Amazing Spider-Man #153

Jan 21

Jan 21 Amazing Spider-Man #153

The Longest Hundred Yards!

IMG 2020 20 01 21 14 25 50 j8zvg.png — Credits

After a long bout of studying, Peter Parker goes web-slinging out as Spider-Man. It is a quiet night until he spots a taxi cab moving by blinking its duty light on and off as if in distress. Spider-Man swings down and forces the cab to crash. Two gunmen emerge from the back of the cab, but Spider-Man easily dispatches them. In the aftermath of the battle, the taxi driver complains about the damage done to his cab. Spider-Man attempts to use his spider-strength to fix the car, but this fails. Fed up with the cabbies ungratefulness, Spidey swings away, telling the driver to have his insurance pay for it.

That afternoon, Peter Parker arrives at Empire State University in the hopes of getting a chance to talk to Mary Jane. As he arrives he spots her buying ice cream with Flash Thompson and Harry Osborn. When he tries to get Mary Jane to talk to him privately, she attempts to brush him off because she is still angry with him leaving her alone at a party. Picking up on the scene, Flash and Harry decide to give the pair some time alone. Peter points out how Mary Jane was fighting to keep him when they thought Gwen Stacy was back from the dead, and questions why she is being distant with him now. When she tells him that she realized he isn't worth fighting for, Peter gets angry and is about to storm off, when Mary Jane cracks and tells him that she lied and invites him to sit down next to her and share her ice cream.

With thing patched up, the pair goes for a walk until they are interrupted by Ned Leeds. Ned is on assignment with the Daily Bugle to interview Bradly Bolton, a former ESU football champ who became a computer wizard since graduating. He asks Peter to tag along to help him understand the more technical information. They meet Bolton on the football field, and he tells them about how his football career ended during a 100-yard dash that ended in being tackled just before the goal line and lost the game. Bolton then gave up football and delved into computer sciences. Although he misses his glory days, he points out that his career had been good to him, leading to his marriage to his wife Ellen and the birth of his daughter, Mindy. Their interview is interrupted when a note is brought to Bolton. He tells them that he has another appointment and rushes off. As they say farewell to Bradley, Peter can't help but notice the sudden change in Bolton's behavior.

Later, in a nearby park, Bolton meets with Paine, one of the Kingpin's enforcers. His men have taken Mindy hostage and demand that Bolton gives them the final component for a new computer being built that keeps track of criminals worldwide. Paine threatens to kill Mindy if he doesn't comply, but promises to return her unharmed if Bradley does what they demand. That evening, Peter meets up with Mary Jane and Ned at an ESU dance. However, he earns Mary Jane's ire when he cuts in to talk to Ned instead of dancing with her. When Peter asks Leeds if he had a chance to resume his interview, but learns that Bolton has been occupied with something else. Peter spots Bradley and his wife nearby and that they appear to be troubled about something. However, Peter decides to worry about this later so he can get back in Mary Jane's good graces. Peter saves face by starting to dance with Mary Jane. However, Peter can't help but pay attention to the Boltons and notes that Bradley leaves abruptly and is troubled by something. Concerned for his well-being, Peter leaves Mary Jane to dance with Harry Osborn, much to her annoyance so he can investigate things further.

Peter follows Bolton to the football team locker room where he witnesses Bolton taking a bag out of one of the lockers. Bolton goes back to the football field where Paine and his armed minions are waiting for him with Mindy. When he turns over the money, Paine decides to keep Mindy in order to prevent Bradley from going to the police. Demanding that his daughter be set free, Bradley runs the hundred yards to try and rescue his daughter. Paine's men begin opening fire, but Bolton tries to dodge them. Although he has been shot, Bradley manages to catch up to Paine and wrest his daughter away from him. It's at this point that Peter arrives as Spider-Man and begins fighting off the gunmen and easily takes them down. With the danger over, Spider-Man checks on Bradley Bolton, who is dying from the gunshot wounds he suffered. Spider-Man assures him that his daughter is safe. Bolton then dies on the very goal line that eluded him so many years earlier.