This Classic '80s Spider-Man Story Redefined Kraven the Hunter, Establishing A New Era

Following Spider-Man and MJ's honeymoon, the couple experienced a shocking trauma, while Kraven enjoyed his ultimate victory. I look back at a true classic this week at CBR.

Justice League Unlimited's Long-Awaited Superman vs. Shazam 'Clash!'

 

After years of anticipation and a rivalry dating to 1939, the DCAU finally got its knock-down, drag-out fight between Superman & Captain Marvel. I revisit this week at CBR.

Micro-Reviews: CAPTAIN AMERICA EPIC COLLECTION - “Justice is Served” (Part Three)

CAPTAIN AMERICA #324 - December 1986. Stunning Zeck cover! Mediocre Colletta finishes inside!

Colletta also appeared to be finishing half of the previous issue, but uncredited. Actually, this looks less rushed than last issue.

Now, half of the public is eager for Cap to kill again, and the other half has grown AFRAID of him. Gru really is taking this past the point of ridiculousness. Cap’s internal guilt is one thing, but the public caring this much is faintly absurd. Cap decides he needs the help of a PR firm to rebuild his public image, but somehow a fight with Trapster and Whirlwind convinces him otherwise.

The buzzsaw incarnation of Whirlwind I always thought was pretty cool. Trapster, however, is already defined by the perception he’s a loser. This will be the basis of EVERY TRAPSTER STORY for all eternity.

Meanwhile, Nomad has grown a Tom Selleck mustache and is determined to kill crimelord The Slug. Subplots!

CAPTAIN AMERICA #325 - January 1987.  Zeck crazy faces really are the best.

No double-sized anniversary issue here.  CAP wasn’t selling well enough to justify such a thing.

In the early ‘90s, one of Gru’s columns covered various narrative tricks, and the trendy first person caption style. I remember Gru as dismissive of the tactic, claiming thought balloons do that job just as well. I didn’t realize he’d already experimented with the style during this run. Both Cap and Nomad have alternating first person captions, and unfortunately, they slow the story down and only indulge Gru’s tendency to over-explain what’s obvious in the art.

The reinvention of Nomad begins here; unwilling to go along with Cap’s more “liberal” views on crime, believing that some criminals deserve to die. Clearly a response to the Punisher’s success, Cap’s put in position of having to rescue the crook that Nomad’s left to die in a fire. It’s actually a great use of a villain - the Slug isn’t only comically fat for the shock value, but his size is a plot point, as he’s so big it’s impossible to get him off the boat.

There’s a ton of plot in only 21 pages here. An opening fight scene to reestablish Cap’s killing dilemma, an origin for Nomad’s new attitude, and a lengthy account of how he ended up on this boat. This would easily be a five-parter today.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #326 - February 1987. Have you gathered that Cap feels real bad about killing someone yet?

This issue, the Red Skull’s ghost appears to tell Cap that his soul is now no better than his, having taken a life. Clearly, Gru’s going overboard with this, but I view it as preferable to modern Cap not caring at all about his body count.

Gru tries again with first person captions, and the results are still wooden and overwritten. Gru’s great at plotting, at understanding stories that suit the character; his dialogue is usually okay, when he isn’t doing exposition; but his prose…  Everyone wanted to be Miller/Claremont in these days, didn’t they?

Continuity corner - with the exception of Cap’s parents, every “ghost” he encounters this issue was later revived. Even Red Skull, who’s treated as an actual ghost, not a hallucination, is revived by Gruenwald himself.

Since the final page weirdly featured half-page content, half-page letter column, the Epic Collection leaves half the page blank.  You can see the original pages at the SuperMegaMonkey site.

MARVEL FANFARE #31 - March 1987. Is this another Hulk solo story?

So, is the goal of the Epic collections to reprint EVERY story starring the hero during a certain time period? Because that’s the only way to justify including this MARVEL FANFARE arc. And considering the content, it wouldn’t be a shock if Marvel wanted to forget this ever existed.

Since DeMatteis is the writer, it’s possible this arc was originally slated for his run as CAP writer. Kerry Gammill joins him as artist, and it’s a shame he never took over the regular book. Gammill has always been underrated; word came out that he’d fill in on X-MEN FOREVER, which would’ve been great, but nothing came of it.

DeMatteis again works in eastern philosophy, when a famous guru arrives in New York. Cap’s never heard of him, and after fighting some white guilt, decides to follow his suspicions and see if this guru is on the level.

As much as DeMatteis values this culture, it’s interesting that he’s willing to allow characters from it become villains, as seen in his Haven arc in X-FACTOR. The subject matter is still treated respectfully, but DeMatteis writes the characters as individuals, which means that some will be villains.

And this deceiving guru turns out to be…wow, he was still around in 1987? It’s the Yellow Claw. Funny that there’s been a conscious effort since the 1980s to treat Mandarin as less of a stereotype, yet Yellow Claw was still showing up.

MARVEL FANFARE #32 - May 1987. When Cap time-traveled for his guest spot in DETECTIVE COMICS #1.

Cap’s unwanted sidekick exposes Yellow Claw, various heroes show up for the final battle, and Cap finds inner strength from the spirit of the guru whose identity the Claw usurped. Fine Shooter-era superheroics.

Had it already been established by the '80s that some force transformed Yellow Claw into a monster? I believe Jeff Parker resurrected him 10 years ago as more realistic villain; clearly, this version isn't appearing anymore.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #327 - March 1987. Probably should’ve been the cover of this collection, but…

The SuperPatriot plot returns, and he’s brought a gaggle of 1980s music stars with him. Life in the ‘80s - charity concerts, anti-Libya sentiment, and a cartoon caricature of Reagan youth.

Funny to see the future US Agent as a slick conman. Charisma? The crowd eating out of his hands? That guy?

By the way, Cap reminds us he spent a literal million dollars to set up his hotline of tipsters. And a nosy IRS agent’s investigating how Steve Rogers earned a million last year discovers his secret ID. Was Gru throwing a bone to the other side, after heavily implying Cap’s an FDR Democrat earlier this issue?

CAPTAIN AMERICA #328 - April 1987. Pro wrestling! Steroids! More life in the 1980s!

D-Man debuts here, as an enhanced wrestler sporting a mohawk. He shaves it off to join Cap in his quest for the Power Broker. Gru wants us to like him immediately, although it’s hard to guess why Cap needs a new sidekick. If there’s any hook to D-Man, it’s that he’s an excessively nice guy, already a contrast to the new breed of hero emerging in comics.

A running theme in the story is Cap debating the Power Broker treatment, as he feels he’s the only adventurer left without superpowers. Interesting to contrast this with the LotDK “Venom” arc, only a few years away. Cap is only tempted for a few pages to enhance himself, but realizes it’s wrong. Batman, however, is placed in a situation where he “has” to do it, and becomes a drug addict for a few issues. Both stories represent the respective companies and eras rather well. Under Shooter, Marvel heroes were behaving more traditionally “DC” than DC at the time.

And, as a continuity hound, Gru has to remind us that Cap DID have super-strength briefly in the 1970s. He never explains what happened to it, though.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #329 - May 1987. This scene only occurs on the final page, for what it’s worth.

Paul Neary’s doing breakdowns for Colletta this issue. Funny that Neary’s known now for such slick inking, and here we see him finished by the most notorious inker in history. It’s not a pretty book; some of the pages look like Larsen when he tried those Kirby pastiches in SAVAGE DRAGON.

The story finds Cap & D-Man treading water until the Power Broker story wraps up. The sewer monsters are another diversion thrown in. Better art could’ve sold this, but the whole thing feels rushed.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #330 - June 1987. Was D-Man intentionally designed to trick gullible kids into thinking Wolverine was stopping by?

Making a surprise appearance this issue is the Night Shift, one of my favorite concepts from 1980s Marvel -- various horror characters duped into acting as a superhero team by the Shroud. Visually, they’re all interesting, and the concept is certainly unique.

And after what feels like 50 issues, Cap finally confronts the Power Broker, who turns out to be an obscure villain from a 100 issues ago (seriously.) Very Gruenwald, really.

Power Broker escapes, and Cap’s left performing CPR on D-Man, who he thinks he killed in battle. Cap feeling perpetually guilty, or placed in ethically thorny situations, is another recurring theme of Gru’s run. And, through it all, Gru doesn’t go the cheap route and “darken” the hero.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #331 - July 1987. Some of these Zeck covers look like hypothetical CAP/G. I. JOE crossovers.

This Power Broker arc finally reaches some sort of end. One problem with the story is Broker’s visual - he’s just an average looking guy with nice hair. Visually, Power Broker should have some angle. Since he’s the guy who gives people powers, maybe play up the irony by making him physically weak? Frail frame, hair falling out, leans on a cane; that’s be a better visual than ‘80s GQ model.

Another lame visual is G. I. Max, a goofy seven-foot-tall soldier Cap fights for a few pages. Interesting that Gru was creating this super-soldier gone wrong right after Miller introduced Nuke. One is a striking visual you’ll never forget; the other is utterly stupid.

And, making all of this worse, the action mostly occurs on the front lawn of the Broker’s house. It’s all pretty dull, visually, but Gru tries to sell an internal conflict for Cap. He thinks the US government might be in cahoots with Power Broker, and doesn’t know how to respond. And while the Night Shift are his allies, some are likely wanted criminals, so he isn’t sure if he should turn them in.

Shooter loved internal conflicts like this; per Byrne, he literally demanded one in each story.

The Epic volume concludes with CAPTAIN AMERICA #332 (and a few extras.) I’ve covered #332 in the past, so no recap required there. This means our journey through “Justice is Served” has ended. Overall, I’d rank it as midlevel Gruenwald. His devotion to keeping Cap firmly CAP is admirable, and the guest stars are usually fun. The villains tend to be weak, however, and this Power Broker arc feels endless. Also -- yeesh, did we need that many Colletta fill-ins?

But, even the weaker stories are setting up the next arc, Gru’s magnum opus on this book, so they’re more forgivable in retrospect. As a testament to this era of Marvel, the book is a fantastic artifact.

15 Ways The 1980s Were The Greatest Spider-Man Decade

You know those internet lists that provide 10-15 justifications for a lofty premise?  I wrote one of those.

SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #257 - May 1998

Prodigy

Credits:  J. M. DeMatteis (writer), Luke Ross (penciler), Al Milgrom & Dan Green (inks), John Kalisz (colors), Comicraft (letters)

The Plot:  Prodigy, Peter Parker’s newest alter ego, foils an attempt by Conundrum’s men to kidnap Ambassador Chaliz.  Unbeknownst to Prodigy, the event was staged to draw attention away from the kidnapping of Chaliz’s daughter, Tabriaz.  Conundrum announces his ransom demand for Tabriaz, the priceless Hand of Mumthazi.  Ambassador Chaliz is unable to deliver the Hand because it’s recently been stolen from a museum by Mad Jack.  Prodigy promises Chaliz that he’ll rescue his daughter.  Meanwhile, Conundrum confronts Mad Jack in an abandoned bar.  Prodigy arrives and interrupts their fight.  To his shock, they team up against him and shrink him to a doll’s size.

The Subplots:  Flash, who’s now officially dating Betty, reflects on how well his life is going.  Anna Watson gives Peter the details of her affair during her first marriage.  She was married to struggling radio drama writer Jacob Hilliard when she fell for singer Johnny Diplama.  Consumed by guilt, she left California and was taken in by Aunt May and Uncle Ben.

Web of Continuity:  

• Billy Walters is portrayed as a photographer during the opening of the issue.  A line of dialogue later clarifies he wants to be a reporter, however.
• The mysterious Conundrum makes his debut.
• There’s a ridiculous amount of cryptic hints regarding both Conundrum and Mad Jack this issue.  Conundrum supposedly has no knowledge of his past life, but does seek guidance through meditation from his deceased “master.”  Later, Mad Jack claims that he taught Conundrum most of his tricks.  Mad Jack, we discover, has a bond with the abandoned bar Maquire’s (also the name of his cat), dwells on the “torments of his past,” has a connection to Conundrum through an “old man,” and has a “romantic streak” according to Conundrum.

I Love the ‘90s:  Flash’s three guesses for Betty when she plays the “Guess Who?” game with him:  Courtney Love, Kate Winslet, and Fiona Apple.

Production Note:  Numerous lettering mistakes this issue.  The title is on the wrong side of the opening splash page, omniscient third person captions show up in quotation marks, lines of dialogue repeat in one panel, and the final splash page bungles Mad Jack’s gigantic word balloons.

Review:  The credits page acknowledges that this is J. M. DeMatteis’ final issue, but I wonder if he even knew this when writing the story.  I’d like to think that he wouldn’t introduce yet another mystery character, drop more fruitless hints regarding Mad Jack’s identity, and leave on a cliffhanger in his final issue.  It’s a shame that the J. M. DeMatteis and Luke Ross era of Spectacular had to end like this, with so much unrealized potential.  There were a few rough spots during this stint, but the signs of a potentially classic run were there.  A more polished Ross and a more focused DeMatteis, working on material that could gel within the confines of a franchise comic, would’ve produced some great Spidey stories.  Stories that, perhaps, could’ve brought some fans back to Spider-Man without all of the hype surrounding a reboot.  Instead, Spectacular was left to practically languish with no support from the rest of the franchise.  The events of this title should’ve been felt across the line, but the “hands off” policy of the era instead left one book attempting to tell bold Spider-Man stories and three other titles that often read like fill-ins.  And with Spectacular cancelled, the readers are stuck with numerous plot threads left dangling and mysteries that will only end in even more frustrating resolutions.

As the introduction of the fourth false identity, “Prodigy” is a fairly average chapter in the “Identity Crisis” event.  To be honest, I suspect J. M. DeMatteis wasn’t overly thrilled by the crossover but is playing along and trying to make the best out of the concept.  The hook for Prodigy is that he’s based on the classic superheroes from the comics Peter found in Uncle Ben’s attic.  That means he acts and speaks like a Silver Age DC superhero, “square-jawed, decent, uncomplicated -- and everyone seems to loves him!”  He’s the hero Peter wishes he could be, were he not plagued by self-doubt and rotten luck.  It’s a solid starting place for an idea, but intentionally making the character generic is a risky move.  Of the four identities, Prodigy arguably has the least interesting visual and powers (he can fly, somehow, and that seems to be it).  I also question why the concept of Norman Osborn adopting Prodigy as his personal hero, and weapon against Spider-Man, is showing up again when it’s already being used for the Hornet in Sensational.  How did no one catch this?  There’s also the dubious arrival of Prodigy at the story’s end, when he’s magically able to locate the villains in time for the issue’s climax.  This month’s Peter Parker, Spider-Man already used that specific plot convenience.  These event stories require tight editing, which is not a hallmark of this era of Spidey.  Finally, there’s the introduction of Conundrum, the mystery villain that Spectacular absolutely did not need at this time.  I give credit to Luke Ross for the visual, a bizarre Arabic puzzle mask that folds like a Rubik’s cube, but there’s more than enough cryptic, unexplained behavior in this book right now.  Unless Conundrum is being introduced as a means to unravel the Mad Jack mystery, he’s best left on the shelf for a while.

SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #256 - April 1998

Through the Looking Glass

Credits:  J. M. DeMatteis (writer), Luke Ross (penciler), Dan Green (inks), John Kalisz (colors), Comicraft (letters)

The Plot:  The White Rabbit hijacks the airwaves and announces her ransom demand for Grizzly and the Gibbon.  The mayor laughs in disbelief.  Peter and MJ see her announcement, leading Peter to adopt the impromptu disguise of the Bombastic Bag-Man.  He crashes the White Rabbit’s hideout, but allows Grizzly and the Gibbon to have the final victory over her.  When he returns home, MJ unveils the new costumed identity she’s created for him, Prodigy.

The Subplots:  Norman Osborn obliquely threatens Jonah’s wife again when he refuses to be interviewed for Osborn’s biography.  Flash, meanwhile, grows closer to Osborn.  Aunt Anna reveals to MJ that she was married at eighteen and that her infidelity killed the relationship.

Web of Continuity:  

• Peter does have the Dusk suit at this point, but he isn’t near home when he sees White Rabbit’s ransom demand.  
• MJ is stunned to discover Aunt Anna was married.

I Love the ‘90s:  One of White Rabbit’s flunkies tells her she’s a better actress than Pamela Lee, which was briefly Pamela Anderson’s professional name while married to Tommy Lee.  Later, there’s a reference to Al Gore and boring speeches, Grizzly claims that not hitting White Rabbit would be considered sexist in the ‘90s, Peter wonders if he’ll get a cartoon on FOX, and MJ speculates that Leonardo DiCaprio and Jim Cameron will make a Prodigy movie one day.

Review:  It’s another Spectacular issue that’s clearly intended as a comedy, even though the subplots are just as serious as ever.  I maintain that this is an odd choice to make, creating issues with such bizarre tonal shifts they read as schizophrenic.  Maybe other readers are able to make the leap from caring about Flash’s recovery from alcoholism to laughing at the White Rabbit’s sardonic actors-for-hire henchmen back to sympathizing with Anna Watson’s painful past, but the tonal shifts just get on my nerves.  I don’t mind inserting comedy into the stories, but entire plots that are plainly intended as farcical comedies should probably be done as standalone issues.  And while I do find most of the White Rabbit material pretty amusing, I think the Bag-Man joke falls a little flat.  I understand that it’s a reference to a DeFalco/Frenz issue of Amazing, but in my opinion that hurts the joke because we’ve already seen it before.  Couldn’t Spider-Man devise a different wacky get-up?  

There is one aspect of the issue that sets it far above the rest of the titles of this era -- MJ is actually acting like MJ.  She’s supportive of her husband while also being upfront about her own misgivings regarding his life as Spider-Man.  And she’s funny, compassionate, and slightly quirky.  She’s, heaven forbid, a well-drawn female character with a distinct personality who doesn’t exist merely to insert hackneyed drama into the hero’s life.  What a concept.

SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #255 - March 1998

Something Goblin This Way Comes…

Credits:  Tom DeFalco (plot), J. M. DeMatteis (script), Luke Ross (penciler), Dan Green & Al Milgrom (inks), John Kalisz, Mike Rockwitz, & Mark Bernardo (colors), Comicraft’s Kiff Scholl (letters)

The Plot:  Spider-Man rescues the Punisher and a group of mercenaries from the collapsing building.  He’s targeted again by Shotgun, but manages to escape.  Later, the Green Goblin invades the Daily Bugle offices and roughs up Norman Osborn.  He demands Osborn deliver $10 million to him on the Brooklyn Bridge or else he’ll never see Normie again.  Later, Spider-Man observes the exchange from a distance and steps in when the Goblin double-crosses Osborn.  Spider-Man chases the Goblin and captive Osborn to a nearby warehouse.  When Spider-Man leaves to pursue the Goblin, Override discovers the $10 million.  Meanwhile, Punisher and Shotgun, who have now teamed up, rescue Jimmy-6 from a group of Osborn’s mercenaries.  Clarence Fielding follows Spider-Man and the Goblin to the Goblin’s hideout, and during their fight, rescues Normie.  The Goblin disappears in a fiery explosion after crashing into a pile of scrap.  Later, Osborn holds a press conference, thanking Clarence and Override for their help.

The Subplots:  Paul Stacy is angry with his father for considering Norman Osborn’s offer.  Behind closed doors, Jonah accuses Norman of staging the kidnapping.  Ben Urich notices that Jacob Conover is unusually interested in the new Green Goblin’s secret identity.  Flash Thompson and Betty Brant are convinced, after seeing Norman’s response to the Goblin, that he sincerely has nothing to do with the Green Goblin.  Later, Professor Angst treats the Goblin’s wounds.  Norman Osborn enters, congratulating the new Goblin on a job well done.

“Huh?” Moment:  I guess the reader is supposed to infer that Osborn and Override came to some agreement off-panel for him to be rewarded a fraction of the $10 million, and for his wife’s medical bills to be paid.  As the story is presented, however, there’s no clear motive for Override to hand the money back to Osborn.

Web of Continuity:  

• Spider-Man’s webbing mask doesn’t match the design seen in Peter Parker, Spider-Man #89's cliffhanger, since it isn’t supposed to be covering his hair.  
• Shotgun has mysteriously disappeared in-between issues and materialized several blocks away from last issue’s explosion.
• Spider-Man overhears Normie refer to the Goblin as “Daddy,” making him wonder if Harry Osborn has returned from the grave.
• The new Green Goblin, as shown from the back, is a bald, white male.  Osborn refers to him as “m’boy,” which is also his nickname for Flash Thompson.
• MJ tells Peter that she has an idea for how he can avoid the $5 million bounty, although several issues pass before we learn her plan.

Creative Differences:  In the opening, the art has the Punisher pointing his gun at Spider-Man, even though he gave up the fight last chapter after he realized that he was being played by Norman Osborn. The dialogue covers for his by giving the Punisher a feeble new motive for holding Spider-Man at gunpoint.

Production Note:  This is a forty-eight page comic with no cover enhancements, priced at $2.99.  A variant cover does exist.

Review:  “SpiderHunt” concludes, and aside from a few hiccups, the finale actually leaves the reader with the impression that there was a coherent plan behind this after all.  Splitting the story between Tom DeFalco and J. M. DeMatteis is a novel way to close out the crossover; having DeFalco plot lessens the continuity issues that might emerge from bringing in yet another writer, while DeMatteis’ script is much sharper and emotionally resonant than anything DeFalco has produced lately.  With both writers combining their talents, the reader is getting an ending that makes a certain amount of sense, with a script that’s able to augment the drama and sell the emotional moments.  I tend to think franchise books should have as small a writing staff as possible, especially in a storyline that directly crosses over from title to title.  Even if DeFalco didn’t seem overly enthused by the crossover in his earlier chapter, I have to admit he manages to tie the disparate threads together this issue into a pretty satisfying conclusion.  Clarence Fielding actually has a point after all!  Arthur Stacy’s role is still dangling out there aimlessly, true, but there’s only so much closure I can expect from a crossover co-written by Howard Mackie.

It’s a shame that the Spider-titles of this era rarely feel this coherent.  There’s a lot going on in this issue, making it truly deserving as a double-sized special, and any number of these threads could potentially go somewhere interesting.  Not only is recovering alcoholic Flash looking to Norman Osborn as a role model, but now Betty has bought into Osborn's act.  The new Goblin may or may not be someone we know.  Jonah is beginning to stand up to Osborn.  Ben Urich wonders now if Jacob Conover is up to something, while the Bugle tries to carry on without Robbie.  A price remains on Spider-Man’s head.  The Stacys are almost starting to develop personalities.  Unfortunately, most of these plots either don’t have real conclusions, or they end as spectacular failures.  

SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #254 - February 1998

Angst!

Credits:  J. M. DeMatteis (plot), Tom DeFalco (script), Luke Ross (penciler), Dan Green (inks), John Kalisz (colors), Comicraft’s Kiff Scholl (letters)

The Plot:  Professor Angst sends his disciple Sir to the Daily Bugle, allegedly to kidnap Norman Osborn, but in truth to abduct Spider-Man.  While in Angst’s custody, Spider-Man fights against his physical and mental torture.  Eventually, Spider-Man breaks free of his bonds and attacks Sir.  Angst stops the fight and prepares to return Spider-Man to Osborn; however, Spider-Man recovers from the sedative and attacks Angst as well.  He leaves Angst with a message for Osborn, then destroys his equipment.  Later, Angst confides in Norman Osborn that he doesn’t like the influence Spider-Man has had on Sir.

The Subplots:  Robbie Robertson officially quits the Daily Bugle.  Jonah refuses to discuss the issue with his employees.  In Jonah’s desk drawer is a gun that he’s apparently saving for Norman Osborn.  Later, Osborn meets with Ben Urich and assigns him the task of discovering the Green Goblin’s “true” identity.

Web of Continuity:  

• Norman Osborn asks Peter if he’s heard about the murder of small-time criminal Joey Z.  Norman was with Peter in PPSM #88 when he photographed the crime scene!
• MJ and Peter’s conversation reveals that Aunt Anna thought MJ was being intentionally absurd when she told Anna that Peter is Spider-Man last issue.
• Ben Urich wrote a book called “Legacy of Evil” (also the name of a one-shot, set shortly before the events of the Clone Saga) that revealed Norman Osborn as the real identity of the Green Goblin.  Osborn is uncharacteristically generous towards Urich this issue, telling him he appreciates his attempt to discover the truth, even if he got the answer wrong.

*See _________ For Details:  Sir previously appeared as an escaped Ravencroft patient in Daredevil #364.  Reading this issue, I had no idea Sir is transgender.

Review:  A rarity for J. M. DeMatteis during this period, it’s a done-in-one story instead of a multi-part epic.  I’m not sure how Tom DeFalco ended up in the scripting role this issue, but fortunately he’s less corny here than he has been lately in Amazing, even though he’s not suited to write the gothic narration I assume DeMatteis envisioned when plotting the story.  DeFalco does utilitarian work, not dragging the story down really, but perhaps not fleshing out the concepts that DeMatteis had in mind.  Sir is a good example, since the ending leads us to believe that he’s experienced a life-altering event after spending time with Spider-Man, but the script leading up to this point has done very little to sell this idea.  Ultimately, I think the major hindrance to the story would be Luke Ross’ art, which demonstrates yet again that psychological drama isn’t his forte at this stage in his career.  Ross has been getting much better as the months have progressed on this title, but this issue is an unfortunate step back into the overly cartoony/slightly sketchy stylized look from his earlier issues.

More engaging than the main story are the Daily Bugle subplots this issue.  So far, Norman Osborn as the Bugle’s co-owner hasn’t amounted to much, but this issue ramps up the drama and actually gives you the impression that all of this is going somewhere.  I don’t think it is, ultimately, but hopefully the creators can squeeze some entertainment out of this concept before the relaunch comes.  While it’s been a nuisance plot in Amazing for a while now, Robbie Robertson quitting the Bugle has real impact here and is played as the traumatic event is would actually be within the Bugle newsroom.  A lingering continuity issue regarding Ben Urich and Norman Osborn is also addressed, and thankfully not in the most predictable manner possible.  Norman doesn’t try to kill Ben or even harm him in any way for writing “Legacy of Evil,” he just wants Ben to discover the “true” story behind the Green Goblin.  This opens the door for potentially interesting material for the underused Ben Urich, even though (again) I don’t think anything comes from it.  Finally, we discover that Jonah isn’t taking Osborn’s abuse lying down…he’s got a 9 mm slug with Osborn’s name on it hiding in his desk drawer.  You’re almost tricked into thinking this is all going somewhere!

While it’s frustrating that the Norman Osborn/Daily Bugle setup eventually fizzled out, I’m even more annoyed by the casual dismissal of the previous issue’s cliffhanger.  After a frustrated MJ revealed Peter’s secret ID to Aunt Anna, her response was to think it was a joke and to realize that she’s been behaving ridiculously lately?  And we discover all of this off-panel?  That’s even worse than a copout, it’s a copout the creators didn’t even bother to show us firsthand.

BATMAN/SPIDER-MAN - October 1997

New Age Dawning

Credits:  J. M. DeMatteis (writer), Graham Nolan (penciler), Karl Kesel (inks), Gloria Vasquez & Heroic Age (colors), John Costanza (letters)

The Plot:  Batman follows Talia to New York, where she meets with the Kingpin.  Talia offers Kingpin a chance to join her father’s organization in exchange for a cure for his sick wife, Vanessa.  Spider-Man discovers Batman as he spies on Talia.  The heroes agree to join forces.  Kingpin accompanies Talia to Tibet to meet her father, Ra’s al Ghul.  Spider-Man and Batman follow.  As the heroes fight al Ghul’s men, Kingpin presses the button that should cause New York to be flooded.  Instead, it destroys al Ghul’s satellite.  Kingpin reveals that he’s been plotting against Ra’s al Ghul for months and that he invited Spider-Man and Batman along.  Ra’s al Ghul congratulates Kingpin and allows the heroes a safe journey home.  Later, Talia sends Batman a cure for Vanessa, stolen from her father’s scientists.  

The Subplots:  After being reunited with the Kingpin in Paris, Vanessa Fisk is now dying of what appears to be cancer.  Later, Ra’s al Ghul reveals that she was infected with a virus he designed to mimic cancer.  Before leaving for Tibet, Peter nervously tells MJ at his “favorite diner” Mickey’s that he’ll be gone for a while.

Web of Continuity:  This story is set after the Clone Saga, and after the Batman crossover “Contagion.”  

I Love the ‘90s:  Ra’s al Ghul is exploiting fears about the new millennium by triggering natural disasters across the globe.

Production Note:  This is a forty-eight page, bookshelf format one-shot on glossy paper.  The cover price is $4.95.

Review:  This is DC’s contribution to the Batman/Spider-Man crossover series; the first chapter was published by Marvel in 1995 and set shortly before the Clone Saga.  While J. M. DeMatteis wrote both chapters, he seems less interested in a psychological examination of the heroes this time, instead focusing on Kingpin and Ra’s al Ghul.  DeMatteis plays up the idea that both men are utterly ruthless but also surprisingly human, a concept dramatized very well in a conversation between Talia and Vanessa Fisk.  Both women have a hopeless belief that their partner can change, but both are blinded by love, be it paternal or romantic.  Kingpin is unexpectedly allowed to play the hero in the story, which is a great fake-out after DeMatteis goes out of his way to give him a plausible justification for working with Ra’s al Ghul.  I don’t remember where exactly it was established that Kingpin refuses to work with terrorists, ones targeting New York at least, but it’s a great character bit, one that J. M. DeMatteis puts to excellent use here.  There’s an interesting dynamic between Ra’s al Ghul and Kingpin, as Ra’s al Ghul is viewed as a more “honorable” villain than Kingpin, yet Kingpin is the one who’s pragmatic enough to realize just how revolting Ra’s al Ghul’s actions really are.

Because the villains receive so much of the focus, Batman and Spider-Man are often left in the background.  DeMatteis plays the heroes’ personalities against one another very well, but it’s clear that this story isn’t meant as a deep exploration of these characters.  DeMatteis covered that territory in the first chapter, which is explicitly in-continuity (with this specific crossover), so he isn’t going to repeat himself.  Spider-Man even tells Batman that they’re going to skip the obligatory hero vs. hero fight, because they did that the last time they met.  The first chapter had fantastic artwork from Mark Bagley, who draws a Batman that’s just as iconic as his Spider-Man, which sets the bar very high for Graham Nolan.  Nolan does perfectly competent work throughout the comic, but it’s hard to deny that his Batman far exceeds his Spidey.  Nolan’s Batman is an angular, black creature of the night when needed, and the brawny Neal Adams action hero whenever the story requires him to step out of the shadows.  Nolan’s Spider-Man is…straight out of Marvel Team-Up.  There’s nothing particularly wrong with it, there’s just a sense that we’ve seen this version of Spider-Man numerous times before.  Nolan’s art serves the story very well, but the pages featuring Spider-Man just don’t have the same impact as the Batman pages.  Perhaps that’s fitting for the DC chapter, but I'd love to see a Spider-Man that looks just as good as Batman.