Really laying it on thick with that cover dialogue. This issue begins a long run on the title by penciler Ross Andru, and the last issue for inkers John Romita & Tony Mortellaro. After either penciling or inking almost every issue since 39, it’s the end of an era for both Romita and Spider-Man. I am, I must confess, not the biggest fan of Andru’s many years on Spidey. I think I prefer his work on DC titles. But his run certainly has plenty of fans, and I don’t mean to say he’s bad. I just don’t think his stuff has the polish of Romita or the kinetic energy of Kane. But, he’s in the driver’s seat now, though Romita’s inking him pretty heavyhandedly, so you might not even notice. Anyway, Man-Wolf is still in mid-air attacking Spidey like last issue, so he finally listens to his Spider Sense and rolls out of the way. But it seems like his optimistic mood from last issue has faded, as he and Man-Wolf mix it up…
Just then, Spider-Man notices the glowing gem on the beast’s neck, and thinks it looks familiar, but he can’t say why. And as he’s pondering that, the moon’s setting, which means Man-Wolf makes a run for it. Spidey’s still a little off from getting slashed earlier, and can’t keep up with him.
Yes,in a weird bit of just telling you what’s happening, Conway has just… magically fixed Peter. Maybe? And, as he makes his way home, there’s more…
Feels kinda lazy to just be like “Peter is not going to be sad anymore.” But, whatever. He bandages up his slashes chest and passes out, still trying to recall where he’s seen that pendant before. Elsewhere, Mary Jane, Flash & Randy are out to breakfast. Flash asks MJ what’s wrong with her.
It is insane how these people just expect Peter & Harry to snap back to normal! MJ walks over to Harry to try to talk to him, but he’s not having it. He says he knows MJ’s been seeing Peter lately (Not technically true, but not for her lack of trying), and she should get out of his sight “before he does something they both regret.” MJ runs out of the diner crying, and Flash & Randy both agree they probably shouldn’t do anything. It’s class all around! While all that’s going down, JJJ has arrived at John’s apartment, and is cautiously headed up to see if a monster is home. He brings the usual JJJ patience and kindness to the situation…
John flashes back to how he got here. How he went on a secret, classified mission to the moon 6 months ago (WUT), and found a strange rock on the surface. How, when he got back to Earth, he kinda-sorta stole it, and had it made into a pendant he never wanted to take off. And how eventually, he began turning into a werewolf. He says he had his wacky “radiation suit” made to “cut out the lunar rays,” but it doesn’t work (And he’s somehow surprised).
Spider-Man swings by The Bugle, because any time he has a question about anything, he asks Robbie, but in a rather bizarre turn of events, JJJ has cops waiting for him with tear gas!
As Spidey passes out in the alley below, Robbie finally pushes JJJ to admit he doesn’t think Spider-Man killed Norman, he just “hates him because he’s a glory-hond. And because while he’s stealing headlines, good men are suffering without a word.” Why, who could he be referring to? Meanwhile…
So, Mary Jane finally gets Peter to lean on her, and pushes him off. Bad timing, there, MJ. Later that night, John Jameson’s fiance, Kristine, tries to come see him, but no one answers the door, even though she can see people upstairs. She leaves in a huff, not knowing the people upstairs are JJJ and a werewolf. Somehow, Kristine doesn’t know about this affliction yet.
Man-Wolf leaps out of the skylight and out into the world, dropping down to surprise some goons in an alley before spotting Kristine in her car and coming at her. While that was happening, Spider-Man was swinging across town, talking to himself as usual…
Spidey looks up where John lives, and get there just in time to find the Man-Wolf chasing Kristine’s car down the street. So, it’s once again fightin’ time. Spidey tries webbing up the pendant so it’s not exposed to the moon anymore, but that doesn’t work. They knock each other around for awhile until Spidey finally gets down to business…
With the pendant removed, John changes back instantly, to Kristine’s shock. JJJ rushes out onto the street just in time to see Spider-Man throw the pendant into the river. He tells JJJ to get his son to a doctor, but JJJ worries aloud about the bad publicity, and Spidey snaps on him.
Papa Jonah! That’s a funny thing to read. And, with the pendant removed, that definitely the last we’ll see of The Man-Wolf. Mm-hm. The End.
Meanwhile, in the letter column, people are still going bananas over ASM 121. From a guy saying “I am disgusted with all of you for letting this happen,” to a lady saying she’s glad they got rid of “Marvel’s prize twerp, Gwen Stacy,” it’s a real free-for-all amongst the fans. Editorial (I assume Roy Thomas) decides to pull back the curtain a bit:
Will this appease everyone? Probably not!