Amazing Spider-Man #47

Featuring: Spider-Man
Release: January 10, 1967
Cover: April 1967
12 cents
Stan Lee and John Romita
Abetted and lettered by: Sam Rosen
20 pages

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	POSTLUDE	Deadpool #11
Fantastic Four #63	Reading order	Daredevil #26
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But, why am I thinking of him in the past tense!? He’ll come back! He’ll make it.. somehow! The good guys always win… don’t they?

Always exciting when I can time covering a great Spider-Man comic with a great new Spider-Man movie in the cinemas.

Seven issues back, we saw the final battle between Green Goblin and Spider-Man. But now it seems the Green Goblin has returned?

Ah, it is a flashback to a previous fight between Spider-Man and Kraven, perhaps from Amazing Spider-Man #34. We see the fight from a different angle and learn the Green Goblin had been watching.

Moreover, we learn that Green Goblin was paying Kraven to hunt Spider-Man.

This is known as retroactive continuity, often shortened to be called a retcon. Green Goblin had not been involved in that issue of Spider-Man from last year, but now we learn he was, behind the scenes.

Retcons have a bit of a bad reputation and negative connotation. I can often be huffy about them myself. To me, it’s about how much sense they make. Green Goblin was always up to stuff back then and the idea that he’d hire Kraven to kill Spider-Man makes enough sense.

Now, we did already know Kraven’s motivations to hunt Spider-Man for that third time. First, he just likes to hunt. Second, Spider-Man had defeated him before, and he needed to redeem himself. But those motives don’t preclude also accepting some money. “If you’re good at something, never do it for free.”

So I think this revelation fits well enough with what we already knew.

I will note that I characterized that issue somewhat harshly as “Spider-Man fights Kraven again”. And while that same could perhaps apply to this issue, I think there is far more going on here.

Kraven has served his time and been released from prison. But he’d previously been deported for his crimes. And then snuck back into America. You’d think he’d have been deported again. Not just imprisoned for several months and then set free.

When asked to name my favorite comic, I don’t know if that should be a single issue (I’ve read tens of thousands) or a story or what. I tend to think in terms of eras for these long-running titles. And I tend to think my favorite comic (era) is Amazing Spider-Man by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Sometimes preferring to narrow it down to everything up to issue 33, as that’s such a thematically strong ending.

What other Spider-Man eras are among my favorite comics? Well, certainly I also love Romita’s take on the character. But would I name the Lee/Romita Spider-Man era as an era on some list of favorite comics? I don’t think so. Because there’s no real ending to it. Ditko left definitively, and somewhat suddenly. So there was a clear break. Romita and Lee just fade off the title as other duties start to consume their time. Romita becomes Marvel’s art director and Lee eventually focuses on licensing the characters for TV and movies. There’s a gradual transition, more than a clean finish. So I tend to think of this era of Spider-Man a bit differently. And I think the centerpiece is the character of the Green Goblin.

Romita began his run with an epic seemingly final battle between Spider-Man and the Green Goblin.

But it’s not really over. Green Goblin has reverted to his Norman Osborn persona with no memory of being the Green Goblin. And Peter has become roommates with Norman’s son Harry.

But the shadow of the Goblin will dominate and define this era. And I think this era will end with the real final battle with the Green Goblin in around 75 issues or so.

That shadow is what we see here. Kraven had been hired by the Green Goblin, but dealt directly with whom he believed to be a flunky… Norman Osborn. Having learned Green Goblin is dead, and being short on cash, Kraven decides to seek out Norman for a bit of a shakedown.

The problem is that Norman won’t remember Kraven, or anything about his time as the Green Goblin. And that might be what’s best for everyone.

Meanwhile, we have a large supporting cast to check in with.

Aunt May has just moved in with Anna Watson. It will be good that they have each other since MJ has moved out of Anna’s, and Peter has moved in with Harry.

MJ has joined May and Anna to help unpack. But seems more interested in dancing.

Meanwhile, Norman visits Harry and Peter on his way out of town. He reminds Peter he’d love to hire him one day. Norman and Harry are on much better terms now that the Green Goblin persona has been vanquished.

It’s the end of an era, as Peter’s high school bud Flash Thompson is leaving for Vietnam. Gwen is throwing him a going away party. The party will be the centerpiece of this issue.

There seems to be a sense on campus that Gwen and Flash were an item, though Gwen appears not to have seen it that way.

Gwen suggests Pete bring MJ as a date to the party. If Harry, Peter, and Gwen are finally all friends, Gwen still seems to not be close with Mary Jane. We have seen Harry and MJ spending time together.

Peter had tried to get a study date with Gwen, but she says he should ask MJ instead. There’s a rivalry here.

Peter invites Ned and Betty to Flash’s party. This will be there first chance to meet the gang.

This issue is all about the supporting cast. We check in with John Jameson when he calls his father, all recovered from his bout with space spores.

If Ditko did a great job integrating Peter Parker’s story with Spider-Man’s story, Romita does a great job making the story of Peter Parker’s friends and family seem compelling enough to stand on its own.

It’s a point where Lee and Romita seem somewhat at odds. Romita is doing a great job exploring the private lives of the large ensemble cast, but Stan feels the need to apologize and assure us Spider-Man and Kraven will fight soon.

Romita has his background in advertising, which helps him do a good job with the fashion, particularly the ladies’ dresses. Gwen and MJ both looking their best.

And some lovely use of symmetry in the page design to introduce Gwen on one side and Mary Jane on the other.

This is Betty’s first time properly meeting Mary Jane. They met briefly at Peter’s house in Amazing Spider-Man #25. They must hit it off, as Mary Jane will eventually be Betty’s maid of honor when she marries Ned.

This issue is my favorite microcosm issue for Romita’s Spider-Man, that encapsulates what’s so great about this era. If you wanted to read one issue to appreciate what it’s all about, this is the one. (Full disclosure: there is one more upcoming issue I may say the same thing about. So perhaps you need to read at least two issues to appreciate this era.)

This is probably the defining issue for who Gwen Stacy is as a character.

We met Gwen and Harry in issue 31, and they became fast friends with Flash. Flash warned them that Parker was a square, but they were both interested in giving Peter a chance. And Gwen perhaps showed some attraction toward Peter.

But Peter snubbed them one too many times, and never quite became part of the gang.

That dynamic has been changing. Harry and Gwen have accepted Peter, to the point where now Harry and Peter are living together. Peter is showing an interest in Gwen, but now she seems to have moved on. And anyway, Pete has been spending a lot of time with Mary Jane.

Pete wishes that Gwen had wanted to be his date to the party. And objects to Harry’s characterization of the dynamics, that Gwen is his girl, and MJ is Pete’s.

When MJ shows off her moves on the dance floor, Gwen has to compete. In probably the comic’s best page.

Kraven attacks the party, totally killing the vibe.

Spider-Man fights him. Where did Peter go?

Kraven had hoped to get at Norman through Harry. But when Kraven finally confronts Norman, he can sense Norman isn’t lying when he claims they’ve never met. So the Green Goblin persona is gone.

For now.

As he can’t reach his objective, Kraven takes his leave. The battle against Spider-Man seems to have ended in Kraven’s favor.

Jameson wants to spin the story so Spider-Man is responsible, but Norman insists the truth is that Spider-Man saved his life.

Peter and Flash shake hands and say goodbye, the capstone moment to a complex relationship going all the way back to Spider-Man’s first appearance.

And now for something completely different…

Rating: ★★★★☆, 79/100
Significance: ★★★★☆

I’m giving this a 4 in significance, as I think it’s essential reading to appreciate the dynamics of Romita-era Spider-Man.

And of course for the dancing scenes alone, this joins the Best We’ve Read. Kicking off the list a classic battle with the Sub-Mariner from Fantastic Four #27.

Characters:

• Kraven the Hunter
• Spider-Man/Peter Parker
• Green Goblin/Norman Osborn
• Aunt May
• Anna Watson
• Mary Jane Watson
• Harry Osborn
• Gwen Stacy
• Ned Leeds
• Betty Brant
• J. Jonah Jameson
• Colonel John Jameson
• Osborn’s butler
• Flash Thompson
• Frederick Foswell

Story notes:

• Unbeknownst to us at the time, Green Goblin was observing the battle between Kraven and Spider-Man, likely from issue 34. And in fact had hired Kraven to hunt Spider-Man for $20K.
• Kraven interacted with Norman, who, he thought was a flunky for the Green Goblin.
• Kraven released from prison because he’s served his sentence.
• When Kraven learns that the Goblin is dead, he decides to collect money from his apparent flunky, Norman Osborn
• Osborn’s house is in Westchester. He has an office in the city.
• May and Anna are happy to be living together, since Peter is with Harry, and MJ has moved out of Anna’s.
• Aunt May interprets “making the scene” to refer to handicrafts.
• References to Sophia Loren and Captain Kangaroo.
• Norman visits Harry and Peter. He thinks he is meeting Peter for the first time, and is impressed he’s on a science scholarship. Peter thanks him for the offer to work for his company some time.
• Norman flying to the Coast on a business trip.
• Peter notes Harry and his father are hitting it off better now that Norman is no longer the Green Goblin.
• Kraven stops by Norman’s office to find him out of town.
• Kraven developed double barreled ray to magnetize Spider-Man’s muscular electrolytes, eliminating his speed.
• Several college students will attend the party Gwen is throwing for Flash. All seem to be wondering who can take Flash’s place with Gwen.
• Gwen suggests Pete bring MJ as his date. Pete would rather have asked Gwen. Maybe.
• Peter asks Gwen for a study date, but she suggests MJ instead.
• Spider-Man not yet sold photos of Shocker to the Bugle, suggesting this is not long after last issue.
• Peter invites Ned and Betty to Flash’s party. Ned knows of Flash as ESU’s star quarterback.
• John Jameson called his dad to report things are going well in Washington and he’ll join the space team again soon.
• Jameson wants his son to be a General, not just a Colonel.
• Kraven attacks Osborn’s Westchester mansion and gets informed by the butler that Norman is indeed out of town.
• Harry thinks of Gwen as “his” and MJ as Peter’s. But Peter doesn’t like that.
• Stan apologizes for lack of action.
• Yogi Bear reference.
• Pete regrets he’d been too busy when Gwen first showed an interest in him. He cites battles with Molten Man and Scorpion. But as far as we know he hasn’t battled Scorpion since we met Gwen.
• Peyton Place reference.
• Betty wonders which of the two girls–Gwen or MJ– Pete is most interested in.
• Flash is the last to show.
• Pete laments that Flash has been a thorn in his side, but thinks he’ll be a great soldier.
• MJ dances with Pete. Gwen shows off her own moves.
• MJ is a bit jealous of Gwen showing her up.
• When he couldn’t find Norman, Kraven came for Harry, crashing Flash’s party.
• Pete runs off, claiming he’ll go for the police.
• Peter deduces Kraven had dealings with Osborn as the Green Goblin.
• Kraven wants to capture Harry to lure Norman.
• Kraven’s motivation in this issue is both vengeance and money.
• Gwen suggests they hide Harry.
• Spider-Man realizes his taunting makes Kraven careless.
• MJ wonders why Pete isn’t taking pictures.
• Ned claims he has to call this in to the Bugle. Betty wants to stay with him.
• Jameson knows Harry’s father from the club.
• Jameson takes Foswell to observe the fight in person.
• The phone call from the butler sent Norman hurrying home to Westchester from his trip.
• When Norman hears about Kraven in midtown, he has the taxi take him there instead, offering triple the fare.
• Kraven has defeated every foe he’s ever battled, save Spider-Man.
• Kraven uses new ray to drain Spider-Man’s strength.
• Norman sees to Harry’s safety, claiming he doesn’t know Kraven.
• Kraven thinks Green Goblin is dead. Norman knows nothing about the Goblin or the money Kraven is owed.
• Kraven’s jungle instinct can sense when someone is lying, and Norman isn’t.
• Kraven leaves, feeling like he’s beaten Spider-Man.
• Spider-Man saves Osborn from falling.
• Jameson wants to spin it so Spider-Man was responsible, but Osborn insists Spider-Man saved his life.
• Pete claims he didn’t have his camera, and couldn’t rent one fast enough.
• Flash leaves tomorrow for the service.
• Peter wishes Flash well and they shake hands.

Previous	#665	Next
	POSTLUDE	Deadpool #11
Fantastic Four #63	Reading order	Daredevil #26
Amazing Spider-Man #46	Amazing Spider-Man	Amazing Spider-Man #48