I'm working on Marvel's Spider-Man in American comics.

Chapter 22 Look, That Spider
"Oh, the HR staff at the Daily Bugle are up really early." As Peter Parker reached the school gate and the morning light slashed across the asphalt, he opened his phone and looked at the internship resume he had sent in earlier, as well as the somewhat unexpected rejection message. "Uh... they said they didn't need me for the position. Maybe I showed up too late and they already found someone. I was planning to use my salary to buy costumes for the theme day before Homecoming."

"Even if you applied for that position, you won't get paid this month, right?"

"I was planning to take a month's salary in advance."

Gwen couldn't help but roll her eyes at Peter, her blonde hair arcing in the sunlight. "Getting an advance on your salary on your first day to buy a superhero cosplay costume? Luckily, your resume wasn't accepted. Otherwise, when the interviewer asks you, 'How do you demonstrate your passion for journalism?', you'll have to answer, 'Getting discounts on Spider-Man merchandise!'"

"Why Spider-Man?"

"Everyone knows Jameson loves Spider-Man and curses him on TV every day."

Peter didn't care about Jameson and Spider-Man, but said helplessly: "Then I won't be able to participate in the theme day activities this year."

"You can still participate in the activities on Homecoming Day. I guess you don't have a dance partner..."

"Hey! Gwen!" The red-haired girl bumped into Gwen's back like a ball of fire and greeted her happily. It was at this time that Mary Jane saw Peter: "Hi, Peter, it feels like this is the first time I see you and Gwen going to school together?"

"I usually get up early, so...how's the part-time job at the Daily Bugle? Any news?"

"That's great." Mary Jane let go of Gwen. "They gave me an interview opportunity. Maybe I can really become an intern reporter for the Daily Bugle?"

"I'm sure you can pass the interview. Good luck, Mary Jane."

After Peter said goodbye with a smile, Gwen gently elbowed Mary Jane, leaving her confused. Then Gwen said something in her ear, and Mary Jane finally understood what had happened.

"I didn't mean to do that. Should I apologize?"

"No need, after all, he was the one who raised the question. I just want to remind you to pay attention."

Peter didn't care about these things. He walked towards his locker, and the big screen next to him was playing the news program arranged by Central City Middle School as usual.

"Recently, Wakanda has been in political turmoil. Following the death of the previous King, T'Chaka, a minority of armed white apes within Wakanda launched multiple attacks, plunging the country into chaos. The new King, T'Challa, stated that the attacks were supported and interfered with by external forces, and that they were engaged in the large-scale theft of vibranium in Wakanda..."

While listening to the international news, Peter put his schoolbag into the cupboard. He only had two sets of battle suits. One was badly damaged in the battle with Terror and the bridge, and he hadn't had time to repair it yet. The other was the one he brought with him.

He had just closed the cupboard door when he heard Harry's funny cry.

“Exterminate——”

"I'm not a Doctor, Harry."

Peter turned to look at Harry, who was holding a robot doll that looked like a pepper shaker with a whisk and a toilet peg stuck in it, and listened to him say, "What do you think? On the first day of the theme day, I dress up as a Dalek and shout annihilation all over the school?"

“Is Doctor Who a superhero?”

"What could be more superheroic than Doctor Who? He doesn't even use any super powers, but uses his scientific knowledge and love for life to save the universe, again, again, and again!"

Looking at his good brother who had transformed into the mysterious Again Man, Peter held the book and asked, "Then why don't you pretend to be the Doctor?"

"I think you or Amadeus would be more suitable. You are smarter than me."

"You can also play as a mage."

"If I dress up as a wizard, then we'll just be two men in suits instead of Doctor Who and his alien enemy." Harry said as he pulled out some vintage Doctor Who sonic screwdriver peripherals. "It doesn't cost a lot to cosplay. All I need to do is find some old suits that my family doesn't wear anymore. I can always put together a suitable one. What do you think, Doctor Peter?"

Peter smiled awkwardly as he watched his good friend calmly resolve the issue of him not being able to have extra meals on the theme day due to his costume.

"Harry, I...thank you."

"Don't say thank you, I'm looking forward to your interaction with the Dalek with the sonic screwdriver. Hey, Amadeus, are you planning on participating in the theme day? You and Peter can dress up as different Doctors!"

“I’ve got my own plan,” Amadeus said, becoming excited as he discussed his superhero costume. “I’m going to put on an oversized lab coat, some glasses, and a new hairstyle, and I’m done!”

Harry felt indescribably confused.

"What's that? Grandpa Rick?"

"Bruce Banner! Man! Hulk!"

It was the first time for both Peter and Harry to see Amadeus so excited. Peter knew that Amadeus had been the Hulk for a while in the 616 comic universe, but he didn't expect that Amadeus was so obsessed with the Hulk at his age.

"…So, what about Doctor Who?"

"Just go ahead and do it. This show is too unpopular and will easily be seen as nerdy and homely."

Amadeus said this and left happily. Harry watched him leave for a long time before complaining, "Does he know that he's the most nerdy of the three of us?"

"Yeah, like Bruce Banner without the transformation."

After calming down, Peter and Harry went to class together. But it seemed that all the bad things happened today. After walking a few steps, they heard that familiar, annoying laughter, accompanied by the screams of girls.

Peter looked over and saw a frightened girl squatting there crying. The culprit was none other than Carl King, a man Peter knew well. He laughed heartily and put the scary props into his pocket. He turned around and saw Peter and frowned.

"This has nothing to do with you, Parker, get out of here."

"Have you resorted to bullying girls? I thought you were waiting for the homecoming football game to take on the big boys at school."

Carl King smiled when he heard this, and he came up to Peter and asked provocatively, "What about you, Skinny Parker? Do you dare to play football at homecoming and have a good fight with me?"

It can be seen that although Carl King was beaten by Peter, he did not think that there was anything wrong with Peter. He simply felt that he was not good at fighting. However, he was quite confident in football.

"No, I don't even know the rules. Goodbye, Carl. Don't let me catch you bullying your classmates again."

Peter said goodbye, but he didn't move. It was obvious that he wanted Carl to say goodbye. Carl King couldn't help but snorted and left. Before leaving, he didn't forget to say something harsh: "Remember this, Parker, you dare not compete with me on the court!"

Harry was surprised to see Peter's calm expression. "I thought you would be unable to resist agreeing to him."

"I want to, but I really don't understand rugby. I don't even know the rules. How do I play? Forget rugby, soccer, basketball, badminton. I don't even know the rules of table tennis. I'll go see that girl."

So Peter left Harry with a confused look on his face.

"Why 'not even Ping Pong?' Shouldn't everyone know how to play Ping Pong?"

While Harry was still wondering what the ping-pong game had to do with it, Peter had already comforted the girl and left. Harry then realized, "Not bad, a hero saving a beautiful girl. Except she might not appreciate that."

"I don't think about these things. I just think I should care about it. It doesn't matter anyway, just in case..."

What can be prevented?

Peter himself didn't know.

Carl King, who left on the other side, took out the thing he used to scare girls from his pocket. It was a spider, to be precise, a spider specimen. Six months ago, at the Osborn Technology Fair on the eve of junior high school graduation, when the radioactive spider in the display cabinet ran out, it was Carl King who discovered it and put it on the back of Peter Parker's neck.

He witnessed Peter Parker screaming in agony after being bitten by the spider. He even thought about taking the spider home and raising it, so he could release it to bite someone he disliked. However, after Peter Parker swatted the spider away, it was inexplicably stepped on and died, so he had to make it into a specimen and bring it out to scare people.

If Carl knew what this spider was, he would never throw it at someone else so casually.

Similarly, if Peter had known more about Spider-Man's enemies in his previous life, and hadn't always focused on the classic villains that might appear, but paid more attention to less popular villains, he would have known how much trouble Carl King could bring him.

(End of this chapter)