"O, BITTER VICTORY!"
Writer: Stan Lee/Breakdowns: John Romita Sr./Penciller: Don Heck/Inker: Mike Esposito/Letterer: Sam Rosen/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: John Romita Sr.
Synopsis: Peter takes measures to protect Gwen and her father from the Kingpin's brainwashing scheme, but he may end up doing more harm than good...
Review: I'll need to revisit ASM #61 first, but this is probably my favourite of the three issues that make up the Brainwasher Saga. It's certainly a vast improvement on the previous issue, due in no small part to the fact that it's free from having to set up the story, and free from having to wrap up others. This is actually pretty great stuff that we get here, and it's all topped off with an absolutely sublime cover from Romita; just one of the best images of Spider-Man vs the Kingpin ever.
The issue kicks off with a bang with the scene that the cover is based on: a brief but exciting battle between Spider-Man and the Kingpin. I love this fight; you've got Spidey leaping onto the Kingpin's back, Kingpin hurling the web-head into an electrical generator; the whole thing only takes up just over two pages - not including the opening splash page - but it's tremendous fun. It's also worth noting that Don Heck is improving when it comes to finishing Romita's breakdowns; the artwork throughout this issue is far more dynamic and exciting than anything we've seen from a Heck-Romita collaboration before.
This is probably the most emotionally charged instalment in the Brainwasher storyline, as we go into full over-the-top superhero melodrama mode again, as Peter realises just how much he cares for Gwen in a scene that has always remained one of my favourites: his sudden shock at his admission of love for the young Miss Stacy is just perfectly portrayed by Lee, Romita and Heck. They impeccably capture the intense emotion of such a self-discovery, with Peter deciding that he won't be able to sleep now that he's realised how he feels, and he leaves the apartment to visit Gwen's house to make sure that she and her father are alright after seeing Captain Stacy wired up to the brainwashing machine earlier on. There are times in the Lee and Romita era that really capture that vibe of late-night introspection and aimless wandering through darkened streets - something I myself indulged in regularly whilst at university - and this is one of the finest examples. This is also the first time that Peter really feels like he's in love; with Betty, I always got the impression that they were attracted to each other, but it never went any deeper than that. Here, you feel the longing and anguish boiling inside Peter as he realises that Gwen's dad may have been put under the Kingpin's influence, and it only serves to make the story that much more dramatic.
Of course, things don't go quite as Peter intended when he arrives at the Stacy household. Captain Stacy is alive, but not well; he's been brainwashed by the Kingpin into becoming one of his agents, and as soon as Peter starts to become suspicious of Stacy's behaviour, the retired police captain lashes out with his cane, but Peter's spider-sense reacts too quickly, and Stacy is unthinkingly struck across the face in self-defence. Gwen walks in at the exact moment that Peter hits her father, and obviously, Peter can't tell her the real reason why he struck out without revealing that he's Spider-Man. It's a classic piece of Lee-Romita melodrama, as Gwen orders Peter to get out, and that she never wants to see him again. It is a bit odd that Gwen herself doesn't notice anything strange about her father, considering how most similar situations in fiction have the closest relatives of a brainwashed/replaced individual immediately able to tell that something is amiss - Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a good example - but I suppose her rejection of Peter wouldn't feel quite as believable if she did suspect that anything was wrong.
Another highlight of the issue for me is the immediate aftermath of the confrontation with Captain Stacy, when the old man contacts the Kingpin to tell him that Peter is getting suspicious. Enraged, the Kingpin sends two of his hoods out to Peter's apartment to kill him, and this is just crazy; I'd forgotten that this scene was even here, but I'm not sure how, because it's a really big, dramatic moment: real, dangerous criminals breaking into Peter and Harry's apartment, with orders to kill. Mercifully, Peter isn't there at the time - actually, that would have made for a great scene, too - but that doesn't stop the place from being wrecked and Harry being threatened. Stan and John really knew what they were doing with this issue when it comes to heightening the tension: the Kingpin has Captain Stacy under his thumb, Gwen wants nothing more to do with Peter, the bad guys know where Peter lives and are out for blood; everything's being dialled up to eleven, and I love it.
I think the big reason why this issue feels so much better than the previous issue - and actually makes me forget about the problems with that issue - is that it focuses less on the plot and more on the characters; it's more about how Peter reacts to the Kingpin's plan than the details of said plan, which, let's face it, are pretty sketchy. Whilst not one of the finest issues of ASM you'll find, this is really enjoyable, and I particularly love how the drama is so quickly and insanely heightened. Great reading all around.
Rating: 4/5
Next time, Spider-Man takes the fight back to the Kingpin to put a stop to his brainwashing scheme once and for all...
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