Featuring: Spider-Man
Release: March 10, 1966
Cover: June 1966
12 cents
Edited and written by: Stan Lee
Plotted and drawn by: Steve Ditko
Lettered and cherished by: Artie Simek
20 pages
| Previous | #477 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Amazing Spider-Man #36 | Reading order | Strange Tales #142 |
| Amazing Spider-Man #36 | Amazing Spider-Man | Amazing Spider-Man #38 |
The penultimate chapter.
Of the greatest run of comics in history. Amazing Spider-Man by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko.
Though it ends with more of a whimper than a bang. Its great climactic finale was 4 issues earlier. We then had a couple forgettable rematches with minor villains, then the introduction of a forgettable villain. This issue also introduces a new villain, but again not the most memorable one.
This issue has some things going for it though. It rises above the last few issues, though not to the heights of the first 33. It’s almost over.
Professor Stromm, mechanical genius, is being released from prison, plotting revenge against the man who betrayed him. He had once been the cellmate of Frederick Foswell, who is monitoring him closely.
I’d like us to take a moment to appreciate Spider-Man in a hat.
Spider-Man gets a ride from the stooge, but police pull over the stolen car. Spider-Man seems confident the police couldn’t have seen him. Because of the hat.
Jameson has another new secretary, replacing the one who replaced Betty. She didn’t stick around long enough for us to even learn her name. Jameson finds all his records to be a mess without Betty, and blames Peter for her leaving.
Plot picks up from last issue with Gwen still not sure what to make of Peter. He’s been aloof and seemed to be a coward, but something doesn’t add up. She can tell he isn’t actually scared of Flash, and finds herself defending Peter to Harry.
Ditko has always been pretty great at designing robots. This is no exception though it’s pretty out there. Who thinks “robot” and comes up with that? Mind of a madman.
Here’s a sampling of Ditko robot designs across the decades.
The Spidey/robot fight is quite good. Spider-Man is outmatched, but takes advantage of the fire to escape.
Here’s Stromm’s second robot, also a cool Ditko design. This one fits more within the box of what I expect a robot to look like.
Norman Osborn. Harry’s father. We’ve seen him before. Before we even met Harry. But we never learned his name. He had a distinctive hairdo, and was often hanging out at the club with Jameson, and other times just hanging out with Jameson. A wealthy businessman.
Harry and Peter aren’t friends. Harry’s been annoyed by Peter’s apparent snubs and generally speaks ill of Peter. The narrator describes Harry as “one of Peter Parker’s nastier schoolmates”.
It turns out Norman’s a bad dude who had once betrayed Stromm.
We only get hints of what is going on with Osborn. He refers to big plans and too much at stake. Both Stromm and Spider-Man are in his way, and he hopes to see them both eliminated. The story will end with him planning to get rid of Spider-Man.
We get one really odd scene while Spider-Man is fighting the robot and Stromm. A gunman at the window tries to kill Stromm. We don’t see the gunman, but it must be Norman Osborn.
Spider-Man makes his way up to the window to find the gunman gone. How did he get away so fast?
And look at the window from the outside. There’s no platform or ledge of any kind. Where was the gunman standing? It’s a mystery.
While his mechanical eye patch gives him a distinctive design, a character without a proper villain name who dies of a heart attack is hardly a great addition to Spider-Man’s iconic rogues gallery. And let’s face it, neither was the Looter from last issue. Maybe next issue will introduce a more memorable villain. Spider-Man will fight (peeks ahead) “just a guy named Joe”.
Rating: ★★★☆☆, 56/100
Significance: ★★★★☆
Professor Stromm isn’t really that significant of a villain. The significance rating comes from us finally getting to know Norman Osborn, who will turn out to be a significant character.
I read this story in Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus vol. 1.
Characters:
- Spider-Man
- Professor Stromm/Strom
- Gwen Stacy
- J. Jonah Jameson
- Flash Thompson
- Norman Osborn
- Frederick Foswell/Patch
- Max Young
- Jameson’s new secretary
- Harry Osborn
Story notes:
- Stromm served a 10 year sentence as a model prisoner, while planning his revenge. Then is released.
- Stromm picked up by former inmate Max Young.
- Another henchman tries to ambush Foswell, but Spider-Man ambushes him.
- Jameson has another new secretary.
- Peter fights with Gwen.
- Gwen starts to defend Peter to Harry, noting Harry’s jealous that Peter is smart.
- Robot wrecks Norma Osborn’s lab.
- Public accuses Spider-Man, but Osborn knows Stromm is behind this.
- Osborn had cheated Stromm out of inventions and gotten him sent to jail.
- Osborn’s insurance will cover the damage, but he may have trouble renewing it.
- Spider-Man doesn’t know Patch is Foswell.
- Osborn has a plan, but Spider-Man may wreck it. Osborn hopes the robot kills Spider-Man.
- Stromm dies of a heart attack.
- Osborn plots to kill Spider-Man.
| Previous | #477 | Next |
|---|---|---|
| Amazing Spider-Man #36 | Reading order | Strange Tales #142 |
| Amazing Spider-Man #36 | Amazing Spider-Man | Amazing Spider-Man #38 |
