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Post by kirby101 on Sept 6, 2024 15:43:21 GMT -5
Each artist has their strengths, is it fair to compare Romita's inventiveness with Ditko?
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Post by jtrw2024 on Sept 6, 2024 17:25:23 GMT -5
The fight scenes between Kraven and Spidey are as good as any Ditko has drawn. A few extra goons try to get in on the action too, but in the end it's Spidey who wins the fight. I noticed while re-reading this issue that the encounter between Spider-Man and Kraven in the derelict apartment block is the inspiration for the 1966 Aurora model kit of Spidey and Kraven. The kit shows Spider-Man perched on a broken stairway banister, while Kraven lies webbed on the floor. Not that a scene exactly like that ever happens in the comic, but panels like the ones below are clearly where the model kit designers took their inspiration from… I remember some pics from the model kit were posted a few pages back, but I don't think I picked up on the connection with this issue since you pointed it out.
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Post by jtrw2024 on Sept 6, 2024 18:04:16 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 36 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 175) “When Falls the Meteor!” Credits (as they appear in the comic): Script & Editing Stan Lee Plot & Artwork Steve Ditko Letters n’ Colors Simek n’ Yanchus Plot Synopsis: There's a new super-powered menace in town! How can Spider-man hope to defeat… the Looter?! Comments: This issue introduces us to Norton G. Fester who gains super-strength after being exposed to gas from a meteor. He uses his new found abilities to become the super-villain called the Looter. In later appearances he will also use the name Meteor Man. Not sure which name is necessarily better. Meteor Man references the source of his powers, but doesn’t really describe anything about what he can do. Looter describes what he does, so I guess it’s as good a name as any. A caption on the second page of this issue points out that he’s a “part-time nut”. The Looter is usually treated as a joke by most later writers. I guess it's just how certain writers tend to want to portray him. It probably doesn't help that he was introduced during a period which a lot of people consider to be a slump for an otherwise stellar run. It is a silly issue, but in a fun way, and I think that's okay once in a while. Spider-man is the type of character who lends himself to all sorts of stories. . It's three whole pages of story covering the Looter's origin before we even get to Peter and his supporting cast. Mostly it's just Gwen Stacy and some other ESU characters we'll never see again, but Flash puts in a brief appearance later. It even seems as though, Flash is putting in an effort to be nice to Peter (in his own way) Peter's look has changed a little bit in the past few months. It looks to me that in this issue, Ditko seems to be drawing Peter with a more classically handsome face, something that’s usually attributed to Romita, even though we’re still a few months away from John Romita coming on board. A female classmate seems to be attracted to Pete and comments to herself about his "dreamy smile". Peter turns her down after she makes a comment about him being smarter than the guys she usually hangs out with, as he wants to try to shake the Egghead image he's been stuck with since High School. Even Gwen Stacy refers to Peter as “manly-looking”, though she’s bothered by his apparent cowardice when he has to unexpectedly run off to change to Spidey. Gwen’s feelings about Peter acting like a coward is something that will pop-up more later as their relationship develops. Despite all this, Gwen can't stop thinking about Peter. The Looter's powers consist mostly of super muscles which give him strength and enhanced jumping ability, but he knows he needs more than that if he hopes to stay ahead in the super-villain game. Not only does the Looter need another meteor in case the effects of the first one wear off, but he's also armed himself with a special gadgets. He's got a "dazzle gun" to blind his enemies, and a helium balloon strapped to his back which allows him to flee the scene of a crime in a way that no one can follow! Well, Spider-man manages to catch him, but Spidey's had years of experience dealing with weirdos like this! The sound his web-shooters make is "Thwip" of course. I wasn't paying attention to this before? Were there any earlier examples? . The secret of the meteor which gave the Looter his powers has been teased from time to time in his later appearances, but has never been revealed. As far as I can tell, The only time an answer was ever provided was in a non-canon Marvel Adventures story from the late 90s. . This was a fun story, but probably gets a bad reputation since it falls at the tail end of a great run, amidst a stretch of issues which are comparatively weak against many of the ones that came before. Next issue looks like it's going to be great, because the next panel promises rampaging robots! (... but I think another important character might show up too)! Notable differences in the reprint: The Marvel Tales cover has some background elements that don’t seem to be there in the original, like an extra sphere and those beams that radiate from it are changed a bit. I don't like the way the reprint cover moved the bottom caption. In the original it looks like the Looter is stepping and squishing the word "the" which is a neat touch! Post Office of the Past reprinting letters commenting on the Looter’s debut. Jim Owsley, Editor. Keith Willians, Assistant Editor. Similar to last issue, there’s a reprint of an old Bullpen Bulletins, but it’s not from ASM 36. This is the Bullpen Bulletins that would have appeared in ASM 40, the same place the reprinted letters were from. Personal anecdotes: I got this issue of Marvel Tales from a discount bin in the late 90s. I’m not sure if I ever saw it on the racks when it was new. It was probably one of the last Ditko era stories I read. Most of the others I'd encountered in some way before, in non-sequential order. The last few I read were ASM 33, 35, 36 and 38 (not necessarily in that order) I first encountered the Looter in an old Spidey Super Stories issue, where he was going by the name Meteor Man. I didn’t realize he was a Lee/Ditko era villain and had never heard of him before that. Come to think about it, I actually would have picked up that Spidey Super Stories as a back issue around the time this issue of Marvel Tales would have come out. What a wild coincidence. The Looter was also the villain in a Web of Spider-man issue from the late 80s that was right at the beginning of my formal regular Spider-man collecting. Now that I think about, it, coincidentally that Web of Spider-man was purchased for me by my Dad at the same store where I got my first Lee/Ditko Marvel Tales, and a few more too, some years earlier. The Looter is actually treated a little bit more seriously in that Web of Spider-man issue (I mean at least as serious as a villain with a silly name and costume can be).
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Post by jester on Sept 6, 2024 19:46:08 GMT -5
The name Looter is taken from Rand. Of all the classic Lee-Ditko villains, he's easily the most forgettable. #36 is still a decent enough issue.
Playing catch up a bit, ##34 and #35 are both solid enjoyable fights with Kraven and the Molten Man nicely handled by Ditko. The book does kind of feel like it's treading water at this point though.
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Post by codystarbuck on Sept 6, 2024 20:14:39 GMT -5
I think Ditko modelled Gwen after Veronica Lake. Fascinating info there, kirby101. Looking at images of Lake online, I can definitely see a strong resemblance... Veronica Lake was also the model for Liberty Belle, at DC. She was a favorite of several artists.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,117
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Post by Confessor on Sept 7, 2024 5:39:41 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 36 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 175) This issue introduces us to Norton G. Fester who gains super-strength after being exposed to gas from a meteor. He uses his new found abilities to become the super-villain called the Looter. Norton G. Fester is a great name! In later appearances he will also use the name Meteor Man. Not sure which name is necessarily better. Meteor Man references the source of his powers, but doesn’t really describe anything about what he can do. Looter describes what he does, so I guess it’s as good a name as any. As jester mentions above, the name "the Looter" is taken from Ayn Rand's book Atlas Shrugged. To quote: " When a society establishes criminals-by-right and looters-by-law, men who use force to seize the wealth of disarmed victims, then money becomes its creators' avenger. Such looters believe it safe to rob defenseless men, once they've passed a law to disarm them. But their loot becomes the magnet for other looters, who get it from them as they got it. Then the race goes, not to the ablest at production, but to those most ruthless at brutality." I think it's a pretty safe bet that Stan wanted to name this villain the Meteor or Meteor Man, while Ditko wanted him known as the Looter. I think that's why the advertisement for this comic at the end of last issue said that Stan and Steve couldn't even tell you the new villain's name yet! Then, in the "Next Ish" box on the letter's page of last issue, Stan says of next month's villain, "At first we were gonna call him The Meteor Man", but then says that they are still undecided. A caption on the second page of this issue points out that he’s a “part-time nut”… It is a silly issue, but in a fun way, and I think that's okay once in a while. Spider-man is the type of character who lends himself to all sorts of stories. I agree. I think the Looter absolutely fits in with the vibe of Spider-Man. I kind of wonder if Stan maybe didn't like this character of Ditko's at all, as he seems to go out of his way to tell the reader that we're not supposed to take Norton G. Fester seriously. For one thing, Stan straight up tells us that this guy is a nutjob. I mean, sure he is...but so is the Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus, yet Stan didn't feel the need to inform us of that like he does here. Stan also comments on how long Ditko spends introducing the character, by dropping in a joke about perhaps renaming the comic the Amazing Fester-Man. I bet all this really annoyed Steve Ditko! Peter's look has changed a little bit in the past few months. It looks to me that in this issue, Ditko seems to be drawing Peter with a more classically handsome face, something that’s usually attributed to Romita, even though we’re still a few months away from John Romita coming on board. A female classmate seems to be attracted to Pete and comments to herself about his "dreamy smile". Yeah, I noted in an earlier response to one of your reviews that Peter's transition into a more fashionable and handsome young man was well underway before Ditko left the comic, even though we tend to associate that shift with the John Romita era. I mean, obviously Romita completed the transition, but it had definitely begun while Ditko was still on the book. Even Gwen Stacy refers to Peter as “manly-looking”, though she’s bothered by his apparent cowardice when he has to unexpectedly run off to change to Spidey. Gwen’s feelings about Peter acting like a coward is something that will pop-up more later as their relationship develops. Despite all this, Gwen can't stop thinking about Peter. Yeah, Gwen being shocked and appalled by Peter's apparent cowardice in this issue nicely foreshadows similar concerns she has later on when they are dating. The sound his web-shooters make is "Thwip" of course. I wasn't paying attention to this before? Were there any earlier examples? Yes, it has been used once before…I almost mentioned the first appearance of "Thwip!" in a reply to one of your reviews a while back, but I decided it was probably too nerdy. Ha! Like I needed to worry in this forum! Anyway, the first use of the "Thwip!" sound effect was in Amazing Spider-Man #28… This was a fun story, but probably gets a bad reputation since it falls at the tail end of a great run, amidst a stretch of issues which are comparatively weak against many of the ones that came before. I think this issue was a definite improvement over the last one. There's plenty of action, some enjoyable soap opera moments, and the Looter's costume looks great: I love his "dazzle gun" and the getaway helium balloon in his backpack. So yeah, all in all it's a pretty enjoyable issue, I think, and one that is kind of underrated.
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Post by jtrw2024 on Sept 7, 2024 8:13:11 GMT -5
The sound his web-shooters make is "Thwip" of course. I wasn't paying attention to this before? Were there any earlier examples? Yes, it has been used once before…I almost mentioned the first appearance of "Thwip!" in a reply to one of your reviews a while back, but I decided it was probably too nerdy. Ha! Like I needed to worry in this forum! Anyway, the first use of the "Thwip!" sound effect was in Amazing Spider-Man #28… Nerdy replies are always welcome, my friend! I just took a quick look, and it seems the first time his webs made any sort of sound was way back in ASM 1, but then it was "Twnnng". Maybe that's just the sound they make when he's standing on the nose of a speeding jet. If anyone has bothered to catalogue all the different sounds his webs made before they settled on "thwip", feel free to post them!
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Post by tarkintino on Sept 7, 2024 8:27:20 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 36 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 175) Arguably one of the most forgettable villains ever created at Marvel. He's so devoid of substance which would give him at least a bit of interest, but he's just...on the page. Nothing more, which probably explains why TASM #36 was not reprinted during the initial run of Marvel Tales. In fact, Marvel Tales #28 (TASM #35) would be the last Ditko issue reprinted in this Bronze Age period of the title, heralding the Lee/Romita era of reprints with Marvel Tales #29 (January, 1971) a double-sized issue featuring TASM #39 & #40. By this time in the run, Ditko was illustrating Peter as a slightly less nebbish young man than earlier in the series, but I would not describe the long head and scowl as "classically handsome" (color him green and the Hulk might mistake him for Ditko's Leader! ).
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Post by Ricky Jackson on Sept 7, 2024 13:05:12 GMT -5
Maybe not a great villian, but I've always thought the Looter's costume was a great Ditko design
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Post by kirby101 on Sept 7, 2024 16:32:13 GMT -5
Maybe not a great villian, but I've always thought the Looter's costume was a great Ditko design I was just going to write that. Ditko seems a lot less interested in working out a more complex plot, and more having fun with the drawing and action. After the long story ending in #33, he moves to one and done.
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Post by jtrw2024 on Sept 7, 2024 17:26:46 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 37 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 176) “Once Upon a Time, There was a Robot…! Credits (as they appear in the comic): Stan Lee Writer* Steve Ditko Artist* Artie Simek Letter Andy Yanchus Colorist *no editor credit for Lee, nor plot credit for Ditko in the Marvel Tales reprint, but they're both there in the original! Plot Synopsis: To save the life of Harry's father, Spider-man must battle Professor Stromm and his deadly robotic creations! But just who is Norman Osborn, and what dark secret does he hide? Comments: It seems like the last few issues of Steve Ditko’s Spider-man run are usually thought of as just stuff that happened between the Master Planner trilogy and John Romita’s first issue, but I think this one is pretty important. Professor Stromm is out of jail and now he wants revenge! We’ve seen this type of plot a bunch of times, but this time the villain’s revenge scheme has nothing to do with Spider-man, (well, at least until Spidey starts sticking his nose into things). The story starts with Professor Stromm being released from prison after ten years, and being picked up by an accomplice named Max Young who assists him in his revenge. Spider-man is only there because he's keeping tabs on Frederick Foswell whom I guess he still doesn't completely trust. Foswell is unaware that Spidey is watching him, or that the web-head saved him from some other hood who was there hoping to get in on whatever plot Stromm is devising. Stromm is quite a popular fellow, and was even a cellmate of Foswell's for that brief time he was in prison. I like this scene of Spider-man coercing the other hood into trying to follow Foswell's car. Spidey looks good in a hat. Oh, and there's that "Thwip" sound again This issue features some more of the usual scenes with Peter and his classmates. Gwen Stacy is still Steve Ditko's Gwen, and hasn't yet been replaced by John Romita's Gwen. Foswell gets a lot to do in this issue (as himself and his alter-ego Patch), and there's also some scenes with his boss, J.Jonah Jameson. It's been a few issues since Betty Brant left, and there's yet another new secretary to replace her Between The Living Brain, Smythe’s robot and now Stromm’s creations, Spidey’s sure had his share of trouble with machines! Stromm's robots have some interesting designs. There's a weird looking one that's mostly tentacles, and another with a kind of humanoid look and a destruction beam that blasts out from its face. The cybernetic head-piece that Stromm wears lets him mentally control his robots, and gives him a unique look which distinguishes him from other evil, bald, comic-book scientists. Even when Spider-man defeats the last robot, Stromm still keeps on fighting, and attempts to blast him with the still functioning destruction beam! In this issue we are formally introduced to Norman Osborn. Norman has been seen several times before as an unnamed character, and of course his son Harry joined the cast a few issues back, but this is the first time we’ve gotten any sort of insight to what he’s about. I wonder if readers at the time were paying attention to this guy’s previous unnamed appearances and scratching their heads trying to figure out why he was being given more attention than any other background character. This is probably the most character development Harry has gotten too since he was introduced a few issues back. He's not just that guy in Peter's class who likes to play pranks, and taunt him at every opportunity, but the son who seems to annoy his father with pretty much anything he says. Earlier issues established that Norman Osborn was a friend of Jameson, and a fellow club-member, but here we get to see a whole new side to him, and get a glimpse of his secret evil nature. The readers are privy to some of Osborn's thoughts, and even get to see him as he wallops Spider-man from behind. You can tell this guy has a major grudge against Spider-man! Stromm won't be returning anytime soon, since he's killed off in this very issue by a sudden heart attack after being startled, and shoved out of the way when someone tries to take a shot at him. Before he dies, he tries to reveal something, which no one else apparently knows, but he never gets the chance. The last time something like this happened was when the Crime Master tried to reveal the secret of the Green Goblin's identity. Obviously we all know what Stromm was trying to reveal, but even after future issues elaborate a bit more on Stromm's history, I don't think it's ever made clear how Stromm would have come about this knowledge. Spider-man is left wondering about that gun which he glimpsed through that high window, but us lucky readers get to find out it was Osborn right on the very next page. How Osborn got up to that window, and managed to disappear so quickly will remain a mystery for another day. Notable differences in the reprint: As I noted above, there's no plot credit for Ditko in the Marvel Tales reprint, but it's there in the original. Stan Lee's editorial credit is gone as well. I don't really think the change was intended to short-change either creator. They just adjusted and simplified all the credits, mostly to accommodate the indicia which wasn't part of the original, and this was the result. The letters page is just Post Office of the Past, and another reprint of the old Bullpen Bulletins. The note at the bottom of the page indicates Bullpen Bulletins is reprinted from Amazing Spider-man 37, but it’s actually from Amazing Spider-man 40. Jim Owsley, Editor. Kieth Williams, Assistant Editor. Personal anecdotes: I got this as a back issue around 1988 or 89 during the time when I was picking up other Marvel Tales I’d missed. It was soon after that I’d also get the follow-up story which appeared in Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-man years later. This was a time when I was getting lots of back issues whenever I could afford them. The reason I didn’t always get to buy the Marvel Tales issues I’d missed was because there was nearly thirty years of other Spidey issues I needed to catch up on, not to mention whatever other characters and newer stuff I was interested in
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,117
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Post by Confessor on Sept 7, 2024 23:43:32 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 37 It seems like the last few issues of Steve Ditko’s Spider-man run are usually thought of as just stuff that happened between the Master Planner trilogy and John Romita’s first issue, but I think this one is pretty important. I agree with this. While they're not up to the high standards of the Master Planner arc or some of the earlier Lee/Ditko masterpieces, issues like #36 and #37 are pretty good comics and kind of underrated at this point. This issue features some more of the usual scenes with Peter and his classmates. Gwen Stacy is still Steve Ditko's Gwen, and hasn't yet been replaced by John Romita's Gwen. Something that is becoming apparent is the markedly different characterisations of Gwen Stacy present in Steve Ditko's art and Stan Lee's dialogue. In the panels you posted above – especially the second page – you can see that Gwen's facial expressions to not match the nicer, more generously-minded thoughts she is thinking in Lee's thought balloons. I suspect that Ditko intended Gwen to be nastier than Stan was comfortable with…possibly he even intended her to become a sort of female Flash Thompson! Whereas Stan is clearly trying to set Gwen up as Peter's next love interest. Usually, these differences between the two differing characterisations of Gwen aren't so noticeable, but in this issue they're quite glaring, I think. On a related matter, I noticed that there's a panel in which the spider-tracer is shown falling off the second robot, but it's never mentioned in the dialogue at all. This was clearly supposed to be some kind of plot point, but either Lee misunderstood Ditko's intentions or he just chose to ignore it. Here's the panel in question… Stromm's robots have some interesting designs. There's a weird looking one that's mostly tentacles, and another with a kind of humanoid look and a destruction beam that blasts out from its face. The first, alien-esque robot in particular features a very imaginative Ditko design. It's not like your usual comic book robot of the period at all. It's much more like an organic creature than your staple 1960s robot. I also find it fascinating that the two designs for Stromm's robots are so distinctively different from one another. In this issue we are formally introduced to Norman Osborn. Norman has been seen several times before as an unnamed character, and of course his son Harry joined the cast a few issues back, but this is the first time we’ve gotten any sort of insight to what he’s about. I wonder if readers at the time were paying attention to this guy’s previous unnamed appearances and scratching their heads trying to figure out why he was being given more attention than any other background character. This is probably the most character development Harry has gotten too since he was introduced a few issues back. He's not just that guy in Peter's class who likes to play pranks, and taunt him at every opportunity, but the son who seems to annoy his father with pretty much anything he says. Straight away we see that Norman is not a very good father and clearly seems to resent his son Harry. We also get a classic, fevered depiction of Norman dripping in sweat, as we will a number of times in the future when the "Goblin persona" is rising to the surface. There are a lot of clues about Norman's secret identity as the Green Goblin being sprinkled throughout this issue. For one thing, we see Norman – supposedly just an ordinary guy – knock Spider-Man out with one punch (hinting at him have super-powered strength, of course), and then there's all Norman's evil thoughts about eliminating Spider-Man and his own dastardly plans that we, the readers, are privy to. Best of all though, I love that scene where a gun appears from a high up window to silence Mendel Stromm and even though Spidey leaps up to the window in no time at all, the gunman is gone. The art clearly shows us that the window is much too high for anyone to reach, unless they happened to have…ooh, I don't know, maybe a goblin glider? Overall, this is another really good issue of Amazing Spider-Man. There's plenty of action, lots of intrigue, some dramatic soap opera moments between Peter and Gwen, and the first full, named appearance of Norman Osborn. Something that really struck me re-reading this comic was that, even though we know this is Ditko's penultimate issue, there doesn't seem to be any sign of that in the story itself. Indeed, Ditko is setting up a lot of stuff here for future issues, as if he fully intends to be on the book for quite some time to come.
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Post by jtrw2024 on Sept 8, 2024 5:11:54 GMT -5
On a related matter, I noticed that there's a panel in which the spider-tracer is shown falling off the second robot, but it's never mentioned in the dialogue at all. This was clearly supposed to be some kind of plot point, but either Lee misunderstood Ditko's intentions or he just chose to ignore it. Here's the panel in question… I don't think I ever noticed that before. Earlier issues mentioned that the tracers have a special sticky adhesive, but I don't really think it's meant to dissolve and lose its stickiness like his web-fluid. The first time Spider-man uses it back in ASM 11, he mentions it will stick for as long as he needs it to. Fortunately, the robot went right back to Stromm's HQ, which Spidey had just come from earlier, so he had no trouble finding it. Also, I noticed Spider-man is not shown using his usual tracking device this issue. He did use it a couple issues back tracking Molten Man. I don't think it's really clear in this issue if he's using his spider-sense to follow the tracers that he planted on Foswell and the robot, but going forward that's pretty much the method he'll use.
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Post by jtrw2024 on Sept 8, 2024 17:40:20 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 38 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 177) “Just a Guy Named Joe!” Credits (as they appear in the comic): Written & Edited by Stan Lee Plotted & Drawn by Steve Ditko Lettered by Artie Simek Colored by Andy Yanchus Plot Synopsis: Spider-man’s ultimate battle is with… um, some guy named Joe! Comments: I like that cover! I know it's just re-purposed art from the interior pages, but I think the composition works. Anyone know why Steve Ditko didn't produce an actual cover? (or maybe he did, but it wasn't used)? Even if this was his last issue, he seemed committed to at least completing all the pages and turning in a job that looked as professional as any of the other issues we've been reading . The opening of this issue is a bit different than pretty much every issue before it. It's just a regular multi-panel page introducing us to the character who will become this month's new villain. Actually, there isn't even a full splash page anywhere in this issue. That means there's just plenty more panels for Steve Ditko to do his thing one last time. As far as villain's go, Joe Smith isn't the most memorable, but I don't think that was ever the intention. He's not even a villain at heart, just a regular down on his luck guy who gets electrocuted and doused with chemicals turning him into a rampaging monster. I'm sure we've all know a guy like Joe at some point in our lives. . Although, Steve Ditko doesn't get to wrap up all the loose plot threads that have been dangling these past months, this issue does have plenty of scenes with all our favorite cast members. Betty Brant is still missing from these pages, but she's the topic of conversation when Ned Leeds returns, along with the animosity between him and Peter. Speaking of Betty, the Daily Bugle seems to be falling apart without her as that running joke from the past few issues continues and J. Jonah Jameson loses yet another secretary. There's some scenes with the regular group of characters at Empire State University. Flash and Harry are being their usual selves, and for once Gwen Stacy doesn't seem to get annoyed at Peter. He does manage to upset some student protesters who want him to join in. Harry mentions his Dad being a scientist, and Peter seems to recall hearing something about him, but can't quite place it . This is the last we’ll ever see of Steve Ditko’s Norman Osborn. It’s obvious, he was being set up for some interesting story and we’ll certainly get one of those next issue. Ditko’s gone on record as far as what he intended for Osborn’s secret, and it aligns pretty much with what we’d eventually get, but who knows how things would have actually played out had Ditko stuck around? Osborn's role in this final story was minimal, and all he does is hire some guys to fight Spider-man which offers the opportunity for a few extra action scenes while the Joe Smith plot plays itself out. Joe Smith doesn't have any unique or interesting powers, other than his super-strength and violent mood swings which come and go before eventually wearing off. Steve Ditko's last issue gives him one final opportunity to show off his Spider-man action shots, and with a villain as tough as this one, Spidey really gets a chance to let off some steam. This issue has another example of the “sound effect only“ gimmick which was used a few issues earlier. Not sure if someone just liked the gag, or if Stan Lee didn’t want to write any dialogue. Does anyone know off hand if this gets used in any other Marvel titles around this time? . This run ends without any sign of Betty Brant, but despite their relationship being over for some months, it’s clear Peter still has feelings for her. That scene where Spidey punches out a mannequin because it reminds him of Ned Leeds is strong stuff, for an otherwise fun story! Back at Aunt May's house, Mary Jane makes another on-panel appearance, over a year since the last time we saw her. I think she’s only been mentioned once or twice since then too. This will be the last teaser until her official debut in a few issues! . So that's it. Steve Ditko's Peter Parker walks up that flight of stairs and never comes back down. This issue marked the end of an era, but for fans of the character, further adventures were just a month away. Notable differences in the reprint: The bottom panels on the cover have been re-arranged to accommodate the UPC box. Originally it was “Thrills!”, “Spills!” and “Chills!”. Now it’s “Spills!”, “Thrills!” and “Chills!”. Not sure which one is more enticing. There are only minor changes to the first page, to accommodate the addition of reprint colorist Andy Yanchus' name to the credits. Strangely, the indicia is completely missing from this issue of Marvel Tales. I assumed this was always required by law or something, but somehow it got missed this one month. It's back for next issue. The older comics used to have it on the inside cover, underneath an advertisement, or whatever was printed there, so I thought maybe Marvel Tales moved it to another page, but I couldn't find it. The colouring has been changed on Norman Osborn’s sunglasses which he wears as part of his disguise when he hires that gang of criminals to go after Spider-man. Here the glasses have been re-coloured to a sort of neutral colour, somewhat purplish, gray, brown. I think the colouring on the originals is more appropriate considering it’s his favorite colour! This is something I meant to point out in my earlier reviews, but I kept forgetting, so I figure I might as well mention it now while I remember. The webbing under Spidey’s arms is something that will come and go over the years depending on the artist and is usually omitted when he’s adapted to other media. Ditko usually makes a point to include it, and it is especially prominent in the early issues. The way it’s coloured in the originals, it is transparent, and that’s how it’s drawn too. The under-arm webs don’t have any particular colour, they’re just coloured the same as the background. Same goes for his webbing most of the time. Eventually the standard colour for the webbing and under-arm webs will be purple which is how it was coloured in the Marvel Tales reprints. Post Office of the Past and a reprinted Bullpin Bulletins (originally from ASM 41, though they don’t mention it). Jim Owsley, Editor. Keith Williams, Assistant Editor There’s picture of the Green Goblin from Romita’s first issue, on the letters page, but he’s coloured like Hobgoblin Personal anecdotes: The cover seems like something I remember seeing on the stands when it was new, but I never got it. I could be imagining that though. Even though my memory is good for some details, some times things just get mixed up. This was one of the final Marvel Tales issues I’d get before finally reading the whole run in the Essential Spider-man collections in the late 90s. I probably got it from a discount bin, close to the same time I got the Looter issue. I’m not even sure if I realized this was Ditko’s final issue when I read it I was already familiar with “Joe” since I had an old Captain America issue from the 80s where he appeared which I read a lot when I was a kid. The story mentioned that he had fought Spider-man before, but I had no idea at the time that it was from a Lee/Ditko era story, let alone the final one. I re-read that Cap issue recently and it's pretty good. It's a more serious take on Joe Smith. He's re-appeared a few times since, but has mostly remained confined to comic book Limbo.
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Post by tarkintino on Sept 8, 2024 18:56:00 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 38 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 177) Lee has also gone on record for what was intended for Osborn, and considering the depth of the characterization of Osborn seen in the next issue, the contrast to Ditko's brand of writing is glaring, suggesting this development was not coming only one direction. What a debut she will make! Yes, and the change would be seismic for the very perception of Spider-Man in comics, and a couple of animation studios which would soon bring Spider-Man to the TV masses with input from two guys from Marvel...
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