Lifeline 2: More Life, More Line. A very 60s splash reminds you what’s going on, and then we get back into it.
What gets me here is it’s not just a Romita impression, it’s a “Romita doing layouts for other people in the late 60s” impression, with the small eyes and stuff. It’s really like he wanted it to look as much like the comics it’s a sequel to as possible. Which just feels pointless for something set in the present day. Well, anyway, Hammerhead is very excited about having the tablet, Curt Connors is working on… something… everyone recaps the original tablet story a SECOND time. Hammy says Curt has 24 hours to give him “a Ponce De Leon milkshake” or it’s curtains.
Indeed, Arthur. At Cicero’s place, he does some recapping of last issue before Eel says he can get the tablet from Hammerhead, and leaves… in a car with an Eel logo on the roof. So weird. Then Spider-Man shows up to thrown down with Marko and trash the place even more than it was trashed last issue. There is much business revolving around a priceless family heirloom grandfather clock which is currently being used as a weapon.
Well, at least Spider-Man knows Hammy has all the pieces now. Meanwhile, Dr. Strange has gone to Atlantis (In astral form), where Namor is hilariously making a bust of Sue Richards, to ask him about the tablet. Namor summons his guys, and it’s time for some exposition.
I was Greg Wright, I would’ve done more to differentiate the color palettes of the 2 scenes on this page, but what do I know? As Arthur does the hardboiled thing, Eel slips up knot the roof of Hammerhead’s place, taking out all the guards with ease, only to have his feet webbed to the ground.
Hammy prevents Boomerang from forcing Curt to turn into the Lizard as Spider-Man appears outside the window. Curt explains that there’s really no way to know how the formula will work or what it will do, and then tries to drink it himself before anyone can stop him. Why would you do that? If he thinks it’ll cure him of being the Lizard, he’d just be executed as a regular guy. But then it gets dumber than that.
In the ensuing melee, Curt stupidly announces to everyone that now that he’s deciphered the tablet, any chemist could recreate it. So Hammerhead scoops up his notes and bolts while Spider-Man fights Boomerang, and then Curt finds a few drops left on the broken glass and drinks them as Spidey finishes with Boomy, and there’s only one page left, so guess what happens?
That is surprising. Not the plot twist, that was as guaranteed to happen as the bad jokes. No, I mean Rude not drawing Romita’s Lizard. Maybe the excuse is that he’s supposed to be different now, but it’s a surprise, regardless. Well, only one of these left. Let’s see what happens.