Peter showed this remarkable side of him in The Spectacular Spider-Man #234 during a period where he’d lost his powers, but was still far from helpless. The story took place during Marvel’s infamous “Clone Saga” storyline where Spidey’s clone Ben Reilly returned to New York and was mistakenly re-established as the original Peter Parker. Ben ended up taking over the role of Spider-Man, allowing Peter and Mary Jane to move to Portland, Oregon where Peter decided to use his extra time to pursue a science career and raise a family with MJ. Unfortunately, a lab accident wound up taking away Peter’s spider powers (although later storylines would reveal they’d only been suppressed).
Despite his apparent forced retirement from super heroics, Peter returned to New York with MJ when a Spider-Man corpse was discovered in a smokestack, leading to more confusion over whether Ben or Peter was the original Spider-Man. Hoping to help Ben, Peter investigated the case using Daily Bugle resources and learned that the mysterious Multivex Corporation, a business connected to Osborn Industries, was possibly responsible for the clone conspiracy. Although Peter could no longer sneak into places as Spider-Man, he proved surprisingly adept at getting into high security facilities thanks to his formerly intimate relationship with master cat burglar Felicia Hardy (aka the Black Cat). Although Peter and Felicia realized they weren’t meant to be together romantically, they remained on friendly … and it turned out that Felicia had taught Peter more than a few useful tricks during their time together.
These skills included showing Peter how to pick locks (using professional lock picks that she loaned him), disable surveillance cameras, and even occupy the security alarms with just a little silly putty. Thanks to these skills, Peter was able to sneak into Multivex, steal a lab coat, and himself off as an employee. Unfortunately, shortly after this impressive display, both Peter and Spider-Man/Ben Reilly were cornered by some security guards and a cybernetically enhanced Hobgoblin.
Still intent on proving he wasn’t helpless, Peter managed to fight off his attackers with his web shooters, although he had to leave the Hobgoblin fight to the new Spider-Man. Fortunately, Peter regained his super powers a few issues later, just in time to deal with some more serious threats that involved a reborn Norman Osborn—but it’s still heartening to know that thanks to his years of on-the-job learning that Spider-Man is a capable hero with or without powers. Thanks, Black Cat.
