The Amazing Spider-Man from the beginning (The Romita Years)

The Amazing Spider-Man #18 (November 1964)



"The End of Spider-Man"
Script: Stan Lee (author of "The Fantastic Four")
Art: Steve Ditko (illustrator of "Dr Strange")
Letters: Sam Rosen (letterer of.... "Patsy Walker"?!!)
Cover: Steve Ditko

Summary: This issue opens with J Jonah Jameson gleefully exclaiming that his tirades against Spider-Man have finally been vindicated. A Daily Bugle headline reads "Spider-Man A Coward! Flees in Terror!" The Green Goblin celebrates his triumph over Spider-Man while Ock (still in prison), Kraven and Vulture (both of whom are somehow free) are jealous. Meanwhile, the superhero fraternity passes judgement. Johnny is bummed out by Spidey being a coward while The Avengers consider him a shame to their profession and Daredevil simply doesn't understand how he could have misjudged him. The people on the street don't understand why Spidey ran either and decide that Jameson was right all along. And on TV Jameson reminds everybody that he is the first who called Spidey out as a fraud and that the hero hasn't been seen for weeks.

So where has Spider-Man been? He's been doting over Aunt May. She's still recovering at home and Peter is caring for her day and night, save for when he's at school in which case Anna Watson watches her. At school he stresses about the growing costs of May's medical expenses. He hasn't been able to earn any money because he's spent all of his time looking after his aunt. Flash Thompson still defends Spider-Man, even threatening to beat up his friend for disparaging the wallcrawler. Liz continues to put her moves on Peter but he still prefers Betty. He gets an idea on how to make some quick money: Trading cards! He goes to a trading card company and offers to model for them. The manager doesn't give him the time of day. Spidey is washed up, nobody cares. On his way home he sees a gang preparing to rob a jewelry store. But thinking of what would happen to Aunt May if he got killed, he leaves and calls the police on a payphone.

When Peter returns home he sees the Doctor giving Aunt May a checkup. She still needs her expensive medicine. Peter calls Betty to try and patch things up but she hangs up on him. Jameson asks her where Peter has been and she tells him about Aunt May. Jameson decides to help out by sending a get-well card (in an unsealed envelope - it's a penny cheaper that way!). Jameson's staff are disgusted by his cheeriness, as it makes him out to be an even bigger hypocrite and nuisance.

Peter tries to call Betty at home but she doesn't answer. She doesn't want to open up to him and must deny her feelings to avoid getting hurt. Peter wonders how she would react if she knew that he had saved her three times. The next day he tries to meet Betty outside the Bugle but she runs from him. Jameson spots him and tells him that he shouldn't sell him anymore pictures of Spider-Man.

Desperate for cash, he has another brilliant idea: Sell the web fluid! He demonstrates it for a chemical company and they're impressed by its strength but the quick evaporation makes it worthless. As he swings away he bumps into the Sandman. Wanting to avoid injury or death for Aunt May's sake Spidey runs and further shames himself in the public eye. He turns around a corner and quickly changes. As Sandman passes by he asks Peter if he saw Spidey.

At home he finds that Aunt May had been left alone by Mrs Watson, who had to return home to make dinner for her husband (gotta love the 60s). Peter realizes that Aunt May could have had a heart attack while all alone and no one would have saved her. As time goes on Peter becomes more and more frustated with his sinking reputation. Johnny Storm is sick of it too. He knows theres a reason for Spidey's behaviour and he writes a message in the sky asking for a meeting. But Spidey never shows because he's needed at home and even the Human Torch begins to doubt his rival.

The one person who doesn't doubt Spidey is Flash. Flash is now completely discredited at school but isn't letting up the fight. He has a plan to prove Spidey is a hero. That night Liz comes to Peter's house in tears. Flash is going to put on his old Spidey costume and walk through the streets looking for trouble. He knows that Spidey will rescue him once he gets in trouble. Sure enough, he stumbles across a gang of car thieves. He tries to bluff his way into capturing them but they call it and kick the crap out of him. Peter rushes in to save him (no time to change into his costume) but a cop gets to him first. The next day Peter tries to talk to Flash at school but Flash (sporting a big black eye) isn't interested in hearing anyone's advice. As he walks home Peter spots Betty walking out of a movie theatre with another guy. Peter realizes he's lost her and it's because of Spider-Man. He's hit the breaking point. At home he takes off his costume, stuffs it in a bag and throws it in the garbage.

The next morning Peter finds Aunt May up and about. She's tired of spending all day polishing a wheelchair with her butt. Peter doesn't think it's a good idea but she tells him he's full of fudge. She isn't going to let a silly thing like suffering two heart attacks at the age of eighty-zillion keep her from making wheatcakes. The doctor arrives and checks her over. She's recovered quite a bit and no longer needs her expensive medicine.

As Peter reads another Bugle article about Spidey and realizes he's been a pushover. He swears to prove Jameson and everybody else wrong, including himself. He was blessed with his powers and it is his duty to use them without hesitation. He pulls his costume out of the trash, puts it on and becomes the man he was born to be: Spider-Man.

Observations: Wow! It doesn't get much better than this. What stands out the most is that Spider-Man barely appears on five pages. This mag is all Peter and all drama and I love it. Very densely plotted and a plot based almost entirely on the emotions of a severely bummed out 17 year old. Peter may be a superhero but he also experiences something a lot of people go through, especially at that age. He's tired of his responsibility and the havoc it wreaks on his life and wants to give it up. And he does, if only for two pages. Some could call the immediate reversal a cop-out or ineffective. Not me. Peter tries and tries to reconcile Spider-Man with his personal life and fails throughout the entire issue. We sense that he is going to quit even before he does. He quits at the tail end of the issue and it feels like theres no way he's backing out. The story is almost over. But at the very last minute he gets reinspired by what was so far been nothing but a millstone.

In the end a major weight is lifted. Aunt has recovered, which means two things: 1) Peter no longer has to watch her like a hawk and 2) Peter no longer has to deal with the financial drain of her care. But while he has that weight lifted he gets another dumped on him: Betty has had enough of Peter's crap and has started seeing someone else. The informality and lack of committment shown by these wacky 60s kids still confuses me and I still can't tell if it was a Lee/Ditko quirk or how things actually played out (Animal House led me to believe the former, with extra medical gloves included). But nevermind. The point is Betty has moved on and found happiness with a normal guy and thats a huge blow to him, even more than Jameson's smear campaign.

For once Flash comes off in a completely positive light. He refuses to believe Spidey is a coward, doesn't bully Peter (although he threatens to cream some kid who was talking trash about Spidey) and he proves himself to be Midtown High's biggest idiot by dressing up as Spidey... Again. As if that worked so well the last time. But this time he did it out of desperation for Spidey to prove himself a hero. And when Spidey doesn't pull through he still sticks up for him. Whattaguy.

And that cover is one of Ditko's best.

Overall it's a story you just can't mess with. In fact, I'd even call it groundbreaking. A long underwear story without the long underwear? In 1964? Unheard of. And it's still just as powerful today. 5/5

Other notes:
- First on-screen appearance of Anna Watson (missnamed as Anna Watkins) and although he gets no name, first appearance of Ned Leeds as well
- "Why doesn't Spider-Man sell his web fluid" is a question that gets asked a lot, especially from proponents of the organic webbing. There really is no easy answer. Here he can't sell it because it isn't permanent. But as the success of Post-It notes has shown, there are uses for temporary adhesives and I would think at the very least law enforcement would find uses for it.
- Theres no word of how Sandman was able to escape his incarceration after the Annual but it's not a stretch, since the last time we saw him he was in an ordinary jail cell. Sandman is the third threepeat villain, which I guess makes sense since the two villains that were introduced just ahead of him were the first two threepeaters.
- Aunt May says she feels like a "young" 60something which ages her in the 70s or possibly in her 80s or 90s. Even if she was in her 60s she would still have been a Victorian baby but now it's not a stretch for her to remember the Grant presidency.

The Amazing Spider-Man #19 (December 1964)



"Spidey Strikes Back"
Script: Stan Lee (Spidey's Godfather)
Art: Steve Ditko (Spidey's big daddy)
Letters: Sam Rosen (Spidey's second cousin on his uncle's side)
Cover: Steve Ditko

Summary: A group of escaping bank robbers find the spider signal waiting for them. To the surprise of everyone, Spidey is back! He leaps down and beats them senseless. Spidey leaves to attend to other business and doesn't notice one of the crooks slipping away in the crowd to warn their boss.

J Jonah Jameson is preparing to give a lecture on Spidey's cowardice. But just before he starts his speech his assistant ells him that Spider-Man has returned and busted up a bank robbery. The awful smile slips from Jonah's face and he runs out of the lecture hall.

The Human Torch is returning home from his adventure in Strange Tales #127. He's exhausted from the battle and wants to get home quickly. He's pulled out of the sky by a lasso. It's the Enforcers! Fancy Dan quickly hits him with some chemical foam and Sandman smothers him completely. They lock him in an airtight glass tube with a limited supply of oxygen.

The next morning a much healthier Aunt May fixes some pancakes for a much happier Peter Parker. At school Flash is popular again, his faith in Spider-Man having been vindicated. Liz is still mad at him though because he had the gall to be mad at her last issue. Peter tries to reassure him but Flash tells him to mind his own business. Peter really hates that his biggest fan is such an idiot.

After school he spots Fancy Dan walking down the sidewalk. He changes and follows him into a building. He's detected by the Enforcers and their crew. Spidey fights them but the battle is interrupted by the police, which gives the Enforcers an opportunity to slip away undetected.

At the Bugle Peter finds Betty chatting with Ned Leeds. Ned is a Bugle reporter. Peter is friendly to Ned, who heads back to his desk. Betty explains that she has been seeing Ned quite a bit but Peter is understanding. Ned is such a nice guy she has no reason not to see him. He excuses himself to talk to Jameson, leaving Betty worrying that his new confidence is caused by him seeing someone else. Jameson is back at work crankier than ever (to the relief of his staff) and he slams his door in Peter's face.

At his lair Sandman decides it is time to get rid of Spider-Man permanently. They'll set a trap and use the Human Torch as bait. The Torch is hanging in there but is only fed enough oxygen to breathe. If he uses his flame he will suffocate himself.

Spidey pays a quick mocking visit to Jameson before grabbing Louie the stool pigeon (who was present at the bank robbery). Louie tells him that they're in an old warehouse and they've taken the Torch as a prisoner. As he swings over to the warehouse he thinks Louie gave up too easily and suspects they've set a trap for him.

The warehouse is heavily guarded with lookouts. He sneaks above, below and around all of them and gets inside. He sets up his automatic camera and goes to save the Torch but Sandman has been hiding on top of the tube. The Enforcers and their gang come and join the fight and soon Spidey is starting to feel a little overwelmed. He manages to break Johnny out of his cage and they fight together. The Enforcers are quickly finished but Sandman gets away. Johnny asks Spidey why he ran from the Goblin but Spidey gives no answer. Two cops are able to take down the Sandman (he tries to use his powers but he's too exhausted) and Spidey leaves so Johnny can take the credit.

Peter shows up at Jameson's office with photos of the fight. Jonah is thrilled (the first good news he's gotten in the last two days) and he buys them all. Peter asks Betty out for a soda but she's got a date with Ned. They set a date for tomorrow night. Peter greets Ned on his way out of the building and Betty is concerned that Peter didn't show any jealousy. Has she lost him?

The people on the street read the news of Spidey's return and believe Jameson rigged the whole thing for publicity. The FF grill Johnny on why Spidey was so cowardly but he has no answer. As Peter leaves school he thinks about how great it is to have a worry-free life. He doesn't notice a mysterious man following him home. The man calls a shadowy figure who tells him to maintain security throughout the night.

Observations: Spidey is back and it is good. No, this issue isn't as deep as last issue but it doesn't need to be. As the finale to the first three-part story it is excellent. The action is very welcome after the talky last issue and it's nice to see Spidey and Matchhead get to resolve unfinished business and have a fight to completion.

Peter's new outlook is a nice change. He's no longer the crybaby who swears he'll make Flash Thompson pay. He is a confident and self-assured young man. Last issue he was devastated by Betty seeing Ned. This issue he is polite to Ned, supportive of Betty (no matter what she chooses) and willing to rebuild his relationship. Betty comes off as rather silly this issue. Does she want Peter? Does she not want Peter? Make up your mind! I guess this sort of goofy indecision can be expected of a 17 year old. The relationship between Betty and Peter is definitely starting to get stale though. At this point theres no real reason for them to stay together but again, this is something that is realistic. The writing is on the wall but neither one can see it.

Sandman remains a fun villain but by this point the Enforcers have worn out their welcome. After being a legitimate menace in their first appearance they've now been reduced to being lackeys for other villains and they just don't hold up. They're only marginally more threatening than the generic thugs they work with and in this appearance they actually fear Spidey.

Oh, and the best scene in the issue, and one of the best moments in the entire run, is Jonah getting the "bad" news about Spidey.

Overall it's a triumphant comeback marred only slightly by the inclusion of The Enforcers and a perfect ending to this trilogy. 5/5

Other notes:
- First (unnamed) appearance of Mac Gargan
- Spidey mentions that Sandman humiliated him last month. The story continues to progress in real time but it doesn't make much sense, since it means Spidey waited a month to make his return. It makes more sense for there to be a month break between the last two issues and this one to immediately follow it.
- How old is Ned Leeds? Betty is a high school dropout. Is Need a dropout too? If he isn't, it's pretty weird for a grown man with a career to be chasing a 17 year old.
- Stan seemed to agree with my assessment of The Enforcers, as they don't return to face Spider-Man for another 11 years. Sandman takes a sabbatical as well, becoming a prolific Fantastic Four villain with a smattering of Hulk appearances. He doesn't face Spidey again until 1972 and won't become a full-time Spidey villain until the 1980s.
- The wacky credits this issue are strange because they acknowledge that Ditko is the creative force behind Spider-Man. They're also kind of prophetic, as when the big daddy "dies" it's up to the godfather to manage the series.

Amazing Spider-Man #20 (January 1965)



"The Coming Of The Scorpion!" or "Spidey Battles Scorpey!"
Art: Steve Ditko
Script: STAN LEE
Letters: Sam Rosen
Cover: Steve Ditko

Summary: The day after the last issue Peter is still being stalked by a mystery man. Peter detects him with his spider sense and fears that someone has figured out his identity. When the stalker leaves his post Spider-Man follows him to a payphone (remember those?). He can't hear who he's talking to and now has to sneak past him to get in his own house. He flies a bat made of webbing at the stalker and slips inside.

The next morning he heads to the Bugle to visit Betty and the stalker takes the opportunity to report to his boss. In his office Jameson is going over proofs and finds an article about a scientist being able to mutate animals. He tosses it aside and asks why he can't get news about a scientist figuring out a way to beat Spider-Man. Realiziation clicks in and he finds the article once more. The scientist is Farley Stillwell and Jameson knows exactly the man to help him. Said man knocks on Jameson's back door: It's the stalker, Mac Gargan. Jameson has him following Peter to find out how he takes his photos but now he has a new job, a potentially dangerous job...

Outside the office Peter is chatting with Betty and Ned. Ned is going to Europe to cover disarmament conferences and will be gone for six months. Peter congratulates him and is quite happy that Ned is out of the picture for some time. Jameson and Gargan leave the office and Peter wonders why Jameson was tailing him. He'd like to follow them but Ned has invited Peter to come with Betty to see him off (which Peter interprets as a sign that Ned and Betty aren't that close).

Dr Stillwell operates out of a kooky high tech lab that could only come out of the sixties, with fish on bird perches and swimming rats. Stillwell explains that he hopes his work will one day help farmers and botanists, and that Jameson's publicity could help his cause. Jameson tells him that he'll pay him $10,000 ($75,000 in today's moday) for a special project. He wants Stillwell to perform his experiments, to make Gargan (who also gets ten large) stronger than Spider-Man. Stillwell is hesitant because the process could have unforseen and dangerous side-effects but he needs the funding for his work. He shaves Gargan's head, feeds him a serum and doses him with radiation. He also builds a mechanical scorpion tail, which Jameson complements with a costume of his own design. Suited up, Gargan tries out his new powers. He doesn't quite have the hang of it yet but he is already quite formidable, able to easily crush a granite block in his hands.

After seeing Ned off at JFK and hearing he's going to be gone for six months, Peter tells Betty that he can't expect her to not date other guys (why not?) but he wishes she wouldn't. Betty cuts him off and tells him she's not in the mood to talk about it. He sees her home and changes into Spidey to visit Jameson about Gargan. Jameson is happy to see him and invites him inside. Spidey doesn't need spider-sense to realize it's a trap and he leaves. Unfortunately, the Scorpion jumps on him and they brawl on a rooftop. Scorpion is stronger than Spidey and can every tear his webs up like they were nothing. In his lab Stillwell has run some tests and has discovered that the Scorpion's strength will continue to increase but as it does his brain will deteriorate and he will lose all sense of morality. Realizing his error in judgment he mixes up a serum and heads up to stop him.

Jameson watches with glee as Scorpion tosses Spidey through an empty water tower. Having thoroughly thrashed Spider-Man, Scorpion realizes he cuold take over the entire city. Jameson orders him to bring Spider-Man to him to be unmasked but Scorpion refuses. He leaves Jameson and robs an armored car and a jewelry store. Jameson tries to get ahold of Stillwell but theres no answer, while Spidey regains consciousness and goes looking for the Scorpion. But Stillwell has caught up with him first and tries to give him the antidote. Scorpion refuses and climbs up a building. Stillwell foolishly tries to follow but falls from the third floor. As he falls he throws the serum at Scorpion but misses and ultimately dies a failure.

As Scorpion reaches the top of the building Spidey is waiting for him. But the Scorpion's metamorphasis is now complete. He's reached his peak strength and his brain has become something more savage with no regard for good and evil. Meanwhile, Jameson hears that Stillwell is dead, that Scorpion has gone on a crime spree and that he has created a greater menace than Spidey ever was. Speaking of Spidey, he gets thrashed again and Scorpion leaves him among the rubble. He decides to kill Jameson, as Jameson is the only man still alive who knows his identity.

Minutes later Spidey hears Betty cry for help from the Bugle. The Scorpion has come in through Jameson's office window. Jonah pushes her out of the room to call the police (Scorpion interprets it as heroics while Jameson just wants to make sure Betty doesn't find out about his connection to the monster). Scorpey is about to kill Jameson when Spidey comes back yet again. He now knows he can't beat Scorpion in a straight fight so he sprays web fluid at his feet, sticking him to the ground. Then he tears the tail off and pounds the villain into unconsciousness. Spidey leaves Jameson to appreciate the irony of being saved by the person he was trying to destroy.

Seeing his bruised and cut face, Peter crumples up his clothing to make it seem like he was injured playing football. He bumps into Flash and is immediately teased for being beat up. Peter loses his temper and tries to fight him but Flash refuses, preferring to wait until Peter doesn't have an alibi for losing. At home Aunt May admonishes Peter for playing dangerous games. He calls Betty who tells him that Jameson saved her from the Scorpion. The Bugle reports that Jameson beat the Scorpion singlehandedly, with Spider-Man only having minor involvement at the end.

In his office Jameson now knows that anyone with superheros is liable to turn evil and is more convinced than ever that Spider-Man is a mance. He swears to fight him, expose him and destroy him. At home Peter repairs his costume and realizes that he never did find out why Jameson had him followed.

A page short, the issue ends with a simple pinup of Peter Parker and Spider-Man.

Observations: After five issues and an Annual of returning villains, crossovers and personal drama Stan and Steve finally deliver a follow-up to Kraven with The Scorpion, Spider-Man's tenth iconic villain (after Chameleon, Vulture, Ock, Sandman, Lizard, Electro, Mysterio, Green Goblin and Kraven). This issue marks a bit of a turning point. We have officially crossed the halfway point of the run (I count AF#15 and ASM #8 as half issues) and the Scorpion turns out to be the last major villain introduced by Ditko. The remaining 19 stories will deal with returning villains or less than spectacular new villains (no, I do not believe Molten Man to be a major villain) which makes the second half of the run a little less exciting on that front. But we're also looking ahead into the pinnacle of that classic Ditko melodrama, the sort that dominated the previous three issues and would continue to dominate the run. So with that in mind this issue serves as a little send-off to the style and tone of the first half, giving us another densely plotted villain introduction.

I have to admit, the Scorpion has always been one of my favorites. I can't say why. Growing up in the 90s Scorpion was not the only villain who was a dark mirror of Spider-Man. In the 90s we had Venom to serve that role and Scorpion was the green guy with the big tail. He was not the most beloved villain by any means but for some reason I really dug him. The idea of a villain being manufactured to fight Spidey was really cool and the logic of "a scorpion is stronger than a spider so The Scorpion is stronger than Spider-Man" appealed to me. It was much more interesting than a black alien that shot webs. Venom was too literal. Scorpion was just different enough to be interesting, lacking web powers but making up for it with an extra appendage and brute strength.

The point is, I like this villain. It's just a cool story. And in the context of the run so far it works quite well. In the last dozen issues Jameson has been repeatedly humiliated: His theory about Spider-Man being Electro was proven wrong, his theory about Spider-Man being the Big Man was proven wrong, his decision to back Mysterio in his battle against Spider-Man failed and his recent triumph in the press was undone. Over the course of the last year Jameson's reputation has plummeted and his own jealousy of Spider-Man is making him go nuts. He opposed Kraven hunting Spider-Man like a dog but now his mania is at the point where he creates his own costumed menace! A fanatic is one who redoubles his efforts while forgeting his goals and that certainly applies to Jameson. Even at the end he uses twisted logic to turn his own failure into reassurance of the evil of Spider-Man.

The story has a Frankenstein feel to it, as well as a bit of typical mad science parable. Dr Stillwell sells his soul to fund his research and his remorse eventually costs him his life. Jameson rushes ahead into a foolish idea without thinking it through and his creature eventually turns on him.

A forgotten plot point also shows up. In the beginning Peter sold his photos to Jameson under the condition that he wouldn't ask how he got them. He didn't even want photo credit. As Peter turned in more work with Jameson, many times off panel, the idea faded away and Peter was just a normal photographer with a knack for getting good pictures. Now we have a touch of classic Marvel realism, as Jameson actually tries to figure it out! He gives up but it's neat to see it come back.

The Liz/Peter situation has been put on ice for a few issues now and Flash is back to his typical bullying ways, making for another bit of throwback to older times. The scenes with Betty contain new developments though. After an issue of full confidence Peter admits his jealousy and wants Betty to go steady with him . Ned being put out of the picture immediately after being introduced is a little odd but Ned doesn't need a physical presence. What matters is that he represents another option for Betty, a life with a normal man rather than a superhero. Even when he's gone that element is still there as Betty is clearly confused about her own feelings.

Overall it's a transitional issue, a farewell to the more typical superhero stories of past issues and a really fun story in its own right. 4/5

Other notes:
- The Scorpion's attack takes place on a Saturday, which means ASM #19 took place on Wednesday and Thursday.
- My Google-fu is unable to uncover exactly what conferences Ned is attending. There were anti-nuclear rallies in Europe at the time. Is that what he meant?
- JFK Airport is less than an hour from the Bugle in Manhattan. It doesn't really narrow down the exact location of Bugle but it does highlight how awful it is to drive through the city.
- In today's money Jameson paid Stillwell and Gargan $75,000 each.
- This seems like a good time to note that the science hero element of the character is pretty much gone. He last used his science know-how to beat Electro in the annual. In the old days he would have created the serum to cure Scorpion himself, as he did with the Lizard. Here he's reduced to simply clobbering the villain.

The Amazing Spider-Man #21 (February 1965)



"Where Flies The Beetle...!"
Script: Stan Lee
Art: Steve Ditko
Letters: Sam Rosen
Cover: Steve Ditko

Summary: Abner Jenkins, also known as The Beetle, has served a six-month sentence and has been released from prison. The authorities have also given him his armor back, as there is no law against him owning an armored costume. He seeks vengeance against the Human Torch, who defeated him in Strange Tales #123.

Johnny is out in Manhattan with Doris Evans having a nice peaceful date. But Johnny reads about the Beetle's release and abandons her to go track him (why do his gloves appear when he becomes the Torch?). Meanwhile, Peter is studying at home but is getting a stiff back. He decides to get some exercise by swinging around the city and finds that the people all fear him. The Torch is in the same area and decides to show off for the adoring crowd. Not realizing that the Beetle is following him Johnny gives up his search and returns to Doris's house. She understandably gives him a cold shoulder and tells him that if he can't go 24 hours without using his powers she'll dump him. The Beetle watches them through the window and realizes Doris is the key to getting revenge on the Torch.

The next day Doris is doing some shopping but some kids bump into her and knock her parcels over. Who is the good samaritan who helps her? Peter Parker! She's impressed by his sweetness and leaves. Peter notices her wallet on the ground and returns it to her home. She invites him in for a Coke and is charmed by his intelligence, civility and interest in current affairs. Johnny sees this and is jealous. He finds Peter when he's out shopping with Betty and tells him to stay away from his girl. Betty starts crying and runs away which really steams Peter. He starts unloading on Torch, asking him what the big idea is about blowing up his spot. Flash and his friends are watching. Flash is unimpressed, knowing that the Torch would never attack a civilian so Peter's bravery is meaningless and probably an attempt to show off. To prove his point he gets in on the action and gives Torch an earful.

Peter finds Betty and tries to make things right with her but she won't hear of it. He decides that since Torch would never fight Peter the best way to get some revenge would be to have Spider-Man make a pass on Dorrie. He changes and heads over to her house. But when Spidey shows up he finds the Beetle already there. They fight and freak Dorrie right out. She calls Johnny to ask for help but he thinks it's a trick and hangs up. The fight busts right through Dorrie's living room window. Beetle grabs Dorrie and flies off with Spidey in hot pursuit. Johnny decides to pay her a visit and realizes Dorrie really was in trouble. Noticing the webbing lying around he decides Spider-Man was responsible and flies after him. He finds the wall crawler and whips fireballs at him. Even asbestos webbing doesn't help. Unable to reason with him Spidey leads him towards the Beetle.

At the Bugle Jameson asks Betty why Peter hasn't given him any photos lately. Betty doesn't know and is sick with worry and jealousy. She calls Peter at home to talk to him but he's not there. Taking that to mean he's out with another girl she breaks down in tears.

Meanwhile, Spidey has finally made Torch clue in about the Beetle. The two force him into a condemned building where they're able to beat, trap and restrain him.

Afterwards Dorrie believes that Spider-Man was in on it. Johnny says they have no proof and he did help in the fight. Spidey leaves to think about the unfairness of life: He hasn't brought in any photos for Jameson lately, Betty is mad at him and the public hates him, while Johnny gets respect, praise and the girl. Dorrie wonders what kind of man Spidey is and Johnny isn't sure. Sometimes he's great, other times he's a pain. Johnny could understand Dorrie falling for Spider-Man but not Peter Parker.

Overlooking the city from a tall chimney Spidey wishes he could reveal his secret identity and set his life straight but he just can't bring himself to do it.

Observations: This is another weirdo like ASM #16. Like that issue, this feels more like another series with a Spider-Man logo on the cover. Spidey's supporting cast is barely present and continuity doesn't exactly line up, with the public hating Spidey and Peter and Betty being together with no mention of Ned. I suspect this was an inventory issue but I have no way of confirming that.

Unfortunately, what does appear of the Spider-Man cast doesn't help. Betty absolutely sucks in this issue. If it really was produced after ASM #20, where the hell does she get off breaking into tears and hysterics at the first sign of Peter being involved with another woman when she was going all around town with Ned Leeds? She gives Peter no opportunity to explain himself and is so paranoid that she believes Peter not being at home is a sign that he is with someone else. Absolute madness and another nail in the coffin of my Betty Brant support.

Luckily for us the rest of the issue is better. Yes, it's a distraction from the ongoing story and yes it really is an issue of Strange Tales in disguise but it's a pretty good distraction. There is some really juicy dramatic irony in Peter's confrontation with the Torch that makes me pull my hair out wishing he would just tell him the truth. Thats always golden.

Overall it's fun but ultimately an interruption in the ongoing story. The Spidey/Torch dynamic is a almost always a blast but the strength of that relationship is undermined by Betty's pathetic emotional codependency. 3/5

Other notes:
- Like the previous issue, this is a transitional story that puts a capstone on established trends. This is the last time the Human Torch appears in the Ditko run. He has appeared in 40% of the stories so far and that doesn't even include Spider-Man's guest appearances in FF and Strange Tales. It can't be a coincidence that the Human Torch gets ushered out once Ditko starts dominating the stories.

The Amazing Spider-Man #22 (March 1965)



"Preeeeeesenting... The Clown, And His Masters Of Menace!"
Script: Stan Lee
Art: Steve Ditko
Letters: Art Simek
Cover: Steve Ditko

Summary: In a sleazy hotel room the recently released Ringmaster and Circus of Crime's meeting is interrupted by Spider-Man. He warns them to stay out of trouble and slips a spider tracer in the Ringmaster's hat just in case.

When he leaves the Circus decides to toss his sorry ass out. He's failed them twice (The Incredible Hulk #3 and ASM #16). Princess Python nominates the Clown for leadership. Ringmaster swears revenge but they kick the crap out of him and throw him out.

A few days later Peter is reading about Hank Pym's research and wondering if he should major in physics of bio-chemistry. He ends up reading past the bell and Liz Allan snaps him back to the world. She asks him to walk her home but he can't. Shes barely out of sight when Betty shows up. He clears up the rumors about him and Dorrie Evans and Betty apologizes for her foolishness. Peter asks her to dinner but she can't make it. Instead she invites him to the art exhibit Jonah is sponsoring, which she is obligated to attend.

A Madison Avenue art gallery Jameson spouts off about his personally curated art-gallery and is praised for his taste. He claims it's his civic duty to bring art to the masses, although he's really just in it for the money. The art, which is images of feet, bandages and stick figures, does not impress Peter (although Steve Ditko is impressed by how well one artist has drawn a foot!). The art gallery also happens to be the target of the new Circus of Crime. They come in and steal all the paintings they can, with Cannonball headbutting Jameson for good measure. Jameson is knocked out and ends up in the hospital.

Peter takes a tearful Betty home (even though Jameson is a grouch she knows he isn't such a bad guy - Of course, this could be because he "saved" her two issues ago) and uses his receiver gadget to track Ringmaster. Ringo has been hauled in for questioning in the crime but he has an alibi and is freed. Still, Spidey follows him and hypnotizes him with his own hat. He tells Spidey about the split and points him to the warehouse they keep their equipment at. Spidey hangs the hat from the ceiling to keep him occupied and leaves, but not before calling the hospital to check up on Jonah.

At the warehouse the Circus is arguing about whether or not to have a name for their group. From the rafters Spidey suggests "The Masters of Menace." He handles most of the members alright but gets stuck when he faces Princess Python: He's never faced a girl before! Unwilling to hit her and unsure of what to do, she grabs him tight and leaves him open for a killing blow from the Clown.

At his apartment the webbing holding the Ringmaster's hat up dissolves and he slowly returns to normal. He decides to go after the Circus and convince them they can't work without him. The cop who has been tailing him follows. In the hospital Betty keeps a vigil and gets an update from the doctor: He's suffered no internal injuries and should be up soon. She realizes that Peter hasn't even been to the hospital yet.

Back at the warehouse Spidey is fighting off the circus once more. He nails Cannonball extra hard, crushing his helmet in revenge for his attack on Jameson. He makes another move at Princess Python but she tells him he has no authority to arrest her. She attempts to convince him to join her, not knowing the Clown is watching her betrayal. She tries to pull off his mask but he gets away from her. He tries to web her but her electric prod, used to control her pet, fries his web shooters. She prods him into a windowless room. The occupant is a giant snake! Spidey manages to tie it in a knot and escape.

The Clown is making off with all of the paintings when the Ringmaster knocks him out and takes them. He plans to sell the paintings, hire a larger gang and become a true crime boss. His plans are instantly ruined by the arrival of the police. Spidey also manages to chase Princess Python into the cops. As everyone is arrested Spidey snaps a couple pics and heads to the hospital.

Jameson has recovered and is cranky with Betty for skipping work to dote on him. He is also cranky at Peter for not being there (nobody can win with him). Peter says he knew Jameson would pull through since he was only hit on the head. Betty is offended and Jonah fires him but Peter shows him the pictures of the "Masters of Menace." Jonah grabs Peter and Betty by the arm and runs them to the office to publish an extra, then they must plan a new exhibit to take advantage of the publicity. By the time Peter makes it home it's well after dark and Aunt May is furious with him for staying out without calling. He can't tell her the reason for it and she's hurt that he is suddenly keeping secrets from her. The only consolation Peter has is knowing how much more hurt she would be if she found out he was Spider-Man.

Observations: If I was accused of rushing out these last two reviews just to get them over it I couldn't deny it. The last issue wasn't very strong and I'd be lying if I said this one was as well.

I like the idea of having a supervillain group throw out their leader and do things like argue over their new name, but the characters all feel very drab and third-rate. The Clown is maybe the most uncreative villain since The Tinkerer (he's a circus clown and he's called The Clown. Get it?!) the Princess Python, while sporting an interesting concept, feels half-baked. She's called Princess Python because she has a big snake but the snake only appears on one page (beautifully drawn by Ditko). The most interesting thing about these villains is that Spidey faces a woman for the first time and has no idea how to handle it. Theres a sexual undercurrent to the scene. It plays out like a seduction and Peter, being a virgin, is a little overwhelmed by the whole thing while managing to keep a cool head. It's the first time in the series there has been anything even hinting at physical intimacy between Peter and a woman (I can't recall him even holding Betty's hand) and I'm surprised it slipped past the code.

Betty is able to redeem herself a bit this issue. She apologizes for her awful behaviour last issue and shows as much loyalty to Jonah as she did to Aunt May during her hospital stay. She's just a nice girl prone to major hysterics. The drama with Jonah feels a little shoehorned. Were there any doubts that he would be anything other than OK? I guess with the recent crisis Aunt May experienced anything could happen but to have it resolved neatly at the end of the issue made it feel a little cheap.

Overall I think this one is straight mediocre. It feels like Stan and Steve are treading water as the power shifts over to Steve completely. 2/5 At least the cover is fantastic as ever

Other notes:
- First appearance of a creator in a Spider-Man comic with Steve Ditko's one-panel cameo.
- Luckily for me the Ringmaster won't show up in a Spidey book for another thirty years.

I've heard a lot of good things about Untold Tales, enough that I bought the omnibus. Three years later I still haven't actually read it but now that I'm in this vintage Spidey world I think I should finally give it a go.