Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #103

"Compulsion!"

(Cover Date: Jun 1985)




Writer: Peter David
Artist: Rich Buckler
Inker: Armando Gil
Cover Art: Rich Buckler
Editor: Jim Owsley

Grade: B+

"I could run one of your heroes ragged…within a week, he'd be begging for mercy".

The story:
Three arrogant college kids, Ashley, Thomas & Barry, concoct a plan to prove that they're smarter than Spider-Man and create the persona of The Blaze, "A freelance terrorist and walking arsenal". After tracking Spider-Man's movements around the city and linking him to Peter Parker, they send a letter for Peter to the Bugle that reads: "Spider-Man-your time is near - The Blaze" and then incinerates. A costume is designed, which Ashley dons, and a video missive is filmed where 'The Blaze' states he knows Spider-Man's identity, and is coming for him. After some hijinks to get Spider-Man's attention, a real Blaze starts appearing, much to the student's surprise. After an altercation with this figure and Spider-Man, one of the students, Thomas, is badly burned trying to protect the web-head. In the hospital, after the students spill their story, it's revealed (after Ashley & Barry are dismissed by Captain Jean DeWolff) that their friend Thomas was wearing makeup to simulate burns, and "The Blaze" turns out to have been Johnny Storm, helping Spidey teach the kids a lesson.

*

And so begins Peter David's first published work for Marvel Comics, PP:TSSM #103.

This issue's tale is told with a framing effect, where Thomas, one of the college kids behind the scheme has ended up in the hospital burn ward. Another, Barry, is relating the events of what led up to the accident to Spider-Man and Captain Jean DeWolff after the fact.

Very funny that Captain DeWolff chides Ashley for smoking a pipe in the hospital room, then gets chided by a nurse herself for lighting up a cigarette later in the story. I like the tough way David write Captain DeWolff here. 

Also very funny that Ashley thinks their efforts to get Spider-Man's attention will have him combing the city, when they're watching him web-sling by, he's thinking "I'd better hurry! Beverly Hills Cop starts in five minutes!".

One of the pranks the trio of college seniors pulls is an effigy that is half-Spider-Man, half-Peter Parker, that Spider-Man comes across, which bursts into flames. The kids explain in the story taking place in the present that it was meant to symbolize Peter's ties to Spider-Man, but Spidey himself is privately floored at how close the three students came to his secret identity.

The students Spidey faces here are indeed arrogant, and at the end, Ashley asks Barry "Just how well do you think the President is protected, anyway?", showing they've hardly learned their lesson. These characters, as well The Blaze himself, will pop up again later in David's PP:SSM run.

Peter David's first Spider-Man issue is a strong and clever one, with an intriguing and slightly tense story which is cut with humor. Very fun stuff here, and sets the tone for his subsequent run. This is also the first pairing of David with artist Rich Buckler, and Buckler's sense of storytelling here is strong and fluid, though his Spider-Man is perhaps not as polished here as it is in issues to come.

Extraneous Pop Culture References: Along with the aforementioned "Beverly Hills Cop" reference, when the trio are sitting around trying to concoct the villain to plague Spider-Man, there is a Batman reference when a bat flies in the window, as well as well as a twist on the old Bruce Wayne monologue, with "Superheroes are a superstitious, cowardly lot" (they decided without mentioning him by name that going after Batman probably isn't a good idea, in a moment of surreal and jesting cross-company referencing). Ashley also equates most heroes I.Q.'s to that of "Cabbage Patch Kids", the 80's doll craze, and New York Mayor Ed Koch makes an appearance here in a couple panels at a public event where one of the Blaze's faked messages for Spider-Man flares up.

Next time: PAD pops over to Amazing Spider-Man to supply a fill-in issue.

That cover simply screams "Buy me."

Amazing Spider-Man #267

"The Commuter Cometh!"

(Cover Date: Aug 1985)



Editor: Jim Owsley
Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Bob McLeod
Inker: Bob McLeod
Cover Art: Mark Bright

Grade: A

"I hate the suburbs."

The Story: Spider-Man notices what looks like a gunman robbing a high-end clothing boutique in the city (the crook is actually using a fake gun). Taking a mannequin hostage, the crook is able to elude capture and escape on the subway, but not before being tagged by a spider-tracer thrown by Spider-Man. The next morning Spidey rides atop a commuter train to the Northern suburban community of Scarsdale, where he's beset by guard dogs, kids on big wheels, neighborhood watch aficionados, and with nothing for himself to web-swing from. After suffering several more indignities, and after pursuing the crook in a car chase with the help of a fast-driving cabbie, Spidey finally nabs his man.

*

PAD actually gets to write two issues of Spider-Man out this month, ASM #266 and Peter Parker #105 (which I'll get to in the next installment). It must have spoken to Owsley's confidence in the fledgling writer that he began to purchase so many of PAD's Spider-Man scripts. With a story this fun and strong, I can see why.

David puts Peter into a fish-out-of-water scenario, where he's bedeviled by the various pitfalls of suburbia. While we've gotten Peter-out-of-New-York plots before, there haven't been any this humorous or ironic. Intrinsically, David understands that humor in Spider-Man works when the title character isn't just the butt of cheap jokes or potshots made by others (see: many a lazy Spider-Man writer in the last decade), but the situations Peter finds himself in as a costumed adventurer that are just as ripe for comedy, as are the civilians he comes across. I left out many of the quite funny encounters Spidey finds himself in with the surprised suburbanites here.

Moreover, I like the lengths that Peter is willing to go to here to track down the escaped thief-it goes back to Spider-Man's beliefs that no crime is too small and nobody should be let go (and we saw during Roger Stern's ASM run how Peter letting a criminal escape into the sewers and not tracking him down led to the creation of the Hobgoblin just a couple years prior to this issue).

Art-wise, Bob McLeod absolutely crushes the art in this issue. His line work is sturdy and his storytelling is deft without being overly-flashy. I actually like how he draws Peter in the black Spider-Man costume here (which he starts the issue with as the gunman is carrying out his crime) more than how he draws the red and blue costume here (which Peter dons before heading out to the suburbs). McLeod is a real pro, and we will see him teamed with PAD again over in Peter Parker: Spectacular.

Extraneous Pop Culture References: None, surprisingly, but I couldn't help that notice that 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming film quite obviously referenced this issue thematically, when Peter is out in the suburbs at Liz Allan's house party and has nothing to web-swing from when it's time to suit up.

Next time: David ends his ASM fill-ins for the time being, and heads back over to Spectacular for a two-part team up with an upcoming Marvel Studios film star.

Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #106

"No Fury"

(Cover Date: September 1985)




Plot/Editor: Jim Owsley
Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Luke McDonnell
Inker: Brett Breeding
Cover Art: Mark Beachum

Grade: C-

"Is it my imagination, or are thugs whinier these days?"

The story: Spidey & Jan decide they need to infiltrate Granetti's incoming shipments to the docks and catch him drug smuggling. Granetti accuses Paladin of being "soft" on Janet and orders him to protect that night's shipment. Spidey tangles with Paladin that night at the docks, but a teen bystander gets shot by a stray bullet, whom Spidey has to rush to the hospital. The shipment to the docks was a fake--the real drug shipment comes in by private plane at a hanger, where Wasp is waiting---however, this shipment also turns out to be another fake out. The last shipment comes by train. After Spidey & Wasp derail the train cars, Granetti pulls a rifle on them, but is knocked unconscious by Paladin, who's seen the errors of his mercenary ways.


*

Spidey's bust at the docks is a fakeout, with the crates full of grapefruit. When Wasp breaks up Granetti's private plane shipment, it's what is supposed to be cocaine stuffed into Teddy Bears, but Janet breaks open one of these and tastes it and "..it's sugar". That's a hell of a lot of trouble to go to just to throw someone off (though PAD gets in a moderately funny joke on this in a caption: "So far it's been a fiasco, except that Spidey now has lots of sugar to put on his grapefruit").

Also a funny bit here with one of Granetti's thugs threatening Paladin:



The story ends with the Nevell shareholders making coffee for Janet this time (last issue they had her making coffee), she tells them she has a hair appointment, and the issue abruptly ends with Spider-Man chauvinistically opining "Ditz! Women! Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em. I wonder what Mary Jane's doing this evening?". Nice, Spidey. Nice, PAD.

Otherwise, this is an overly-complicated story. Why would Granetti waste time sending Paladin to the docks to protect a fake shipment of grapefruit (not drugs)? And this is just the kind of convoluted crime tale that Owsley specialized in around this time (see his story in Marvel Team Up #141, "Blind Justice", for another example). Not sure I like Owsley & PAD's writing styles mixing like this.

The art is mostly solid (though Paladin's costume just still looks very awkward and ridiculous), PAD gets in some funny one-liners, and seeing Spidey & Janet team up here is a bit of fun, but the whole plot is pretty damn forced.


Extraneous Pop Culture References: Granetti's thug called Paladin a "bargain basement Bronson" as seen in the panel above, but that's surprisingly it for this issue.

Next time: One more so-so issue (and an annual) before we get to the really good stuff, with PAD heading over to do a fill-in on Web Of Spider-Man.

Neither did I, I know he did some work for Shooter on various New Universe titles, but that's about it. Mostly just read his Aquaman, Spider-Man 2099, and X-Factor

David was one of the first people, besides Gerber of course, that I saw make references to pop culture back when it wasn't as common in comics like it is now. Found it kind of refreshing in a way. Especially when David's first issue opens with "Do you have any Grey Poupon?" and has countless Twin Peaks references

It's great to read your review of this PAD issue. I reviewed Web of Spider-Man #7 last week, and it's cool to read another review of the same comic book by another CCF member. I get a chance to read how another reader actually viewed the same issue, and saw it from another light than I did. Keep up the reviewing of PAD Spider-Man comic books, as I always look forward to reading them.

Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) Annual #5

"Ace"

(Year, 1985)



Editor: Jim Owsley
Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Mark Beachum
Inker: Josef Rubinstein
Cover Art: Mark Beachum


Grade: B


"Ace says gang business is gang business. He doesn't interfere, and he doesn't let outsiders interfere"


The story:

Peter in the black (non-symbiote) costume responds to the sound of gunshots at a storefront in Harlem. He's too late to save the victims, but he shoots a roll of film to sell to the Bugle. Captain Jean DeWolff is on the scene and informs Spidey that it is a gang hit between the Dragons and the Reapers, and the store owner who's one of the shooting victims identifies two members of the Reapers gang as the perps (as he's being wheeled out on a gurney). As Spidey’s web-swinging off, he also takes some pictures of a guy on a bike in a nearby alley. The man blows past DeWolff on his bike, and she says "Watch it Ace, I'd hate to arrest you. Again".

Peter meets Joy Mercado, a reporter the Bugle has hired, and who snatches Peter up to head to the couthouse as she pegs him for a photographer. Later, two perps are up on charges, and the crime scene testimony of the victim (who's now in a coma) is considered hearsay. The shooting victim then dies, which complicates the District Attorney's case, who is a friend of Joy's. Peter pulls out the photo of Ace he snapped at the scene, whom Joy knows, and says they have to find him. Some street punks set upon them though, Peter starts taking them on, until Ace zooms by on his bike. Peter makes it seem as if Ace hit him with his bike, to conceal his identity. The punks take Joy, while Peter is playing wounded, and Ace digs in Peters belongings to find his camera, but doesn't take it. Peter quickly changes to Spidey and tracks down Ace, and they fight a bit in the streets. Ace is able to dodge Spidey's webs and punches, and is even able to cut him with a knife. At that point, the Reapers arrive on the scene, and attack the building the Dragons gang is holed up in (and where Joy is being held). Ace refuses to call the Dragons off, a young gang member gets killed in front of Joy, and Spidey gives Ace a ton of grief about it which he shrugs off.

Turns out one of the gang members involved in the murder at the beginning of the story was Ace's brother, Lorenzo. Ace goes to Lorenzo in lockup to tell him that he intends to testify against him.


***


The American police procedural drama Hill Street Blues ran on TV from 1981-1987, and was noted for "dealing with real-life issues and employing commonly used language and slang to a greater extent than had been seen before, which brought a sense of verisimilitude to the production" according to Wikipedia. Though the show was in its latter seasons at the time of James Owsley's and Peter David's work, it was a clear influence on the themes and the vibe that were to come from here on out in the pages of Peter Parker: Spectacular Spider-Man.

Owsley, in his very informative and entertaining online essay, "Why I Don't Talk About Spider-Man", claims that the idea was for the Peter Parker title at the time was to feature Spider-Man in the black & white suit and fighting street crime, typically at night. It's at this point where these ideas really start to really inform Spider-Man's B-title of the 1980's.

Forgot how hard-hitting this one is, like the series of small panels (which double as the pictures that Peter as Spidey is taking at the crime scene) that illustrate the murder on the first page. Beachum's artwork is sketchy but atmospheric, with some great storytelling. I don't feel like Rubinstein's heavy inks do some of the later pages a lot of favors, however.



Largely, this is an issue about the folly of preconception and the danger of underestimation. There is a scene where some punks mistake a veteran amputee for easy pickings until he pulls a hidden rifle on them. When Peter is playing unconscious, he's sure that Ace will steal his camera when he finds it, but Ace doesn't (hinting that Ace was putting two and two together about the civilian photographer on his turf and the costumed one at the beginning). There is a scene where it's heavily implied that Joy Mercado is about to be raped by the gang member holding her hostage (and Beachum plays this up for all it's worth in his art):



Only for Joy to reveal that, after the gang member is killed by stray bullets, he was about to grant her an interview. Spider-Man also thinks taking out the street-wise Ace should be easy, but Ace is able to dodge everything Spidey throws at him, and is even able to slice his arm with a knife (this is a bit annoying, as it's never explained how Ace is able to do these things even in the next part).

The David / Owsley teaming seemed to point to some edgier storytelling in Spec (the slightly dark PPSSTM #103, and then the Wasp / Paladin two-parter), and it really begins to take full shape here. Dark and gritty were qualifiers that were overused in comicdom in the 1980's, were made into plastic in the 1990's, and were basically taken for granted in the 00's, but here in Spider-Man's side book (possibly where more could be gotten away with) is where the title begins growing up a lot in this era.

PAD (and we) will revisit this story in the pages of 1986's Peter Parker annual #6.

On another note, this issue also marks the first appearance of Joy Mercado in the pages of Spider-Man (she first appeared over in Doug Moench's run on Moon Knight).


Extraneous Pop Culture References:
Vince DiFeo, the store owner shooting victim at the beginning of the story, wonders aloud to Spidey & DeWolff "Kids! Why can't gangs sing and dance like in West Side Story?".

DeWolff tells Spidey to go home and turn on Hill Street Blues, and "be thankful you can turn it off whenever you want. I don't have that option".

The cabbie that takes Joy & Peter on a wild ride this issue is the same guy that Peter as Spidey met up in the suburbs in the above-reviewed "The Commuter Cometh" issue, ASM #267.


Next time: Heralded by many as one of the greatest Spider-Man stories of all time, I'll dive into part one of "The Death Of Jean DeWolff".