Amazing Spider-Man from the beginning

[matthewaos]

Amazing Spider-Man #46


"The Sinister Shocker!"

The issue starts with a vibrating wall, with Spider-Man on in. He still has an injured arm. He discovers a new villain trying to steal the bank named shocker who has some vibrating gizmos in his hands. The Shocker uses them also when he punches Spider-Man. Also his vibrations absorb some of the energy from Spider-Man's punches.

The Shocker manages to escape, leaving Spider-Man almost beaten. At least he got to take some photos. On his way to the bugle Harry Osborn finds him, while driving his car and has something to tell him. His dad buys the rent for a house in the city for Harry and offers Peter to stay with him, rent free. Peter thinks about it, not really concerned that Norman is the Goblin.

At the bugle Foswell sees Peter but Peter does not hear him. Foswell realizes that it's a good oportunity to follow him since he wants to find out how he takes all those Spider-Man pictures.

Peter goes to the station for his aunt's return from vacations and she is a little upset cause she wants to tell him that Anna Watson wants her to move with her. Peter is very happy to hear this, cause he was not sure how she will take the news about Harry. So they agree that they will both move.

Peter takes MJ to the Silver Spoon and they organize along with Harry Flash's party. Peter sees Gwen, though they do not speak and realizes how gorgeous she is. Peter finds an opportunity and leaves to find the Shocker.

At the same time Patch is following him and sees him walking in an alley. He watches in that alley and sees only Spider-Man, realizing the truth. Spider-Man at the same time realizes what is happenning so he changes back and starts talking with two different voices, trying to fool Patch that Spider-Man is talking with Peter. "Spider-Man" is telling that he gets some percentage from the photos. In the end he leaves his Spider-Man costume to fly on a web as let Patch think that Spider-Man left.

So he goes to find the Shocker, now leaving the injured hand. He finds the Shocker trying to steal a bank and they have an exciting fight, with none of them winning easily. In the end he just webs the Shocker's hands so he can't push the bottons in his vibration device.

Peter then moves in with Harry and Aunt May with Anna Watson. She is not happy to leave him, not he is, but they both move on.

[matthewaos]

First of all let me say that a greek translation on the Shocker was something like "the vibrator"... Why not just say it in english?

I always liked the Shocker, and I like that he is not the joke that he is in future issues. Sure he is not Doc Ock but he is a formidable foe. The issue was great, with all the supporting cast appearing, and with MJ reactiong more with the ESU cast. I also liked seeing Patch finding out the obvious, though Peter cleverly finding a way to fool him.

Also I like that Romita is using less panels per page is some occasions.

[matthewaos]

Amazing Spider-Man #47


"In The Hands Of The Hunter!"

The story opens with a splash page with Kraven fighting Spider-Man. Mysteriously the Green Goblin is above them flying in his glider. This is a flashback scene though we have never seen this. It's a "small" retcon by Stan.

Suposedly the Goblin was willing to pay the Hunter 20000 dollars to kill Spider-Man. This happened some time during Spider-MAn's last confrontation with Kraven in issue #34. After the first round Kraven was so sure that he would have killed Spider-Man that he wanted half his payment but the go between man says the boss does not accept that. You can always say that Kraven's motivation was mostly his honor etc, but this issue shows that his may goal was not revenge but getting the money.

Kraven learns that the go between man is Norman Osborn. When he is out of jail he wants revenge on the Goblin, but learns of his "demise" in issue #40 so he will revenge Spider-Man and go find Norman to get his payment. In his lair he tests his new weapon, a double-barreled ray that emits from his lion's vest. It can magnetize a person's muscular electrolytes. This will weaken Spider-MAn's strength and speed.

At ESU Gwen is busy on the preparations for Flash's party. Gwen really does not show to care for Peter. Peter goes to Daily Bugle to sell photos of the Shocker, and he invites Betty and Ned.

In short everyone goes to the party. MJ and Gwen look gorgeous and they kind of try to prove who dances better. The relationship betweeen them seems not so friendly. At the same time Kraven goes first to Norman's mansion and crashes it, searching for him, and then in his office where his secretery informs him that he is out of town.

Kraven later crashes the party searching for Norman's son, as to lure Norman. Spider-Man manages to change and goes as Spider-Man to fight him. At that time Norman is in a cab going to the airport and he learns what happens downtown. The fight continues pretty straight forword, when Kraven shoots Spider-Man with that beam. Spider-Man is weakened. Norman arrives at the scene and Kraven catches him with one of his ropes. At last Spider-Man's strength is back but then Kraven leaves Norman to fall. Spider-Man prefers save the father of his best friend rather catch the Hunter.

Jameson tells Norman that he will write what happened with Spider-Man, though Norman tells him to write the truth, that he saved him. Peter gives his wish to Flash and everyone is happy.

[matthewaos]

This is the first appearence of Norman Osborn after the events of issue #40. It sure looks like the Goblin is gone, and maybe Stan was thinking not to use him again, and maybe it was fan reaction that brought him back. As for the retcon it seems a little unesecary. It ruined a perfect little story with Kraven. I never liked Kraven, but that was the second story with him (along with KLH) that I liked. It's not so bad though but it is really unesesary. As for the issue, it is ok, nothing great feels like a filler. Flash is going to the army after this issue so it might be some time before we see him again.

[matthewaos]

Daredevil #27


"Mike Murdock Must Die!"

Writer - Stan Lee
Pencils - Gene Colan
Inker - Frank Giacoia

What you have to know: The Masked Marauder appeared quite some times since last time we saw him. He is the manager of the building that Nelson and Murdock have their office, Mr. Farnum. DD called him by name once so he realized that he must be someone he knows. Spider-Man send a letter to Matt telling him he knows his secret identity. Unfortunatly the letter was read by Foggy and Karen. Matt invented Mike Murdock, his "twin brother" and convinced the two that Mike is DD.

The issue starts informing us that DD is chasing Stilt-Man. He finds Spider-Man fighting some muggers. Somewhere else, the Stilt-Man has been allingned forces with the masked marauder, who he shows him his latest invention: A Hellicopter with a disintegration force field!!

Stilt-Man goes at the office of Matt and Foggy and trows a sleeping gas. He takes all three people in the MArauder's hellicopter. He also leaves a note for DD that he holds Matt Karen and Foggy as prisoners. The Marauder threatens them to expose DD and Matt gladly say that it is his twin brother Mike. The Marauder sends Stilt-Man to find DD.

Stilt-Man though is found by Spider-Man and the two fight. In the hellicopter, the Marauder is going to execute his prisoners. This is Matt's opportunity, so he hits him. He manages to deactivate the force field and he falls from the hellicopter, supposedly the Marauder throw him. He changes in air and enters the hellicopter, saying he saved Matt.

DD realizes who the Marauder is and he exposes him. He falls into his death in that force field of his. On the other hand Stilt-Man manages to escape Spider-Man and finds DD in the Hellicopter. He tries to fire a gun in his, but because his feet touch the water his electronics do not work and falls into the river.

The end!

[matthewaos]

This is really a straight forword issue, nothing fantastic here. To be fair, the whole Masked Marauder saga though is not exception, it has some great moments. The best thing in this issue was the art. Gene Colan's Spider-Man looks even more better than Romita's, if that's posible. He is a sequencial artist, his panel to panel work is amazing, and his figures are very bold.

I like a Spider-Man/DD team up and that was a nice one. I am really interested in how their relationship grows.

[matthewaos]

In FF #61, Peter and MJ make a brief cameo, while the Sandman has become an FF villain, and designs a new costume... Although I like the design, it's classic Kirby, I don't like it for the Sandman I know.

[Jim Thompson]

In FF #61, Peter and MJ make a brief cameo, while the Sandman has become an FF villain, and designs a new costume... Although I like the design, it's classic Kirby, I don't like it for the Sandman I know.

I know a lot of people hated that costume for Sandman -- but I really liked it. It worked for me.

[matthewaos]

I think it's great for an FF villain, but for regular Sandman I think not so much. It takes away the street level aspect of Spider-Man.

[Jim Thompson]

I think it's great for an FF villain, but for regular Sandman I think not so much. It takes away the street level aspect of Spider-Man.

There was an issue of ASM back in the 1970s where Sandman got frozen at the end of the story that I really remember enjoying -- and he was in that costume. That seemed more like a street level character, for whatever reason, to me.

Plus, I thought it made sense for the Sandman to get some kind of new look if he was going to be working with the Frightful Four.

That said, I get why people don't like the look.

[RDMacQ]

There was an issue of ASM back in the 1970s where Sandman got frozen at the end of the story that I really remember enjoying -- and he was in that costume. That seemed more like a street level character, for whatever reason, to me.

Plus, I thought it made sense for the Sandman to get some kind of new look if he was going to be working with the Frightful Four.

That said, I get why people don't like the look.

For me, it's the mask. I just don't get it's design. Besides, Flint Marko already ran around without a mask for a while before he donned the costume, so it's not like he has an identity to protect or anything like that.

[matthewaos]

Amazing Spider-Man #48


Writer - Stan Lee
Art and cover - John Romita, Sr.

"The Wings of the Vulture"

Spider-Man is searching for Kraven, cause he escaped last issue. Searching for him he ends up in the municipal prison, and that makes him return. Inside the prison, the Vulture (still unamed) dies cause of an accident in the workshop. Hsi "last request" is to see his cellmate, Blackie Drago.

Drago appears soon after and the Vulture is telling him where he hid a sper Vulture costume, near to the prison (in case he was captured, to have a means to escape). Blackie tells him that that was his plan all along, gaining his trust ang aquire the information. He leaves the room and Vulture supposedly sees his life flashing before his eyes, seeing him fighting Spider-Man.

Drago manages to escape and aquires the Vulture wings and costume. The cops cannot stop him. Soon after he makes a helmet that will make him look even scarier. He then goes to to steal anything he can.

Peter at ESU is feeling very sick, and profesor Warren suggests him to leave. He goes to his (new) house where he hears in the TV about the escapee and that he became the new Vulture. He goes to hunt him, though sick, and with his spider-sence not in a good shape, since it is affected by the snow.

The Vulture tries to grab a suitcase from the hands of a man, though it is cuffed, so he takes the guy to the George Washington Bridge. Spider-Man arrives there and he tries to fight as best as he can. At the same time May, Anna and MJ visit Harry to see how Peter is, but he is not there, so MJ and Harry decide to go to the silver spoon.

The fight is difficult for Spider-Man, since he is ready to black out a couple of times. The Vulture is too sure of his abilities and very ruthless, maybe even more evil than the original. Spider-Man suddently can stand no more and at that time the Vulture kicks him in the face and Spider-Man fades out.

[matthewaos]

I always thought that the Vulture is just an idiot with wings, and it didn't matter who wears the costume. That said, I think that the story was nice. I think I prefer Drago over the original one, which is funny that he is unamed still, wheras the new one is not.

JR makes a great Vulture, to be honest. Even his helmet does not look so stupid here, where it should. I really like the snowy terain also. Maybe it is not my cup of tea for Spider-Man stories but it was fun. I am intersting in seeing how this ends.

[Chris N]

That said, I get why people don't like the look.

I don't particularly dislike it so much as I really love the classic one. The FF one feels more like a standard-villain costume, whereas Ditko's design seems special to him.

[McFarlane's Green Hulk]

Amazing Spider-Man #48


Writer - Stan Lee
Art and cover - John Romita, Sr.

"The Wings of the Vulture"

Spider-Man is searching for Kraven, cause he escaped last issue. Searching for him he ends up in the municipal prison, and that makes him return. Inside the prison, the Vulture (still unamed) dies cause of an accident in the workshop. Hsi "last request" is to see his cellmate, Blackie Drago.

Drago appears soon after and the Vulture is telling him where he hid a sper Vulture costume, near to the prison (in case he was captured, to have a means to escape). Blackie tells him that that was his plan all along, gaining his trust ang aquire the information. He leaves the room and Vulture supposedly sees his life flashing before his eyes, seeing him fighting Spider-Man.

Drago manages to escape and aquires the Vulture wings and costume. The cops cannot stop him. Soon after he makes a helmet that will make him look even scarier. He then goes to to steal anything he can.

Peter at ESU is feeling very sick, and profesor Warren suggests him to leave. He goes to his (new) house where he hears in the TV about the escapee and that he became the new Vulture. He goes to hunt him, though sick, and with his spider-sence not in a good shape, since it is affected by the snow.

The Vulture tries to grab a suitcase from the hands of a man, though it is cuffed, so he takes the guy to the George Washington Bridge. Spider-Man arrives there and he tries to fight as best as he can. At the same time May, Anna and MJ visit Harry to see how Peter is, but he is not there, so MJ and Harry decide to go to the silver spoon.

The fight is difficult for Spider-Man, since he is ready to black out a couple of times. The Vulture is too sure of his abilities and very ruthless, maybe even more evil than the original. Spider-Man suddently can stand no more and at that time the Vulture kicks him in the face and Spider-Man fades out.

I love this storyline with the two Vultures. For some reason, I equate it with an episode of the 1967 Spider-Man cartoon, which used the Drago Vulture rather than the original.