Spider-Man's Tangled Web #14
The Last Shoot
In the ring, Crusher Hogan does what a “shooter” does in the wrestling industry, play for keeps. After a match, his opponent confronts him in the locker room upset about how Hogan almost broke his arm in the ring. Crusher points out that his opponent acted so stiff in the arena and warns him against performing like that in the future or he promises to cripple him. That’s when Crusher is told that his manager wants to see him. In Bobby’s office, Crusher Hogan is told he doesn’t have to apologize for his performance as his opponent got what he and the fans deserved. However, there were not many fans in the audience and his wrestling league is in financial trouble and Bobby isn’t going to be able to make payroll that week. He hasn’t told the other wrestlers because he wanted to tell Crusher first and get his advice since the Global Wrestling Federation has made an offer to buy his business, something Bobby is strongly starting to consider.
After thinking about it for a moment, Crusher Hogan suggests that Bobby doesn’t sell his business and he is thanked for his loyalty in these troubled times. However, Bobby points out that Crusher is not doing himself any favor, pointing out how much money the GWF makes doing sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden while they’re reduced to performing in high school gyms and lodge halls. He suggests that Crusher join up with the GWF before Bobby’s own wrestling federation goes out of business and Hogan has nothing left.
That evening, Crusher is sitting alone in his dark kitchen thinking when his wife Marie comes home and turns on the light. When he tells her that Bobby wasn’t able to pay him again, Marie gets upset and tells her husband that they can’t keep living like this, reminding him that he has a family to support. Marie doesn’t think that this situation is just a dry spell as Crusher does, and tells him he should be seriously considering moving over to the Global Wrestling Federation.She insists on making an appointment for Crusher to meet with Mister Kevin, the man who owns the GWF. When Crusher balks at this the pair get into an argument that quickly ends when Hogan grabs a drink out of Marie’s hand and throws it across the room. Stunned to silence, Marie complies when Crusher tells her to leave him alone to think in the kitchen, telling her to turn off the light as she goes.
In the dark, Crusher stews over his situation and drinks. He thinks about all the GWF is all about gimmicks instead of the sport of wrestling. Suddenly, he gets an idea of how he can save Bobby’s wrestling federation. When he tells Bobby his idea it is rejected outright. However, Crusher still thinks its the right idea and at the end of his next match he begins antagonizing the audience as per his plan. Bobby is upset that Hogan disobeyed him until he hears that people are rushing to buy tickets to next weeks match. Realizing that Crusher is onto something he decides to limit ticket sales in order to build up hype. Bobby then manages to get another loan from the bank so they can advertise the next match and hold it at the civic arena. Crusher then meets with the mobster known as Hammerhead in order to borrow a large sum of money.[1] Hammerhead warns Crusher that if he doesn’t pay the amount back, plus 15% he will break Hogan’s hands. Crusher is so confident that he will be able to meet these conditions he gives the mobster ringside seats to Saturday’s match.
On Saturday night, Crusher Hogan proudly goes to the ring with a challenge to his fans: whoever can last three minutes in the ring with him will win $10,000 in cash. Contestant after contestant challenge Crusher Hogan and each one fails to last the three minutes. As the crowd cheers, Crusher Hogan revels in how the fans hate him as that hate isn’t a gimmick, but genuine. He muses that anyone who could defeat him in the ring would be considered a hero. At that moment, a masked Peter Parker steps into the ring….[2]
Recurring Characters
Crusher Hogan, Hammerhead, Peter Parker
Continuity Notes
This story states that Crusher Hogan borrowed $10,000 for prize money this is much different than Amazing Fantasy #15 which states that the prize was $100. The amount of money that is being offered should be considered a topical reference because the what is considered a “large sum” changes over time — what with inflation and all that.
To see how that goes, check out Amazing Fantasy #15, spoilers: Crusher suffers a humiliating defeat. Did Hammerhead end up breaking Crusher’s hands? They’re never really clear on it. However when we see Hogan again in Amazing Spider-Man #271, he is a janitor so we can assume his wrestling career didn’t recover from this.
