An unexpected find; but in its way the end of an era: from 1994, Marvel Tales #291, reprinting Amazing Spider-Man #283 from 1986: "With Foes Like These..." Written by Tom DeFalco, pencils, Ron Frenz, inks by Bob Layton.
Marvel Tales had always been a reprint title, and for most readers it's mainly remembered for Spider-Man reprints. It was a great way for new readers to be able to get classic stories without access to a comic shop or back issues. This one ends with a brief note from reprint editor Mark Powers that it was the end of the series for now; unless readers wrote in demanding more. But, with the state of the comic industry around then, Marvel probably had other fish to fry.
Still, this was an issue I don't recall reading the original of: Flash Thompson was on the run from the law, since he was still believed to be the Hobgoblin. With Mary Jane's encouragement, Spidey was on the verge of quitting. And this issue ties into the classic Avengers "Under Siege" with the Masters of Evil Absorbing Man and Titania! Titania was still spooked of Spidey, since he clobbered her in the first Secret Wars, a win Spidey himself had chalked up to luck. When Spidey gets dragged into trying to stop their airport pickup of another Master, Crusher throws the fight, forcing Titania to face her fear to save him. Then, he threatens a jet full of passengers, forcing Spidey to withdraw. Still, the Bugle headline the next day--"Spider-Man Coward!"--gives Flash the courage to face his problems.
I know I usually harp on about how Spidey's Kryptonite is guilt, but I didn't like this stretch where he was trying to quit, would inevitably get pulled back in, and would end the issue more defeated and dejected than ever before. I don't think it was a long stretch, either; even though it feels like it and "Flash on the run" lasted longer than the Hobgoblin storyline itself. Also, I suspected this but had to look it up: Absorbing Man and Titania were supposed to pick up the Mongoose, who then doesn't join the Masters and wouldn't make his first full appearance until DeFalco had left the book, with Thor #391 two years later! Zemo's Masters' lineup was pretty stacked with bruisers; I wonder if the addition of a quicker guy or two would've made the difference.
Man I sure loved me some Marvel Tales back in the day. Marvel Team-Up too. I believe I might've bought them more frequently than I did his regular series(es)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the modern covers helped, which is the same deal as why I also bought X-Men Classic more often than the main titles.
Didn't know Flash was on the run, and for a long while you say? Damn, that dude had it rough back then didn't he?
As for Titania, I do remember the other fight she had with Spidey in an Acts of Vengeance tie-in issue of Web of Spider-Man, #56 or 57, and he won that one pretty quickly because she still had his Captain Universe powers back the. Good stuff.