Time for yet another classic villain introduction! Not exactly the Vulture, or the Sandman, but maybe in the class of the Molten Man or a couple of other villains that populate Spider-Man's rogues gallery. His name is the Shocker, and at first, some may think his powers are a little similar to Electro's, but in fact they are very different. The Shocker will go on to make many more appearances in the Spider-Verse, and become one of the most well known baddies Spider-Man has ever faced.

The story starts as Spider-Man is falling from a wall with his arm still in a cast from last issue. Spider-Man is mystified why the wall is vibrating while he is falling, and saves himself by swinging around a flagpole and into a window that he thinks is the origin of his problem. When he enters the window, he discovers a new villain dressed in a yellow and brown costume with metallic devices on his fists cracking a safe and stealing money. After giving Spider-Man the shock of his life from the devices (Pun intended), the new villain calls himself the Shocker, and for good reason as he can create violent vibrations from the gizmo's on his fists. While fighting the Shocker, Spider-Man learns that the Shocker's punches are somewhat amplified by a dozen times due to his vibro-shock units. The Shocker's also has a way of reflecting punches due to another built-in gadget that makes him vibrate. The Shocker's full power is finally unleashed on Spider-Man with a dual vibro-shock with his fists that send Spider-Man through a wall, enabling the Shocker to escape.

Spider-Man gets himself up and changes into Peter Parker with his next stop being the Daily Bugle building where Harry Osborn notices him walking on the street an offers to drive him there. While in the car, Harry makes another offer to Peter: Sharing an apartment together that Harry's father Norman is footing the bill for. Peter says he has to talk with his Aunt May first, but will get back to him later. At this point, it is obvious that Harry and Peter are becoming very good friends. A far cry from how they started things off back in Amazing Spider-Man #31. While entering the building, reporter Frederick Foswell shouts out to Peter, but he doesn't hear him. Foswell has long been assuming that there has to be some kind of connection between Peter and Spider-Man since Peter gets all those great action pics of the web-head. After Peter sells some pics to publisher J. Jonah Jameson, Foswell follows Peter, dressed as Patch. At the same time, the Shocker hides away with his stolen money in an old abandoned building.

These are the days that the Shocker has always dreamt about. and he begins to think back to the old days. He was once a two-bit safe cracker, who was caught by the police and sent to prison. While in prison, he put his gift of working with tools to use. Trying to devise an instrument that would crack any safe in silence by shaking the safe door loose, and he invented a way to control the shock of the vibrations. Months later, his invention was complete, and he used it on the prison walls making himself a free man. While free, he worked on a costume with foam like fabrics that would absorb the shocks, and included a battery pack in his belt. He located his vibro-shock units within metal knuckle plates, and from that day on the Shocker was born!

Peter Parker presently is at Penn Station looking for his Aunt May. They find each other and tell each other news concerning moving away. Aunt May will move in with Mrs. Anna Watson, and Peter will move in with his friend Harry Osborn. They next visit the Watson's at the Watson's home, and then Peter and Mary Jane cut out to visit Harry, Flash Thompson, and Gwen Stacy at a sodas shop where they talk about Flash's farewell party after he has been drafted. After Peter tells Harry about his intentions of taking him up on his offer to become roommates, Peter cuts out and changes into Spider-Man with Patch following him. Patch comes to the realization that Peter is Spider-Man and Peter notices him in the background. He fools Patch by making believe that Peter and Spider-Man are in an alley using two voices and by hanging his Spider-Man costume by a web while he changed back to Peter Parker.

After that close call, Peter changes into Spider-Man once again and goes looking for the Shocker. He overhears a policeman talking about the Shocker being at a bank, and away Spider-Man is to the bank. Round two of Spider-Man versus the Shocker takes center stage at the bank, with the Shocker knocking over a couple of concrete pillars over on t Spider-Man. It looks pretty bad for Spider-Man until he gets a good kick into the Shocker's face, then leaps out of the way from various vibro-shock's thrown by the Shocker. The Shocker leaps at Spider-Man, but Spidey easily evades his "charge" (pun intended again!). Spider-Man ends the long battle by webbing the Shocker's thumbs so that he is unable to use them to activate his vibro-units, then knocks his daylights out.

After webbing the Shocker up for the police, Spider-Man goes home and gets a good night's sleep. The next morning, Peter's Aunt May moves in with Anna Watson, and Peter loads up his motorbike and heads for his new place. When he arrives, he is greeted by Harry Osborn, and enters the apartment he will share with him for the first time. Important issue showing Peter break away from his Aunt May, and moving in with Harry. Throw in the debut of a new villain in the Shocker, and it's a must have for any serious collector or reader. The Shocker will shock again in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man #72, and make many more appearances after that. 

Reprinted In:
Marvel Tales #186
Amazing Spider-Man Annual #8
 Marvel Masterworks Vol. 22
Spider-Man Essentials III