Amazing Spider-Man #36

When Falls the Meteor!

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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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.

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