Amazing Spider-Man #15

Jan 19

Jan 19 Amazing Spider-Man #15

Kraven the Hunter!

Spider-Man swings down and catches a group organizing a bank robbery and upon dropping in unexpectedly, a man escapes in a puff of smoke and changes his costume until he can hide. The criminal actually was The Chameleon in disguise and he plots to rid the world of Spider-Man. The Chameleon comes up with the idea of contacting his friend Kraven the Hunter. Parker finds this out firsthand when taking photographs for The Daily Bugle as Kraven arrives by boat.

Kraven studies Spider-Man's fighting style by organizing a robbery for Spider-Man to stop. He finally comes out of hiding and fights Spider-Man. Spider-Man realizes the true strength of Kraven and also realizes that Kraven cheats by infecting his opposition with drugs that weaken them. Spider-Man retreats to fight another day. Pete, however, begins to get the shakes so bad that he can't hold a test tube or shoot a web straight. He tracks Kraven's future location by attaching a Spider-Tracer and is led into a nearby forest, where he faces Kraven.

After a few tricks and traps, Spider-Man finally catches hold of what appears to be Kraven, but is actually The Chameleon in disguise. After learning this, Spider-Man hunts down and finds the real Kraven, and intimidates and overpowers him with his agility and strength. After fighting, Kraven ends up running into a giant sticky web to be picked up by the police. Kraven and The Chameleon are then deported, with Kraven swearing revenge upon Spider-Man.

Recurring Characters

Spider-Man, Aunt May, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Brant, Liz Allan, Flash Thompson, Kraven the Hunter, The Chameleon, Raymond Warren, Anna Watson

Continuity Notes

This story is later re-told from the perspective of Kraven in Sensational Spider-Man Annual 1996.

The Chameleon recounts his first battle with Spider-Man. That happened in Amazing Spider-Man #1.

This is the first mention of Mary Jane in this series, although she won't appear for the first time until Amazing Spider-Man #25. Peter keeps dodging dates with Mary Jane until he finally meets her in Amazing Spider-Man #42.