How did I not know the last part of Fast Lane was coming last issue, this one feels so heavy. It’s got to be in there. Man, I have to cover Fast Lane now. This blog can really hurt me sometimes. Well, since Doc Ock wasn’t in the Sinister Six this last time out, the only people we haven’t seen since that story are Kraven and Vulture, so look, here’s Kraven. Funny thing is, I don’t think Vulture gets a return appearance. No respect. That angular, almost abstract Kraven arm coming toward you is pure Romita, Jr. magic.
As someone noted last issue (I forgot, either Sandy or Spidey), these guys talk weird now. One assumes it’s from exposure to whatever Senator Ward is. Eh. Who really cares?
Venom’s looking kinda skinny here. Electro’s power forming the shape of his superior old mask is fun.
Ok! Did he just kill Electro? I mean, no, but did he just “kill” Electro? I dunno. Next day at the Bugle, Peter is once again rebuffed trying to sell Spidey pix. JJJ says he’s finally listened to Robbie and given up on his crusade, citing low sales. How many times has Jonah stopped and then started this crusade over the years? I guess I should know, but I’ve lost count. Peter is suddenly very concerned that JJJ looked under his mask what feels like a zillion years ago but was actually PPSM 10. That’s still 7 months! 7 months of what looked to all available evidence like a dropped plot, and suddenly they bring it back.
Ok! We cut to Kraven II, now pretty much indistinguishable from his dad, anything DeMatteis was trying to do out the window, not used to being hunted himself. He declares (to himself) his intention to use Spider-Man as bait to lure Venom into a trap. This page is awkwardly jammed into the action at the Bugle and feels like it shouldn’t have been.
All marriages in Spider-Man must be dissolved! Watch yourself, Robbie! I love that Romita, Jr. has now been drawing Peter carrying the same bag around for 17 years. No one ever draws Peter with a shoulder bag except Romita, Jr. What’s in there? It’s so big!
That was, indeed, pretty stupid. And kinda rude to Robbie, even. Soon our man is in the air, speculating about the psychology of being Spider-Man like he did nonstop in the 70s, when Kraven throws a blade through his webline and then darts him a few times. New Kraven, same tired Kraven tactics! Spidey wakes up tied to some trees in Central Park, making jokes about that hit new show Who Wants to Be A Millionaire. Been awhile since he made such a topics reference with Tom DeFalco gone. You know if DeFalco was still here, Spidey would be talking about Limp Bizkit or something by now. Things could always be worse. Well, Kraven just leaves. This is his trap for Venom. Like Venom is a wild animal or something who’ll just pounce on Spider-Man tied up, no questions asked. Which is so incredibly stupid that I actually like it, because Kraven is stupid in general and it feels on brand. Especially when…
Kraven runs and Venom follows, telling Spider-Man to call not getting killed while he’s helpless a gimme. Spidey’s not keen on Kraven getting killed, either, so he strains until he breaks loose in classic Spidey fashion. But he’s really mad that he’s found himself saving bad guys from other bad guys so often lately. And not far away…
Kraven’s not willing to go down even tho he’s just some dope in mismatched furs fighting a superalien, and then he sets off a fire trap, which is.. Just like a wall of fire? Venom could just not go that way? A master tactician. Venom himself seems about as impressed.
They have a short but pretty brutal fight until Spidey somehow finds the thingie that turned on the fire and pushes a button that turns the fire into a circle around Venom. Why didn’t Kraven do that in the first place!? I mean, the answer is bad writing, but I’m gonna say it’s because Kraven sucks, no matter which Kraven you’re dealing with. This Kraven starts trying to walk into the fire, yammering about how he must have the kill, and Spider-Man has to knock him out to keep him from burning himself to death. He sucks even worse than the original.
What more indeed? Why, it’s almost like this rushed, ludicrous piling on of terrible events in short order is a really bad choice! And speaking of bad choices, next post I’m taking a break from regular programming to cover Fast Lane…