We had a little break with the new villains last issue so it's back to the drawing board and they sure drew-up a villain that would go on to become yet another top-of-the-line Spider-Man villain: The Lizard! His alter ego, Dr. Curt Connors is a good man and would also go on the become a very fine supporting cast member in the Spider-Verse.

We are introduced to the Lizard as he is on a rampage in the swamps of Florida's Everglades. I guess the sight of a giant talking Lizard is just too much for most people to handle! Showing great strength and being impervious to bullets, the Lizard seems unstoppable. The news of the half human, half Lizard makes it's way all the way up North into the Daily Bugle where Spider-Man reads a challenge from the newspaper to defeat the Lizard. Peter tries to convince J. Jonah Jameson to fly him down to Florida to snap some pics of Spidey and the Lizard but Jonah turns him down saying that the challenge in the paper was just printed to sell papers. Later at a museum, Peter senses that a couple of thieves must have stolen something and changes to Spider-Man. He knocks them out and saves his fellow student Liz Allan who the two gunmen were holding hostage. After hearing that the Lizard is still left unchallenged by Spider-Man, Peter makes a visit again to Jameson's office but this time as Spider-Man. He lets him know that he would go down to Florida to battle the Lizard if he sends a photographer to cover the story. Jonah is finally convinced and he and Peter are on their way to Florida.

While on the plane flying to Florida, Peter reads about a Doctor Connors who is a reptile expert who lives near the Everglades area and thinks that he might be of some help. After their plane arrives in Florida, they split up for a bit as Peter suits-up as Spider-Man to seek out the Lizard. He eventually finds him in a swamp as the Lizard pulls him into the water and they battle for a short period of time before they both re-surface on land. On land, the Lizard is also a good match for Spider-Man and Spidey decides to cut out and visit the Doctor he read about on the plane. When he arrives, he finds his wife crying, and for good reason because her husband IS the Lizard!

It is explained that Doc Connors became the Lizard while he was trying to find a way to emulate a Lizard's ability to re-grow a leg or extremity when they lose one. Connors lost his right arm during the war and would benefit from this as well. After taking the formula, it was a major success as he quickly grew his lost arm similar to a Lizard. Only one major side-effect to the formula though: He slowly became part Lizard, growing scales and becoming green in color as well, plus his brain has been dulled. After the explanation of the Lizard's origin, a cry for "Mommy!" comes out as the Connor son, Billy is confronted by the Lizard outside their home. Spider-Man saves the child as the Lizard seemingly becomes less human by the minute. Back in the home, Spider-Man attempts to create an antidote for the Lizard and just in time as the Lizard breaks in the house and they battle once again after Spider-Man hands over the antidote to Mrs. Connors. The Lizard leaves vowing to create a reptilian army and Spider-Man goes after him. He eventually finds him in an old abandoned Spanish Fort where there are many alligators that seem obedient to the Lizard and orders them to attack Spider-Man once he is spotted. After several pages of fighting, Spider-Man finally administers the antidote to the Lizard and slowly but surely, he changes back into his human form of Doctor Curt Connors creating a friendship between him and Spider-Man that would last a long long time.

Connors burns his papers on his research and Spider-Man returns back to Jameson as Peter Parker with pics of the Lizard. Jameson tears them up on the spot believing that they are fake and the entire trip was a waste of time. They return back to New York and to make matters worse for Peter, Jameson takes the plane fare and half the hotel bill out of his pay!

Yet another classic issue with another classic character. The Lizard would show up many more times since his introduction in this issue, next being in Untold Tales Of Spider-Man #9, then in Amazing Spider-Man #44 & #45. Doc Connors would also make several supporting cast appearances and usually just before turning back into the Lizard to menace Spider-Man once again!

 Reprinted In:
Marvel Tales #3
Marvel Tales #143
Marvel Special Edition Treasury
 Spider-Man Classics #7
 Marvel Masterworks Vol. 1
Spider-Man Essentials I