Now here’s a famous story. It’s wild to me to now own so many big moments in Spider-History. I somehow obtained a copy of Spider-Man Classics #13, reprinting this issue behind a sharp new Chris Sprouse cover, as a youth. That series ran from 1993-1994 and only lasted 16 issues. Not much call for a monthly 60s reprint series in the early 90s. I’m thinking it was one of those free comics I mentioned several posts back. I believe it left my collection in a purge before a move several years ago. This one was an eBay purchase. $35.99 after shipping. Not too shabby! Unmasked by Doc Ock! Can it be?
The idea that Ock is on a nationwide crime spree to just to get Spider-Man’s attention is pretty funny. And perhaps a more truthful portrait of a lot of supervillains than you’d get most of the time. The Bugle’s story includes a photo of a spider for no real good reason, and the kids ask Peter what he thinks of spiders. He worries saying anything nice about them would be suspicious, so he talks about how much he hates them and how gross they are. Meanwhile, Doc Ock calls The Bugle, and, hearing Betty answer, hangs up, thinking he can use her against Spider-Man, since our hero has already risked his life to save her once. Betty thinks she recognized who was on the phone, and is worried. And a few hours later, as Peter shows up to see Betty at the end of the day, her fears are realized as Ock comes in through the window. He snatches up Betty, JJJ and Peter, saying he’s taking Betty to Coney Island, and that JJJ is to run a story in the paper telling Spider-Man to come get her. He also says to send a photographer to document his victory. JJJ, of course, wants to send Peter. He takes off, feeling bad and wondering if he really is getting sick. He returns as Spider-Man, pretends to be told what’s happening, and heads off to the fight. Then JJJ decides he needs to go see this himself to get the scoop. At Coney Island, Ock tells Betty he’s preparing for Spider-Man’s greatest humiliation.
What a great bit! Unmasked fair and square, and yet under conditions that make it obvious to all he’s not the real Spider-Man. Sure, maybe being sick shouldn’t drain his powers, but they were still figuring it all out. Ock angrily drops Peter and takes off, hoping to find some other way to get the real Spider-Man’s attention, while that cop chews out JJJ for not telling the police about this beforehand. Betty is amazed and upset by his seeming display of courage. Hours later, he’s home in bed. The cop told Aunt May he just passed out on the street, which was nice of him, and Dr. Bromwell says it’s just a 24-hour virus. Peter has a nightmare of Spider-Man berating him for messing everything up, but come morning, he’s back in fighting shape.
Another important moment. It’s crazy to think how Ditko & Lee, and Kirby and the rest, were just churning these things out to pay the rent, never in their wildest dreams imagining they would means something to anyone, let alone be the foundations of almost a century of storytelling and bazillion dollar franchises and such. Anyway, Doc Ock is so mad, he goes to the zoo and sets loose all the predators, thinking that might draw Spider-Man out. But he’s still in school, and feeling weird about Liz following him around everywhere. He manages to give her the slip as Flash runs up trying to get her to come to her senses, but she’s got nothing for him. Soon, Spider-Man has run into a lion on the loose, and no sooner has he gotten it webbed up, but a bear appears.
Our man gets the gorilla webbed up, but Doc Ock’s losing it, flipping cars and tearing signs off buildings and demanding Spider-Man appear. And he does, on top of a water tower right outside JJJ’s office. And when Ock attacks, that tower soaks Jonah through his open window, in a pretty funny bit. Then it’s Fightin’ Time.
Ditko action as you like it. Spidey never stops moving. I probably rambled about this last time, but while Jack Kirby was the untouched master of giving a fight an epic, earth-shattering power, Ditko was pretty much unmatched with this kind of kinetic energy. It’s no wonder upstart Marvel started beating National, the future DC, in sales almost immediately once they switched from rote monster comics to superhero action with those 2 on payroll. Ock gets the better of Spidey with a tentacle to the face, so he retreats. He drops down an airshaft, webbing the top as he goes, and then shoots himself back up like a missile, surprising his foe. He gets some big hits in, but Ock just keeps coming. He sends them tumbling off the roof, bouncing off a window washer’s scaffolding before crashing into a sculptor’s studio, which immediately catches fire.
That’s it for the fight, but the fire’s out of control and Spider-Man’s webshooters are empty. He quickly reloads them just in time to web up a shield and some of the floor to run out on, and soon he’s out a window.
All’s well that ends well. Another fun adventure. In the letters, one young writer wants to know why Peter’s Spider Sense makes half his mask show up on his face, and why other people can’t see it, which is kinda fun. It’s such iconic imagery from here, but back then, it didn’t necessarily make sense to everyone. And there’s also a letter from young Dave Cockrum, who, among other things, loves Electro’s costume. Dave would go on to be one of the most beloved costume designers of his day in the 70s, so that’s a fun note. There’s also this…
While it fits right in with the usual Stan banter, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was some truth to it. Stan ends the letter page by saying next issue will debut a new villain, but without details. And the way these things worked, there’s a good chance it’s because he didn’t know what they’d come up with yet. This issue’s back cover has been heavily vandalized…
A nicer copy of this is worth hundreds, maybe thousands, and yet some kid wrote his name and crossed stuff out and seems to have written a giant obscenity, although it’s kinda hard to say for sure. Who could’ve known? Next time, we check back in with Untold Tales for awhile.