SPIDER-MAN TEAM-UP #7 - June 1997

 

Old Scores

Credits:  Kurt Busiek (writer), Sal Buscema and Dick Giordano (art), Tom Smith (colors), Comicraft’s Team Dave (letters)

The Plot:  A Drone created by the Enclave robs a scientific firm, killing a security guard in the process.  The media blames Spider-Man, based on the testimony of the surviving guard.  The mayor orders the Thunderbolts to bring in Spider-Man, much to the delight of Mach-1, who previously faced Spider-Man as the Beetle.  Eventually, the Thunderbolts realize that Spider-Man is innocent and track the Drone to the Enclave’s headquarters.  Spider-Man follows, using the spider-tracer he placed on Mach-1.  During their fight with the Enclave, Spider-Man saves Mach-1’s life, and gives him the information he needs to stop the Enclave’s brainwashing scheme.  Later, Mach-1 gives Spider-Man a video recorded by Techno that implicates the Enclave.  He tells his teammates that this was in their own best interests, but later admits to himself that playing a hero is having an impact on him.

The Subplots:  J. Jonah Jameson is thrilled to have yet another opportunity to blast Spider-Man.  Later, Peter goes to the Daily Bugle to research the Thunderbolts, arousing Robbie Robertson’s curiosity.  I’ll also point out that Anna Watson is mentioned-but-not-seen yet again this issue.

Web of Continuity:  This story takes place early in the Thunderbolts’ career, when they are still villains-in-disguise.  And, like many stories, this issue has to take place prior to May 1997's Spectacular Spider-Man #246, due to Jonah's appearance.

*See _________ For Details:  The Enclave lost their original headquarters in Fantastic Four #67.  Some of their technology previously appeared in the Spider-Man: Dead Man’s Hand one-shot.  Mach-1 debuted as the Beetle in Strange Tales #123.  He points out that the Human Torch was his first opponent, but Spider-Man has been his main adversary over the years.  Finally, Spidey reminds the Thunderbolts that he said nice things about them in Thunderbolts #1.

I Love the ‘90s:  Dallas, the T-Bolts’ liaison with the mayor, says that she will “modem over the data” on Spider-Man’s alleged crime.

Production Note:  The tiny print is still incorrectly listing the year as 1996.  Also, this is the final issue of the series.  A new volume of Marvel Team-Up soon takes its place, but Spider-Man is no longer featured in every issue.

Review:  I believe this is the last time Sal Buscema provided pencils for a Spider-Man story, so there is some historical significance to the issue.  And it looks great, by the way.  Buscema has figured out how to make the post-McFarlane style work very well by this point, creating a stylized version of the character that’s still rooted in actual anatomy.  Buscema’s also asked to draw a lot of characters this issue, yet he never seems to be shirking on the work.  (Having Dick Giordano do the finishes doesn’t hurt, either.)  The story is probably more of a Thunderbolts story than a Spider-Man story, but Busiek is still careful to work in some of the Spidey hallmarks, such as Peter going to the Daily Bugle for research and JJJ gleefully blaming Spider-Man for the latest crime that he's been framed for.  Playing up Spidey’s past with Mach-1 also helps to make Spider-Man feel less like a generic hero, which is often a problem with team-up stories.  The Thunderbolts have a much more interesting role to play, as they debate just leaving Spider-Man out to dry, or actually finding the real culprit (if only to protect their image in the future.)  Mach-1’s character arc could easily come across as cheese, but Busiek executes the ending quite well.  

SPIDER-MAN TEAM-UP #6 - March 1997

Breaking and Entering!

Credits:  Larry Hama (writer), Dietrich Smith (penciler), Sean Parsons (inks), Tom Smith (colors), Bill Oakley (letters)

The Plot:  Spider-Man passes by Avengers Mansion as the Hulk is breaking in and fighting his way past SHIELD’s forces.  As Spider-Man tries to subdue the Hulk, Aquarian arrives, proposing a peaceful resolution to the conflict.  Suddenly, the trio realizes that a Doombot is also in the mansion, downloading all of the Avengers’ information and sending it to Latveria.  They destroy the Doombot, but not before it successfully completes its mission.  Luckily, a SHIELD Life Model Decoy inserted a virus into the database as it was being downloaded, corrupting the information and Latveria’s power grid.

Web of Continuity:  This story takes place when the Avengers, and Dr. Doom, are assumed dead following Onslaught’s attack on New York.  SHIELD now oversees the mansion.  The Hulk is invading Avengers Mansion to gain access to Tony Stark’s database, which he believes has information that can save his life (he’s dying after being split from Bruce Banner in Onslaught: Marvel Universe.)

Miscellaneous Note:  The indicia on the first page list the previous year.  The cover date is accurate.

Review:  Because one gratuitous quarterly Spider-Man filler comic wasn’t enough in the ‘90s, the fates brought us Spider-Man Team-Up.  I’ve never read an issue of it before, and I only recall one reference to the series after its cancellation: Mark Waid once joked in an interview that the only comic he ever wrote for the money was Spider-Man Team-Up #1.  

I remember this book as yet more product pumped out during the Clone Saga, but it actually survived for two more issues after Peter Parker’s return.  This issue is written by Larry Hama, during his days of random Marvel assignments like Venom and Howard the Duck specials.  I don’t know if he had any say over the guest stars, but I would be curious to know if he genuinely wanted to bring in Aquarian (or “Wundarr the Aquarian” as he’s officially known).  Aquarian was apparently created as a parody character during the flower child days, and it’s hard to imagine why anyone would want to use him as another other than a joke.  Hama plays it straight, though, working in some of Aquarian’s hippie philosophy and giving him a few scenes to show off his powers.  He adds essentially nothing to the plot, but I guess if you genuinely like the guy, there’s nothing offensive here.  

Regarding Spider-Man and the Hulk, there are a few decent action scenes between them, although Spider-Man’s justification for entering the story is the tired “just happened to be swingin’ by” set-up, which was already pretty old ten issues into the original Marvel Team-Up.  Probably the best moment in the story is the introduction of the Doombot, which is given a pretty creative means of sneaking into the mansion.  The twist ending is also amusing, although it apparently establishes that the Avengers’ entire database has been destroyed, which I doubt stayed in continuity.

Lost Souls

Credits:  J. M. DeMatteis (plot), Marv Wolfman (script), Bob McLeod (breakdowns), Tom Palmer (finishes), Tom Smith (colors), Bill Oakley (letters)

The Plot:  Dracula pulls a young woman named Raynee out of the crowd in a ballroom.  Later, the police investigate a mass murder inside.  Peter Parker takes photographs and runs into Dr. Strange, who’s also investigating.  Strange later informs Peter, while as Spider-Man, that Dracula is the culprit.  Soon, Dr. Strange is incapacitated by Dracula’s astral form, leading Spider-Man to investigate Dracula’s home.  He encounters a peaceful Dracula, and has dinner with him and Raynee.  Eventually, Strange frees himself, as Spider-Man discovers Dracula’s true nature.  Strange imprisons Dracula and reveals that Raynee is actually a golem created by Dracula to soothe his loneliness.  Dracula escapes, vowing vengeance on the heroes.

Web of Continuity:  This story is treated as the first time Spidey discovers there is an actual Dracula.  I don’t know if that fits with any established Dracula stories, but I’m assuming it’s something Marv Wolfman wouldn’t get wrong.  Spider-Man does briefly forget that Dr. Strange knows his secret identity, though.

I Love the ‘90s:  References include the approaching millennium, The X-Files, and the Macarana.  Spider-Man also spells out a web address with a “www///” leading me to believe someone got “http://” mixed up with “www.”.

"Huh?" Moment:  For some reason, Dracula waited six months to return to the ballroom and commit the murders, or it took six months for the police to discover them.  Either way, I don’t understand why the prologue is set six months in the past.

Review:  Bizarrely, this is not the lead story.  At the very least, the reunion of Marv Wolfman and Tom Palmer on a Dracula story should’ve been hyped, even if that has nothing to do with Spider-Man.  And while it’s obvious the creators wanted to do a Dracula story first and kind of backed into a way to fit it into this book, Spider-Man’s role doesn’t come across as obviously superfluous.  (He is superfluous, just not obviously so.)  His job as a photographer gives him an organic introduction into the story, and he works as a sort of “average Joe” commentator on the supernatural elements.  As Spider-Man’s first meeting with Dracula, however, there’s not much here.  Dr. Strange and Dracula look great, yet Spider-Man’s off-model (McLeod’s interpretation of the post-McFarlane giant eyes always looked wrong to me.)  The story’s main focus is on setting up a Dr. Strange and Dracula rematch, with Raynee added as the human element.  On that level, it’s a decent read.  Spider-Man’s a fun interloper, but he’s clearly not the star.