Spectacular Spider-Man in the 1980s
In the 1980s, Spectacular Spider-Man was a title full of highs and lows but it is also a decade that includes some very iconic pieces of Spider-Man lore. Bill Mantlo was the regular writer for most issues between issues #38 to 89. Highlights of his run include issue #38-39 a two part story where that begins with Michael Morbius being cured (that didn’t last very long) and Spider-Man taking down the Schizoid-Man, one of Peter Parker’s classmates whose mental illness manifested with psychic abilities. Issue #40 was notable because it featured a story where Spider-Man, after being exposed to strange energies in an earlier adventure, turns into a Spider-Lizard creature and has to be cured by Curt Connors — a complete reversal of roles between the two characters. Issue #42 was the first part of a two-part story that featured Electro joining the Frightful Four, the second part of the story taking place in Fantastic Four #218. Mantlo would later go on a hiatus from the book until issue #61
Issue #43 was written by Roger Stern and is notable not for Belladonna — a brand new villain created for the story — but for being the first appearance of Roderick Kingsley, the man who would become the villain known as the Hobgoblin in Amazing Spider-Man #238. This was followed by a two part story by Marv Wolfman and Roger Stern about the Vulture committing a series of ghastly murders. In issue #49 he reintroduced the villianous Power Man, who had reinvented himself as the Smuggler after losing a battle for his name with Luke Cage. Issue #50-51, by Stern and artist John Romita Jr. was a huge milestone issue. It piggybacked off the climax of Amazing Spider-Man #200 and resolved the mystery of a fortune in stolen money that was allegedly hidden in Aunt May’s home. Mysterio, who learns about the hidden stash, kidnaps May and her family (including Peter) to find out what happened to the money. In an interesting twist it is revealed that Mysterio fought Spider-Man well before his “first” appearance in Amazing Spider-Man #13. This story reveals that the mysterious aliens that were working with the Tinkerer in Amazing Spider-Man #2 were actually actors wearing realistic looking special effects created by Quentin Beck, a disgraced special effects artist. A massive reach to answer a silly plot point from 20 years prior, but they went there none the less.
It was during this period that the title also featured back-up stories starring the White Tiger between issues 48-51. It was a story that had the White Tiger hunting down Gideon Mace, a mercenary that murdered his family and intended to murder the superheroes that live in New York. This plot concluded in issue #52 where the White Tiger is mowed down and his mortally wounded body is dumped off on the front steps of the Daily Bugle. As Spider-Man, Peter Parker brings Gideon Mace and his mercenaries to justice. Although he survives the experience, Hector Ayala retires his role of the White Tiger for many years after. Bill Bantlo returned briefly for issue #53 to pen a story about Spider-Man confronting the Tinkerer and learning that the villain was responsible for arming some of his most recent foes in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man. Roger Stern returned to the title immediately after with stories about Spider-Man fighting the Maggia (issue #54), Nitro (#55), Jack O'Lantern (#56), Killer Shrike (#57), a new villain named the Ringer in issue #58, a new Man-Wolf story (Annual #3), and a battles between the Gibbon (#60) and the Beetle (#61). During this period Roger Stern also tried to focus on Peter Parker’s university life at ESU and his somewhat dysfunctional relationship with Debra Whitman, which was becoming more complicated due to his frequent absences as Spider-Man and the return of her ex-boyfriend Biff Rifkin. It is also notable for the Beetle getting an upgraded suit of armor replacing the very ridiculous design he had since his first appearance in Strange Tales.
Bill Mantlo co-wroter the following issue with outgoing Roger Stern, pitting Spider-Man against the new female Moonstone. While back on the title Mantlo also had his share of iconic stories. Issue #63 featured the return of Harry Osborn and Liz Allan who hadn’t been seen since around Amazing Spider-Man #200 or so. It turns out that the pair had eloped and are now happily married. Not even an impromptu attack from Liz’s step-brother the Molten Man could ruin their new life together. Their happy marriage would fall apart in later years but that’s a headache for another time. Issue #64 is also iconic for the introduction of Cloak and Dagger, arguably one of Bill Mantlo’s greatest creations… Well, greatest next to Rocket Raccoon apparently. During Mantlo’s run, the Kingpin and Silvermane became recurring villains particularly wit the return of Cloak and Dagger in issue #69.
On top of long running plot lines, Bill Mantlo also wrote some more “down to Earth” stories about important social issues of the time. Issue #71 for example was a commentary on gun violence wherein Spider-Man helps stops a shipment of illegal guns but it costs the life of a police officer. In the end, despite the huge gun bust Peter is disturbed to read that there was even more gun violence in the city despite this victory. Issue #72 is an odd story about Ollie Osnick a young man who idolizes Doctor Octopus to the point where he creates his own Doc Ock costume complete with functional arms and goes on a rampage.
This is a lead-in for issues #73-79 which begins a massive war between Doctor Octopus and the Owl over a nuclear device. The storyarc resolves the crumbling romance between Peter Parker and Debra Whitman (resulting in her leaving New York) and the return of the Black Cat who continues to seek Spider-Man’s love and is willing to become his sidekick and go straight. Spider-Man decides to pursue a relationship with the Black Cat when she is nearly killed in the fight with Doctor Octopus and the Owl. Furious, Spider-Man literally rips the Doc’s mechanical arms and puts the fear of God into his long time foe. Issue #80 tells a crime yarn about the Kingpin told from the perspective of J. Jonah Jameson who is writing an article about the incident for the Daily Bugle. Issues #81-84 resumes Cloak and Dagger’s war against crime. It’s has the bizarre addition of the Punisher who has become even more unhinged and has started shooting jaywalkers and litter bugs for no apparent reason (it’s later revealed in Punisher #1 he was drugged)
Issue #85 if a story that Mantlo co-worte wit Roger Stern where the Hobgoblin succeeds in recreating Norman Osborn’s old Goblin Formula and gives himself super-human strength. Issue #86 is notable as well as it landed on Assistant Editor’s Month, a regular tradition where books were managed by assistant editors for the month while the regular editors were all at San Diego Comic Con. This usually a month for wacky stories and silly ideas being used. In the case of Spectacular Spider-Man the issue had a normal story written by Bill Mantlo, however it was drawn by cartoonist Fred Hembeck. Hembeck was best known for his parodies of super-hero comic books and had previously done official work for Marvel when he helped work on the Fantastic Four Roast in 1982.
Back on a more serious track, Spectacular Spider-Man #87 saw a hitch in Spider-Man’s on-going relationship with the Black Cat. In this issue, Spider-Man decides to reveal his true identity to the Black Cat. However, his normal appearance and his bland civilian identity shatter much of the fantasies that the Cat as built up around Spider-Man and as a result she insists that e always meet with her in costume. Things get worse with the following issue when the couple battle Mister Hyde. Since Felicia doesn’t have super-human abilities, Spider-Man begins to think it is too dangerous for her to be his partner in fighting crime. Issue #88 leads to the Black Cat seeking out anyone who can help her gain super-human powers so she is less of a liability when fighting crime with Spider-Man. The person who offers to help later turns out to be none other than the Kingpin, who tells her that she will owe him a marker. This development will have deeper repercussions later on. Issue #90 happens after the events of Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars where the Black Cat goes looking for Spider-Man who had one missing and almost compromises his secret identity multiple times by paying a visit to the Daily Bugle and Peter’s Aunt May’s house. That’s when Spider-Man (clad in his new black and white alien costume) finds her. That issue also sees Al Milgrom take over as both writer on top of his duties as artist on the book.
The couple reconcile and begin fighting crime together again through the next few issues. However, the Black Cat’s new “bad luck” powers begin slowly affecting Spider-Man.During Milgrom’s run he introduced readers to the Answer (in issue #92) continued the conflict between the Kingpin/Silvermane and Cloak and Dagger, and introduced us to the Spot in issue #98. It was also during this period that Spider-Man gets rid of his alien costume in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man. Issues #98-100 led to the revelation that the Black Cat got her powers from the Kingpin and that those powers were affecting Spider-Man. All of these revelations led to Spider-Man ending his relationship with the Black Cat.Issue #100 also ends in climax where Spider-Man’s alien costume sneaks back into is apartment hoping to bond with him again a prologue to the first issue of the new Spider-Man title, Web of Spider-Man. Also during this time came Annual #4 which featured a story about how Aunt May got into a relationship with Peter’s Uncle Ben.
Cary Buckett took over as writer for a few issues, doing filler stories. Issue #103 saw Peter David added to the title. David used the title to tell more down-to-Earth stories. Issue #103 involved Spider-Man and the Human Torch taking down some college pranksters who think they could best the wall-crawler with a made up villain called Blaze. While Annuals #5 and 6 featured Spider-Man tackling poverty and street crime with the help of a local hood named Ace.
One of David’s most iconic story arcs on the book was issue #107-110 which featured a spree-shooting serial killer called the Sin-Eater who murders a number of prominent New Yorkers including Spider-Man’s long time ally Jean DeWolff. Spider-Man is almost pushed over the edge when he leaps out of the way of one of Sin-Eater’s shotgun blasts and it ends up hitting a crowd of people behind him. Spider-Man is almost willing to kill the Sin-Eater, but Daredevil tries to stop him. Ultimately, Spider-Man seriously cripples Sin-Eater and immediately regrets what he has done but glad he didn’t take things further. This story tested the wall-crawler’s limits and pushed the character to the brink. It also brought Spider-Man and Daredevil closer together with the two characters learning each other’s secret identities.
Issue #111 was a Secret Wars II crossover continuing from Amazing Spider-Man #273 which sees Spider-Man and Puma team-up against to stop the Beyonder. Although the Puma thinks his destiny is to kill the Beyonder, Spider-Man cannot bring himself to allow the Puma to take a life, even someone who is willing to die like the Beyonder at the time. Issue #113 is another character driven story where Aunt May’s boarding house is taken hostage by crooks. Even when Spider-Man manages to subdue the home invaders, Aunt May’s finacee Nathan Lubensky opens the blinds allowing police snipers outside to take a shot at the ringleader of the gang. Such a brutal act causes friction between Lubensky and May. Issue #115 sees Spider-Man seek the aid of Doctor Strange to remove the bad luck hex that is still affecting is life. This, however, has some unforeseen circumstances as it strips the Black Cat of her powers. This happens as she is trying to break into the hideout of a international criminal known as the Foreigner and she gets the shit kicked out of her. This causes the Black Cat to turn against her former lover in future issues. Another great one-off story from Peter David’s run is issue #121 which features the police questioning Peter Parker, Mary Jane, and J. Jonah Jameson about a recent crime. Each person gives their own version of the story, each account providing a wildly different version of events. That year’s annual (#7) was a continuation of that year’s Amazing Spider-Man Annual that saw Peter Parker get married to Mary Jane. In the Spectacular Annual, Peter and Mary Jane go on a honeymoon to France but their time together is interrupted by the Puma who enlists the aid of Spider-Man.
Issues #131-132 were parts of J.M. DeMatteis’ Kraven’s Last Hunt a six part story that was told across all three Spider-Man titles. While issue #133 was part of Ann Nocenti’s Life in the Mad Dog Ward another story that was told across multiple titles. Issue #134-136, Peter David returned for a three part story about Stanley Carter, the man who was the Sin-Eater, being released from prison and the struggles he has reintigrating with a society who still believes him guilty of his crimes even though he was found not criminally responsible due to insanity. It’s an interesting follow up that is only flawed by the inclusion of Spider-Man regularly battling Electro through the arc. Nonetheless, it ends with Stan Carter committing suicide-by-cop because he cannot live in a world that still persecutes him for his crimes.
Gerry Conway took over the issue #137. His run would last until issue #174 and holy shit was there a lot going on. With the introduction of the villain Tombstone there is a long running story arc in this run about Joe Robertson going to jail for failing to report a murder 20 years previously and a growing gang war between the Kingpin and the werewolves known as the Lobo Brothers. Other highlights include the Inferno event which saw Spider-Man defending the Daily Bugle from a demonic invasion and fighting the new Hobgoblin. It also featured a story focused on Flash Thompson and Betty Brant defending themselves from demons as well in the aftermath of Ned Leeds’ death over in Amazing Spider-Man. The annual that year also spent its time trying to convince readers that the Jackal didn’t make actual clones, but bio-duplicates, something that will create headaches later. The decade ends off with the Acts of Vengeance story arc which sees a cosmic-powered Spider-Man taking on various foes.
