Recently we checked out an issue of Marvel Team-Up where Spidey is grousing about his problems and how great it would be to be someone like Captain America, whom everyone loves, never has a bad day, and his breath is always clean and fresh. Replace Cap with Daredevil, and you've got most of today's comic: from 1971, Daredevil #77, "...and so enters the Amazing Spider-Man" Written by Gerry Conway, pencils by Gene Colan, inks by Tom Palmer.
This is well before the darkest days for Daredevil, as a grumbling Spidey refers to him as "the luckiest guy in the world." Having lost Gwen--not to death, yet, she just didn't like Spidey--and generally as popular as plaque, Peter is bitterly jealous here; although of course DD's life wasn't all sunshine and lollipops. Matt had just been stood up for a date, but was still pining away over Karen Page. Spidey gets home for about five seconds, then has to go check out a crowd forming outside, right as Mary Jane shows up to apologize to him. A blonde MJ: she and Peter are both miscolored here!
The crowd is checking out a giant, golden, tear-shaped UFO; which announces it's looking for the Sub-Mariner, who had showed up in disguise. By "disguise" I mean a hat and trenchcoat, he's barefoot. As Namor heads for the UFO, Daredevil confronts him like he's the problem, and gets thumped around a bit. Namor seems in a bit of a snit as well--yeah, like he's ever in a good mood. A footnote mentions "For full background on Namor's bitterness, see Sub-Mariner #39--now on sale! --Stan." Well, looking at the cover, at least he doesn't seem to be having girl trouble today. Eventually, Spidey enters the brawl, intent on showing up Daredevil. Namor is about to crush them both with a tree, when the teardrop UFO seemingly explodes...
Meanwhile, Karen Page returns to town, but wonders if she could even face Matt. Again, this is well before her darkest days too, but she's sobbing in an airport bathroom, so she's not in a good place either. Meanwhile, the teardrop reveals a strange woman, who seemingly compels Namor to follow her, and Spidey goes along to help. DD is left behind, but feels like he's shaken his depression. It would probably be right back, when he gets home, if he realized he just missed Karen's call. Spidey would guest in the next issue of Sub-Mariner; I have to wonder if it was as melodramatic as this one.
2 comments:
Oh a misprint huh? And here I thought MJ really did try out being a blonde for a day.
This is the issue that Julian Cope's band The Teardrop Explodes took their name from. Seminal music from my youth and comics I originally read in the black and white British Marvel reprints
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