Let me break it down for you: Peter Parker once gave a blood transfusion to his Aunt May, and now she is sick with radioactive toxicity. The only cure has been stolen by the Master Planner's gang, and has been taken to their underground/under water lair. During the previous two issues, Spider-man has been franticly chasing and beating tail, only to end up crushed under a giant machine.
You don't have to read the captions, but if you do, you see that its Peter Parker who digs deep to overcome his obstacles. Peter was never more focused on his goal than he was in this story, which spans three issues.
This story elevates Spider-man to legendary status. I would encourage any fan to read these three issues if you want to understand what the Lee-Ditko era was all about. Steve Ditko's run on Spider-man has been reprinted in several ways, including the Marvel Masterworks editions. Steve is one of the architechs of the original Marvel Age of Comics.
