Featuring: Spider-Man
Release: February 10, 1966
Cover: May 1966
12 cents
Script + editing: Stan Lee
Plot and artwork: Steve Ditko
Lettering ‘n stuff: Art Simek
20 pages
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| X-Men #19 | Reading order | Amazing Spider-Man #37 |
| Amazing Spider-Man #35 | Amazing Spider-Man | Amazing Spider-Man #37 |
Just because I flunked science in school doesn’t mean I can’t discover the secret of the universe! I’ve as much chance as anyone else!
“Uncanny” is an adjective Stan likes. It will be more famously applied to a superhero team.
In the previous issue’s announcement, Stan said they were thinking of calling this villain the Meteor Man. But seem to have changed their mind. Apparently they settled on the Looter. Naming is a thing Ditko often leaves to Stan, and Stan certainly gets final say over the name. I feel like they must have intentionally chosen a silly one here. Right? I feel like the entire character is Ditko having a laugh. He’s created so many enduring villains, and now, nearing his final issue, he’s like, sure Stan, here’s the Looter.
Later writers will change the villain’s name to the Meteor Man, and that name will also end up used for an unrelated movie superhero.
This issue is pretty different in tone from any Spider-Man issue thus far. It’s less self-serious. Ditko is clearly aiming for humor. It also gives an unusual amount of story space to the villain’s story.
The villain failed science but still thinks he can be a great scientist. He fails at every job, but sees this as a sign of his greatness. Ditko seems to be making some commentary on people with no talent who nonetheless thinks themselves to be talented.
Fester would fit right in on the internet if he were around today, touting his baseless expertise in science.
Norton G. Fester compares himself to Newton and plans to be as famous as Darwin, Galileo, and Aristophanes. Aristophanes was a playwright. Which makes me think he meant Aristotle.
We get a bit of the college drama from Peter. Being busy as Spider-Man has made him miss classes and opportunities for forming friendships. And then he seems to go out of his way to otherwise screw up chances he gets. When Sally Green invites him to a party, he turns her down because he doesn’t like his reputation as an egghead instead of a cool kid. Silly Peter.
In fairness to him, he has just gone through a break-up and may be struggling a bit.
Fester becomes… The Looter!
Gwen Stacy is hoping to give Peter another chance, and they are both at a space exhibit. Peter completely fails to notice Gwen because science is too interesting.
And then of course the villain enters and Peter needs to run away. Gwen thinks he’s an “unmitigated coward” and no longer wants anything to do with him.
It’s too bad because Peter is finally getting ready to return Gwen’s attention, but now she is the one snubbing him.
This issue brings back the soap opera missing in the last two issues, and has a very distinctive villain, a fun one, with perhaps some pointed commentary by Ditko. But not a villain destined to become an iconic figure.
Two issues left.
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 56/100
Significance: ★★★☆☆
I read this story in Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus vol. 1.
Characters:
- Spider-Man/Peter Parker
- Looter/Norton G. Fester
- Sally Green
- Gwen Stacy
- Flash Thompson
Story notes:
- Norton G. Fester finds where meteor landed, hoping to prove that meteors contain microscopic living matter and solve the riddle of the universe.
- Fester can’t find funding; scientists more interested in miracle ingredients for hair tonic.
- Gas from meteor makes him super strong.
- Peter’s battles with Kraven and Molten Man have forced him to miss classes and miss out on making friends.
- Peter turns down Sally Green’s party invitation because he fears she sees him as only brainy, as he felt Betty did.
- Looter uses dazzle light to blind people.
- Looter needs new meteor in case power starts to wane.
- Dear Abby reference.
- Spider-Man shuts eyes and uses spider sense to be unaffected by dazzle gun.
- Peter is interested in Gwen, but now she’s mad about his cowardice.
- Looter escapes with helium balloon.
- Spider-Man intends to sell photos to Jameson.
| Previous | #476 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| X-Men #19 | Reading order | Amazing Spider-Man #37 |
| Amazing Spider-Man #35 | Amazing Spider-Man | Amazing Spider-Man #37 |
