Comics Hand me a late pass and help bring me up to speed

For reasons unclear to even myself, I endeavored on an uncertain hiatus, from comic book reading and collecting. At the least, I have missed 5 months. The last memories I have of Spidey, include him joining the New Avengers, and that story about his friend that became something akin to Molten Man. I missed out on the Other, and now I have returned in the middle of what appears to be a new mini series event (Civil War). To my understanding, the government is now turning on all super powered beings, in a bid to get them to register (not much different than X-Men ideas in the past, that related to mutants). If my conjecture isn't far off (I only started reading again from issue 530 of AMS), the "Civil War" is going to be between the U.S. government and it's own super hero community (which I think will make for one hell of a story).

On that front, I seem to be fine. Where I am completely lost at, is the introduction of this "Iron Spidey" costume, and Peter becoming Stark's right hand man. I personally like this new costume. I prefer the ol' red and blues, but this outfit seems useful...to the same extent that the symbiote did back when I was a kid. However, I don't know why Peter has this outfit. In the New Avengers, I remember Peter complaining about how the entire team needed armor. Tony replied with a "Do you have $6 billion? Because this armor cost $6 billion." However, flash foward to now, and suddenly, Spidey is the new "Iron Man Lite." And why does he work for Tony Stark? Did he quit teaching? And what happened to the Parker's home? Why are they living with the Avengers? I think those questions pretty much sum up the things I need to know, in order to be caught up with the Spidey continuity, but if there is anything I missed, that you feel is relavent, then feel free to add to it.

 

The Molten Man guy you describes is Peter's old friend from high school, Charlie. Who got transformed to a vibranium walking man due to an explosion. He was working on some "super-armor" for Stark Industries. Charlie, furious at Peter for not helping him with the experiment, burned down Peters apartment and Aunt Mays house. Later when Spider-Man defeated Charlie; Tony Stark invited him to stay in the Avengers Tower.

In The Others serie Peter got rapidly ill for a unknown reason. And then Morlun came back and killed Spider-Man. But Spidey wasen't completly dead no...he was just going into hibernation to shred his skin like some spiders do (hence of the illnes). Later on the new Peter sprung out of the old Peters body and created a cocoon (is that the word?) under some bridge. And out of the cocoon came Peter with slightly changed powers more similar to spiders. He was completly healed from the fight with Morlun and had no scars whatsoever from his old "body".

Let's see now...
Yes, the costum. That was a gift from Tony Stark to Peter. The suit makes him "glide" threw the air and it even makes him bulletproof. It changes from different costumes really easy...you just gotta "think" that the Blue/red or the black one is there...and it will.
And I guess Peter feels like he's in favour to Tony because he promised to protect and help Tony in Washington.

Hope it helps.