Too Violent? Too Sexy? Spider-Man's Conflicted 1980s Era

A newlywed Spider-Man and MJ faced sins of the past...and pushed a few of the era's boundaries. I revisit all this and the return of Sal Buscema and Peter David this week at CBR.

SPIDER-MAN TEAM-UP #7 - June 1997

 

Old Scores

Credits:  Kurt Busiek (writer), Sal Buscema and Dick Giordano (art), Tom Smith (colors), Comicraft’s Team Dave (letters)

The Plot:  A Drone created by the Enclave robs a scientific firm, killing a security guard in the process.  The media blames Spider-Man, based on the testimony of the surviving guard.  The mayor orders the Thunderbolts to bring in Spider-Man, much to the delight of Mach-1, who previously faced Spider-Man as the Beetle.  Eventually, the Thunderbolts realize that Spider-Man is innocent and track the Drone to the Enclave’s headquarters.  Spider-Man follows, using the spider-tracer he placed on Mach-1.  During their fight with the Enclave, Spider-Man saves Mach-1’s life, and gives him the information he needs to stop the Enclave’s brainwashing scheme.  Later, Mach-1 gives Spider-Man a video recorded by Techno that implicates the Enclave.  He tells his teammates that this was in their own best interests, but later admits to himself that playing a hero is having an impact on him.

The Subplots:  J. Jonah Jameson is thrilled to have yet another opportunity to blast Spider-Man.  Later, Peter goes to the Daily Bugle to research the Thunderbolts, arousing Robbie Robertson’s curiosity.  I’ll also point out that Anna Watson is mentioned-but-not-seen yet again this issue.

Web of Continuity:  This story takes place early in the Thunderbolts’ career, when they are still villains-in-disguise.  And, like many stories, this issue has to take place prior to May 1997's Spectacular Spider-Man #246, due to Jonah's appearance.

*See _________ For Details:  The Enclave lost their original headquarters in Fantastic Four #67.  Some of their technology previously appeared in the Spider-Man: Dead Man’s Hand one-shot.  Mach-1 debuted as the Beetle in Strange Tales #123.  He points out that the Human Torch was his first opponent, but Spider-Man has been his main adversary over the years.  Finally, Spidey reminds the Thunderbolts that he said nice things about them in Thunderbolts #1.

I Love the ‘90s:  Dallas, the T-Bolts’ liaison with the mayor, says that she will “modem over the data” on Spider-Man’s alleged crime.

Production Note:  The tiny print is still incorrectly listing the year as 1996.  Also, this is the final issue of the series.  A new volume of Marvel Team-Up soon takes its place, but Spider-Man is no longer featured in every issue.

Review:  I believe this is the last time Sal Buscema provided pencils for a Spider-Man story, so there is some historical significance to the issue.  And it looks great, by the way.  Buscema has figured out how to make the post-McFarlane style work very well by this point, creating a stylized version of the character that’s still rooted in actual anatomy.  Buscema’s also asked to draw a lot of characters this issue, yet he never seems to be shirking on the work.  (Having Dick Giordano do the finishes doesn’t hurt, either.)  The story is probably more of a Thunderbolts story than a Spider-Man story, but Busiek is still careful to work in some of the Spidey hallmarks, such as Peter going to the Daily Bugle for research and JJJ gleefully blaming Spider-Man for the latest crime that he's been framed for.  Playing up Spidey’s past with Mach-1 also helps to make Spider-Man feel less like a generic hero, which is often a problem with team-up stories.  The Thunderbolts have a much more interesting role to play, as they debate just leaving Spider-Man out to dry, or actually finding the real culprit (if only to protect their image in the future.)  Mach-1’s character arc could easily come across as cheese, but Busiek executes the ending quite well.  

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #33-#34, December 1987-January 1988

What’s the Matter with Mommy?

Credits: Ann Nocenti (writer), Cindy Martin (penciler), Steve Leialoha (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Janet Jackson (colorist)

One of the text pieces in the original “Kraven’s Last Hunt” trade acknowledges the negative reaction some fans had to the crossover. Some vendors didn’t carry all of the Spidey books, which meant readers in those towns missed out on important chapters in the storyline. The spider-office of this era responded accordingly, and used a different approach for future crossovers (basically, each individual chapter of an event was a somewhat complete story that didn’t end with a cliffhanger). The Mad Dog Ward storyline, however, ran immediately after “Kraven’s Last Hunt,” before editorial had a chance to respond to the complaints. Since Web was still without a regular creative team, and Peter David had left Spectacular by this point, I imagine running another crossover was at least partially motivated by the need to give the spinoffs material for another month.

I’ve only read one chapter of this crossover, and one issue of the sequel that ran in Spider-Man in the early ‘90s, so I can’t attest to its overall quality. This individual chapter has Ann Nocenti penning an even more anxiety-ridden Peter Parker than usual. He worries about everything…if he’s disappointing Aunt May, if he does any good as Spider-Man, if he’s secretly angry with Mary Jane for leaving for a modeling assignment, if he’s subconsciously sabotaging himself by selling Spider-Man photos to the Bugle, etc. He runs into two kids on the street whose mother has just been institutionalized. He can’t stop worrying about them either, so he investigates “what’s the matter with mommy?” It turns out the woman is married to one of the Kingpin’s men, and that she’s been institutionalized in the Mad Dog Ward, a ward secretly controlled by the Kingpin. It’s a suitable opening for the storyline, one that combines Nocenti’s interest in a twisted domestic life with traditional Spider-Man action. Of course, another downside of crossover arcs are the issues you miss when you win a series’ lot on eBay, so I don’t know how this turned out. They really should’ve considered this back in 1987.

Fourth and Eternity

Credits: Jim Shooter (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Vince Colletta (inker), Rick Parker (letterer), Janet Jackson (colorist)

And, now we’re back to lame inventory stories. Jim Shooter was out as editor-in-chief by this point, so I wonder just how long this story sat around collecting dust before publication. This is a ridiculous story that has Spider-Man playing a game of football that saves the entire universe. The setup has an alien obsessed with gambling intruding on the Watcher’s home with a weapon he stole from Galactus. The Watcher offers to let him go if he hands over the dangerous weapon, and the alien promises to go along if he loses a bet. They decide to bet on a football game Spidey is playing with a group of inner-city kids. If you think the universe is saved, and that Spider-Man teaches the kids life lessons through sports, you get no points whatsoever because of course that’s what happened in this stupid comic book. The various conditions the kids place on Spider-Man, including tying one arm behind his back, before he can play with them are cute, though. Two “sophisticated” storylines in a row, and then an issue devoted to Spider-Man playing a game of football that settles a cosmic bet. The ‘80s were a crazy time for comics.

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #12 - March 1986

Have You Seen That Vigilante Man!

Credits: Peter David (writer), Sal Buscema (breakdowns), Bob McLeod (finishes), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)

The Plot: Peter learns the incendiary device mainly caused smoke damage. After a rival newspaper gives Peter a $1,000 prize for his heroism, Jonah Jameson overrides Robbie Robertson and puts Peter’s story on the front page. Peter impetuously spends the money to get ahead on rent to placate his obnoxious landlord. Peter has the three thugs arrested, but they’re bailed out by Hector, the hitman brother of the gangleader. Hector declares that he’s going to kill Peter Parker. When the thugs realize they would be considered accomplices in Peter’s death, they race to his apartment to stop Hector. Spider-Man deals with Hector, then changes back into Peter. He decides to drop charges against the thugs, leading his neighbors to turn against their hero.

The Subplots: None.

*See _________ For Details: While identifying his harassers, Peter asks the Assistant DA about a gang case involving someone who “looks like a cross between Michael Jackson and Prince.” A footnote points toward Peter Parker annual #5, which stars Ace.

I Love the ‘80s: Peter remarks that his clothes will have to last a long time…“like until 1993.”

Review: Danny Fingeroth is apparently gone, but don’t get the crazy idea that Peter David is the new writer. This is still Web of Spider-Man, the title that has a strong allergic reaction to anything resembling a stable creative team. David continues the storyline, getting some more laughs out of the idea and raising the stakes to even more ridiculous degrees. The only real glitch from one issue to the next is the portrayal of the hitman, Hector. In the previous issue, he was a brooding, tormented man who warned his brother to stay away from a criminal lifestyle. Here, he’s more of an archetypical hitman character who decides that he wants Peter Parker dead for having the gall to inconvenience his brother. Soon, he decides that he’ll just kill the next person to walk through the door, which happens to be MJ. I’m not sure where Fingeroth was going with the character, but David (or perhaps the editor influencing the story) decides to use him as a straightforward villain for the issue’s climax. This doesn’t exactly work, and it feels as if Hector is brought in to make this atypical story a little more normal.

I also have issues with the ending. If all the thugs did was harass Peter Parker, having him drop charges in the hopes they’ll reform could be acceptable. However, they were introduced as potential rapists in the last issue, and this issue makes it clear that the immigrant woman they victimized is too terrified to testify against them. The neighbors accuse Peter of being self-centered and irresponsible for letting the criminals go, and they’re absolutely right.

So, the ending has problems, but David still gets mileage out of the concept. Before Peter manages to turn the neighborhood watch against him, he realizes that he’s getting praised for stopping crime as Peter Parker, while Spider-Man is vilified for doing the same things. He could just drop the Spider-Man routine, help people as Peter Parker, and make money as the head of a security force. We all know the story can’t go in that direction, but it’s realistic for Peter to consider the possibilities. The local hero angle is also explored at the Daily Bugle offices, as Jonah places his newfound surrogate son on the front page, partially to upstage the rival newspaper that gave Peter reward money. Peter doesn’t know how to deal with positive press in the Daily Bugle (an idea Gerry Conway will explore years later), and his abrupt refusal to have lunch with the staff doesn’t leave him in anyone’s good graces for long. At the story’s end, as MJ is quick to remind him, Peter’s exactly where he started (only now, his apartment has massive smoke damage). It’s “the ol’ Parker luck” again, but it’s delivered in a creative way we haven’t seen before.

WEB OF SPIDER-MAN #7 - October 1985

Welcome…To My Nightmare!

Credits: Peter David (writer), Sal Buscema (penciler), Armando Gil (finishes), Phil Felix (letterer), Bob Sharen (colorist)

The Plot: Inside a dream, Spider-Man is pursued by the Hulk. He answers a call for help and realizes that Nightmare is actually the Hulk’s target. Nightmare convinces Spider-Man to protect him, which leads to Spider-Man pushing Hulk out of the dream world. After Nightmare refuses to send Spider-Man back home, Hulk’s arm reaches out of the void and grabs him. Spider-Man allows Hulk to take Nightmare away, realizing that Nightmare would never send him home. Peter Parker awakens in his apartment, surrounded by police sent to investigate his screaming.

The Subplots: None, it’s a fill-in.

*See _________ For Details: Nightmare explains that Dr. Strange sent Bruce Banner’s unconscious mind to pursue him in Incredible Hulk #299.

Review: This is possibly the first Peter David Spider-Man comic, and perhaps even his first Hulk story as well (assuming you count dream forms as official appearances). Sal Buscema is a great choice for fill-in artist, given his history with Spider-Man and the Hulk, and David’s work already shows the personality and humor he’ll soon be known for, so this is far from a dull fill-in. While most of the issue is spent on Spidey’s fight with the Hulk, David still uses the dreamscape to work in a bit of introspection. After arriving at the Daily Bugle nude, Peter muses that his greatest fear and desire is to be exposed as Spider-Man, perfectly summing up one of the classic conflicts of the character in just a few pages. And, of course, no Peter Parker dream sequence would be complete without a flashback to Uncle Ben’s death, and a few panels of him questioning which of his loved ones are next. Having Spider-Man switch costumes in-between panels for no reason plays into the idea that we’re seeing his unconscious, but it’s also a gentle mocking of the character’s current status quo (which had him switching between his original and black outfits based on the time of day, as if Spider-Man would actually care). Everything comes together, and even if this is a fill-in, it's the best issue so far.