While the cover wouldn’t really indicate it, we’re still with the same seemingly endless storyline from the last 4 issues. I got MTU 41-45 as a single lot on ebay, not related to the giant lot that had 77 issues in it. But this one is different from the other 4. It’s still got the receipt from its original purchase on February 19, 1976 in it!
Twenty-six cents! Spidey decides he’s ready to go back to his time, and a thoroughly freaked out Cotton Mather watches him go, Spidey berating him for being a jerk even as he disappears.
What in blazes is, well, Killraven. So, uh, in the 70s, when Marvel was doing all sorts of weird stuff, they got the rights to The War of the Worlds, and then… stuck this guy in it? Only the Martians invade in the future, not the past. It’s a Sword & Sorcery, John Carter of Mars kinda thing. Very weird choices. Anyway, Mr. Raven (His name is Jonathan Raven) is plowing toward Spidey on a weird mutant horse in yet another of MTU’s double-page spreads, and quickly determines Spidey isn’t an enemy.
Over 3 more pages, Spidey and KR make short work of several of the big tripods, which really makes Killraven look bad considering this is all he does and Spidey was just like “no prob.” Once they get some breathing room, they formally introduce themselves.
The far-off future of 2019! In spite of having toppled like 5 of the big walkers, Spidey and KR are easily chumped out by the encroaching goons, thanks to Spider-Man’s true archenemy: gas. Then the two heroes suffer through some gas-induced nightmares, Killraven fighting Killraven stuff and Spider-MAn fighting The Green Goblin. As KR fights “Volcana Ash,” Spidey declares that Norman Osborn is dead and Harry is cured, so this can’t be the Goblin, and gets close enough to remove his foe’s mask.
Well, ok! This issue felt really slight. Mantlo tried to get into some psychological stuff with Spidey while introducing the world of Killraven, and that’s a lot for one issue, especially in this era where they were shorter. The Killraven stuff felt like there wasn’t much to do, also. No big villain to showcase since the bad guys are faceless martians and nameless human traitors. Not the best. But if you know about Deathlok, you know Spidey’s time traveling shenanigans STILL aren’t over! This is ridiculous! Well, come back for more next time. But also: Marvel Value Stamp: A-ok!