Last issue’s bag had a piece of tape on it so long removing the comic was a genuine challenge. This one has an itty bitty piece of tape barely holding it closed. 2 kinds of people in the world. Grant and Buscema’s credits split back to writer and artist this month, with John Kalisz coloring and editor Mark Powers credited as “Cowboy,” which makes one wonder. Despite being named Deadaim and having guns on his hands, the new villain is trying to punch out Spider-Man on the splash. And missing, of course. Spider-Man’s babbling about him trying out for the Yankees.
Oh, ok, Grant goes with 2 Rs in “Forry,” why not. Forry says they should flee and form a battle plan, and that he can find Deadaim any time they want. He declines to say how just like he refused to explain how he was tracking Spider-Man last issue. Deadaim tells his boss that he’s “unearthed the treasure.” Ok! As the conflict continues, the mysterious baddie says he can cut off Foreigner from his power. Uh… what power? Aside from that dumb hypnotism stuff way back in TAC 129, Forry’s always just been a guy with a gun. It does seem to explain his tracking ability, tho. The unlikely duo take a break to recap what’s going on, and then Foreigner says it’s time for them to get back to it. They didn’t come up with a plan!
Marla aged 20 years between issue! Sal! This makes a lot more sense. As Spidey & Forry approach their target, Foreigner tells Spider-Man to stifle his banter, and Spidey says “Excuse me for not being DARK and BROODING!” Ha. Ha ha. Check back in 3 months, Spidey. Then the mystery man blows up Forry’s satellite.
Love the Ralph joke.
Steven Grant’s Spider-Man voice was tip top. It’s a real shame he didn’t continue on the book, but I guess he wouldn’t have been allowed to be funny soon, anyway. Spidey headbutts Dumbaim, smashing his visor and blinding him, then he and Forry make short work of the other jobbers in a couple pages. But…
In a pretty wild bit of business from Sal, Spidey flips himself way up high and latches onto the falling satellite with a web, then manages to spot the button and web that. The thing explodes without going nuclear. As the pieces rain down, Spidey spots what must be the nuclear payload, and makes sure to snag it before it hits the ground. But he also sees Foreigner running for it.
Odd ending to that. Especially considering this subplot’s getting dropped. And Betty’s blonde for a sec! And who was Foreigner’s mysterious adversary? I think that gets resolved soon, though not in the main title. Hm. Well, time for Black Cat & Flash, by the same folks as last month except for Sam DeLaRosa stepping in on inks. Felicia’s on a roof, saying “he” can’t escape her. Flash is apparently in a taxi, which she follows to his place, changing into regular clothes inside before he gets in. When he’s shocked to see her, she says she couldn’t leave without one more shot at making it work. Feel like we missed a lot.
Hey, that’s a pretty good angle!
Full marks for making Flash not so stupid that he never noticed he was dating a famous burglar. Nice lil retcon. I feel bad for them. They had a good thing goin’, in the end. After all the idiotic nonsense Flash went through in the 2000s, they should’ve tried again… while they could… This period is making me realize how messy it is to have one character starring in all these books. All these subplots spreading out. As a kid, I never knew how Flash & Felicia broke up, I never saw Peter & MJ move out of the Osborns’ building and move into the brownstone. Flash and Felicia started in ASM, but as an ASM reader, I missed the end from not buying a different book. Doesn’t feel too good.