We continue to dance around ASM. This does not look like a winner. It looks like it could be the same alien design as WEB 34, but I don’t think they’re related. It’s another Larry Leiber joint for WEB, inked by Vince Colletta and colored by Julianna Ferriter, and, uh… it really gets going…
I mean, what? Is this a Silver Age DC book all of a sudden? That random weirdo thinks about how he’ll show those construction workers one day, we cut to Aunt May and Peter at dinner for a single panel, and then we meet some schlubby police detective who’s way into space getting a call from the observatory to go look for the object they somehow brought to Earth. Then it’s back to the other guy, who leaves the cosmic super weapon where he found it because it doesn’t seem to do anything.
This issue is insane.
The goon has inadvertently led Spider-Man to the space weapon, which sets off his Spider Sense and inspires him to pick it up. The cop guy has also gotten a lead from the goon’s friend and shows up just in time to see Spider-Man swing off. The cop tries to follow by car, but is run off the road by a drunk driver, WHAT IS THIS COMIC?? Then Spider-Man arrives home with May’s brooch and the super weapon.
It’s a vision of the future, I guess courtesy of that one guy from earlier, which Peter learns will come to pass if the green guys get his new toy. Then he’s back in his place. Peter inexplicably decides to take this thing to the cops instead of Reed Richards or, like, anyone reasonable, but they make fun of him for trying to explain it, and the space-obsessed one isn’t there. Meanwhile, the original goon who had the thing comes face-to-face with the lead green guy (Look, I’m not internalizing anything in this), who, when told Spider-Man has his prize, begins searching for it “telectorpatically,” which seems to mean “by making his eyes glow.” This causes the thingie to glow on Spider-Man’s back as he swings away from the police station, having been told that cop he ignored earlier would be interested in his space weapon.
It’s the mugger who begins attacking Spider-Man with various superpowers. Spidey IMMEDIATELY figures out he’s possessed by an alien for no reason, so he just tries to flee so he won’t hurt the guy. This is crazy, man. The alien gives up on “human guise” as we also see the space cop guy is back in town, has spotted Spider-Man, and begins to follow him again. The cop and the alien (In energy form) both follow Spidey to the river.
Spidey surfaces and tries to mix it up with the green guy, but ends up in the same bear hug as on the cover.
Well, that was frankly terrible. Larry’s last fill-in was a lot of fun, but this was just silly. Speaking of which, look at some of these letters…
Man, what is going on this month? I mean, I knew this issue would be far from essential based on the cover, but wow. At least next issue’s cover isn’t a problem…