The Human Torch has always been at the top of the list as far as characters that have teamed-up with Spider-Man the most over the years. He is probably number one if we had to rank them. They met in Amazing Spider-Man #1, and in Amazing Spider-Man #3 (Peter Parker and the Torch), but didn't actually team-up until Strange Tales Annual #2 where they went up against a somewhat lame villain by the name of the Fox at approximately the same time as Amazing Spider-Man #4. It's been 5 issues of Untold Tales Of Spider-Man at this point, so I guess it just seems appropriate for these two heroes to also have an Untold Tale.

The story begins as Spider-Man stops a jewel thief in the morning before he goes to school, but as he swings away, the Human Torch comes flying by him without a warning. The Torch states that he is on his way to LaGuardia Airport for some reason, which makes no sense to Spider-Man until someone tells him that the Torch is battling the Wizard. The Wizard is an ultra-intelligent villain that was introduced back in Strange Tales #102 and also went on to become a Fantastic Four villain, having formed the Frightful Four. What Spidey sees next in a store window, is the Wizard making a challenges after hijacking all television broadcasts to the Human Torch. He states he will cause disaster throughout the city unless the Torch figures out clues left behind that could stop the disasters. The first clue was "LaGuardia was the first", but Spider-Man realizes that there are two answers to that clue, so he leaves the jewel thief behind and books on over to Gracie Mansion (Where the Mayor of New York lives). Fiorello LaGuardia was the first mayor to live in the mansion, and a gas bomb has been left in the mansion. Spider-Man webs up the bomb, throws it into the water outside, then heads on to school.

When Spider-Man gets to school, he changes into Peter Parker. All the kids are talking about the Wizard, then the Wizard's next clue bursts out of Flash Thompson's radio: "Strike first at the only building in Manhattan that isn't right". What the heck does that mean? Peter asks to be excused from class at that point, saying the he doesn't feel well and wants to go to the nurse. At the risk of getting into major trouble, He then quickly changes into Spider-Man after being excused, and heads for the Guggenheim Museum. The only building that isn't wrong because it was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. When Spider-Man gets there, he finds that some sort of force field surrounds the museum imprisoning the people inside, and then he is joined by the Human Torch. They locate the power source of the force field: A generator within the bubble of the field. The Torch super-heats the air around the generator gradually destroying it and the force field, freeing the people inside the museum. After this clue was solved, the Torch "officially" admits in needing Spider-Man's help.

Back at the school, Sally Avril talks to her friend Jason about something that will make them possibly the most popular kids in the school. What it is, we'll have to wait, but time for the Wizard's next clue: "Marconi's Metropolis". The Torch and Spidey head for Radio City Music Hall, where they learn that the entire building has been lifted off the ground by use of the Wizard's technology. They find the controls and let it down gently. Next clue: "John Daniell's Driveway", takes them to Battery Park, with Daniel being the scientist who created the first battery. They stop a digging machine there and then it's on to the next clue: "Sir William Ramsay's Neighborhood", meaning a scientist who discovered gases. They go to the "Gas House District" where they diffuse some rockets. At the same time, at the Daily Bugle, Publisher J. Jonah Jameson is shouting out loud about Peter Parker's whereabouts. With everything that's going on in the city, Jonah wants photos, and wants them fast!

Spider-Man and the Torch are now in the Baxter Building, home of the Fantastic Four, where they await the Wizard's next clue. They decide to try and intercept the Wizard's next broadcast signal, and Spidey decides to build a tracking device. While in the middle of creating the device, the Wizard comes on the airwave's once again. He gives his next clue: "Always Walking The Plank". Spidey just got his signal keyed into his trackers, but they must first attend to the last clue given. Spider-Man thinks that the Wizard was referring to Plank's constant (6.6260755 X 10 to the 34th power), meaning that they need to find the problem between the street numbers 626 and 755 somewhere on 6th street or avenue. They find robots in the subway dismantling the tracks that could create a major crash and kill many. They take easy care of the robots, but a train is fast approaching. Just as the train begins to pass by, the Torch uses his flames to "spike" the tracks back in place welding them good enough for the train to pass by safely.

After everything is taken care of in the subway, Spidey and the Torch split up to look for the Wizard. They both wear radio trackers on their wrist so that they can communicate with each other. The finally locate the Wizard in a van parked on a street and meet there together. Just as the Wizard puts together his next clue in the Van, the Torch burns a hole in the top of the Van, and the encircles the Wizard in a flame capturing him. The Wizard wonders how an "empty-headed youngster" can solve the clues given by him, then Spider-Man pops his head in his face. The police take the Wizard away, then Spider-Man and the Torch go their separate ways. Spider-Man changes into Peter Parker, and goes to the Daily Bugle where he sells some photos to Jameson. At a Diner with other students, Sally and Jason's little plan is revealed: They will reveal Spider-Man's identity, and win a $1,000 award from the Daily Bugle.

One of the best Spider-Man/ Human Torch team-ups ever written. It won't be the last time these two match-up against the brilliance of the Wizard, as in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #4, they meet again, but that time the Wizard will have an unlikely ally.