In the lead-up to Civil War, Peter Parker gets a new suit (armored) from Tony Stark.
It makes him much more powerful and invulnerable to most of the street-level threats he’s used to facing.
As part of the new costume deal, Peter also becomes Tony’s protege. He also has to be on call–even when he’s asleep.
They go to DC to meet with a Senate Committee on the anti-super legislation that will be the core issue in Civil War.
Tony is trying to justify superhuman presence.
While they are there Peter fights off an assassination attempt on Tony by Titanium Man.
The attack on Stark, though, seems a little convenient–timed directly with his appearance before the Senate–which makes Peter think maybe his new boss set the whole thing up as a way to justify the need for superheroes (as long as they’re registered).
Peter’s suspicion of Tony foreshadows his position during Civil War, which is wonderfully portrayed on the cover to #531.
I really dislike armored Spider-Man. It’s a huge change to the character and, in my view, upsets the essential everyman/mortal nature of him. But once you get past that, these issues are executed well. The change in Spidey matches the progression of Peter Parker as Tony’s protege as well, with him going to Washington and becoming, essentially, a much more “important” hero.