Welcome to the blog’s first Marvel 25th Anniversary issue. John Romita, Sr. drew up this border for every issue that marks the anniversary, and each title would have a glamor shot of its hero. Or… or just his symbol, in this case, I guess. Not the best one. For a decidedly local hero, Spider-Man had already made it to Europe surprisingly often before this. ASM Annual 5. ASM 95. ASM 143. MTU 36 & 37. TAC 166 & 167. Probably others I’m forgetting. And now, this. This is one of those issues where they somehow forgot the credits, but the internet claims it’s the same team as last issue. I’m not so sure. The inks are decidedly different. At any rate, Peter & Joy have arrived in London just in time for what appears to be an IRA bombing. Good times.
I mean, McLeod was the only inker really letting Silvestri’s style shine through, and this uncredited inker is not. It might not even be Silvestri, for all I know. Or maybe he just did breakdowns, but then I would expect this to look more like McLeod’s pencils, unless we’re back to someone else inking. I dunno.
I am very curious to see how all this stuff with Joy and his secret plays out. Peter spends a whole page reassembling his webshooters, which he had to disguise as part of his camera equipment to get through customs, instead of helping anyone. By the time they’re set, there’s only one gunman left, so he webs that guy’s gun away and knocks him out without becoming Spider-Man. I will say it again: Why not just bring a ski mask? He comes back to Joy with a lame excuse about not being able to get some photos.
I’m pretty sure some part of this art is still Silvestri, but I have no idea who’s inking. Joy explains the history of Ireland and England in 3 panels, which is kind of wild, and then they ride to the hotel in silence. Joy wants a nap before dinner, and there’s a funny bit with Pete having no idea which British coin is which and just tipping a bellhop a ton of money. Later, he and Joy get dressed up for dinner.
I wonder if anyone really had any plans to get these 2 together. It’s been hinted at by 2 different writers, but it never seems to go anywhere. Peter becomes Spider-Man and slips out to interrogate the guy from the bombing, while Joy pays off some snitch to get a folder full of info on Roxxon. Spidey soon finds his way to a meeting of the bombers, whose leader mentions they fight for Ireland and “The Red Hand.” Spidey plans to learn all their secrets and get some photos, but then the cops show up outside. He figures the guy in the prison was so scared of him he must’ve told others what’s going on. And so, the violence picks back up.
Spidey helps the cops, but one of them still gets shot, and then the whole building is on fire and everyone’s fleeing from it. The next day, Joy & Peter go see Margaret Thatcher give a speech, but Peter’s worried this is the target the guys didn’t get the chance to talk about last night. He makes a lame excuse about having to go the bathroom, and switching to Spider-Man, heads underground, remembering they talked about “shaking the foundations” Bit of a longshot, but I’m sure he’s right.
In the ensuing scuffle, Spidey manages to rip the wires out of their detonator, so the leader tries to throw a grenade. It gets webbed to a wall, but Dunne is so committed he goes to try to free it, and…
Well, I guess Joy & Spider-Man are gonna take down the IRA! I ain’t touching the politics of this one. But I guess the British adventure continues next issue. Ultimately, I think this one had 2 or even 3 inkers, with the last one possibly McLeod.