When A Crucial Marvel Universe Law Was Broken By -- Firestar?!

 

Firestar's unusual introduction to the Marvel Universe and the structure of her debut miniseries has left some fans confused for decades. I look back at the story this week at CBR.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #439 - Late September 1998

There once was a Spider…!

Credits:  Tom DeFalco (writer), Rafael Kayanan (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inks), Bob Sharen (colors), Comicraft’s Liz Agraphiotis (letters)

The Plot:  A thousand years in the future, researchers Zack and Lana discover the remains of a web-shooter in the ruins of Old Manhattan.  Their tests confirm it belonged to Spider-Man, one of the leading figures of the Heroic Age.  They speculate on what Spider-Man’s life was like, and the circumstances that led to him losing the web-shooter.  In the present, Spider-Man searches for a lost girl in the sewers.  He clings to an unstable structure, which falls on his arm, breaking the web-shooter.  Spider-Man convinces the girl to be brave and manages to rescue her in spite of his injured arm.

The Subplots:  MJ encourages Peter to stay home for the day, but changes her mind after seeing news footage of the missing girl.  MJ spends the rest of the day alone.

Review:  I don’t pretend to know what was going on behind the scenes at this time, but Tom DeFalco’s final two ASM issues shipped bi-weekly, leading the way for John Byrne to debut early with the “Gathering of Five” crossover.  Like the previous two issues, this is pure filler, but it is has more heart and humor than the two duds that preceded it.  Zack and Lana’s attempts to piece together what Spider-Man’s life must have been like play against the reality that Spider-Man experiences as New York’s least appreciated hero, and there are numerous in-jokes for comic fans to enjoy.  Lana, for example, is a fan of Spider-Man’s “Maximum Carnage” era, a fact Zack just can’t believe.  DeFalco has also remembered to throw in a token Peter/MJ scene; one that once again mischaracterizes MJ as a domineering nag, but she’s thankfully less annoying than she was earlier in DeFalco's run.  It seems we were supposed to be sympathizing for MJ during her previous bouts of obnoxiousness, an idea that was poorly conveyed to say the least.  This issue has a brief scene emphasizing just how lonely she is when Peter is off playing hero, which is a fair enough avenue to explore.  The human moments could’ve been sold better by Rafael Kayanan, who still struggles with basic acting, but I have to say that I’m still enjoying his interpretation of Spider-Man and I think his backgrounds look solid.  Overall, the story is a decent goodbye for DeFalco, who was never able to hit his stride during his second Amazing stint.  I’m glad that he was able to go out with one of his stronger issues.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #438 - September 1998

Seeing is Disbelieving!

Credits:  Tom DeFalco (writer), Scott Kolins (penciler), Gary Martin (inks), Bob Sharen (colors), Comicraft (letters)

The Plot:  Spider-Man responds to a bank’s security alarm and is shocked to discover dinosaurs inside the building.  The dinosaurs abruptly disappear shortly before the police arrive, and Peter Parker later discovers his camera didn’t capture any images of the dinosaurs.  Meanwhile, Matt Murdock is hired by Gilsoft Games to write work-for-hire contracts for the company’s employees.  While at the software studio, Murdock notices employee Angela Bradford seems oddly unfazed by the announcement.  Angela exits and changes into Synario.  Using her Mobile VR Inducer, she constructs a false reality that will create a distraction while she attempts another robbery.  Spider-Man arrives just as Murdock changes into Daredevil.  After an initial misunderstanding, they unite and defeat Synario.  When the owner of Gilsoft Games and Synario argue over who has the rights to the VR Inducer, Spider-Man simply destroys it.

The Subplots:  None.

Web of Continuity:  The name Synario doesn't actually appear in the issue.

I Love the ‘90s:  Spider-Man wonders if the dinosaurs at the bank are related to “Godzilla's big screen return.”

Review:  The second one-shot story in a row with a gratuitous guest star and no character subplots.  Fantastic.  Blatant filler is annoying enough when it shows up in Unlimited or another peripheral spinoff, but how did the flagship title end up in such a sorry state?  And didn’t Daredevil just guest star in this book?  Admittedly, DeFalco has devised a better reason for him to appear in this particular story (DD’s blindness makes him immune from Synario’s virtual reality device), but his presence still adds very little to the issue.  There’s really nothing in the story to make it stand out above any other generic fill-in; even the self-aware references to work-for-hire deals don’t lead anywhere.  Synario’s already a disgruntled employee before she finds out the company plans on “stealing” her work.  She hates her boss for ignoring her in favor of his boy’s club, so the ethics regarding corporate vs. creator-owned work aren’t relevant to her specifically.  Synario’s already robbing banks before Matt Murdock even appears, funding her own game company with the help of her VR device.  And it’s clearly the most advanced virtual reality technology in the world, since it’s the size of a Roomba but is powerful enough to convince a bank that it’s been invaded by dinosaurs.  She should already be rich.  Why is she robbing banks?  And didn’t DeFalco already create a VR-themed villainess called Stunner during the clone days?  

With a story this hopeless, the issue would have to possess an incredible artist to save it.  And to be fair, even though the plot is annoyingly simplistic, it does leave room for an artist to have a blast with the visuals.  Scott Kolins is certainly competent at this stage, but he’s not stylized enough to make the various dinosaurs, robots, and monsters particularly memorable.  This is just a dud all around; best forgotten, which it surely is.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #437 - August 1998

I, Monster!

Credits:  Tom DeFalco (writer), Rafael Kayanan (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inker), Bob Sharen (colors), Comicraft (letters)

The Plot:  Spider-Man passes by Synch, in his civilian identity, in Central Park.  He stops and rescues Synch from a group of muggers.  Elsewhere, Plantman is secretly spying on Synch.  He doses Synch with his mutagenic pollen, which causes Synch to mutate into a monster.  Synch attacks Spider-Man, but Plantman isn’t pleased by the progress of the fight.  He beckons Synch to his underground hideout, and Spider-Man follows.  Soon, Spider-Man is also exposed to the mutagenic pollen, which transforms him into a human-spider creature.  Eventually, Synch and Spider-Man are able to overwhelm Plantman and throw him into a batch of his mutator plants.  Plantman agrees to provide an antidote if the heroes allow him to become human again.

The Subplots:  MJ and Aunt Anna discuss Peter’s upcoming exam, which is crucial for his GPA.

Web of Continuity:  Plantman’s stated motivation this issue is to gain revenge on Synch and Generation X, following his defeat in Generation X #25.  Except…Plantman wasn’t in Generation X #25, or any other issue of Generation X.  DeFalco has him confused with the living-tree interpretation of Black Tom, who was the villain in Generation X #25.

“Huh?” Moments:  

• Spider-Man tells Synch to be careful in the park at night, even though the bright blue sky and corresponding colors clearly indicate it’s daytime.  Actually, there are numerous references to this story occurring at night, a detail apparently never told to Bob Sharen.
• Spider-Man previously met Synch with the rest of Generation X in 1997’s Marvel Team-Up #1.  He doesn’t recognize Synch in the park, even though Synch’s costume doesn’t have a mask.
• If Synch’s powers are only supposed to work on mutants (as stated early on in the issue), he shouldn’t be able to “synch” non-mutant Spider-Man’s powers by the issue’s end, mutagenic pollen or no mutagenic pollen.

How Did This Get Published?:  “Losing to those annoying kids the first time we fought was bad enough - but their lack of respect was even more irritating!  They mocked both my costume and my powers!  I mean,really, they cower at the mere mention of Magneto --the Master of Magnetism!  And what has that cretin accomplished with his mutant supremacy silliness?  Perhaps plants just aren’t considered ‘cool enough’ -- in the colloquial parlance.   You and your sisters, my love, will soon teach them the error of their ways!  Magnetism -- mutants -- bah!  The deciduous…the coniferous.  There is where true power lies!”  Plantman’s villainous monologue on page six.

Review:  Wow…is there any wonder why Marvel was ready to reboot these titles by now?  I’m not defending the reboot (which ultimately failed to bring in new readers, annoyed existing fans, and created unnecessary continuity problems), but obviously something had to be done if the spider-office thought that an issue like this was printable in the first place, let alone a story worthy of their flagship title.  Virtually every aspect of this issue is a screw-up.  DeFalco’s just invented a Generation X back issue that never existed, the dialogue is painfully corny, Synch’s powers are inconsistently portrayed, Plantman’s wearing his laughable Silver Age outfit again for some reason, Synch switches into his superhero outfit while mutating into a monster for another unknown reason, and no one’s even told the colorist what time of day the story’s taking place.  And the human drama that’s supposed to be the hallmark of a Spider-Man story consists of one page of Peter studying for a test.  A test that’s going towards this degree he only seems sporadically interested in pursuing.

To call this work subpar wouldn’t do it justice.  The only redeeming attribute would be the debut of penciler Rafael Kayanan, who’s filling in for a few issues.  Kayanan isn’t great, in fact I remember some fans openly loathed his work, but I do think he draws a respectable interpretation of Spider-Man.  He’s got the poses down, I like the way he handles the costume’s web-pattern, and he’s usually able to draw Spider-Man’s eyes consistently, with the right balance between the white interior and black outline.  His human figures and faces need work, but I do consider him an improvement over Joe Bennett’s art from this era.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Annual ‘98 - July 1998

Duel with Devil Dinosaur

Credits:  Tom DeFalco (writer), Tom Lyle (penciler), Robert Jones (inks), Mike Rockwitz (colors), Dave Sharpe (letters)

The Plot:  Peter covers the discovery of Moon Boy and Devil Dinosaur with reporter Noel Beckford.  Ringmaster, in disguise, enters and produces paperwork forcing Dr. Thomas Marles to turn custody of Moon Boy and Devil Dinosaur over to him.  Peter realizes that Ringmaster used his hypnotic powers on various judges in order to receive the ruling.  He observes a performance by the Circus of Crime featuring the prehistoric duo, but is shocked when Ringmaster doesn’t use his powers to rob the audience.  As Spider-Man, however, he discovers that other members of the Circus are committing crimes across town.  While trying to free the hypnotized Moon Boy and Devil Dinosaur, Spider-Man’s forced to fight them during one of the Circus’ performances.  When Moon Boy comes to his senses, he helps Spider-Man defeat Ringmaster and his allies.  Later, Peter Parker accompanies Noel and Dr. Marles to the Savage Land, where Moon Boy and Devil Dinosaur will now live.

The Subplots:  Dr. Thomas Marles and Noel Beckford develop a romance over the course of the issue.  Noel tells Peter she’s going to stay with Dr. Marles in the Savage Land and help his research.

Web of Continuity:  

• As far as I can tell, this issue marks the debuts of both Dr. Thomas Marles and Noel Beckford.  Their exploits will become legendary.
• Moon Boy recognizes Peter Parker’s scent on Spider-Man, making him the latest character to learn Peter’s secret ID.

*See _________ For Details:  Moon Boy and Devil Dinosaur were discovered in New York following the events of Ghost Rider #81.

I Love the ‘90s:  Moon Boy has learned English from watching TV, so his dialogue is littered with references to Buffy, Xena, and Party of Five.  He also declares that he’s “all jiggy now” during a fight scene.  Spider-Man complains that he could’ve had a “quiet evening at home with Ally McBeal” instead of fighting the Circus of Crime.  Later, he works in a “Happy, happy!  Joy, joy!”  Spider-Man’s also as dubious about the Ringmaster going straight as he is that James Cameron will “hire Leonardo DiCaprio to star in a major motion picture based on my life!”  No, but Sam Raimi will hire Leo’s best friend for the part in just a few years, Spidey.

Review:  I’ve been down on DeFalco’s Amazing Spider-Man work for a while now, but I have to admit this is a fun annual.  Moon Boy and Devil Dinosaur are just goofy enough without going overboard, and having Spider-Man face off against his (very) occasional foes the Circus of Crime adds some novelty to the story.  At least they’re not the Shocker, a vaguely defined mystery villain, or the latest goon hired by Norman Osborn.  Tom Lyle might not be an obvious choice of artist for a story packed with Kirby characters, but I’ve always likes his interpretation of Spider-Man and he’s able to handle the action pretty well.  I wonder now why Tom Lyle wasn’t used more often during these days, because it’s hard for me to imagine anyone preferred Joe Bennett’s rushed ASM work to what Lyle produces here.

If DeFalco had been producing light-hearted, Silver Age inspired superhero work with a few engaging character subplots thrown in while writing the monthly title, maybe we all would’ve been better off.  There’s no great depth here, but the story feels like something we might’ve seen in Untold Tales of Spider-Man, a one-shot adventure with Spidey being pitted against obscure foes and guest stars the audience doesn't normally associate with the hero.  Admittedly, Dezago and Wieringo were doing something very similar in Sensational at the time, which might’ve been why DeFalco opted for that bizarre gang war/ninja action direction in ASM.  Two books going for traditional Spidey fun wouldn’t have been a bad thing, however, and with a focus on more compelling subplots, I think a decent number of fans would've returned to Spidey during this era.  

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #436 - July 1998

In Final Battle with the Black Tarantula!

Credits:  Tom DeFalco (writer), Joe Bennett (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inks), Bob Sharen (colors), Comicraft’s Kiff Scholl (letters)

The Plot:  Peter and MJ realize that Black Tarantula’s target is her professor, Marina Caches.  MJ warns Marina, who tells her the history of the Black Tarantula, her ex-husband.  Marina’s boyfriend Dante Rigoletto arrives and takes Marina, her son Fabian, and MJ to safety.  Spider-Man follows.  They arrive at the home of Dante’s uncle, Fortunato.  The Rose happens to be there, complaining about his recent treatment.  Shortly before Dante and the rest enter, Fortunato rips off Rose’s mask, exposing him as Jacob Conover.  Soon, Black Tarantula arrives, leading to a battle involving Spider-Man, Fortunato’s men, and his army of Hydra Killdroid suits.  After Black Tarantula hears Marina’s pleas to give Fabian a normal life, and Spider-Man prevents Conover from taking a shot at him, he decides to leave.

The Subplots:  None.

Web of Continuity:  Marina reveals that she fell in love with Carlos LaMuerto in college, not knowing he was the Black Tarantula.  After discovering his underworld connections, she divorced him and left with their son.  She says that the Black Tarantula now wants Fabian to continue the tradition of his father, grandfather, and every firstborn son and receive the Black Tarantula’s powers.

I Love the ‘90s:  Spider-Man suggests everyone stop fighting and discuss their favorite Titanic moment.

How Did This Get Published?:  MJ to Peter, after he warns her that her life is in danger:  “You can’t bundle me off to my sister in Pittsburgh because you suddenly got a hint of a new peril!”

Review:  I must be hallucinating…is this Black Tarantula torture finally over?  I honestly can’t believe it.  I know that (some of) the creators are going to be wrapping stories up in order to make way for the upcoming relaunch, but that’s still a few months away.  I assumed this storyline would be slogging through ASM right until the end, but instead it looks like DeFalco is going to close out his run with a few one-shot stories.  Oddly enough, with so many issues dedicated to selling this arc, the final chapter turns out to be extremely rushed.  Not that I want this story to go any longer, but it’s odd that after such a slow buildup, we’re getting the Black Tarantula’s origin as a quickie info-dump, the resolution of the Marina Caches mystery, the revelation of the Dante Rigoletto/Fortunato connection, the revelation of the real identity of the Rose, and the big fight scene that ends with the Black Tarantula walking away.  All in one issue.  Did Tom DeFalco just want to end this as much as the readers did?  

In a way, I can see how this issue was intended as the climatic, action-packed resolution to the long-running arc.  Elements from other titles, such as Fortunato’s Hydra connection, come into play, which exhibits cross-title continuity in a way the readers usually missed during this era.  And the fight scene is portrayed as a convincing challenge for Spider-Man, one that requires the use of both the Stingers and the Impact Webbing.  The revelation that Black Tarantula isn’t immortal, but instead passes his powers on to his son, isn’t so bad as a twist revelation, and provides him an additional motivation for wanting his son back.  But at no point does any of this come together.  Every aspect of the issue is rushed (most egregiously the nonsensical revelation that Jacob Conover is the new Rose), which blunts any dramatic impact.  If the Black Tarantula’s origin can be summed up in less than a page, why did we have to wait almost two years to get it?  And where did Dante Rigoletto, with his rather convenient connection to Fortunato, even come from?  Honestly, at any point during this arc, how many readers had any investment in Marina Caches’s custody battle, or just any investment in her as a viable character?  Looking at this is frustrating in hindsight, because it seems as if Tom DeFalco could’ve taken some of these elements and actually crafted one of the better gang war stories we’ve seen in ASM.  What we got instead was a mess that lasted nearly two years, never producing one compelling character or engaging plot in the process.  What happened here?

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #435 - June 1998

Fun’n Games with the Four Star Squad!

Credits:  Tom DeFalco (writer), Joe Bennett (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inks), Bob Sharen (colors), Comicraft’s Kiff Scholl (letters)

The Plot:  As Dusk, Peter spies on Roughhouse and Bloodscream, who are on a secret mission for Black Tarantula.  Later, as Ricochet, he teams up with Delilah to confront them.  During their fight, Bloodscream nearly kills Delilah.  To throw his opponents off guard, Peter quickly changes into all four of his identities during the fight.  Finally, in his Hornet guise, Peter defeats Roughhouse and Bloodscream.  In exchange for his freedom, Bloodscream gives Peter info on Black Tarantula’s plans.  Peter’s stunned when Bloodscream hands him a photo of MJ and her friends.

The Subplots:  Peter notices Chesbro from the ESU campus when he invades Roughhouse and Bloodscream’s hideout.  While meeting with Black Tarantula, Fortunato recalls the legend of an associate of Marco Polo who discovered martial arts in Asia, studied with the Hand, and learned the secret of immortality.  Meanwhile, Kaine attacks the Scriers sect in Euboea.  Later, Robbie looks for Alison Mongrain at the hospital, but she’s gone.  He does see a Scrier being wheeled in, carrying the mark of Kaine.

Web of Continuity:  Spider-Man’s already given up the Hornet ID at this point, since this story explicitly follows his battle with the Vulture, yet he’s still concerned with establishing the Hornet as a hero this issue.

I Love the ‘90s:  Delilah refers to Roughhouse and Bloodscream as “Beavis and Butthead” (sic).  Later, Ricochet asks to be sent to next Thursday after Roughhouse knocks him “into next week” so that he can catch the latest ER.

“Huh?” Moment:  MJ is amused that Peter has chosen to pretend to be a criminal in two of his four new guises.  He did?  I’m assuming the idea was that Dusk would also be branded an outlaw, due to his team-up with Trapster, but this hasn’t been conveyed in the stories yet.

Review:  The hook this issue is seeing Peter use all four new identities during the story, which doesn’t sit well with the continuity of the other titles; honestly, I'm not surprised at this point.  I think it was inevitable that someone would do this story, but it probably should’ve been saved for the final chapter of the crossover.  Doing it as the second Ricochet chapter leaves the Ricochet persona with barely anything to do, since so much of the story has to accommodate the other three identities.  Ultimately, what did the creators get out of Ricochet?  His alleged criminal ties certainly amounted to nothing.  He gets a team-up with Delilah, which is something Spider-Man would’ve done anyway in order to stop Black Tarantula, and there’s really nothing else there.  What else could be said about the issue…?  This Black Tarantula material remains tedious, DeFalco’s dialogue is occasionally stuck in the Silver Age, and Joe Bennett’s art occasionally still has that awkward inhuman quality to it.  So, nothing new.  Fans of the Clone Saga were surely freaking out, though, to see the return of Kaine.  And when that’s the highlight of your issue, you should know you’re in trouble.  (By the way, many of the panels I've posted lately come from the Green Goblin's Hideout, which is a great fansite dedicated to Norman Osborn). 

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #434 - May 1998

‘Round and ‘Round with Ricochet!

Credits:  Tom DeFalco (writer), Joe Bennett (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inks), Gregory Wright (colors), Comicraft’s Kiff Scholl (letters)

The Plot:  Peter debuts his Ricochet persona, spontaneously deciding that he’ll pretend to be a criminal seeking a cut of the crimes he’s stopping.  He’s stalked by Delilah, who asks him to join her in her war against Black Tarantula.  Ricochet reluctantly agrees.  Meanwhile, Robbie and Martha Robertson take a vacation to the island of Euboea.  Unbeknownst to Martha, Robbie and a mystery figure are investigating Norman Osborn.  Nearby, Alison Mongrain meets the Secret Order of Scriers on Osborn’s yacht.  After taking a mystery object from her, they destroy the yacht.  A shadowy figure observes the bombing.  Robbie watches as an injured Alison is later rescued in the water.

The Subplots:  Black Tarantula and the Rose meet with Fortunato to make peace.  Meanwhile, Chesbro continues to spy on Professor Caches.  MJ and Shantal are shocked to discover Caches has a son.  When Chesbro reports back to Black Tarantula, he declares that vengeance is his real reason for entering New York City.

Web of Continuity:  Delilah repeats the claim that Black Tarantula is immortal.

I Love the ‘90s:  The issue opens with Ricochet stopping a group of criminals from robbing a shipment of “Bear Babies,” which is a takeoff on the Beanie Babies.  Later, Ricochet tells Delilah that approaching strange women is usually too “Bill Clintonish” for him.

Review:  The Green Ninjas are gone, but Tom DeFalco still can’t let go of this Black Tarantula nonsense.  The very first chapter of this storyline (well over a year ago at this point) showed promise, but since then it’s all gone downhill.  I admire DeFalco’s determination to finish what he’s started (unlike some of the spinoffs of this era, Amazing isn’t going to be wrapping up with a dozen dangling plotlines), but every time I see Rose, Delilah, and/or Black Tarantula, my eyelids start to get very, very heavy.  Is any reader particularly invested in whether it’s Rose or Black Tarantula who runs New York’s mobs?  Does anyone care about Black Tarantula’s custody battle with his ex-wife, Professor Caches?  Why are we still getting these tedious stories?

When the issue isn’t dwelling on the gang war monotony, DeFalco finally advances the ongoing storyline that people do care about.  Whether or not Alison Mongrain has the Parkers’ baby is the kind of question that shouldn’t have been pushed into the background, especially when the main plots have been such utter bores.  I suspect we’re only checking in on Alison again because the word’s come down that a reboot is coming, but at least it’s an excuse to get away from this Black Tarantula tedium.  The plot consists of the Scriers taking a mystery “something,” blowing up the yacht for no clear reason, and Alison surviving in one of those only-in-comics type escapes.  Also, two different mystery figures shrouded in darkness appear.  So, it’s a bit of a mess.  (And Joe Bennett seems to think “a shadowy figure” means someone literally made of darkness.)  I do like Robbie Robertson’s role in this, however.  It’s nice to see Robbie, and presumably Jonah, doing something to proactively undermine Norman Osborn.  Their contributions to the stories have consisted of being threatened or nagged at for far too many months now.

Oh, yeah.  Ricochet also debuts this issue.  Ricochet’s gimmick plays off Spider-Man’s agility, which is fair enough.  He also uses tiny discs in battle, which is logical given the other devices Peter has devised during his crime fighting career.  There still isn’t that much to the character, which is probably why DeFalco has added the idea that Ricochet is pretending to be a criminal in order to get closer to the underworld.  Overall, it’s not a bad concept.  It’s just too bad he has to debut in yet another chapter of this insufferable gang war storyline.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #433 - April 1998

The Long Farewell

Credits:  Tom DeFalco (writer), Tom Lyle (penciler), Bud LaRosa (inks), Bob Sharen (colors), Comicraft (letters)

The Plot:  Robbie Robertson’s retirement party is held at the Roosevelt Hotel, which is where Mr. Hyde is staying in his civilian identity of Calvin Zabo.  Peter overhears Zabo’s name at the check-in counter and, after talking to Ben Urich, realizes he’s Mr. Hyde.  With no costume or webshooters, Peter secretly dons Phil Urich’s oversized sweatshirt and covers his face with the hood.  Peter fights Hyde to a standstill until the NYPD arrives and gases Hyde into unconsciousness.

The Subplots:  Peter, Shantal, and MJ visit Jill Stacy in the hospital.  Jill’s criminology professor Marina Caches also visits, with her boyfriend Dante Rigoletto.  Peter is unnerved by Rigoletto for reasons he doesn’t understand.

Web of Continuity:  

• MJ suggests Peter find a new identity so long as Spider-Man has a price on his head.  This is the third setup for “Identity Crisis” -- MJ hinted at the same idea at the end of Spectacular #255, and Spider-Man has already visited Hobie Brown in Sensational #26, after another incident where his costume got him into trouble.
• Peter is complaining about a sprained right ankle that only seems to exist in this title.

*See _________ For Details:  Mr. Hyde lost his change of clothes after fighting the Hulk on an airplane in Incredible Hulk #458.

I Love the ‘90s:  MJ and her friends joke about finding doctors that look like Eric LaSalle and George Clooney.

Review:  More time is killed while the titles await “Identity Crisis.”  While I appreciate the novelty of seeing Spider-Man go up against a foe he hasn’t faced four hundred thousand times, and the more cohesive approach to the Marvel Universe we’ve been getting lately, it’s hard to pretend this isn’t filler.  At least it’s non-offensive filler, though.  The story’s structured fairly well, and there’s a decent joke towards the end when Mr. Hyde has finally deduced that his mystery opponent is…his ex-partner Cobra, with his “blinding speed and agility.”  MJ is also much more tolerable this issue, as she reiterates that she accepts Peter’s life as Spider-Man, she just doesn’t think he needs to specifically be “Spider-Man” in order to help others.  Fair enough.  And Peter exhibits some emotion for the very first time regarding Jill’s shooting, predictably blaming himself for allowing it to happen.  There’s a classic Spidey feel to the issue, which is a feeling Amazing doesn’t have often enough these days.  I do have issues with the art, however.  I’m assuming Joe Bennett is considered the regular penciler on this title now, but even the perennial go-to fill-in guy occasionally needs a fill-in.  Tom Lyle isn’t a bad choice to step in given his past with the character, although I’m not sure how he felt drawing a Spider-Man issue that doesn’t feature Peter as Spider-Man.  While Lyle does a credible job on the action sequences, his civilian characters look unusually flat and generic for much of the issue.  The most flagrant example of this would be Billy Walters and Phil Urich, who are pretty much impossible to tell apart when both appear at the party.  This is the type of story that calls for very specific, human faces and unfortunately that’s not what Lyle delivers.

SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #255 - March 1998

Something Goblin This Way Comes…

Credits:  Tom DeFalco (plot), J. M. DeMatteis (script), Luke Ross (penciler), Dan Green & Al Milgrom (inks), John Kalisz, Mike Rockwitz, & Mark Bernardo (colors), Comicraft’s Kiff Scholl (letters)

The Plot:  Spider-Man rescues the Punisher and a group of mercenaries from the collapsing building.  He’s targeted again by Shotgun, but manages to escape.  Later, the Green Goblin invades the Daily Bugle offices and roughs up Norman Osborn.  He demands Osborn deliver $10 million to him on the Brooklyn Bridge or else he’ll never see Normie again.  Later, Spider-Man observes the exchange from a distance and steps in when the Goblin double-crosses Osborn.  Spider-Man chases the Goblin and captive Osborn to a nearby warehouse.  When Spider-Man leaves to pursue the Goblin, Override discovers the $10 million.  Meanwhile, Punisher and Shotgun, who have now teamed up, rescue Jimmy-6 from a group of Osborn’s mercenaries.  Clarence Fielding follows Spider-Man and the Goblin to the Goblin’s hideout, and during their fight, rescues Normie.  The Goblin disappears in a fiery explosion after crashing into a pile of scrap.  Later, Osborn holds a press conference, thanking Clarence and Override for their help.

The Subplots:  Paul Stacy is angry with his father for considering Norman Osborn’s offer.  Behind closed doors, Jonah accuses Norman of staging the kidnapping.  Ben Urich notices that Jacob Conover is unusually interested in the new Green Goblin’s secret identity.  Flash Thompson and Betty Brant are convinced, after seeing Norman’s response to the Goblin, that he sincerely has nothing to do with the Green Goblin.  Later, Professor Angst treats the Goblin’s wounds.  Norman Osborn enters, congratulating the new Goblin on a job well done.

“Huh?” Moment:  I guess the reader is supposed to infer that Osborn and Override came to some agreement off-panel for him to be rewarded a fraction of the $10 million, and for his wife’s medical bills to be paid.  As the story is presented, however, there’s no clear motive for Override to hand the money back to Osborn.

Web of Continuity:  

• Spider-Man’s webbing mask doesn’t match the design seen in Peter Parker, Spider-Man #89's cliffhanger, since it isn’t supposed to be covering his hair.  
• Shotgun has mysteriously disappeared in-between issues and materialized several blocks away from last issue’s explosion.
• Spider-Man overhears Normie refer to the Goblin as “Daddy,” making him wonder if Harry Osborn has returned from the grave.
• The new Green Goblin, as shown from the back, is a bald, white male.  Osborn refers to him as “m’boy,” which is also his nickname for Flash Thompson.
• MJ tells Peter that she has an idea for how he can avoid the $5 million bounty, although several issues pass before we learn her plan.

Creative Differences:  In the opening, the art has the Punisher pointing his gun at Spider-Man, even though he gave up the fight last chapter after he realized that he was being played by Norman Osborn. The dialogue covers for his by giving the Punisher a feeble new motive for holding Spider-Man at gunpoint.

Production Note:  This is a forty-eight page comic with no cover enhancements, priced at $2.99.  A variant cover does exist.

Review:  “SpiderHunt” concludes, and aside from a few hiccups, the finale actually leaves the reader with the impression that there was a coherent plan behind this after all.  Splitting the story between Tom DeFalco and J. M. DeMatteis is a novel way to close out the crossover; having DeFalco plot lessens the continuity issues that might emerge from bringing in yet another writer, while DeMatteis’ script is much sharper and emotionally resonant than anything DeFalco has produced lately.  With both writers combining their talents, the reader is getting an ending that makes a certain amount of sense, with a script that’s able to augment the drama and sell the emotional moments.  I tend to think franchise books should have as small a writing staff as possible, especially in a storyline that directly crosses over from title to title.  Even if DeFalco didn’t seem overly enthused by the crossover in his earlier chapter, I have to admit he manages to tie the disparate threads together this issue into a pretty satisfying conclusion.  Clarence Fielding actually has a point after all!  Arthur Stacy’s role is still dangling out there aimlessly, true, but there’s only so much closure I can expect from a crossover co-written by Howard Mackie.

It’s a shame that the Spider-titles of this era rarely feel this coherent.  There’s a lot going on in this issue, making it truly deserving as a double-sized special, and any number of these threads could potentially go somewhere interesting.  Not only is recovering alcoholic Flash looking to Norman Osborn as a role model, but now Betty has bought into Osborn's act.  The new Goblin may or may not be someone we know.  Jonah is beginning to stand up to Osborn.  Ben Urich wonders now if Jacob Conover is up to something, while the Bugle tries to carry on without Robbie.  A price remains on Spider-Man’s head.  The Stacys are almost starting to develop personalities.  Unfortunately, most of these plots either don’t have real conclusions, or they end as spectacular failures.