Since I found multiple copies of Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #75 in my basement, (one presumably being the one I bought in 1983, but no idea where the other came from), I took one to my work and put in in the little pile I have there. Which was lucky, since I was thinking about the movies and wondering, have we seen Spidey beat up a pile of goons on film?
The closest I can think of off the top of my head was the MIA preview (Spidey foils a heist and webs a helicopter between the WTC towers) or the muggers he stops before kissing MJ in the first one. But four or five muggers is too small for what I'm thinking of. I wanna see a scene like this issue: Spidey vs. an army (or two) of armed, preferrably costumed, thugs; leaping, webbing, punching, mouthing off. Like a modernized version of the last reel of Goldfinger, except with Spider-Man fighting at least one army.
The idea of Doctor Octopus as a criminal mastermind, someone who would have an organization, men, bases, uniforms...that's pretty much fallen by the wayside since this issue, even though it dates back to the Lee/Ditko issues. Maybe someone thought it was too Batman? (Crap, right before posting I noticed I had Lee/Kirby there. Proofreading is important, kids; unless you wanna waste a lot of time correcting mistakes and deleting comments pointing them out.)
And the Owl is second-string Kingpin, at best. If you want a mob boss type, but one that is easily kickable or that can be brought down at the end of the story, you use the Owl. Maybe if he still had the uniformed goons, he'd get some respect...no, I guess not. Plus, you really should give your men, I dunno, maybe guns instead of those rake/backscratcher things they have.
On further examination, this looks like my copy from 1983: I ticked off my checklist boxes for this issue, Star Wars #68, Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe #2, Marvel Team-Up #126 (I'm positive I got that from a friend or something, since I can't imagine being excited for a Luke Cage/Son of Satan team-up) and X-Men Special Edition #1, which reprinted Giant Sized X-Men #1. So, barring any DC purchases, I probably spent less than $5.20 on comics that month. Aside from the MTU issue, I still have all of them, so it was $5.20 well spent.
Panels from Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #75, "Ferae Naturae (Wild Beasts)" Written by Bill Mantlo, art by Al Milgrom and Jim Mooney.
I love the Al Milgrom art from that era too. It was very Ditko-esque.
ReplyDeleteI kinda miss Spidey fighting lots of hapless goon fodder too.
ReplyDeleteThere was an issue (Spectacular #198 or 199, I think), where Spidey has snuck into professor Power's flying castle fortress to free four of the original 5 X-Men (jean not being captive). While Jean tries to free them, Spidey has to hold of all of Power's guards (dressed as Roman centurions).
Yep, all 117 of them, to be exact. That was some good stuff.