, he finally makes his debut. He is described as someone in the highest echelons of the underworld. Thinking that Spider-Man is now gone, the portly Kingpin thinks that it is a good time for his plans to reach fruition. he wants his men to start spreading the word that the Kingpin is ready to take over. Out on the streets, Patch (Daily Bugle reporter Frederick Foswell) is looking for some news and realizes that many mobsters are meeting out in the streets discussing something apparently important. He is soon noticed, and told to go away, as the mobsters continue their meeting discussing the Kingpin's taking over the criminal underworld. Patch returns home and begins to realize that it must be the news that Spider-Man's disappearance that has brought out all these mobsters. The next morning, Patch arrives at the Daily Bugle in his true identity: Frederick Foswell. Foswell has thoughts of being the King of Crime once again, just as he once was in Amazing Spider-Man #10, when he was the Big Man. Peter enters the office at roughly the same time to announce to Jameson not to expect any more photos from him, since he is going to focus more on his studies at college now. Foswell begins to wonder about the timing being very close to Spider-Man's disappearance.

With Spider-Man out of the picture, a crime-wave hits the city, with hijackings, robberies, and other crimes, all in the name of the Kingpin. The Kingpin now plans on proceeding with his master plan: To have all the gangs of organized crime run like a business, and the chairman of the board being, you guessed it: The Kingpin! Elsewhere, at Empire State University, Peter gives Gwen Stacy a ride on his motorbike, and you can just see that these two are meant for each other. In their eyes, and their voices, they care about each other a lot already. Peter then visits his Aunt May, with Anna and Mary Jane Watson also visiting, and there is good news: His Aunt is doing very well. He leaves again to return to his apartment and begins a long night of studying, until he hears news over the radio, that a welfare office has just been robbed. Peter is moved greatly by this news, and pops out of his couch ready for action, but then remembers his decision he made giving up being Spider-Man. The next morning, Peter asks Gwen out, but Gwen already has a date with Harry Osborn. Peter then makes another visit to his Aunt, and discovers that she and Anna are going to the movies, so she must be doing much better.

Riding away on his motorbike, Peter hears the screams of help from atop a warehouse building. Peter climbs up the side of the building, without his costume, to help the watchman of the building. He moves fast enough so that no one will recognize him, and takes out the two criminals roughing up the watchman. Later on a pier, Peter begins to realize that he reverted to what he was before his pledge on giving up being Spider-Man. He also begins to realize that the watchman reminded him of his Uncle Ben, and a little origin re-cap is played out. He understands that he can never renounce his Spider-Man identity (he does in the future of course), and he swears that he will never permit an innocent being to come to harm.

At the office of the Kingpin, we see the back of a man speaking to the new King of Crime. "You ever hear of the Big Man, mister? You're looking at him!". It's obvious that Frederick Foswell has made a visit to the Kingpin, but he courageously states: "If anyone's gonna organize the mobs, it's gotta be me!". This guy has guts huh? He also states: "I can use a man like you. As one of my lieutenants", and this infuriates the Kingpin, and he uses his Obliterator Cane to destroy Foswell's hat and gun hidden inside it. The Kingpin orders Foswell to be taken away, possibly wanting to use him later on. At the same time, Peter Parker climbs the Daily Bugle building to retrieve his costume from Jameson, and the issue ends on a high note: "Spidey's back in action!! And as far as the world's concerned, They better believe it!!

And you better believe that this issue was (and still is) one of the all-time great reads. The Kingpin and Spider-Man actually meet face to face next issue, where things begins to get out of hand. Try and get a reprint of this issue, as the real deal is hard to come by and very expensive. For some strange reason, this landmark issue is only reprinted a handful of times, but I would definitely suggest getting the Essentials trade paperback which will give you the next two issues (and many others as well) for a steal of a price.

Reprinted In:
Marvel Tales #190
Amazing Spider-Man Annual #8
 Marvel Masterworks Vol. 22
Spider-Man Essentials III