What Nearly Ruined Spider-Man and Mary Jane's Wedding Day?

 

Today at CBR I look back at the classic Spider-Man event Marvel really, really wants you to forget about. 

What Happened After Spider-Man's (Botched) Proposal to Mary Jane?

In the romantic city of Pittsburg, a 1987 storyline continued Peter Parker and MJ's engagement journey. My retrospective on the early Spider-Man marriage years continues this week at CBR.

I Thee Web: Spider-Man's Chaotic Engagement to Mary Jane

Spider-Man's engagement to MJ created turmoil in the comic book series...and behind-the-scenes. I begin a new series devoted to the early "marriage years" this week at  CBR. Spread the word!

15 Ways The 1980s Were The Greatest Spider-Man Decade

You know those internet lists that provide 10-15 justifications for a lofty premise?  I wrote one of those.

THE ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN Part Four - December 1994

Scoop!

Written by David Michelinie

The Plot: Henry Pogue is a small town journalist who’s dying of cancer. Determined to make his final weeks matter, he has a contact arrange a job with the Daily Bugle. While on an assignment with Peter Parker, he declares his final story will be the revelation of Spider-Man’s secret identity. Later, during an encounter with a protectionist terrorist group, Peter is forced to reveal his super powers in front of Henry. Peter debates over how to protect his secret, and finally decides to appeal to Henry’s humanity. Peter’s words convince Henry that glory is meaningless and that his life has mattered. A few weeks later, Henry’s obituary is penned by guest writer Peter Parker.

Review: This might be the story from the anthology that most people recognize, since an abridged version of it ran as a flip-book in Amazing Spider-Man. If you’ve only read the abridged version, you haven’t missed much (a few more pages of action and a brief intro to Henry were cut out), but reading the full version reminded me once again of what a great story this is. Fame and glory honestly don’t matter, and if there’s any superhero who understands that, it’s Spider-Man. Henry’s realization that his life has had meaning even if he’s destined to die anonymously is handled particularly well by Michelinie, without descending into predictable schmaltz.

There are rumors that David Michelinie originally planned to have Peter Parker’s dual identity revealed during a massive storyline throughout Spider-Man’s thirtieth anniversary, which would explain why he’s thought through just how badly this would impact Peter’s life. As Peter explains to Henry: “Bottom line is, telling the world who I am will destroy me, possibly destroy the people I love, and almost certainly destroy any hopes I have of helping anyone in the future! Is that a fair price for your fifteen minutes in the spotlight?” The idea that Peter would ever choose to reveal his secret ID is still insane to me, and another example that justifies my dismissal of post-2000 Marvel continuity (Yes, I’m still complaining about something that happened six years ago. I’m also writing about a book that was published eighteen years ago, so this shouldn’t be that much of a shock.)

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Courier

Written by Robert L. Washington III

The Plot: Spider-Man picks up a liver needed for a girl’s surgery from an ambulance stuck in traffic. He makes his way to Brooklyn, only to be intercepted by Chance. Chance steals the canister for his employer, not realizing that the liver is meant for a young girl until Spider-Man screams at him in anger. Chance turns around and rescues Spider-Man and an innocent man from the building he ignited when covering his escape. He returns the canister to Spider-Man, but only after flipping a coin for it.

Miscellaneous Note: The title of this story is a reference to the book Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, which is best known now as a Gary Oldman movie.

Review: I never noticed Robert L. Washington III’s name until his obituary turned up a few months ago on comic book news sites. It’s horrible to think that he went from professionally writing comics, and at least one prose story featuring one of the most famous characters in the history of pop culture, in his twenties to homelessness and an early death in his forties. Is “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Courier” a lost classic? Nope, but it’s a solid story with not one but two twist endings. I think that Washington spends a little too much time trying to justify how “realistic” web-slinging actually could be in New York City (for those of us outside the city, it’s not particularly compelling), but he revives my interest in the story once Chance is brought into the picture. Chance is one of my favorite obscure, hopefully-not-dead, villains and his presence here helps to break up the monotony of the usual suspects of Doc Ock, Vulture, and Mysterio. Chance has a bizarre sense of honor, so it’s fitting for the character to go from setting a building on fire to betraying his gangster boss and returning the stolen liver within a few pages. Not that he’ll just give the liver away; he still has to flip for it. Then again, Spider-Man discovers in the story’s final twist that maybe Chance cares more than he lets on. This wouldn’t work for most villains, but Chance is enough of an eccentric to pull the idea off, and Washington sells the concept very well.

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN SUPER SPECIAL #1 - October 1995

Planet of the Symbiotes Conclusion - Mortal Victory

Credits: David Michelinie (writer), Steve Lightle (artist), Bill Oakley & N.J.O (letters), Marianne Lightle & Malibu (colors)

The Plot: Spider-Man, Scarlet Spider, and Venom narrowly avoid a forty-foot tall Carnage and an army of alien symbiotes. They regroup at Peter’s home, much to MJ’s dismay. Venom develops a plan to overwhelm the symbiotes with psychic agony and force them into comas. While Venom harnesses his anguish at Our Lady of Sorrows, the two Spider-Men face Carnage again. During the battle, Carnage is knocked unconscious by an exploding gas truck, while the invading symbiotes suddenly disintegrate. Spider-Man realizes that Venom knew all along that his wave of mental sorrow would force the symbiotes into suicide. With MJ’s help, he decides the ends justified the means.

The Subplots: None.

Web of Continuity: Our Lady of Sorrows is the church where Eddie Brock contemplated suicide shortly before he joined with the alien symbiote and became Venom.

I Love the ‘90s: MJ sleeps in a Hootie & the Blowfish t-shirt.

Review: Wow, they wasted hired David Michelinie and Steve Lightle for this? I don’t think anyone considers “Planet of the Symbiotes” a classic, but to the editorial team’s credit, they did at least try to hire respectable creators for the project. This is the only chapter of this storyline I’ve ever read, so I imagine my enjoyment of the issue is hindered by coming in to the story so late. As a fan of David Michelinie’s early Venom stories, I can appreciate the significance of MJ meeting Venom face to face again, and his return to Our Lady of Sorrows, but the story’s so rushed and chaotic those scenes barely make an impact. As a kid, I always wondered if the alien symbiotes would get an origin story, or if we would ever see more of them arrive on Earth. This storyline covers all of that territory, but unfortunately it had to be published during a mega-event I viewed as utterly dumb and borderline insulting at the time, so I intentionally stayed away. Charging $3.95 a chapter for a five-part story also struck me as highway robbery anyway, so I didn’t mind missing out on this one. There were overpriced X-Men books I had to buy, anyway.

Cats and Robbers

Credits: Karl Kesel (writer), Patrick Zircher (penciler), Jeff Albrecht (inker), Jim Novak (letters), Tom Smith & Malibu (colors)

The Plot: Black Cat stakes out five-star restaurant Mikkal’s, anticipating a pair of thieves named Leather and Lace. While battling the duo, she notices Flash Thompson is on a date with a woman named Cinda inside. After defeating Leather and Lace, Black Cat asks Mikkal to return the favor and comp Flash’s meal.

Web of Continuity: Black Cat claims this is the first time she’s seen Flash since they broke up. She’s also using an unseen informant named Loop to tip her off to future crimes, enabling her to sell her services for “protection.” I had never heard of Loop, but apparently he's appeared a few times.

Review: Wow, they wasted hired Karl Kesel and Patrick Zircher for this? That’s certainly a higher level of quality than your average Web annual back-up. The premise of the story simply has Black Cat fighting two characters that somehow predate Jim Balent’s Tarot work, but it’s a fun read. The ending is also sweet, showing a side of Black Cat’s personality that most writers would probably ignore. One of the better Flash/Felicia stories, even if it does take place after their break-up.

Growing Pains Part Five - Where Monsters Dwell

Credits: Terry Kavanagh (writer), Roger Robinson (penciler), Saleem Crawford (inker), Loretta Krol (letterer), Chia-Chi Wang (colorist)

The Plot: Ben Reilly encounters the newly mutated Lizard at Empire State Hospital, Ben’s new employer. The Lizard escapes, leading the Scarlet Spider to seek the aid of a new hero, Strongarm. Together, they track Lizard to a nearby zoo. Scarlet Spider defeats the Lizard by freezing him with fire extinguishers and trapping him in his webbing. Later, Strongarm visits a friend in the hospital who was injured by the Lizard.

The Subplots: Ben is trying to win over a coworker, Rick Barron, who seems to irrationally hate him. Rick’s girlfriend, Toni Moore, walks in on Ben in the hospital’s locker room.

*See _________ For Details: Ben knows that he’s the “real” Peter Parker, following the revelations of Spectacular Spider-Man #226. The Lizard previously attacked “Doc Purl’s party” in Spectacular Spider-Man Super Special #1.

Creative Differences: Once again from the Life of Reilly, Glenn Greenberg on this project:

Now, I would be remiss if I didn't discuss the "flip-book feature" in these five Super Specials-namely the SCARLET SPIDER five-parter that Tom Brevoort and I edited. Stretching across all five Super Specials, this would essentially be a Scarlet Spider limited series, which I thought was a pretty cool idea. Tom B. and I really did want to make it special, to produce a worthwhile story that further explored Ben Reilly as a character and deserved all the space that was being devoted to it. It was the kind of project that J.M. DeMatteis would have been perfect for, but I don't remember why we didn't get him to write it. He was probably too busy, or Tom B. and I simply wanted to use this project as an opportunity to bring in a different writer, one that we'd always wanted to work with.

Again, Danny Fingeroth was overseeing us on this, and somehow, for some reason, he got it into his head that we would be bringing back the Lizard for this story. Tom B. and I were present at the Spider-Man writers' conference where the idea had been mentioned in passing as a possibility, but we'd never committed to it as anything other than a possibility. And as I recall, neither Tom B. nor I had any real enthusiasm for the idea, so it wasn't something we were going to actively pursue.

Tom B. and I brought in John Ostrander, a writer who had greatly impressed me with his work on DC's SPECTRE series. The initial idea that John pitched us was very intriguing, about whether or not a clone could have a soul. Unfortunately, it conflicted with future plans in the main Spider-Man books. I think John took another stab or two at coming up with a story line, but for whatever reasons, we couldn't get his ideas approved, and John eventually decided to just move on. Not only that, but every time any new story idea came in, be it from Ostrander or another writer, Danny would ask, "Where's the Lizard?" Tom and I would roll our eyes and try to muddle through.

Eventually, it became clear that Danny would simply not approve any story idea that did not include the Lizard, and he had already started to push his own choice writers upon us. With time-and our patience-running out, Tom and I simply submitted to Danny's will and did whatever he wanted. Terry Kavanagh ended up writing the story, which featured the return of the Lizard.

This was one of the few instances where Tom Brevoort and I felt completely disconnected-creatively and emotionally-from a project we were working on. It became a project we had to endure, rather than something that we could really take any pride in having put together. Some time later, this Lizard story was systematically undone in the pages of SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN, and no one was more pleased by this than Tom B. and myself.

Review: Wow, they wasted hired Terry Kavanagh and Roger Robinson for this? No, wait. That sounds about right. Yes, this is as bad as you expect. The Lizard has been mutated into a Jurassic Park reject, yet another Kooky Kavanagh Kreation is shoehorned into the story, and the art resembles something straight out of 1995’s Extreme Studios. I also have to wonder how exactly Ben’s found a job and cultivated a new supporting cast in such a short amount of time. I know about Ben’s career at the Daily Grind, but I had no idea there was a previous attempt to set him up as a staff assistant in a hospital. Regardless, Kavanagh doesn’t seem to have any new ideas for the personal drama, either. Did anyone really think giving Peter Ben yet another redheaded bully who hates him for no reason was clever? There’s even an appearance by a new Blonde Girl Who's out of His League, this one named Toni Moore. Man, I can’t wait to read about the orderly with the rich father and bizarre hairstyle who asks Ben to become his new roommate.

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN Annual #8 - August 1992

The Dark at the End of the Tunnel (The Hero Killers, Part Three)

Credits: David Michelinie (writer), Scott McDaniel (penciler), Keith Williams (inker), Steve Dutro (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)

The Plot: Spider-Man teams with the New Warriors to rescue their teammate, Speedball. They battle supervillains employed by Justin Hammer at the scientific research station where Speedball is being held. During the fight, Silhouette is kidnapped, and Firestar discovers the body of Gamma Flight’s Auric. Later, the united heroes find Auric’s sister, Silver. She inadvertently leads them into a trap, where Speedball’s powers are used against the heroes.

The Subplots: None.

*See _________ For Details: Speedball was kidnapped in Amazing Spider-Man Annual #26. The final installment of this storyline appears in New Warriors Annual #2.

Review: This is the only chapter of this crossover that I own, but the basic concept sounds promising. As the Sphinx explains on the final page, a group of villains are inverting the government’s Project Pegasus program and analyzing the powers of heroes for their own ends. Spider-Man’s research reveals that the conspiracy involves the Life Foundation, the Brand Corporation, and Justin Hammer, which is a nice cross-section of Marvel villains, and at least two Michelinie creations. I’ve always enjoyed stories that have villains forming alliances, and this plot sounds like a perfectly logical scheme, within the context of the Marvel Universe, for the villains to be pursuing. The rest of the story is an extended fight scene, competently rendered by a pre-stylized Scott McDaniel, which has Spider-Man and the New Warriors fighting a cross-section of Marvel villains that range from Rhino and Boomerang to obscure losers like Bombshell and Stiletto. It’s not deep, but it’s fun.

First Kill - Part Three

Credits: David Michelinie (writer), Aaron Lopresti (penciler), Bruce Jones (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Kevin Tinsley (colorist)

The Plot: Venom kills Bruno Markham in retaliation for the murder of an inventor whose work was stolen by Markham. When the victim’s nephew expresses remorse for helping Markham take his work, Venom gives him a second chance. Later, Eddie Brock decides to bond with the alien symbiote permanently.

*See _________ For Details: This story is continued from Amazing Spider-Man Annual #26 and Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #12 (incorrectly listed as #11 in the footnotes).

Creative Differences: The narrative captions leading up to Markham’s death are clearly not lettered by Rick Parker.

Review: The ongoing Venom series of miniseries is about to begin, which is why this year’s Spider-annuals are running a prequel story that shows Venom as an anti-hero fighting for justice in his own warped way. This is only eight pages, and without the context of the previous chapters, it’s hard to make much of a judgment. I was never a fan of using Venom as a vigilante, though, and retroactively inserting quasi-heroic adventures into his past just sounds like a bad idea.

The Security Gauntlet

Credits: G. Alan Barnum (writer), Tod Smith (penciler), Don Hudson (inker), Dave Sharpe (letterer), Sara Mossoff (colorist)

The Plot: While testing a family friend’s security system, Black Cat encounters Hydro-Man. She tricks him into an airtight display case and locks him inside.

Review: It’s eight pages of Black Cat skulking around a house and then fighting Hydro-Man. Nothing else going on, except a joke in the final panel that suggests she doesn’t trust herself as a security consultant because she’s still tempted to steal. Filler, obviously.

Down Memory Lane (Spider-Man’s Top Ten Team-Ups)

Credits: Tom Brevoort & Mike Kanterovich (writers), Aaron Lopresti (penciler & inker), Steve Dutro (letterer)

The Plot: Spider-Man reflects on various heroes he’s teamed up with while waiting for MJ to return home. He finally declares his marriage to MJ to be his most successful team-up yet.

Review: It’s a story co-written by Tom “Youth” Brevoort reaffirming Peter Parker’s marriage. Make of that what you will. Some of the in-jokes are humorous, such as Spider-Man’s funny feeling that he has something in common with Dr. Strange.

Evil’s Light - Part Three: Charge of the Light Brigade

Credits: Eric Fein (writer), Vince Evans (penciler), Don Hudson (inker), Dave Sharpe (letterer), John Kalisz (colorist)

The Plot: Cloak pulls Lightmaster into his Dark Dimension, angering the businessman, Chadwick, who’s using his powers for research. Cloak follows Dagger’s command to stop fighting and releases the comatose Lightmaster. Chadwick threatens to press charges, but can’t because he isn’t operating within the law either.

*See _________ For Details: A footnote says Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #12 has all of the details of the story so far.

Review: Another shred of a story that’s hard to properly judge. Pairing Cloak and Dagger against Lightmaster isn’t a bad idea, although I have a feeling this is another story about a generically evil businessman exploiting a villain for profit and then biting off more than he can chew. Unless Eric Fein had a great twist on the concept, it doesn’t sound very interesting.

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN Annual #7 - September 1991

The Machine and the Man

Credits: David Michelinie (writer), Guang Yap (penciler), Aiken & LaRosa (inkers), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)

The Plot: Roxxon develops a new synthetic vibranium on ESU’s campus, attracting the attention of the Kingpin and Ultron. Spider-Man, Iron Man, and Black Panther have also united over concerns about the synthetic vibranium’s instability. Joined by Roxxon employee Sunturion, the heroes face Ultron at ESU. When Ultron betrays Kingpin by hoarding the vibranium samples, Kingpin responds with a sonic frequency that incapacitates him. The unstable vibranium begins to melt all metal in the vicinity, but Sunturion refuses to destroy Roxxon property. Iron Man responds by creating a tunnel to the center of the Earth. As the floor collapses, the vibranium disappears.

The Subplots: None.

Web of Continuity: This is part three of “The Vibranium Vendetta,” a crossover in the 1991 Spider-Man annuals.

*See _________ For Details: Iron Man’s study of the synthetic vibranium was interrupted by Arthur Dearborn, aka Suntrion, in Spectacular Spider-Man Annual #11.

Review: The annual mini-crossovers Marvel ran in the early ‘90s probably seemed like a good idea on paper, but I can’t think of too many of them that were particularly good. “The Vibranium Vendetta” does have Spider-Man teaming up with some of the Avengers and facing foes that are a little out of his league, but there doesn’t seem to be much else going for it. In fairness, I haven’t read the other chapters in years, so perhaps Michelinie hashed out some of the ideas he hints at here in the other installments. Aside from the superheroics, the story briefly touches on the influence science can have on economics (synthetic vibranium will cripple Wakanda’s economy, which doesn’t please the Black Panther), and shows the limitations a corporate-sponsored superhero faces, especially when he’s employed by the all-purpose evil corporation, Roxxon. “Briefly” is the operative word, as the plot is mainly concerned with getting the characters in place for the final showdown and finishing up the storyline. If there’s any meat to “The Vibranium Vendetta,” it’s not in the final chapter.

Fast Feud II: Speed Demon’s Revenge

Credits: Tony Isabella (writer), Paris Cullins (penciler), Dave Cooper (inker), Ken Lopez (letterer), Marie Javins (colorist)

The Plot: After Speed Demon’s lawsuit against Rocket Racer is dismissed, he targets the hero for revenge. Rocket Racer defeats him in battle, but is concerned by how close he came to killing Speed Demon. Racer declares that he’ll become a better hero.

Web of Continuity: Rocket Racer can now use his rockets to increase the speed of his fists and create a “rocket-punch.” The attack is so brutal, Racer briefly wonders if Speed Demon is still alive.

I Love the (Early) ‘90s: Rocket Racer and Sluggo, his contact with Silver Sable International, stay in contact through a beeper.

*See _________ For Details: Speed Demon filed a lawsuit against Rocket Racer in Marvel Tales #242.

Review: I remember the days of new backup stories in Marvel Tales, but they were usually Fred Hembeck’s “Petey” tales, or short Spider-Ham stories. I never read the Rocket Racer backups, but now that I know one of them involved Speed Demon filing a lawsuit against Racer, I really want to. If Isabella wrote them in the same spirit as this backup, I bet they’re a lot of fun. Aside from the levity, this story also works in a message about true heroism, and builds up Rocket Racer’s character by chronicling his turn from hero/mercenary who needs money for tuition into a more legitimate hero. I’ve mentioned earlier that much of the character work done on Rocket Racer was squandered in subsequent years, which is too bad because stories like this show that he has real potential.

Outlaw Justice! Part Three

Credits: David Michelinie (writer), Alan Kupperberg (artist), Rick Parker (letterer), Ed Lazellari (colorist)

The Plot: Desperate to prove himself, Sandman works undercover to stop political extremist, Boussard. He has to fight Silver Sable’s Outsiders when they arrive to apprehend Boussard, but Sandman breaks cover in time to prevent Boussard’s escape. Impressed, Silver Sable offers Sandman a contract.

Review: This backup is mostly forgettable, although it does feature the oddest artwork I’ve ever seen from Alan Kupperberg. On almost every panel, Silver Sable looks like she’s a gummy version of herself. No shadows stick to her, she barely has detail lines, and her body is eerily flat. Strange. Anyway, this is the conclusion of a three-part backup series, which mainly existed to pay off a Sandman subplot from Amazing Spider-Man. Michelinie was teasing the idea that after a misunderstanding with the Avengers, Sandman would be lured back into a life of crime. In the final installment, we learn that everything’s okay and he’s firmly working with the heroes again. That is, until John Byrne informs us that Sandman was faking his reformation, even in his own thoughts, all along. Retro fever strikes again.

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #70 - November 1990

A Hulk by Any Other Name…

Credits: Gerry Conway (plot), David Michelinie (script), Alex Saviuk (penciler), Keith Williams (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)

The Plot: A disoriented Spider-Man recovers the energy-transference device and returns to New York. He places the device in a bus station locker, and later tries to make amends with Betty. Spider-Man continues to grow sicker, until he transforms into the Spider-Hulk. When he eventually returns to his normal form, he realizes the device transferred energy from the Hulk into him. Spider-Man returns for the device, only to discover it’s been stolen. He finds the thieves and inadvertently changes into Spider-Hulk again. One of the thieves uses the device on Spider-Hulk and transforms him back to normal, although the device is destroyed during the scuffle.

The Subplots: None.

Web of Continuity: The name of the scientist in the previous issue is given as Armand Jones.

Review: No, we’re not ready for Spider-Hulk. I don’t think anyone even wants Spider-Hulk. Conway never shied away from ridiculous ideas during this era (the Living Brain…Phreak-Out…Banjo, the Appalachian mutant…), but those stories were usually propped up with ongoing subplots that could keep the readers’ interest piqued for the next issue. As long as Spider-Man acts like Spider-Man and the ongoing plotlines are advanced, I can live with a goofy villain. I could even live with Spider-Hulk for an issue, if it the supporting cast still had something to do and the overall momentum wasn’t lost. This issue, however, is a rushed conclusion to a silly idea with barely any other ideas to distract from the ridiculousness. If you don’t like Spider-Hulk, too bad, because that’s all you’re getting. Unfortunately, this marks the end of Conway’s second tenure on Spider-Man. Not only is he unable to script the final issue (due to his television writing commitments), but everyone assumed he would be coming back in a few issues, so there isn’t even a goodbye message. There isn’t even a letters page, just a house ad for the Star Mighty Mouse series. If Web ever had anything approaching a golden age, it would have to be the Conway/Saviuk run. And although Saviuk remains loyal to the book for years to come, the title still endures a stretch of filler before a new writer is finally named.

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #23- #24, February-March 1987

Slip Slydin’ Away!

Credits: David Michelinie (plot), Len Kaminski (script), Jim Fern (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)

The Plot: Slyde targets businesses with connections to jailed crimelord, Rockwell. Peter Parker happens to come across Slyde as he flees the scene of a robbery. As Spider-Man, he’s unable to stop Slyde, but he does nab a briefcase full of money from Slyde.

The Subplots: On their flight home from Ireland, Joy Mercado berates Peter for his “deal” with Spider-Man and calls him a lazy photojournalist. Aunt May asks Peter to join her on a senior’s junket in Atlantic City, which is where the Vulture shows up on the final page.

Web of Continuity: Slyde was “just another chemical engineer searching for the perfect non-stick coating for cookware” before his firm was bought out by Rockwell, which somehow inspired him to create a non-stick suit and steal from the mob.

*See _________ For Details: Spidey sees an ad in the Daily Bugle classifies from Silver Sable, asking to meet Spider-Man. A footnote points towards Amazing Spider-Man #281. Peter also casually mentions that he plans on quitting as Spider-Man, a subplot from the other books that hasn’t been mentioned at all in this title so far.

Commercial Break: Spider-Man faces the Sogmaster in his desperate search for the missing Cap’n Crunch.

Review: It’s Slyde, the villain so lame the ‘90s Spider-Man cartoon didn’t want him (even Big Wheel got a storyline…if Slyde showed up, I’ve blocked out the memory). Slyde’s just there to provide the action for a few pages, and even Spider-Man seems so bored by him he can’t be bothered to chase after him when he escapes. The real goal of this issue seems to be the resolution of the Joy Mercado subplot, along with a few efforts to place Web in-continuity with the other Spider-titles.

After months of teasing that Joy knows Peter’s secret, Michelinie specifies which secret Joy knew. Going way back to the Stan Lee/John Romita days, it’s revealed that Joy knows about Peter’s arrangement with Spider-Man, which has Spider-Man notifying Peter of his activities and splitting the profits of the photos with Peter. That’s a lie Peter devised after he stupidly confessed to being Spider-Man (because he had the flu of all things), but Joy’s heard the rumor and believes it’s true. I don’t know if Michelinie was always going in that direction, but it is a twist you don’t see coming. She thinks Peter is lazy and unprofessional, and there’s really nothing he can say in his defense. This is the best scene in the issue, partly because it takes place after Peter angrily follows Joy into the airplane bathroom. After they emerge together, a flight attendant gives the Comics Code approved response of “I don’t think I want to know…” Given that Peter actually thought he had a shot with Joy, the scene is even more amusing.

High Stakes

Credits: David Michelinie (plot), Len Kaminski (script), Del Barras (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)

The Plot: Peter joins Aunt May on a seniors’ trip to Atlantic City. There, the Vulture is trying to sell a new plastic that can rig games to casino owner Owen Briosky. Briosky balks at the Vulture’s million-dollar price; the Vulture responds by attacking his casino. Peter sees the commotion, changes into Spider-Man, and faces the Vulture. Their fight is interrupted by the Hobgoblin, an associate of the mob-connected Briosky, who chases Vulture away.

The Subplots: After saving one of the Vulture’s victims from falling off a roof, someone grabs Spider-Man’s ankle and tries to pull him inside the building. Spidey wonders if this is related to the earlier train station incident, since his spider-sense wasn’t triggered. I assume this was supposed to be another early Venom cameo.

Review: If I were Peter Parker, I would wonder why my friends and family always drag me to places where supervillains happen to be nearby. This is Michelinie’s final issue, and it looks like no one’s pretending this book is supposed to be about Peter traveling for Now Magazine by this point. Web is about to enter fill-in mode, and even if this was plotted by the departing writer, it still feels like filler. Perhaps the lack of subplots makes the story feel so thin. I can understand Michelinie avoiding any new subplots in his last issue, but there’s nothing to distract from the dull main story. The only real twist in the issue comes from the Hobgoblin’s cameo, which unfortunately comes across as a last-minute addition. His entrance comes out of nowhere, isn’t played for any dramatic impact, and he’s gone just a few pages later. Adding the Hobgoblin to the mix could’ve been a lot of fun; I could see an entire issue dedicated to Spider-Man getting caught in-between a Hobgoblin/Vulture fight. Instead, he’s just tossed in to give the story a quickie ending.

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #20 - #22, November 1986 - January 1987

Little Wars!

Credits: David Michelinie (writer), Marc Silvestri (penciler), Rick Parker (letterer), (inker and colorist are unknown)

The Plot: Peter and Joy arrive in England to cover Margaret Thatcher’s speech on terrorism. At the airport, IRA Provos stage a terrorist attack. After Peter helps the police capture the terrorists, he investigates IRA activities in London. Spider-Man rounds up another group of terrorists and stops an attack at Thatcher’s speech. Peter and Joy decide to travel to Ireland to investigate more IRA activity.

The Subplots: Joy shows some romantic interest in Peter, but pulls away. Her actions hint that she still suspects he’s Spider-Man. Both Peter and Joy uncover the phrase “Red Hand” while investigating the IRA. Joy is also looking into Roxxon’s practices in the UK.

Production Note: There are no credits listed in this issue. Comics.org doesn't know the full credits, either.

I Love the ‘80s: Well, the IRA…Margaret Thatcher…

Creative Differences: The IRA, or at least someone claiming to represent them, didn’t take kindly to this story. Christopher Priest says on his website that someone called in a bomb threat to Marvel’s offices after this story ran, which he thinks might’ve contributed to his removal as Spider-editor.

Review: It’s more of the “gritty realism” that showed up in many of the Spidey titles in the mid-eighties (although I think Tom DeFalco mostly stayed away from it in the main book). If seeing Spider-Man take on a real-life terrorist group isn’t enough for you, the story ends with the revelation that a little girl injured in the bombings has just died. See, Web is different from the other books because Spidey fights fewer supervillains and there’s always the chance that a kid will die. In hindsight, this is perhaps trying a little too hard to be serious and important, but it’s still a well-crafted action tale. Michelinie throws in a few “Spidey moments,” such as his guilt over worrying about his secret identity while civilians are dying, and his growing relationship with Joy Mercado. It seems like Michelinie was going with the angle that Joy knows Peter’s Spider-Man, respects him for it and is perhaps attracted to him because of his selflessness, but is reluctant to get involved with a superhero. Of course, it’s hard to discern where any of this was going, since virtually all of these storylines are either dropped or carried over much later into Amazing Spider-Man.

The Enemy Unknown!

Credits: Larry Lieber (script/pencils), Vince Colletta (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)

The Plot: While on the boat ride to Ireland, Peter reflects on a previous adventure. Gymnast Ron Corbett blamed Spider-Man for his father’s death, after he was killed by robbers fleeing from Spider-Man. Ron and his brother decided to ruin Spider-Man’s reputation by having Ron impersonate him and commit crimes. Spider-Man tracked the brothers to the Roosevelt Island Tram, where he publically defeated Ron and restored his reputation. After Spider-Man saved Ron’s brother from falling, Ron forgave him.

The Subplots: None.

I Love the ‘80s: The mayor of New York, Ed Koch, makes a cameo.

Review: Are you kidding me? In the middle of an “important” terrorism storyline, we get an inventory story by Stan Lee’s brother? The feeble setup has Peter sneezing on the boat, then reflecting on the last time he had a cold. Coincidentally, a new Spider-Man emerged that week and began a crime spree. It’s not as hokey as the cover would have you believe, but this is clearly a reminder of the days when shipping late wasn’t an option and something had to go in-between those pages, even if it had been sitting in a drawer for a while.

Profit of Doom

Credits: Jim Shooter (plot), Len Kaminski (script), Marc Silvestri (penciler), Art Nichols (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)

The Plot: Peter and Joy arrive in Belfast and are shocked to discover the city in ruins. After evading another terrorist attack, they meet a local named Liam. He reveals that terrorists with no discernable agenda, the Black Hoods, have arrived in Belfast. Liam suspects they’re connected to his brother Rory’s disappearance. Soon, Peter and Joy are kidnapped by the Black Hoods. They learn that Roxxon created the group to foment fear in the populace, which will help the corporation sell a new weapon to the British government. Liam helps Peter and Joy escape, but is shocked to discover the Black Hood he killed in battle was his brother. After Roxxon’s plot is exposed, Roxxon kills the executive in charge of the project.

The Subplots: Aunt May is afraid her boarders are abandoning her. I don’t think this goes anywhere, since the boarders stick around until 1990, when she asks them to move out.

Production Note: For the second time in three issues, the credits are missing. There actually is a significant change in the credits this month, as this would’ve been Jim Salicrup’s first credited issue as editor. The regular writer is also gone this month. A future issue reveals the credits for this issue in the letters page.

Review: Wow, this storyline started with a “ripped from the headlines” IRA plot, diverged for an inventory issue, then concluded with a new, fictional terrorist group sponsored by the all-purpose evil corporation, Roxxon. And what of the mysterious “Red Hand” that was teased in the first chapter? It’s been forgotten, except for a brief mention as Peter remarks that he’s heard of a “Red Hand” but not the Black Hoods. Plus, that teaser scene with Solo was never resolved. Obviously, something happened behind-the-scenes over the course of this arc. I don’t know if it was the phony bomb threat that inspired Marvel to backtrack, but this is clearly not where this storyline was supposed to go.

Last issue’s inventory story was probably needed to cover more than just a blown deadline; it reads as if Big Jim Shooter stepped in to show the incompetents how to write a story that doesn't inspire death threats. The first chapter did have Joy investigating Roxxon, so maybe they were always supposed to work with this story, but I can’t imagine this was the conclusion Michelinie had in mind. Because everything has to be resolved in twenty-three pages, the plot is rushed and the conclusion feels anti-climatic. Peter and Joy barely even do any investigative reporting, as Roxxon conveniently kidnaps them and their helpful executive spells out their sinister plot in fine detail. Shooter doesn’t have a lot of options if he wants to work all of this into one issue, but the scene is rather ridiculous. And, c’mon, this is clearly a copout. We start with the IRA, and end up with made-up villains and their giant death ray? That’s lame.

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #18-#19, September-October 1986

The Longest Road!

Credits: David Michelinie (writer), Marc Silvestri (penciler), Kyle Baker (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)

The Plot: In Appalachia, Spider-Man narrowly avoids the mine explosion but his costume and web-shooters are ruined. He hitchhikes towards New York penniless, and is eventually arrested for stealing food. A corrupt cop sends him on a work detail to a millionaire’s mansion, where the prisoners are hunted for sport. After stopping the madman, the deputy allows Peter to leave. He eventually makes his way to New York, and tells his story to Mary Jane.

The Subplots: With his original costume ruined, Peter declares that he’ll stick with the black costume. While waiting for a train in New York, a mystery figure evades Peter’s spider-sense and pushes him on to the tracks. Years later, we learn this was Venom.

I Love the ‘80s: The Spider-Man editorial office now has a computer for keeping track of freelancers and using a modem to call them.

Review: Following the Appalachia storyline, Peter is now stuck in “Backwoods, USA” virtually naked and penniless on his way back to New York. It’s a great premise to start from, and thankfully Michelinie goes through all of the obvious ideas in one issue and doesn’t stretch things out. My favorite moment is Peter stealing a blueberry pie out of desperation, only to be caught by the police a few minutes later. He has no idea how to panhandle, the only trucker willing to pick him up talks all night and keeps him awake, his spider-sense prevents him from sleeping on his prison cot, he swallows bugs while riding on top of a semi-truck, and of course, Peter has to fight off prison rape while in the county jail. If these events were stretched over several months, the story would get old fast, but cramming all of the misery into one issue makes it fun.

Humbug!

Credits: David Michelinie (writer), Marc Silvestri (penciler), Bob McLeod (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Nel Yomtov (colorist)

The Plot: Humbug debuts, committing robberies to pay for his entomology research. The professor’s incompetence almost gets him killed, and makes him an easy victory for Spider-Man.

The Subplots: Spider-Man is enticing criminals to attack him in order to test his spider-sense after the previous issue. Vigilante Solo kills a group of terrorists in Germany. Aunt May is unsure of her relationship with Nathan, because she feels he’s grown cold-hearted. Jonah Jameson is sending Peter and Joy Mercado on an assignment to cover terrorist activities in Europe.

Web of Continuity: Solo makes a cameo, although he doesn’t make a full appearance until Michelinie’s Amazing Spider-Man run in 1989. Since this story is supposed to be leading to Spider-Man facing terrorism in Europe, and Solo’s gimmick is “While I live, terror dies!” he was probably supposed to show up in the next issue.

*See _________ For Details: Peter mentions that Flash Thomspon is on the run from the law, and Aunt May and her boarders were recently held captive in their home. A footnote points toward recent Amazing and Spectacular issues.

Review: This is the first appearance of joke villain Humbug, although I’m sure this issue was supposed to be significant as the debut of Marvel’s latest psychotically violent, gun toting vigilante Solo. Since Solo isn’t seen again until years later, it seems like there’s still a decent amount of behind-the-scenes chaos going on. Several pages are also devoted to Spidey testing his spider-sense, which ties into Venom’s first appearance, another story that isn’t resolved until years later in another title. Humbug is a goofy reminder of the days when you can get away with a character like this, and I’m guessing he’s either been killed off in a giant crossover or only shown up in Dan Slott comics in recent years (cripes, looking at Wiki, apparently he's been decapitated). He’s not a classic, but he kills a few pages rather well as the growing subplots continue to develop.

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #16-#17, July - August 1986

Underworld!/The Magma Solution

Credits: David Michelinie (writer), Marc Silvestri (penciler), Kyle Baker/Vinnie Colletta (inkers), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)

The Plot: Peter Parker and Joy Mercado are sent to cover labor unrest in rural Virginia for NOW Magazine. After getting harassed by locals, they meet Charla, whose son Seth has been kidnapped by mysterious men. Peter and Joy learn that Seth is an idiot savant, whose math skills enable him to work calculations faster than a computer. He’s being used by Magma and the Roxxon corporation, who have teamed up to explore new energy sources. Spider-Man frees Seth, but his battle with Magma causes the installation to collapse. After an explosion, only scraps of Spider-Man’s costume remain.

The Subplots: Joy suspects Peter is Spider-Man after Spidey emerges to fight Magma.

Web of Continuity: This Magma isn’t the New Mutants member; he’s a villain from Marvel Team-Up. He created his suit to fight environmentalists who stood in the way of his development of cheap energy.

*See _________ For Details: Peter is under the impression Flash Thompson is secretly the Hobgoblin, which is a reference to one of the many red herrings during that storyline in Amazing. Aunt May’s Social Security checks are being delayed and Peter doesn’t know why. There’s no footnote connected to this, but I assume it’s referring to a storyline in one of the titles. Spidey thinks about a civilian’s death during his battle with the Sin-Eater in Peter Parker#108, and Joy Mercado remembers seeing Peter in a fight in Peter Parker Annual #3.

I Love the ‘80s: Peter isn’t able to find any clean clothes, so he’s stuck wearing a Strawberry Shortcake t-shirt. Seth is referred to as “retarded” by Peter, which is a term that probably wouldn’t be used in these more politically correct days.

Review: So, sixteen issues into the book’s run, the original premise of “Peter Parker travels the globe while on assignment for NOW Magazine” finally begins. We’re even helpfully notified that this is the FIRST ISSUE (of a new direction) on #16’s cover. Marc Silvestri and Kyle Baker arrive as the new artistic team, although Vince Colletta is brought in very quickly for a fill-in. Like his previous issue, I don’t really see anything that portrays the rotten reputation he’s garnered over the years, but he’s certainly a comedown after seeing Kyle Baker inks. Silvestri and Baker are a solid team, bringing a combination of fluidity, energy, and grit to the title. There is a sense now that Web is going to be more than fill-ins, although this bold new direction doesn’t last long.

In terms of motivation or gimmicks, Magma isn’t that great of a villain, so it’s not surprising to me that he’s been lost to obscurity. I get the feeling Michelinie knows he’s a bit of a dud, which is why the story has so many other elements, such as the labor unrest, Joy’s suspicions, and the story of Seth thrown in. Magma doesn’t even appear until the final page of the first chapter. He does present a decent challenge during the fight scenes, and Silvestri makes his armor seem less ridiculous than the average artist probably could. The combination of the art and the various distractions from the main story prevent this from becoming a Spider-Man vs. Generic Villain storyline. However, I do think the “traveling photographer” premise is pretty weak, and it’s the type of idea you dream up when you’ve already decided Spider-Man stars in enough books. Even if this is a spin-off, I think there is an expectation that Peter Parker’s supporting cast will play a role in the stories, which requires most of the storylines to take place in New York. Traveling for NOW might be a part of Peter’s job, but it’s not really his life. If you’ve made the series so “different” it doesn’t feel like a Spider-Man book anymore, what was the point?

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #14 - #15, May-June 1986

All That Glitters…/Fox Hunt

Credits: David Michelinie (writer), Mike Harris (penciler), Kyle Baker (inker), Phil Felix/Rick Parker (letterers), Bob Sharen (colorist)

The Plot: Peter Parker is threatened with eviction if he doesn’t repair his apartment’s smoke damage. Soon, as Spider-Man, he’s unable to stop the Black Fox from stealing the Eye of Carnelia from the Carnelian Embassy. Spider-Man learns of the Fox’s fence, Andre Boullion, and decides to sell his golden notepad. Spider-Man spots the Black Fox leaving Andre’s office, and is shocked to discover Andre’s body inside. Spider-Man assumes Fox is the killer, but soon learns that the mercenary Chance is responsible. Spider-Man defeats Chance, and sells the notepad to another fence the Fox tried to use. Unable to sell the Eye of Carnelia, Black Fox returns it to the embassy for the reward money. Meanwhile, Peter decides to pay Nathan Lubenksy’s hospital bills rather than save his apartment. He returns home to discover Mary Jane has made the necessary repairs.

The Subplots: Aunt May’s boyfriend, Nathan Lubenksy, is in the hospital after taking a beating in Amazing Spider-Man (he’s a gambling addict). Robbie Robertson is afraid Jonah Jameson is trying to usurp his editorial control of the Daily Bugle.

Web of Continuity: The Black Fox is an elderly jewel thief who often tricks Spider-Man into letting him go. Chance is a mercenary obsessed with…chance. Rather than charging for his services, he wagers on the outcome of his assignments.

*See _________ For Details: The Black Fox and Andre Boullion last appeared in Amazing #265. Chance kills Andre because he refused to join his employer’s intelligence network. A footnote points towards recent issues of Spectacular. Peter and MJ painted his apartment in Amazing #273.

Commercial Break: The somewhat infamous Power Pack/Spider-Man child abuse prevention comic is advertised on the back cover of #15.

Review: Wow, that golden notepad stuck around for a long time, didn’t it? Since character and ongoing continuity counted more than anyone’s “personal vision” in these days, David Michelinie begins his run by addressing the few recurring storylines this fill-in prone title’s accumulated. The golden notepad storyline had potential at the beginning, but unfortunately stuck around in the background for almost a year, as Spider-Man would occasionally remember he’s supposed to be angsting over it. Michelinie addresses the more practical questions, such as how does Peter go about selling a golden notepad in the first place? Dealing with an underworld fence doesn’t feel right for the character, but this is at least addressed during the story. And it should come as a shock to no one that Peter ends up using the money to help someone else rather than himself.

Allowing MJ to save his apartment actually forecasts an issue from the early days of their marriage -- Peter’s insecurities over being with someone much more successful than he’ll probably ever be. Michelinie will go on to write many of those early marriage stories, and he’ll revive Chance and Black Fox regularly during his run on Amazing. He clearly has some affection for the characters, and is able to use their unique gimmicks very well in this arc. The fake-out at the end of #14, hinting that the Black Fox killed Andre Boullion, is a great clifhanger.

The combination of Mike Harris and Kyle Baker looks nice, and very ‘80s at the same time. If you’ve read any of the Bill Sienkiewicz/Mary Wilshire issues of New Mutants, you know what I mean. There are a lot of shadows, and everything is slightly realistic yet slightly stylized. I’m assuming the missing detail lines and faded colors are an aspect of the printing process used during the time.

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #8-#9, November - December 1985

Local Super Hero!/The Twilight Heroes

Credits: David Michelinie (writer), Geof Isherwood (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Janice Chiang (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)

The Plot: Peter Parker is sent by the Daily Bugle to investigate a small town superhero, the Smithville Thunderbolt, in Pennsylvania. He discovers the Smithville Thunderbolt, Fred Hopkins, lost his powers a year ago after decades of heroics. With the aid of cybernetic enhancements, Fred has been staging harmless “disasters” to maintain his image. Local reporter Roxanne Dewinter has discovered Fred’s identity and plans to reveal it, hoping the story will land her a job at a big city newspaper. Meanwhile, Ludlow Grimes, a simple farmer who last year found the other half of the meteor that powered Fred, arrives. Angry over the ostracizing he’s received since gaining powers, Ludlow lashes out at Fred. During the fracas, Fred saves Roxanne’s life, and Ludlow realizes that Fred isn’t the source of his problems. Spider-Man assumes Roxanne will now kill her story, but she reveals Fred’s identity anyway. Fred, fearing a public backlash, commits suicide, not realizing the town was gathering at his house to thank him for his years of service.

The Subplots: None.

I Love the ‘80s: Roxanne declares that when she’s a big city reporter, all of her vehicles will have cassette decks.

Review: We’re now in an odd stretch of the title, where neither David Michelinie or Danny Fingeroth seems to be the regular writer. I suspect this was written as a two-part fill-in, since it doesn’t contain any subplots or set up any ongoing storylines. This is a rather unusual story; along with its dark twist ending, it could be read as a nasty commentary on the superhero genre. Or maybe just Superman specifically. Fred works as a small town reporter, surrounded by Daily Planet analogues. After a meteor grants him powers, he becomes a rural equivalent of Superman, even though he usually doesn’t have a lot of crime to fight. Once the power fades away, Fred has no idea what to do, so he begins staging fake disasters. The story keeps Fred sympathetic, since no one is ever hurt in the “disasters” (he uses smoke bombs instead of actual fire, for example), but he’s clearly supposed to be pitiful.

While Fred basks in the attention, Ludlow gains powers and gets the “feared and hated” treatment. Even his family is terrified of him. He’s also a farmer, which parallels the Smallville portion of Superman’s canon. Adding to the cynicism, Ludlow isn’t a noble, salt-of-the-earth farmer like the Kents; he’s a simple-minded dunce in overalls. I don’t think Michelinie is actually saying this is what a real farmer with superpowers would be like, but that interpretation might not be too much of a leap. The portrayal of 1950s Smithville certainly seems like an attempt to shoehorn reality into old superhero tropes. When Fred gains his powers, he’s surrounded by racists and anti-Semites, which I guess was pretty edgy in 1985, but it’s now become the standard portrayal of the ‘50s. (“Hey, maaan. Life wasn’t really Leave it to Beaver in the 1950s, y’know.”) It’s possible that Fred becoming a beloved hero in the ‘50s and Ludlow becoming an ostracized freak today is intended as another meta-commentary on the superhero genre. The original DC heroes were universally beloved in their world, which obviously isn’t the direction Stan Lee would follow.

Finally, there’s Roxanne, the thinly veiled Lois Lane analogue. Her storyline mirrors Lois’ decades-long quest to reveal Superman’s secret identity, which I’m sure never got old. I’m not sure if Roxanne is intended as a ruthless parody of Lois, or if Michelinie is playing off the disdain a lot of fans had for old-school Lois. Maybe this is what the “real” Lois would be like.

The story isn’t all gloom, as we learn that Fred honestly wants to help people, in spite of his faults. Plus, Ludlow is recruited as a potential SHIELD agent, so he gets what appears to be a happy ending. The twist comes when Roxanne refuses to learn the traditional lesson secondary characters are supposed to learn from these comics and publishes her story anyway. Turning the screw further, we learn that Fred committed suicide over nothing, since the crowd just wanted to thank him. In the final panel, a remorseless Roxanne takes a picture of Fred’s body.

I think I’ve read the entirety of Michelinie’s Amazing Spider-Man run, and I don’t recall anything approaching this level of cynicism. In fact, I seem to remember fans criticizing his ASM run not being serious enough. Since the editor was also responsible for pushing Spectacular in a dark direction during this era, I wonder what role he had in shaping this story. Like most of Michelinie’s comics, this is well paced, has a few surprises, and the dialogue is pretty sharp. All of this has little to do with Spider-Man, but he’s worked into the story as naturally as could be expected. I just wish this wasn’t so dark. Of course, I’m saying this as someone who’s read years’ worth of gloomy comics with disparaging analogues of classic characters. I’m sure this felt appropriately daring when originally published.