Friday, April 23, 2021

It looks more like the Wendigo than the Wendigo.

I had the original back in the day, but was glad to get this reprint recently: from 1994, Marvel Tales #285, reprinting 1986's Amazing Spider-Man #277, featuring "The Rules of the Game!" Written by Tom DeFalco, pencils by Ron Frenz, inks by...somebody, it's not on the reprint credits? It was Bob Layton! And "Cry of the Wendigo" Story and art by Charles Vess. 

The lead story was in the middle of the long-running Hobgoblin storyline, as Peter was still reeling at the idea that his old friend Flash Thompson could be the villain. While Mary Jane tries to defend Flash, she's interrupted by a mysterious phone call from Matt Murdock, who warns the line may be tapped, but they had to meet. Peter heads down to a rundown, nondescript rescue mission; and thinks it must be Daredevil's secret headquarters. No...
This was set during "Born Again," the Kingpin's most ambitious attempt to destroy DD yet, after learning his secret identity. Matt had been disbarred, framed for murder, his house blown up, and severely beaten. This was his absolute rock bottom (so far...) but it's tough to say what Peter finds more disconcerting: the utter wreckage of Matt, or that Matt was starting to bounce back up, planning his revenge. He wanted Peter to stay out of it, the Kingpin was his.
So of course Peter changes into Spidey and goes straight over there...goddamnit, Peter, he asked you one thing. Confronting the Kingpin in his office, while Spidey is able to keep him away from his laser-cane and phone, what can he accomplish there? And the Kingpin knows it. Spidey has to settle for pranking him, leaving webbing on his chair.
The second story was the cover feature, and probably more well-remembered: "Cry of the Wendigo," by Charles Vess. Spidey has a nightmare about freezing to death, because he left his window open and a blizzard was coming in. So of course he immediately goes out into it...man, no wonder Aunt May is always so worried about him, I swear. He stumbles across the kidnapping of a little girl, and gives chase as their van tries to escape through Central Park, and it's really coming down out there. The van crashes into a tree, as Spidey takes a header when the ice on the roof shifts. He's able to get the girl, but is probably concussed; and the recovering kidnappers are going to give chase.
Spidey needs to rest, but the little girl warns him, her mother told her, don't fall asleep in the snow, or the Wendigo will get you...who tells their kid that? Geez. After catching another shot to the head, Spidey has to throw down with the kidnappers; a challenge in his current condition. The last kidnapper, legs broken from the crash, pulls a gun on Spidey, who webs it up. When he goes for another piece...
Spidey gets the girl back to her parents and the cops without being seen, so it's tough to say what they make of her story involving both Spidey and the Wendigo. In Marvel-NYC, it seems like something they should at least look into? Peter goes home, safe from the Wendigo, although I don't know if he should just go back to bed with those head injuries. Probably never closed his window, either.



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1 comment:

Mr. Morbid's House Of Fun said...

Damn cool Wendigo story. Love when Charles Vess draws Spidey. Doesn't happen enough but he really nails down how to draw him so well.

I know there was only so much Peter could do, but damn, if knew how hard Matt was having it back then why didn't he do more to help him? Besides going after the Kingpin, which accomplished dick.