I forgot to mention last post that awful font is back. They love it. Strangely, Romita, Jr. is here to draw Joe Bennett’s regular title. Romita’s handling parts 2 & 3 of this story. Romita, Jr. said in an interview once that he was sick of always drawing layouts in the 80s, and really wanted the chance to do finished pencils for a change, and got his wish when he got Daredevil. And, of course, that’s the book where he really developed his signature style, right before lucky readers’ eyes. I’m glad he did. But it also explained how he was sometimes drawing 3 comics a month back then (And why the pencils in the Try-Out Book were so loose). But sometimes, he was back to 2 per month in the 90s, and this month is one of those times. It’s funny to me how superhero masks are generally not attached to the costume EXCEPT in situations where it could look dramatic. It happens more often than you’d think. Let’s see Bud Larsoa ink some Romita, Jr.
An instantly obvious difference from how his art looks over in Adjectiveless. I suspect Jr is back to breakdowns for this month. But still, looking very solid and personable as a bunch of hunters try to collect the bounty.
We cut to Don Fortunato’s house, where he’s telling The Rose this Spider-Man thing is bad for business, but Rose doesn’t want to talk about that, he wants to talk about Black Tarantula encroaching on his turf. Then they hear some shooting outside, and…
I wonder if Jr. designed this character. I would have assumed Steve Skroce did, but it makes so much sense in his style. We cut to Spider-Man eavesdropping on Liz & Norman, trying to get some clues, and listening to Liz’s shock that Norman apparently isn’t The Green Goblin. But, of course, Spider-Man knows better, and takes off. Back at Fortunato’s, BT says he’ll pay for the damage he caused, and Fortunate eventually agrees to let him work in NY if he’ll do a small service first. Guess what that could be! Instead of looking for the kidnapped Normie, Peter is at The Bugle for some reason, acting shocked that Joe Robertson is cleaning out his desk even tho he’s very much aware this is going on.
Definitely not the the usual tight pencils. Those bottom 3 panels confirm it. But even “loose” pencils from Romita, Jr. are very detailed, at this point. Up on the roof, Peter is changing clothes and internal monologuing when his danger sense goes off. He barely gets his mask on before The Black Tarantula throws a whole chimney at him. 11 issues after BT’s first cameo in ASM 421, they finally meet. BT introduces himself and makes sure to let Spider-Man know that this is just business.
Man, that song was painful.
John Romita, Jr. rules. We take a break to see MJ & Shantal dancing in a club, MJ doing her best not to think about, ya know, everything. It sure is nice to see her having a life again. Pity it’s pretty short lived, as I recall. Meanwhile, Normie is in a junkyard somewhere in Brooklyn, and JRJR is now also drawing him with the family hair, as he excitedly talks to The Green Goblin and asks if he’s his dad, but gets no reply.
BT proving a bit more interesting than expected. This fight reminds me of Spidey facing a different seemingly unstoppable foe while being drawn by John Romita, Jr. a few years hence. But for now, he’s ruminating on the weird nature of Black Tarantula and trying to get his head together when, of course, a gang of regular folks who saw the fight rush in to try to claim the reward money.
Shotgun! A rather uncreatively named mercenary created in the pages of Daredevil by Ann Nocenti and young man named John Romita, Jr. It’s a reunion!