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Post by berkley on Sept 9, 2024 0:30:34 GMT -5
On Ditko's female characters, I agree that their faces can look a little strange at times - but the same is true of his male characters. That's Ditko's style, the visual world he creates. Within the context of that world - unquestionably a strange world compared to everyday life - I think his women are often attractive. The same can be said of many comics artists whose styles lean more towards a cartoonist's approach. So I think it doesn't make a lot of sense to expect Ditko's Gwen Stacey to look as conventionally pretty as Romita's - when did Ditko ever draw anything in a conventional way?
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
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Post by Confessor on Sept 9, 2024 4:29:32 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 38 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 177) 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. I've always assumed that Steve Ditko didn't do a proper cover for this issue because he'd left Marvel. The story goes that Ditko just walked into the Marvel offices one day, dropped off the artwork for this issue and announced that he was quitting. I have no idea whether he'd been thinking about doing that for a while or if it was a more capricious, in-the-moment decision (I tend to think it was probably the latter, given how much stuff Ditko was setting up for future issues as recently as ASM #37). That said, John Romita has said that Ditko had kept threatening to quite for a while before he actually did, but that may've been more of a threat designed to prompt Stan Lee into addressing his ongoing concerns about not getting enough credit for Spider-Man and Doctor Strange perhaps? Anyway, my assumption has always been that Steve finished the interiors but left before drawing a cover for this issue. He does manage to upset some student protesters who want him to join in. Ditko had no time or sympathy for student protests and that comes across in Peter's dialogue: "Another student protest! What are they after THIS time?" Peter even contemplates attacking the protesters and giving "them something to protest about". This is, of course, very out of character for Peter, but very in character for Steve Ditko. I supect Lee actually watered Ditko's dialogue suggestions down in this scene, so lord knows what Peter was supposed to say to the protestors! According to author Sean Howe in his book Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, there was a bit of a reader backlash concerning this scene, including a letter from a member of Students for a Democratic Society who called Stan Lee out on it. Lee attempted to smooth things over by telling the angry correspondent that he never imagined that anybody would "take our silly protest-marchers seriously". 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. I've always been kind of ambivalent to the underarm webbing. It's fine if it's included, but generally I prefer Spider-Man's costume without it. Overall, this is a really forgettable issue, which is a shame considering it's Ditko's last. I don't know if it was down to Ditko's resentment towards Lee or just his general apathy for Spider-Man, but this is nowhere near his best stuff. Not that it's all bad, mind you. The fight sequences between Spidey and Joe or Spidey and the gangsters are as imaginative and exciting as ever, and there are the usual interesting soap opera elements, with Peter's encounter with Ned Leeds and Leeds' search for Betty, plus Gwen Stacy's ever-growing attraction to Peter. But I dunno, it all just feels bit like Ditko going through the motions somehow.
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Post by jtrw2024 on Sept 10, 2024 17:38:14 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 39-40 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 178-179) part 1- “How Green was My Goblin!” Credits (as they appear in the comic): Script .. Smilin’ Stan Lee Art .. Jazzy Johnny Romita Inks … Mighty Mike Esposito Lettering .. Adorable Artie Simek part 2- “Spidey Saves the Day!” featuring “The End of the Green Goblin!” Credits (as they appear in the comic): Stan Lee Writer John Romita Pencils Mike Esposito Inks* Sam Rosen Letters Andy Yanchus Colors (this was an error in the credits, as a later issue identifies George Roussos for the colours on these two issues of Marvel Tales) Plot Synopsis: John Romita has arrived! The secrets of the Green Goblin revealed at last! A bold new era of Spider-man greatness begins here! Comments: This story is a big-game changer for sure. Not only does it introduce a new regular artist, but we finally learn the identity of the Green Goblin! (it's Norman Osborn, by the way) Although John Romita's signature style is obvious right from the get go, there's still a little bit of Steve Ditko's influence. Not surprising, considering how long Ditko was on the title, and how much of the groundwork was laid out in those issues. The early scenes with the Green Goblin in his hideout are definitely evoking similar images from Ditko's stories. Romita's interpretation of Spider-man, the Green Goblin and other characters differs from the way Ditko's style depicted them, and will influence many future artists working on this title, and also be adapted for licensing and appearances in other media. It’s been about two years since the Green Goblin was first introduced, but somehow it feels like the mystery lasted longer just by the amount of times he appeared in that first year without any clue whatsoever to his identity. Actually it’s been about a year since his last appearance, which is probably the longest he had gone without an appearance up to this point. Norman Osborn was formally introduced and made some appearances over the last couple months, but there’s no obvious clues in those stories to link him to the Goblin, so the reveal here still works as a surprise! The Green Goblin has been laying low for quite awhile, but now he's back! He's modified his rocket-powered flying broomstick, and it looks just like the glider he's used in most of his appearances (Spidey refers to it as the Goblin Glider, but the Goblin calls it his Flying Broomstick in both issues). We've seen him in the past few issues, operating in his civilian identity, and also using a different, less outlandish disguise, but he still takes time to fly around the city, while reading the newspaper. I don't think recycling was a thing back when these stories were published, but I'm pretty sure he's not tossing that newspaper into the trash. Is this guy evil or what? Since Spider-man is the type of hero who has to deal with normal real-life problems, this story starts off with him feeling a little ill and visiting his doctor. This is really just an excuse to set-up some plot threads involving Aunt May's latest health scare. The doctor Peter visits is also Aunt May's doc, Dr. Bromwell who has appeared a few times before, though I probably forgot to mention him. Dr. Bromwell's not really a major character like Professor Warren who I also forgot to mention a few issues back, but he is a recurring one, so I probably should have. The doctor warns Peter that Aunt May should avoid any major shocks or excitement, but considering this series is always full of that sort of thing, you know it won't be too long before something happens. . There's nothing too exciting happening at Empire State University for a change. The drama between Peter and his cast of schoolmates is kept to a minimum, but there is some character development with Harry Osborn, and the first signs that he and Peter will become friends. This is good news for Gwen Stacy of course, and even Flash Thompson begins to see Peter Parker in a new light. Though the Green Goblin has been keeping a low profile these past few months, he does manage to recruit some crooks to stage a robbery atop a very high New York City building. Spider-man spots the crime while swinging down from an apparently taller building. As usual ordinary crooks are no match for Spidey, though he can tell they've been preparing to fight someone like him and they do manage to hit him with some special gas provided to him by the Green Goblin. Those crooks Spider-man is fighting mention “The Goblin” and “Green Goon”, but Spidey is probably still distracted by that spider-sense dulling gas he was just hit with that he doesn’t seem to hear them. If he was paying attention he likely would have clued in to the fact that these guys were working for the Green Goblin and been on his guard more, so as not to be caught unaware when the Goblin follows him around to learn his identity before surprising him outside his home. . . Before this issue's big confrontation, a few scenes at the Daily Bugle helps bring readers up-to-date with some more members of the supporting cast, and lets John Romita show off his depictions of these characters. Ned Leeds has calmed down since the last time he and Peter saw each other, but J. Jonah Jameson hasn't changed a bit. The Green Goblin being the first and only foe to learn Spider-man’s true identity makes him one of the most dangerous opponents he’s had to face up til now. Doctor Octopus once unmasked Spider-man too, but our hero got lucky that time and managed to get out of that mess with his identity intact. This time the stakes seem more dire. The fight scene between Peter and the Green Goblin takes up only a few pages, but it's a good one and lets John Romita show-off. The Green Goblin has the element of surprise on his side, plus Peter is fighting out-of-costume, without his web-shooters and still shaking the effects of his head-cold and the gas that neutralizes his spider-sense. All the while, Peter is concerned about Aunt May, whose predicament was foreshadowed only a few pages ago. Fortunately Aunt May can't see anything through the thick cloud of smoke from the Goblin's glider, and when it clears, Peter has already been restrained and flown to his enemy's secret hideout where the biggest surprise of all awaits. Good thing this was a two-part story, because extra-space was needed to cram in all the good stuff ahead. That last page cliff-hanger is something I'm sure the original readers were just waiting for. . With the Green Goblin finally unmasked, Peter and the readers get to see a whole new side to this villain who up til now had been a complete mystery. . . . A few interludes between the Spider-man and Goblin scenes keep us update on Betty Brant who hasn't been seen in some time. There's also some a scene with Jonah, and also a few panels with Anna Watson and Aunt May whose concern for Peter is threatening to bring about that dire calamity Dr. Bromwell foresaw earlier in this story. After revealing his origin, (and either for the benefit of new readers, or just to remind any one who may have forgot what came before), the Green Goblin relates his past encounters with Spider-man. He uses a special device which allows him to project mental images through use of a retro-scope helmet. A device like this was used by the Green Goblin in his appearances from both the 1980s solo Spider-man cartoon, and also Spider-man and His Amazing Friends. Interestingly, the Goblin didn't bother to use this device when telling the story of his origin. Not sure if there was any particular reason for that, but it's worth noting that the origin story was Osborn's personal memories, while the scenes from the earlier issues were events which involved Spider-man and which he was already aware of. These types of flashbacks also give John Romita a chance to depict scenes from earlier Spider-man stories. In the earlier part of the story we had a similar sequence showing Spidey's encounter with Professor Stromm. There’ll be a lot more scenes like this starting with the very next issue where Romita gets to redraw parts from Ditko's stories The gas that the Green Goblin uses to dull Spider-man’s senses has popped up a few more times, but its effects have always been temporary. It’s not really stated in this story when the effect wears off, but he does seem to be back in full fighting form when it comes time for the ultimate confrontation between Spider-man the the Green Goblin. Spidey has been tied up and struggling to free himself, but the Goblin releases him so that they can fight and settle things once and for all. This is a great fight scene, and probably their first ever real physical confrontation. Before now, it was just a lot of chase scenes with some webbing from Spidey a few finger blasts, pumpkin bombs, stuff like that from Gobby. Now they're throwing punches and tearing the place up. In addition to his usual arsenal, the Green Goblin's sercret lair comes equipped with a deadly Goblin-cannon which Spider-man fortunately avoids. When the Goblin is blasted with an electro-chemical charge it wipes out his memory. Spidey thinks to himself that his spider-sense would warn him if there was still any danger, so we can assume his spider-sense was probably back by then! With the threat of the Green Goblin over, seemingly for good, and his true identity once again safe, Spider-man makes the decision to keep Osborn's secret to himself. After burning the Green Goblin's costume, he tells the arriving firefighters and police officers that the Goblin is gone and that Norman Osborn helped finish him off. That's true enough and as good an ending to this long-running plot as one could ask for. Since you can never keep a good villain down, the Green Goblin will make a few more appearances before too long, but the end to this story really serves to wrap one of the longest unresolved plot threads from the Ditko era. The other one is Mary Jane, and also that stuff with the disappearance of Betty Brant which started a few issues ago. Betty is back again in ASM 40, and her plot will be pretty much wrapped up soon. Mary Jane will be here before you know it too! With everything else that Spider-man had to deal with in this story, his biggest concern was the threat to Aunt May should anything ever happen to him, or if she were to learn his secret. He arrives home, to find Dr. Bromwell's car outside, but fortunately Aunt May is alright, and the sight of Peter safe at home is better for her than any medicine the doc could prescribe. Amazing Spider-man 39 has an iconic cover which has been homaged countless times in comics and other media throughout the years. John Romita himself re-uses that image of the Green Goblin twice in this very same issue. Right there on page 1 and again on page 16. Parts of this story were adapted and incorporated for the Green Goblin episodes of the 1980s solo Spider-man cartoon and Spider-man the Animated series in the 1990s, and also used in the 2002 Spider-man movie! Both the 90s cartoon and the 2002 movie adaptations also included Stromm as an assistant to Osborn, but not as a villain himself. The cover to Amazing Spider-man 40 is an interesting choice. It shows Spidey standing triumphantly over the body of his defeated foe. This exact scene actually occurs inside the story, but the Goblin was just feigning defeat. The cover doesn't really give a hint that Spidey's in any sort of danger, but I think it still does a good job conveying the optimistic resolution to this story. The last page promises a hopeful future for Peter, and even for Norman and Harry. Of course, Spider-man's story didn't end with the departure of Steve Ditko, and it doesn't end here. Notable differences in the reprint: *In the originals, inks are credited to Mickey Demeo, which I assume was a pen-name for Mike Esposito since that’s who is credited in the reprints . Marvel Tales 178 There's no colourist credit. The colours choices seem like there's an attempt to stick close to the originals, but there are a few differences, enough to tell that it was re-coloured. It doesn't look like Andy Yanchus' usual style, but he's credited on MT 179, and there's similar adherence to the original colours, so I'll just assume it's him. *EDIT* An editorial comment on the letters page of a later Marvel Tales indicates that Andy Yanchus was incorrectly credited for the reprint colours on Marvel Tales 178-179. It was actually George Roussos who re-coloured both these issues, which explains why the approach was so much different than Andy Yanchus’ usual colour choices. Post Office of the Past. A note indicates these letters were originally printed in ASM 42. Bullpen Bulletins is reprinted from ASM 39 (but it doesn’t say so). Jim Owsley, Editor. Keith Williams, Assistant Editor. Marvel Tales 179 Post Office of the Past. A note indicates these letters were originally printed in ASM 43. Bullpen Bulletins is reprinted from ASM 37 (it says so, and this time they mean it). Jim Owsley, Editor. Keith Williams, Assistant Editor. Personal anecdotes: I got both of these issues new off the racks when they came out. Not sure what drove me back for consecutive issues after so many missed months, but if I was going to come back, even for a short while, I guess I couldn't do any better than the end of the Green Goblin mystery! I’d actually read a version of this story some months earlier while waiting for my parents at a department store. The store had a book section and there was a Spider-man colouring book. I can’t remember too many times when I actually read an entire book in a store, but I read this one cover to cover. Never bought it though, but if I ever come across a (preferably uncoloured) copy I’ll be sure to rectify that. A quick Internet search tells me this colouring book was called “Spider-man Unmasked” and came out in 1983 which was the year before I read it. It’s a retelling of the story from these two issues, written by David Kraft, with Winslow Mortimer on pencils, and also the original inker Mike Esposito on inks! These are all real comic creators who have worked on actual comics, so I imagine I’d enjoy it again today as much as I did that day in the store. Of course, the actual original story would still be my preferred version though! Though I read these stories for the first time in Marvel Tales 178-179 when they were released, I also bought an earlier reprint a few years ago from Marvel Tales 29 which collects both parts in a "Double-feature Special". Marvel Tales 29 has a new cover by Sal Buscema, which isn't as good as either of the original ones, but it probably did the job, enticing new readers who may not have been familiar with the story. It seems as though it's been re-coloured too, which I, for some reason assumed, was only something they started doing with the reprints that came out in the 1980s. The cover to Amazing Spider-man 39 is included as a back-up, pin-up between the two stories, and there's also a Steve Ditko era Dr. Strange reprint. Though I don't have a lot of these early Marvel Tales issues, my collection is uninterrupted starting from Marvel Tales 61 which reprints Amazing Spider-man 80. I probably went out of my way and bought this one at some point because I liked the idea of having both these two stories in one book (outside of larger reprint collections, of which I own several). I was actually looking through my older Marvel Tales issues recently , and even though I knew where my uninterrupted run starts, it seems I actually had more of these earlier ones than I thought. Even though I hadn't been actively filling in holes in my collection for awhile, I've since made it a point to try to pick up some of those Marvel Tales issues I've been missing, especially since this current run that I've been reviewing ends its consecutive reprints with Amazing Spider-man 50.
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Post by Ricky Jackson on Sept 10, 2024 19:04:29 GMT -5
Yeah, I remember being in awe of the cover of Marvel Tales reprinting ASM 39 the first time I saw it. How I loved these two issues as a 9 year old Spidey nut. Seeing all these panels brings back a ton of memories. The last time I read these stories was in the b+w Essential volume, so it's been a while since I've seen them in color!
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Post by tarkintino on Sept 10, 2024 19:33:22 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 39-40 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 178-179) At last. Few running superhero titles would see such a monumental shift toward new creative heights like this one (exceptions include but not limited to O'Neil and Adams on Batman and Green Lantern). Right out of the gates, Romita--while trying to carry over some Ditko-isms in certain angles of Spider-Man--reinvented the very perception of Spider-Man and his world, obviously framed and driven by the heightened drama from Lee's story. Spider-Man would never be the same again--and never look back, either for a generation or more. With the Lee/Romita era, Norman Osborn officially becomes one of the genre's most compelling megalomaniac / eternal devil to the hero. While Marvel created a vault's worth of villains during the Silver Age, few ascended to that legendary level helping to define the genre at its best, aside from the Fantastic Four's Doctor Doom and Galactus. Finally, The Amazing Spider-Man added its own to the pantheon of great villains with someone who tore at the soul of the hero, constantly threatening him, yet the hero's moral core would prevent him from ever viewing enemies in the "this is the mission" / "do or die" manner of an early Silver Age Captain America. Its just so fascinating that Peter and/or May's health issues--nothing new to TASM--just took on a weightier punch in Romita's hands. His innate talent for capturing every little expression on the faces of the troubled cast moves this toward playing in a far more relatable way than his predecessor's approach. At this point, while Romita brought a eye-opening level of dynamic action and angles to the panels of TASM, compared to where he would take his pencils in just a few short issues, the work in #39 and #40 could seem a wee bit subdued! ...and what a powerful revelation the unmasking / explanation it turned out to be. I cannot see that ind of dramatic execution and purpose happening under Ditko's "solo" stint on TASM. The cover being one the most important & memorable in the medium's history is well-understood to just about anyone who ever picked up a comic or followed Spider-Man, but the 2-parter's story is of course, just as iconic, reprinted endlessly since 1971, whether in monthly reprints, TPBs, HBs, foreign editions, artist collections, or with truncated parts featured in comic history books. Below is but a very small sample of the number of times this legendary 2-part arc had been reprinted across the decades (with #39 & #40 featured prominently): Yes, "Demeo" was Esposito.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
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Post by Confessor on Sept 10, 2024 22:20:30 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 39-40 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 178-179) Amazing Spider-man 39 has an iconic cover which has been homaged countless times in comics and other media throughout the years. Amazing Spider-Man #39 has such a great cover! Not only does it look fantastic from a compositional standpoint and in terms of John Romita's draughtsmanship, but it also features the utterly arresting image of Peter Parker, his civilian clothing torn to expose his secret identity, bound and being towed across the New York skyline by the Green Goblin on his power-glider! That cover must've been impossible to resist for any young reader even remotely aware of Spider-Man that was browsing the spinner racks back in May 1966. Bam! What a way to announce the John Romita era of Spider-Man has begun! Although John Romita's signature style is obvious right from the get go, there's still a little bit of Steve Ditko's influence. Not surprising, considering how long Ditko was on the title, and how much of the groundwork was laid out in those issues. It's not just Ditko's residual influence on the comic – John Romita was deliberately aping Ditko's style. In Tom DeFalco's 2004 book Comics Creators on Spider-Man, Romita says that he was actively trying to draw as close to Ditko's style as he could for his first four or five issues on Amazing Spider-Man. His reasoning being that he felt he had an obligation to the readers to ease the transition from one artist to another. Romita explained… "I used a thin pen line on Spider-Man to mimic Ditko's inking style. I was also drawing a lot of nine-panel pages because that's what Steve had done. I only made one concession to my style and that was during the action sequences. I had to draw bigger panels because I just couldn't do the action scenes in small panels."I have to say, the results of Romita's "Ditkofication" are somewhat hit and miss for me, insofar as some panels really do look quite Ditko-esque, while in others – particularly the close-up face shots – the characters look very different to how Ditko depicted them and exactly as you'd expect Romita to draw them. Still, it goes to show what a fantastic artist Romita was that he was able to copy Ditko's idiosyncratic style as successfully as he did. The early scenes with the Green Goblin in his hideout are definitely evoking similar images from Ditko's stories. Yeah, the two panels of the Goblin taking his mask off and standing behind an open locker or similar in ASM #39 look an awful lot like Ditko's panels from the Goblin's first appearance ASM #14. Here's Romita's art in ASM #39… And here are Ditko's panels from ASM #14… That has to have been intentional of Romita's part, right? It's gotta a deliberate homage to Ditko by his successor. Since Spider-man is the type of hero who has to deal with normal real-life problems, this story starts off with him feeling a little ill and visiting his doctor. I find Stan Lee's phonetically rendered "blocked nose" dialogue for Peter really annoying! There's nothing too exciting happening at Empire State University for a change. The drama between Peter and his cast of schoolmates is kept to a minimum, but there is some character development with Harry Osborn, and the first signs that he and Peter will become friends. This is good news for Gwen Stacy of course, and even Flash Thompson begins to see Peter Parker in a new light. Stan gets to work in ASM #39 undoing a lot of the hostility and animosity that Ditko had generated between Peter and his male supporting cast. So, we get Harry and Peter having a real heart-to-heart conversation about Harry's dad, and Peter and Ned Leeds decide to bury the hatchet too, with Peter telling his romantic rival that he's going to step aside and stop pursuing Betty Brant. You can't help feeling that the earlier conflict between these characters was something that Stan really disliked and here he is putting things straight at the very first opportunity. Even Flash Thompson is grudgingly forced to admit that Peter might be a lot more man than he's ever given him credit for being in the past. Though the Green Goblin has been keeping a low profile these past few months, he does manage to recruit some crooks to stage a robbery atop a very high New York City building. I love that panel of the Green Goblin circling the skyscraper on his glider, smoke bellowing, as he watches his hoods tangling with Spider-Man. It's super cool. After revealing his origin, (and either for the benefit of new readers, or just to remind any one who may have forgot what came before), the Green Goblin relates his past encounters with Spider-man. He uses a special device which allows him to project mental images through use of a retro-scope helmet. I must say that Norman Osborn's retroscope helmet seems like a bit of a lame idea. It's just a much too blatant narrative device to simultaneously pad out the issue, while giving any new readers the lowdown on Spidey and the Goblin's previous encounters. It seems like uncharacteristically lazy storytelling from Stan. With the threat of the Green Goblin over, seemingly for good, and his true identity once again safe, Spider-man makes the decision to keep Osborn's secret to himself. After burning the Green Goblin's costume, he tells the arriving firefighters and police officers that the Goblin is gone and that Norman Osborn helped finish him off. That's true enough and as good an ending to this long-running plot as one could ask for. I have to say that I kinda disagree that this is a good ending to this particular Spider-Man/Green Goblin encounter. Frankly, I think that the amnesia shenanigans with Oborn losing all recollection of his time as the Goblin, thus preserving Peter's secret identity, is a bit rubbish. It's just a tad too convenient for my tastes. I think I would have preferred Osborn to have been killed in the fire in his laboratory/hideout, but of course that would've robbed us of a lot of great stories further down the road. I will say that I'm glad the threat of Osborn's memory possibly returning at some point in the future was used to such great dramatic effect in the months and years to come. Who knows, maybe that was Stan's plan all along? In the originals, inks are credited to Mickey Demeo, which I assume was a pen-name for Mike Esposito since that’s who is credited in the reprints. I believe I'm right in saying that Mike Esposito used the "Mickey Demeo" pseudonym because he was also inking for DC Comics at the time and didn't want anyone there to know that he was moonlighting at Marvel. I'm pretty sure one of the forum regulars here told me that waaaaay back in the old CBR days. Overall, this two-part story is awesome. Stan Lee really pulls out all the stops, serving up one of the most exciting Spidey stories of the 1960s. Certainly, it's the best arc since the Master Planner adventure. You really have to wonder if writing these issues felt personal for Stan…like he had something to prove. This was the first time he's properly co-written Spider-Man with an artist, using the Marvel method, in over a year. I suspect that Stan really wanted to create something that would knock reader's socks off to prove that the comic could survive the departure of Steve Ditko. Certainly, Romita has gone on record as saying that it is his belief that the Green Goblin's identity would not have been revealed in issue #39 had Ditko stayed on the comic. I think Stan decided that revealing the Goblin's identity in these issues was just the thing to blow reader's minds. I'm a big fan of John Romita's artwork – he's probably my favourite comic book artist of all time. He really hits the ground running with these two issues. There are lots of strong character moments, note perfect pacing, and some brilliantly dynamic action sequences. The fight scenes especially really allow Romita to shine. Simply put, Spider-Man comics don't come much better than these two issues.
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Post by jester on Sept 11, 2024 10:30:40 GMT -5
#39-40 is a great two-parter. I can't imagine how exciting it would have been buying them off the stands when they were new. I think it was really with these issues that the Goblin supplanted Doc Ock as Spidey's arch enemy.
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Post by jtrw2024 on Sept 12, 2024 17:08:57 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 41 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 180) “The Horns of the Rhino!” Credits (as they appear in the comic): Stan Lee Writer John Romita Pencils Mike Esposito Inks Art Simek Letters Andy Yanchus Colors Plot Synopsis: Spider-man has to rescue J. Jonah Jameson’s son from a new villain... The Rhino! Comments: Spider-man's new era continues (the splash page says it begins here, but we all know it started a couple issues back) . A few familiar faces return, a new villain is introduced and there are also some changes on the way. Aunt May contemplates selling her home and moving in with Anna Watson, now that her niece Mary Jane has moved out. Apparently Anna's husband who was mentioned once a while back is no longer in the picture either, I suppose. Meanwhile, Peter prepares to make a big change himself, as he gets ready to buy a new motorcycle with a credit reference from J. Jonah Jameson. Peter Parker's motorcycle sticks around for a couple years, and has never really been referenced much since, but it was a really big part of these early John Romita era stories. The bike made one or two appearances in the Spider-man cartoon from the 1960s. The movies from the early 2000s had Peter riding around on a scooter. For anyone wondering about Peter's age, according to Anna Watson, he's almost twenty J.J.J's son, astronaut John Jameson finally makes his return. John was introduced way back in Amazing Spider-man 1, alongside his father, but really hasn't been seen or even referenced since then. For readers who didn't read that early appearance, or simply forgot about that story forty issues back, John Romita re-creates that classic scene, originally drawn by Steve Ditko, where Spider-man performs his first daring rescue. In this retelling, Spider-man's web-shooter which originally made a "twnnnng" sound, has now been updated to the more acoustically accurate "Thwip"! Though his son is willing to give Spider-man a fair chance, J.Jonah Jameson's opinion of the web-spinner has not changed. He's even got a Spider-man dart board in his office, though he doesn't seem to have gotten any good hits. I should point out that it looks like he's throwing darts at a Steve Ditko drawing, (but don't read too much in to that)! In addition to flashbacks of the earlier adventure, new scenes of a more recent spaceflight show that John Jameson was exposed to mysterious spores which make him a person of scientific interest to both his own country and also to other, hostile nations. John is being escorted around by Federal agents to protect him from any potential danger, but one of these unfriendly countries has dispatched the unstoppable Rhino. While the Rhino stomps his way across the country to New York, Peter Parker reconnects with Betty Brant who has returned to the city. In the months that Betty has been away Peter has settled his feelings for her, and is ready to move on, leaving her free to straighten out her relationship with Ned Leeds. As always Peter has a lot on his mind, wondering about school work, his new bike, the possibility of moving out and getting his own apartment, and other matters. When the Rhino kidnaps John Jameson, Spider-man jumps into action forgetting his own troubles. The Rhino is a tough character and John Romita gets a few pages which allow him to go crazy with lots of cool shots of Spider-man leaping around trying to avoid getting clobbered by his new foe! Surprisingly Spider-man manages to defeat the Rhino with only his usual combination of agility, webbing and good-old-fashioned spider-strength. Too bad he forgot to take pictures of the whole thing. . . . Despite not managing to get any newsworthy photos of Spider-man's latest escapade, Peter still gets to buy his motorcycle. Stopping off at school on his way home, Peter and his new wheels manage to make an impression on Flash, Harry and especially Gwen. A running joke which I think starts in this issue (but feel free to correct me if there was an earlier reference), has Aunt May referring to Peter as a real "pussywillow", even though everyone informs her that the correct term is "pussycat". . There's still one bit of business that has gone on far too long, and needs to be taken care of. At the end of this issue, after months of putting it off, Peter finally agrees to meet Mary Jane in a few days. The closing caption promises readers that they will meet Mary Jane next issue (but there's still one Spider-man adventure before that) Notable differences in the reprint: The reprinted cover includes some additional debris at the top from the wall Rhino is smashing. Not sure if these details would have been something that was actually penciled and inked, but just obscured when the ASM original logo was pasted on. The original cover actually has Rhino’s head and horn covering part of the title logo, like he’s coming right out at you which I really like! Once again, the original lists “M. Demeo” as the inker, but the reprint corrects this to Mike Esposito In the original issues, Peter’s new motorcycle is a brownish colour that later gets a new red paint job a few issues later. Here Andy Yanchus colours it red right from the start. He’ll admit in a later issue letter column that he forgot about the story where the bike was repainted and just assumed that it was always red. The letters page is only Post Office of the Past and a reprinted Bullpen Bulletins from ASM 41. Jim Owsley, Editor. Keith Williams, Assistant Editor Personal anecdotes: This was the last issue of Marvel Tales from this stretch of reprints that I would get new off the stands. I actually saw it at a convenience store that summer it came out, but it was next to an issue of Transformers that I wanted more. It wasn't long though before I'd visit a comic store and get a chance to pick it up though. I seem to remember the comic store actually having this issue of Marvel Tales and the next one too. I only had the chance to get one, but I'm not sure why I chose this one over the other. I was familiar with the Rhino from the old Spider-man cartoon, but don't think that necessarily would have been a factor. It's probably just because I didn't get it that first time when I saw it in the convenience store, so figured I might as well make up for that. Plus there'd always be time to get that other issue at a later date, right?
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Post by Cei-U! on Sept 12, 2024 18:12:32 GMT -5
Unless Pete was 19 when he graduated from high school (if anything, a kid that bright is more likely to be underage--I was) or unless he and the gang are already sophomores (not possible according to the chronology I've worked out), no way is he "almost twenty."
Cei-U! I summon the skepticism!
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Post by jtrw2024 on Sept 12, 2024 18:27:50 GMT -5
Unless Pete was 19 when he graduated from high school (if anything, a kid that bright is more likely to be underage--I was) or unless he and the gang are already sophomores (not possible according to the chronology I've worked out), no way is he "almost twenty." Cei-U! I summon the skepticism! Possibly Aunt Anna didn't know Peter's actual age. She also once told MJ that Peter was a year older than her. Maybe that's not really accurate either?
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Post by tarkintino on Sept 13, 2024 0:28:09 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 41 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 180) “The Horns of the Rhino!” Plot Synopsis: Spider-man has to rescue J. Jonah Jameson’s son from a new villain... The Rhino! Meanwhile, Peter prepares to make a big change himself, as he gets ready to buy a new motorcycle with a credit reference from J. Jonah Jameson. Peter Parker's motorcycle sticks around for a couple years, and has never really been referenced much since, but it was a really big part of these early John Romita era stories.[/quote] The redefining changes of the Lee/Romita era continued with this issue; having Peter use a motorcycle was great departure (one of many) from the Ditko interpretation of the character, with the bike symbolizing both a form of independence mirroring his solo status in costume. That said, as this era of Peter was more socialized, he would have no problem happily riding around with certain company. Heh heh heh.... ...and to think, Romita made such an instant, monumental impact on the title, but he was still nowhere near his best on the title yet. The Rhino's debut TASM issue was first reprinted in Marvel Tales #30 (April, 1971) with a cover provided by Marie Severin with inks from Sal Buscema: Needless to say, Marie Severin's version was undeniably inferior; Spider-Man's body looks similar to someone close to tipping while trying to catch a falling object, and not actually interacting with the Rhino. Soon, Marie will be replaced on the reprint cover duty by Sal and John Buscema and the far more understandable choice in the talents of Gil Kane.
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Post by jtrw2024 on Sept 13, 2024 17:32:46 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Annual 3 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 181) “...To Become an Avenger!” Credits (as they appear in the comic): Script Writin' by Smilin' Stan Lee Layouts by Jazzy Johnny Romita Pencilin' by Dashin' Donnie Heck Inkin' by Mirthful Mike Esposito Letterin' by Adorable Artie Simek Colorin' by Amazin' Andy Yanchus Plot Synopsis: If Spider-man wants to be an Avenger, he'll have to fight the Hulk! Comments: This Annual is a special story that addresses the inevitable question readers were likely asking. Should Spider-man be an Avenger? Even though we're early into John Romita's tenure on the book, he only does layouts for this story, with Don Heck doing the actual pencils, inked by Mike Esposito (aka Mickey Demeo) The story begins with an important Avengers meeting. The assembled heroes are sitting around, staring at a picture of Spider-man. They've apparently been staring at it for a long time. It's just one picture. Not a series of pictures. Not a film with footage of Spidey in action. When Comic Book fans get together and do stuff like this it's nerdy, but when the Avengers do it, it's REALLY EPIC! By this point, the Avengers have been around a few years, and the group's membership has included many popular heroes. Since Spider-man was one of Marvel's top characters, the question of whether or not he should join the Avengers probably came up a lot in those days. It still does today, I'm sure, except now he actually has been an Avenger and appeared in movies with them, but back then it was still a new, fresh idea. The members in this issue are Captain America, Hawkeye, Thor, Goliath, the Wasp and Iron Man. QuickSilver and the Scarlet Witch are away in Europe. That's a solid line-up of characters, and Spider-man would probably look pretty good standing there with those other popular heroes, so why shouldn't he get a chance? Some of these characters have met Spidey before (in this title, or some of their own), and as a group they've been paying attention to his exploits (such as that brief scene from Amazing Spider-man 18), but they still don't know a lot about him. In order to get a better idea of whether Spider-man is Avenger's material, Hawkeye suggests talking to another hero who's fought with and against Spidey. Nope, he's not talking about the Human Torch. Although the Avengers probably have a direct line to the Fantastic Four, it's far easier for them to devise an elaborate method to contact Daredevil, and summon him to their mansion headquarters. Daredevil has never been asked to join the Avengers either, but only because none of their team has officially proposed him for membership. Apparently that process is more complicated than it sounds, otherwise I'm sure they would have asked him to join while he was there. Instead they ask him about Spider-man and he references his two team-ups with the web-swinger, from ASM 16 and a recent adventure in the pages of DD's own title, issues 16-17 (drawn by John Romita as a sort-of try out before his official appointment as Ditko's replacement). Daredevil knows that the Avengers are considering Spider-man for membership, and gives a good recommendation. If he was offended that they didn't ask him to join, he's polite enough not to say anything. Once it's decided to offer membership to Spidey, the Avengers split up and scour the city. Thor is the Avenger who finds him first, and after a real great sales pitch, he gives Spidey 24 hours to think it over. During that time, Peter ponders the pros and cons, before finally deciding to see what the Avengers have to offer. . . A splash page towards the middle of the story marks the first official meeting between Spider-man and the Avengers, but it isn't too long before things get tense. As usual, when you get too many super-heroes in one book, they start to fight. Fortunately things settle down before too long, and the Avengers decide on a suitable test to see if Spider-man has what it takes to join their ranks. The Hulk is a founding member of the Avengers, but his time with the group was short-lived. For his initiation test, Spider-man is tasked with finding the Hulk and bringing him back to Avengers mansion. A quick visit to the Daily Bugle for a drink of water, gives Spider-man a chance to annoy J. Jonah Jameson and also pick-up a lead on the Hulk. I like how casual Spider-man is about dropping by Jameson's office all the time. If J.J.J. is going to call Spidey a menace, he might as well act the part once in a while! The Hulk has been spotted near the Gamma Ray Research Center, which I assume is a real place in downtown New York. Spider-man remembers his previous encounter with the Hulk in ASM 14, but a footnote from Stan incorrectly references issue 10. After a few pages of Spider-man and the Hulk fighting, 'ol Jade-jaws is accidentally exposed to some Gamma Rays which cause him to revert back to Bruce Banner. At this point in his history, the Hulk's identity was still a secret, making Spider-man one of the first heroes to learn that he was really Dr. Bruce Banner. The effects of the Gamma Ray blast are temporary and only allow Banner to remain in his normal form for a few moments. As he begins to change back, Banner manages to provide Spider-man with the means to defeat the Hulk, by explaining that it takes a few minutes before his green alter-ego reaches full strength. The Hulk's abilities have never been consistently written, and I'm pretty sure that's not the way things work when he changes, but I'll just assume that Banner managed to exert a little bit of control to give Spidey the chance he needed. Though he manages to web up the Hulk and has him already gift-wrapped to deliver to the Avengers, Spider-man doesn't go through with it. Spidey is sympathetic to Dr. Banner's plight, and misunderstands the Avenger's reasons for wanting to capture the Hulk , so returns empty-handed. At this point in time, Spider-man is still destined to be an outsider. Notable differences in the reprint: The original Annual includes a contents page on the inside front cover. The book also includes reprints of Amazing Spider-man 11-12, which are shown on the original cover, but omitted from the reprinted version As with the past few issues “M. Demeo” is listed as the inker, but the reprint corrects this to Mike Esposito. No letters page in this issue of Marvel Tales The original issue (and other Marvel comics from around this time) had advertisements which ran along the bottom of many of the pages telling readers to "Watch Marvel Super-heroes on TV". Many of the heroes featured on this cartoon guest-starred in this very issue, and Spider-man would be receiving his own cartoon soon after! Personal anecdotes: This is one issue of Marvel Tales I definitely remember seeing on the stands when it came out, but unfortunately didn't get it at the time. I'm pretty sure I had a choice between the previous issue with the Rhino, and this one. Not too sure why I didn't pick up this one, or make an effort to get it at a later time since the Hulk had always been one of my favourites since I was a kid (mainly due to his TV series). A friend in school had a copy which he borrowed from another kid, and I was watching over his shoulder as he flipped through it. I remember the Hulk fight, and the scenes where he turns into Banner, but that's about it. I finally got my own copy and read the story, when I found it in a discount bin sometime in the late 1990s.
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,117
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Post by Confessor on Sept 14, 2024 7:12:14 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 41 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 180) The reprinted cover includes some additional debris at the top from the wall Rhino is smashing. Not sure if these details would have been something that was actually penciled and inked, but just obscured when the ASM original logo was pasted on. The original cover actually has Rhino’s head and horn covering part of the title logo, like he’s coming right out at you which I really like! I think this is one of the rare instances where I actually prefer the Marvel Tales cover to the original. I think having more of the wall that Rhino is breaking through visible is aesthetically more pleasing, even if, ultimately, it slightly spoils the impression that the Rhino is charging towards the reader. Aunt May contemplates selling her home and moving in with Anna Watson, now that her niece Mary Jane has moved out. Apparently Anna's husband who was mentioned once a while back is no longer in the picture either, I suppose. Moving Peter out of Aunt May's house, so that he can get a pad with his friend Harry Osborn – which this is the first indication of – was a very smart move on Stan Lee's part. I feel like the set up of having him living at home with May and having to sneak around to conceal his identity as Spider-Man had gone as far as it could and was a little played out by this point. Peter moving out to hang with his friends in the city show how he is maturing and opens up a lot of story potential. For anyone wondering about Peter's age, according to Anna Watson, he's almost twenty Concerning Anna Watson's comment about Peter's age, I'm with Cei-U! on this – I think it's a bit of an exaggeration. To be fair, this sort of thing does happen sometimes when older folks think you're too old to be acting in a certain way. My old Dad used to add a year or two to my age whenever he was admonishing me for not acting my age: "You're almost 18, for Heaven's sake!", he'd say – I was 16. Meanwhile, Peter prepares to make a big change himself, as he gets ready to buy a new motorcycle with a credit reference from J. Jonah Jameson. Peter Parker's motorcycle sticks around for a couple years, and has never really been referenced much since, but it was a really big part of these early John Romita era stories. I love Peter getting a motorcycle. Again, it made him seem more grown up and gave him a degree of independence that he had not had until then. It's also nice for the reader to see Peter happy for a change and actually managing to achieve something that brings him a lot of joy. I also like that Stan and John are careful not to give him an amazing looking motorcycle: it very much looks like a budget motorbike of the era, which makes sense when you consider that he's a student with a part-time photography job. It's only a little thing, but realistic touches like this help ground Spider-Man in a degree of real-world authenticity that you didn't tend to get quite so much in other Marvel superhero comics of the era. In the original issues, Peter’s new motorcycle is a brownish colour that later gets a new red paint job a few issues later. Here Andy Yanchus colours it red right from the start. He’ll admit in a later issue letter column that he forgot about the story where the bike was repainted and just assumed that it was always red. Yeah, Yanchus messed up! For some reason this (relatively small) mistake of Yanchus's really annoys me. I mean, good God man…you're re-colouring one of the most popular and influential comic series of the 1960s. Do your damn research! I really don't know why this little error annoys me as much as it does…but it does! J.J.J's son, astronaut John Jameson finally makes his return. John was introduced way back in Amazing Spider-man 1, alongside his father, but really hasn't been seen or even referenced since then. For readers who didn't read that early appearance, or simply forgot about that story forty issues back, John Romita re-creates that classic scene, originally drawn by Steve Ditko, where Spider-man performs his first daring rescue. Though his son is willing to give Spider-man a fair chance, J.Jonah Jameson's opinion of the web-spinner has not changed. He's even got a Spider-man dart board in his office, though he doesn't seem to have gotten any good hits. These scenes between John Jameson and his farther are fascinating and help to reinforce JJJ's motive for hating Spider-Man, which is that he feels that he upstaged his son and stole his glory. It's also a nice juxtaposition to have John liking Spider-Man, in complete contrast to his farther. This is an example, I feel, of Stan writing to his teenage readership and referencing the generation gap. We saw this recurring motif of the older generation being at odds with the youngsters on a few occasions in earlier issues of ASM, but it disappeared during the last part of Ditko's run – Ditko was most definitely not down with the kids! So, it's nice to have that young vs. old character dynamic popping up again; it feels very Sixties. I should point out that it looks like he's throwing darts at a Steve Ditko drawing, (but don't read too much in to that)! Ha ha! Well spotted. I'd never noticed that. Of course, knowing what a salesman Stan was, it's just as likely to be a bit of in-story promotion for the recently launched Spider-Man pin-up poster. Maybe not though…maybe it was a subtle dig at Ditko. In addition to flashbacks of the earlier adventure, new scenes of a more recent spaceflight show that John Jameson was exposed to mysterious spores which make him a person of scientific interest to both his own country and also to other, hostile nations. I suspect the "space spores" were inspired by the mysterious flashing lights or "fireflies" that astronaut John Glenn reported seeing outside his Mercury space capsule while he was in low Earth orbit in February 1962. Certainly, the capsule John Jameson is show to be flying here (and in Amazing Spider-Man #1) is a Mercury era capsule. In reality, the "fireflies" turned out to be nothing more than frozen droplets of water that had broken free from the surface of the capsule as it passed from the dark part of its orbit to the part in the sun. It was just sunlight illuminating the loose bits of frost floating around the ship, which gave them the appearances of twinkling lights or "fireflies". This mysterious phenomenon was widely reported in the press in the early Sixties though, with attendant speculation that the tiny glowing "creatures" could be alien. So, I'm sure that Stan and John would've heard about this. When the Rhino kidnaps John Jameson, Spider-man jumps into action forgetting his own troubles. The Rhino is a tough character and John Romita gets a few pages which allow him to go crazy with lots of cool shots of Spider-man leaping around trying to avoid getting clobbered by his new foe! Surprisingly Spider-man manages to defeat the Rhino with only his usual combination of agility, webbing and good-old-fashioned spider-strength. I've always had a soft spot for the Rhino. As the first original villain that the Lee/Romita team produced, I think he's pretty good – though clearly not a patch on some of Lee and Ditko's earlier villains. Of course, Rhino will become a much more nuanced and three-dimensional character in subsequent decades, due to later writers, but even here, as a terrifyingly strong muscleman for a foreign power, he works well enough. I also like that his origin is completely shrouded in mystery at this point. Overall, this was another fun issue. The Lee/Romita team really feels like a breath of fresh air after a year or so of Ditko-penned stories. As I say, I rather like the Rhino as a villain and the scenes with John Jameson and his dad are fun. There's also plenty of good soap opera moments, and Romita's artwork continues to look fantastic. Actually, Romita hinted in a 1966 interview that risqué fetish artist Bill Ward had pencilled a few pages in this issue, due to deadline pressure, with Romita touching the pages up afterwards (it was probably in the big fight scene with the Rhino). That fight sequence is very well drawn, with some great dynamic poses and lots of bone-crunching action, which would've been at least partly down to Ward's input. But yeah, who would've thought that a saucy, good girl artist like Bill Ward would've worked on Spider-Man?!
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Post by jtrw2024 on Sept 14, 2024 18:57:30 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 42 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 182) “The Birth of a Superhero!” Credits (as they appear in the comic): Smilin’ Stan Lee, Writer Jazzy Johnny Romita, Artist Slammin’ Sammy Rosen, Letterer Amazin’ Andy Yanchus, Coloring Plot Synopsis: Peter Parker is ready to face his greatest challenge ever… (but not til the last page)! Comments: Spider-man is a threat and a menace. J. Jonah Jameson has been saying that for years, and now the rest of the city can see for them selves that he was right all along. This story opens with Spider-man seemingly robbing a bank. There’ve been stories like this before, but it’s always an imposter in a Spider-man suit. Not this time though, that’s really Spidey fleeing the scene of the crime with a money-bag in hand. Of course nobody sees him toss the bag into the river once he’s far away. From his dialogue, we readers are made aware that there’s more to this scene, but answers aren’t forthcoming until a little later. It’s an interesting way to open the issue, and hook readers from the first page, but of course this is just set-up for the story that follows. J. Jonah Jameson doesn’t need any particular reason to hate Spidey anymore than he already does, but this latest escapade comes at just the right time. The previous issue related the story of how John Jameson was exposed to mysterious space-spores on his last space flight, which sets up this month’s plot. As everyone knows, space-spores can transform an ordinary man into a superhuman being of great strength and power. NASA’s scientists deduce that the spores must come from a planet like Jupiter with stronger gravitational pull. A special suit is designed by Tony Stark’s lab for John, to regulate his new abilities and ensure he does not accidently exert or injure himself. When this story was adapted for an episode of the Spectacular Spider-man cartoon series, John was given the name Colonel Jupiter in reference to this. This is still early in John Romita’s run on the title, but he’s adjusted quite well, maintaining what was already great about the title, while at the same time adding his own touches. Previous issues had him working with Mike Esposito on inks, and also Don Heck’s contributions to the art on the recent Annual, but here John Romita is credited with the full art. All the usual cast members put in an appearance here. There’s some brief scenes at the Daily Bugle with Betty Brant, Ned Leeds and Frederick Foswell. Peter Parker also stops by Empire State University to check in with Gwen Stacy, Flash Thompson and Harry Osborn. Gwen is starting to look less like Ditko-Gwen and is almost looking like Romita-Gwen. Harry makes reference to a place called the Silver Spoon which is a local café which will become a recurring hangout for this gang of characters in upcoming issues An interlude early in the story, also provides an update on the Rhino who was introduced last issue and will return again next month. In a nice bit of cross-promotion, there is an appearance from Daredevil cast member Foggy Nelson, who represents the Rhino in court. The design for the “Jupiter-suit” is interesting. It looks like what you’d expect a super-hero astronaut outfit to look like. The colour scheme is yellow with some green on the interior pages, but the yellow parts are orange on the cover. I don’t know if these are the best colours they could have gone with, but it contrasts nicely with Spider-man’s outfit and makes the fight scenes stand out. The lead-weight soles which disconnect from his boots to allow him to jump super-high are a unique touch It’s interesting to see the way J. Jonah Jameson embraces this new change in his son. He’s been crusading against super-heroes, Spidey in particular, since day one, and there have been other times when he’s worked with other costumed characters to try to get rid of the web-swinger, but they’ve always turned out to be crooks or crazies. With his son, of course, it’s a different story, since John has always been a hero in his father’s eyes. Jonah, being his usual self, still has no problems exploiting his son in order to further his personal grudge against Spider-man. John Jameson didn’t get much characterization in his first appearance way back in Amazing Spider-man 1, but last month’s issue established him as a level-headed individual willing to give Spider-man the benefit of the doubt, unlike his father. This all changes as the space-spores begin to affect John’s judgment, making him susceptible to the anti-Spider-man rhetoric his father spouts. A flashback in the middle of the story, reveals that Spider-man didn’t actually rob the bank, but saved it from a bomb planted in the vault. J. Jonah Jameson, doesn’t actually know all the details, but does learn that no money was actually stolen which sheds some doubt on the earlier allegations Jonah has gone after Spider-man plenty of times, even when there was no justifiable reason to, so whether or not Spidey actually committed a crime shouldn’t really affect him. Of course once he begins to see the change in his son’s behavior, Jonah’s fatherly concern causes him to reconsider things in a new light. This is a side to Jonah’s character that hasn’t really been explored much before. Concern for a loved one is something that anyone can relate to. Of course, once Spider-man defeats John with a high voltage shock, to cure him of his space-spore induced affliction, J. Jonah Jameson also goes back to his usual self This was a pretty good story, and it’s one of the most important issues in comic-book history, at least as far as Spider-man goes. As interesting as a super-powered John Jameson might be, though, that’s not the reason this issue is such a milestone. It all comes down to that last scene. This is an iconic moment and a line that has been referenced countless times. Both Spider-man the Animated Series and the Spectacular Spider-man cartoon adapted this scene, but it didn't really make it into any of the live-action Spider-man movies. This is one of those panels that most comic book fans have seen, even if they’ve never read this story. The end of last issue announced this was coming, but there’s nothing on the cover of this issue to give any indication for unsuspecting readers. After long months, Peter Parker and the readers finally got to meet Mary Jane Watson in this issue. Back when this first came out, readers would have to wait a whole month to see more of her, (but if you’re looking for my next review, you just need to wait One More Day)! Notable differences in the reprint: On the cover, it seems there was some touch up work, particularly on John Jameson’s face, probably due to whatever restoration process is used on these reprints. This results in some omission of the details on John’s angry face which changes the intensity of the scene There’s a Post Office of the Past letters page with letters commenting on the story we just read. There’s also an old Bullpen Bulletins page which appeared in the original ASM 42 Jim Owsley is still Editor, but now Adam Blaustein is Assistant Editor. An editorial comment on the letters page indicates that Andy Yanchus was incorrectly credited for the reprint colours on the Green Goblin story in Marvel Tales 178-179. It was actually George Roussos who re-coloured both these issues, which explains why the approach was so much different than Andy Yanchus’ usual colour choices. George Roussos also did the new colours for the reprint of the Kraven story a few issues back which similarly strived to match the colours of the original. I’ve added an edit to my reviews of MT 178-179 under my original comments to note Roussos' contribution Personal anecdotes: Mary Jane Watson had already been around for quite awhile before I was even born. I’d read plenty of Spider-man stories with her before I’d even heard about this story. You can count me among those fans who had seen that iconic panel many times before reading this issue. This was from the period where I didn’t get any new Marvel Tales issues, and although I had a few of the following issues which I had bought as back issues, I never got around to this one. My first time reading the story was when it was reprinted in black-and-white for the Essential Spider-man collections. I’ve read it plenty of times since, in various coloured formats, but this was probably my first time reading the story in Marvel Tales
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Post by tarkintino on Sept 14, 2024 19:58:03 GMT -5
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Annual 3 (reprinted in Marvel Tales 181) Oh, yes, and sharp drop in quality was apparent. The biggest visual saving grace was Romita's bursting-at-the-seams cover, which to this day remains a fantastic moment, with Spider-Man--despite being in the grip of the Hulk--is battering his head with such determined ferocity. I've always imagined if Spider-Man joined the Avengers at this time, the course of his next few years may have taken a different turn, since some of his conflicts would have brought some or all of the other Avengers to his side. Yes, yes, that did not always happen in the solo titles of other characters, but I can imagine the force of the Avengers in his corner could have neutralized the threat of the Kingpin, the upcoming return of the Green Goblin (the latter changing a significant part of Spider-Man's history), etc. I've always appreciated how this era of the Marvel universe was not overpopulated by heroes, so it was quite likely none of the other Avengers had any intimate knowledge of Spider-Man, who was still a man of mystery, despite his media coverage and Jameson rants. As Spider-Man shows up for his meeting, he's a standout, not at all appearing like someone who would instantly fit in with that team. Classic Stan Lee heart and bittersweet characterization at work in Spider-Man's decision. After dealing with another troubled scientist in the form of Curt Connors (and realizing that his alter-ego is not a psychological projection of the man within), Spider-Man could not bring himself to hand the Hulk over to the Avengers. Rarely self-interested (particularly after the most glaring act of selfishness which created his crime-fighting career), Spider-Man...Peter resigns himself to his seemingly eternal state of loneliness at a point where his entire life would have benefited from joining the Avengers. TASM annual #3 was the best published so far, capturing the feel of a changing Spider-Man comic, and a more polished Marvel execution of crossovers, which felt natural, rather than forced strictly for sales purposes. 1966 & 1967 were Marvel's breakthrough years in filmed media, with The Marvel Superheroes syndicated in 1966, followed closely by Spider-Man and The Fantastic Four in '67. Often underestimated, the Marvel cartoons did much to expose the characters to innumerable viewers who never picked up a comic before, helping to make Marvel characters a larger part of the general pop cultural landscape of the period. That, and I'm sure Lee, et al., did not want to be outdone by DC, which made a major splash in 1966 with Filmation Associates' The New Adventures of Superman, and The Superman - Aquaman Hour of Adventure (the latter series also making the animated debuts of the Teen Titans, the Justice League, Green Lantern, The Aton, Hawkman and the Flash). Marvelmainia was hitting the gas by this point in history.
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