What’s this? What is this comic? A Todd McFarlane cover? Yes, it’s all happening. This is the first of 4 special issues made to want kids about various things. I believe it was first issued in Todd’s home of Canada, and this is a later US release, which explains his cover art. Also new, that price sticker, which indicates this came from a different stall in my local flea market. While there’s a dedicated comics guys (Or at least was, pre-pandemic, I’ve not been there since), there was also this other place that was full of random tchotchkes and, like, commemorative plates and things, and also several random piles of comics on a table, and then 9 or something comic boxes on a shelf. Very weird. But they had 2 out of 3 of these educational books, so thanks! You might think this book would be by a bunch of nobodies, and I would, too, but we’d all be wrong. The late, great Dwayne McDuffie is here on scripting duties! A guy who never really got a fair shake in comics, despite a prodigious talent, perhaps best known for work on things like Static Shock and Justice League Unlimited in the animation world, McDuffie was one of the greats. And the art team is Alex Saviuk, Chris Ivy and Gregory Wright, all familiar names in the Spider-Office. I’m surprised and delighted by the quality of this team given the project.
McDuffie puts points on the board immediately with a great Spidey gag. Spidey continues having no trouble with Electro for a page. I’ve talked before about how people tend to treat Electro like kind of a joke villain despite him having such a dangerous power. Someday, someone’s really gonna elevate him. Anyway, a goon shows up, causing Spidey to turn his focus from what he believes is a defeated Electro.
When he comes to, Spidey finds himself laying in a smashed open crate full of unusually light hockey pucks, with an invoice saying they came in from Winnipeg. He decides Electro importing hockey pucks is too weird to ignore, and that he should go to Canada. If he can figure out how to afford it. So he calls up JJJ, and mentions a science fair in Fredericton that JJJ wanted him to cover (I assume that’s also in Canada), and says he’ll do it if he can go to Winnipeg first to profile one of the entrants. That sure is convenient! JJJ agrees when Peter says it’ll be cheaper just to send a photog than to send him and a reporter. JJJ agrees. This is feeling a lot like when Peter talked his way into a trip to Canada in ASM 119 & 120. You can tell this was originally printed in Canada because Peter thinks he’ll believe JJJ will pay well for this when the cheque clears.
Practice wraps up, and Peter wonders if those kids would like to meet Spider-Man. Maybe so, but right now, they’re meeting some older kids, who’re providing that Alan kid with beer and smokes!
Well, how about that? I like how this is both not preachy and not talking down to kids. I mean, remember that Smokescreen comic? This is pretty solid, really, for what it is. I’d expect no less from McDuffie, of course, but one never knows the parameters he was forced into, either. Spidey takes the kid to a bar, pointing out alcohol is the most abused substance, and Alan sees a friend of his scoring something off some guys out front. So, Spidey and Alan follow that kid, Ben, to see what he gets up to. They follow Ben through a variety of drug deals before tailing him to an old warehouse. Spider-Man leaves Alan in an alley to go investigate, and finds crates and crates of those fake hockey pucks. And is not surprised to discover…
Spidey and Electro mix it up for another page and a half, with a lot of quality Spidey jokes, but then Spider-Man sees the baddies have taken the hockey kids hostage.
The main goon gets away, and in a ludicrous old lady disguise, no less, to foil Spider-Man’s danger sense. Spidey goes back inside to make sure the kids are ok and finds Ben holding a knife on them, so he webs that kid to the ceiling. But then Electro’s back on his feet and ready to get beat up some more.
The next day, the kids win their hockey game thanks to Alan.
I mean, it’s still an educational comic, but you could do way, way worse. And it’s even to be continued. Dare I hope the same creative team is on all 4 books?