Comics Amazing from Beginning to End

[iloveclones]

I had a request today for a faster turnaround, and although I can't usually put them up quickly, I did have this one ready to go. I was going to post it tomorrow, but a request is a request......


Amazing Spider-Man #13 - The Menace Of Mysterio

Another great villain with (imo) a great costume design. Mysterio will be around for years to come. I think Ditko designed it that way just so he could draw these great billowing clouds of smoke, which he really makes look good.


Money, money,money, MONEY!

I swear it wasn't me. It must have been the dog...

Seems like Spidey is out commiting crimes, and Pete isn't exactly sure it isn't him. That maybe the pressure has gotten to him and he's cracked. He seeks out a skinny version of Dr. Phil, but balks when he realizes that he might be jeopardizing his Secret ID. Meanwhile, he has a run-in with the new flavor of the month, Mysterio, who has offered to tell Spidey some big secret about himself (if that doesn't scream "I'm setting you up moron!", I don't know what does.) Spidey, as typical on a first meeting, gets pwned.



Uh, are there steps or do I have to shimmy down the ropes....?

Jameson, as is customary by now, gives Mysterio celebrity status for beating Spidey, which gives Pete the opportunity to slip a Spider-tracer on him. Now, they meet on Spidey's terms. And although it seems like Spidey has the upper hand, soon Mysterio is on the verge of beating him again, so much so that he has time to recount his origin (Villians 101 covers this in the frist chapter)


I have to admit, I was really captivated by these plans when I first saw them and (honestly) wondered if you could really do it...

But the Wallcrawler was using the rope-a-dope, and was faking long enough to get Mysterio on tape. The fight continues through a movie studio, and Spidey figures his way around all of Mysterio's tricks. He delivers Mysterio to the police, and manages to ruin JJJ's day once again, until he gets his hands on photos of the fight, the only way to make Jonah smile.


The ole whammaroo.....

Gimme a hug....!

I always dug Mysterio's origin. Another one of those "a normal guy could do it" schemes, with a Hollywood twist on it. And another one of those guys, like Vulture, that you think, "Dude, why didn't you just patent this **** and make a boatload of dough off of that?" And Mysterio really makes for a great visual. Except for the haircut. Completely explains the dome head.

 

[iloveclones]

Just to let you know, Superman Prime, I did throw the next issue up, and it's showing me that I posted it, but it doesn't appear. Now I don't want to try putting it up again for fear of the dreaded double post. Computers suck. That's how the machines start to take over.....

EDIT: ....And there it is. Go figure!

 

[Kevin Roegele]

I LOVE the plot twist of Doc Ock unmasking Spidey - and no-one believing puny Peter Parker could be Spider-Man-! That's one of Stan's best ever ideas on the comic, so perfect and so unlike any other superhero.

I can't believe Raimi & co didn't use it.

 

[iloveclones]

I LOVE the plot twist of Doc Ock unmasking Spidey - and no-one believing puny Peter Parker could be Spider-Man-! That's one of Stan's best ever ideas on the comic, so perfect and so unlike any other superhero.

I can't believe Raimi & co didn't use it.

That would have been AWESOME! Along those lines, How did they never use the "Putting a paper bag over the head to do the laundry" gag? Tell me you wouldn't want to see that on film!

 

[Superwoman Prime]

Seems like Spidey is out commiting crimes, and Pete isn't exactly sure it isn't him. That maybe the pressure has gotten to him and he's cracked. He seeks out a skinny version of Dr. Phil, but balks when he realizes that he might be jeopardizing his Secret ID. Meanwhile, he has a run-in with the new flavor of the month, Mysterio, who has offered to tell Spidey some big secret about himself (if that doesn't scream "I'm setting you up moron!", I don't know what does.) Spidey, as typical on a first meeting, gets pwned.

Next time they retell Mysterio's origins and Spidey visits a psychiatrist, it needs to literally be Dr. Phil. I could totally see them doing that.

I always dug Mysterio's origin. Another one of those "a normal guy could do it" schemes, with a Hollywood twist on it. And another one of those guys, like Vulture, that you think, "Dude, why didn't you just patent this **** and make a boatload of dough off of that?" And Mysterio really makes for a great visual. Except for the haircut. Completely explains the dome head.

Really. It leaves Mysterio's mental status in question. He was the one who needed to visit fit Dr. Phil.

Anyhow, this is my favorite issue to this point. There are some great ones coming up, and then once we hit the #18 mark, we start to see some of the first examples of poor quality storytelling of the series, IMO.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

Mysterio should be played by Charlie Sheen.

"I got fired from 'Two and a Half Men'. But they didn't know my Adonis DNA is strong with tiger-blood. I strafe heroes like an F16 before breakfast. It's called WINNING, Spider-Man!"

 

[iloveclones]

Charlie Sheen is totally Harry Osborne.,,,,Drug addict with Daddy issues.

 

[iloveclones]

Next time they retell Mysterio's origins and Spidey visits a psychiatrist, it needs to literally be Dr. Phil. I could totally see them doing that.

haha...Another scene that I would love to see in a Spidey movie.

 

[iloveclones]

Amazing Spider-Man #14 - The Grotesque Adventure of The Green Goblin

So, another new foe for Spidey and this one is a doozy. Well, not really. Not for his first outing, anyway. Green Goblin is a pretty cool design, but the whole thing doesn't really come together until he loses the broomstick. And there's something a little extravagant about this scheme to get the wall-crawler. BUT, there's no denying that GG will go on to be one of the premier arch-villains of all time.


I love that they're all just hanging out, but feel the need to display their abilities.....I guess if I could rip a phone book in half (remember phone books?) I would too.....

I'm gonna go all Angry Birds on this jackass....

Spidey will look back on this meeting and wish that it never happened.

Now, prepare, because this is one of the most overly complicated schemes ever. Green Goblin, who we've never heard of before but still has some all-consuming hatred of Spidey, decides the best way to get him is to convince him that they're making a movie of Spidey vs GG and the Enforcers, fly him out to LA, get him out in the desert, and BOOM. They got him.



Aunt May wields a guilt trip like a master. Look at the small tear coming out of her eye. She has to be either Catholic or Jewish....the Grand Masters of a all guilt-trippers....

Of course, our hero falls for it, Hook, Line, and Sinker. And $50,000 will go a long way to keeping Aunt May out of the poor house. So what's a broke superhero to do. Once out in LA LA land, the Dream Team of GG and the Enforcers find an unlikely ally in The Incredible Hulk, who shows up for just long enough to cause the webslinger a little trouble. Eventually, Spidey manages to take out the Enforcers one by one, all while evading the Green Goliath (huh, another GG). Green Goblin decides discretion is the better part of valor, and runs away.

Holy ****! I literally knocked his head off!

According to legend (although I've read differing accounts) this little mystery is what eventually led to Ditko leaving the title.

 

[Themanofbat]

I love that they're all just hanging out, but feel the need to display their abilities.....I guess if I could rip a phone book in half (remember phone books?) I would too.....

I like that they are in a "sleezy" hotel room... and "not far away" to boot...

Hmmmm... I wonder if it's the Jones Lake Motel just around the corner...

 

[iloveclones]

HaHa...that gets the award for the most localized joke on the Hype today. I actually googled it to see why I didn't get the joke, and it turns out it's actually in Moncton! Score, TMOB. You just made me google your hometown!

 

[iloveclones]

And I'm no scholar on the expansion history of the US, but looking on the map, it looks like we were too cheap to pay for the rest of the peninsula!

 

[Superwoman Prime]

Have fun with all the excessive appearances of The Human Torch.

 

[iloveclones]

Now that Torchy's dead .....pauses for laugh track.....Spidey will have to be friends with Wolvie full time. Seeing that he makes all the gratuitous appearances now, it's not that big of a stretch.

Actually, we should see more awkward appearances between Wolvie and Torch. It's like when you introduce your new college buddy to an old high school friend. (Especially after telling one or the other..."You're gonna love this guy...")

 

[Themanofbat]

HaHa...that gets the award for the most localized joke on the Hype today. I actually googled it to see why I didn't get the joke, and it turns out it's actually in Moncton! Score, TMOB. You just made me google your hometown!

Thanks... it's the only place in town where you can rent a room by the hour...

Vote Quimby! t:

 

[runawayboulder]

Now that Torchy's dead .....pauses for laugh track.....Spidey will have to be friends with Wolvie full time.

Logan has no reason to hang out with Pete now that MJ is out of the picture.

 

[iloveclones]

I'll throw up a few Untold Tales covers that have taken place in between the regular issues while I wait to put up the next Amazing.....


Untold Tales of Spider-Man#3

This takes place right after Amazing #7 The Return of the Vulture. In fact, there's a continuation of the end scene....

 

[Kevin Roegele]

Issue #14 demonstrates just how great Stan Lee is at telling stories. It's essentially just a string of weird ideas thrown together; the Enforcers, the Green Goblin, a movie starring Spidey, a fight in the desert, and the Hulk in a cave. And yet it's great fun, very readable. Stan quickly realises the Enforcers are lame supervillains and make better henchmen. Apparently Stan's initial idea was to have the Goblin emerge from an Egyptian sarcophagus (!) and be a real Goblin (!!). But you know Stan could have carried it off-! Marvel in the 60's really was the House of Ideas.

 

[iloveclones]

Issue #14 demonstrates just how great Stan Lee is at telling stories. It's essentially just a string of weird ideas thrown together; the Enforcers, the Green Goblin, a movie starring Spidey, a fight in the desert, and the Hulk in a cave. And yet it's great fun, very readable. Stan quickly realises the Enforcers are lame supervillains and make better henchmen. Apparently Stan's initial idea was to have the Goblin emerge from an Egyptian sarcophagus (!) and be a real Goblin (!!). But you know Stan could have carried it off-! Marvel in the 60's really was the House of Ideas.

I've never heard that one. And you're right, somehow he would have pulled it off!

 

[iloveclones]

EDIT: stupid rassin frassin double post

 

[iloveclones]

Takes place between the Living Brain issue and Spidey's first meeting with Electro....

 

[spideyboy_1111]

*enters thread and looks around*


graaaaa i so want to own Amazing 121 some day

i think i own 122... ill have to relook at my collection.

 

[iloveclones]

All of mine that I have before 150 or so are all Marvel Tales. In fact, the very early issues I read on Pocket Digests that they sold at the time that collected 6 issues or so. Same with FF. I don't know if I still own them or not, but if I do, they are surely beat to all hell.

 

[spideyboy_1111]

my oldest i think is #16 with human torch and beetle? my favorite i have though is #39. best spider-man cover ever

 

[iloveclones]

Amazing Spider-Man #15 - Kraven The Hunter

Observation 1: That is the shortest, stumpiest Spider-Man ever
Observation 2: Maybe it's just me, but Kraven reminds me of Burt Reynolds (in his younger years of course)

Another issue, another classic villain. Chameleon decides that Spidey is crimping his style too often (dude can supposedly imitate anyone, so who does he imitate.....the president....head of a corporation....no, a common criminal). So he calls up his old friend Kraven the Hunter. He's only referred to as Kraven, as the russian background stuff came later. It seems Kraven has hunted and captured every living thing....except man! After watching Spidey in action, and having a little test run with him, where he manages to poison Spidey with some kind of nerve agent, Kraven retreats to formulate his master plan.

The poison wreaks havoc with Pete, causing him to have a severe case of the dropseys. Aunt May corners Pete into a blind date with a girl next door (who is becoming more and more hideous in Pete's mind) and JJJ bugs Pete for pics of Kraven and Spidey. Or as Pete likes to call it: Wednesday.


Something about this pic alway reminded me of the way the Peanuts gang danced.....

.....for comparison purposes

Kraven finally ensares Spidey by having him follow Chameleon disguised as Kraven, and sneaking up behind him. He then slaps some contraption on him that pulls his arm and leg together....and it has a bell in it. Seems kind of complicated for a master hunter, but I guess putting a bullet in Spidey from a couple hundred yards away doesn't make for a good story. (I know, I know Spider sense blah blah blah....but the spider sense didn't seem to warn him of the magnetic contraption with bell in it, DID IT?)

Why exactly did Chameleon change out of his Kraven outfit and into his robe and ascot?

Seriously, he really likes that robe and ascot combo. I mean, who dresses like that to be deported to South America?

Spidey finally gets the upper hand by dousing the little bell with web fluid, turning out the lights in the park, and letting his spider sense give him the advantage in the park. Bad guys are defeated with enough time for Pete to get turned down three times by three different girls....Mrs. Watson's nebulous niece, Betty Brant, and Liz Allen!


Oh, Pete....

Disclaimer: Two glasses of wine. Hope the review made sense!