WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #10 - January 1986

There, But For Fortune!

Credits: Danny Fingeroth (writer), Jim Mooney (art), Rick Parker (letterer), George Roussos (colors)

The Plot: Spider-Man runs into Dominic Fortune, an aging adventure hero who is being pursued by war criminal Baron von Lundt. Fortune is searching for Sabbath, a female agent he partnered with in 1940. Von Lundt hires the Shocker to deal with Spider-Man and Fortune. Shocker is defeated, but Fortune lands in the hospital. Unbeknownst to Fortune, a woman named Sabbath is now working for Baron von Lundt.

The Subplots: Spider-Man briefly reflects on the golden notepad he stole a few issues ago.

Web of Continuity: Dominic Fortune first appeared in Marvel's black and white magazine line, apparently as an analogue to another Howard Chaykin character, the Scorpion. You would think this was the first part of a multi-chapter story, but five years pass before Danny Fingeroth returns to Web to finish this story.

Review: Here’s another sign Web had some sort of behind-the-scenes chaos in the early days. This clearly isn’t supposed to be the end of the storyline, yet it’s abandoned and just forgotten as the issues go on. It’s also the third issue in a row that has little to do with Spider-Man, although Fingeroth does draw a connection between Spider-Man’s constant stream of regrets and Fortune’s remorseful feelings over Sabbath. Fortune himself is appropriately likable, and the addition of his straight-laced son who just wants the old man to go back to the retirement home works well. I’m also happy to see Jim Mooney, one of the greatest Spidey artists ever, back.