"WINGS IN THE NIGHT!"
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: The original Vulture is alive and well after everyone thought he had died in prison, and he seeks to re-assert himself as the true Vulture by battling his replacement, Blackie Drago...
Review: Before we get into the meat of the issue, let me just begin by talking about this:
ASM #63 features quite possibly my favourite splash page in the history of Spider-Man, and easily my favourite image of the Vulture ever produced. The hunched over pose, the distinctive bald head and beaked nose, the way the fingers on his right hand are clenched and gnarled with anger, the way the rain hammers down on the perched figure, running off him in rivulets; everything about it exudes menace and a brooding bitterness. Here is a man who believes himself superior to every ant-like figure in the street below him, and yet there's a sadness to the silhouette as well; so twisted, so hateful and ugly is he that we can't help but feel that the society below has cast him out, has forced him to live high above on the rooftops like a lonely gargoyle. It's a truly beautiful image, and I applaud everyone involved in its creation: John, Don and Mike, you all deserve a round of applause.
The big question to ask about this issue is this: is it only worth reading for the epic fight scene between the two Vultures? I'd argue no. While yes, that fight scene is absolutely phenomenal, every single scene in this issue is a standout for me, so let's delay our look at the aerial donnybrook for now - Christ, I'm starting to sound like Stan himself - and examine what else is going on this issue. We're still dealing with the fallout of Peter and Gwen, and there's an absolutely gorgeous moment here where Gwen is trying to ignore Peter as much as possible when they encounter each other at the ESU campus. This scene perfectly captures the longing, the heart-rending pain of being so close to someone you love, and yet being unable to say a word to them; we really feel the agony that both characters are going through in the wake of their separation, and the artwork goes a long way with this as well. Heck has finally sussed out how best to finish off Romita's breakdowns, and Esposito's inks are never less than perfect.
It's also a memorable issue for two of the title's most memorable dads: both Captain Stacy and Norman Osborn make good turns here, even if Stacy only appears in one panel whilst on the phone to Peter, and the scene with Norman is more or less a repeat of what's been happening to him for the last few issues, only this time with a bit more intensity. It's nice to see how forgiving and fatherly Captain Stacy is to Peter during this time of crisis with Gwen, and yet there's still that underlying tension that Stacy knows, or has at least suspected, Peter's secret. The scene with Norman really sent chills down my back on this revisit: his snarling at Peter when the two lay eyes on each other really gets the hackles up, as does the revelation that Norman's memories may be returning to him more fully; he now thinks of the Green Goblin every time he sees Peter. Even with a big main event like two Vultures in one issue, Stan and John still make room for these subplots simmering away in the background that only add to the tension of the story.
But of course, that cover advertises a story featuring both Adrian Toomes - still unnamed as of yet - and Blackie Drago, and it certainly doesn't disappoint on that front. There's actually very little Spider-Man action in this issue, as the web-head injures his arm early on during a spout of bad weather - a nice reminder of the sort of mundane problems that only Spidey has to deal with - and so the bulk of the spectacle comes from the two Vultures, not that that's a problem when the artwork is as exciting and dynamic as this: the two villains are flying rings around each other, swiping each other with their wings, hurling each other into buildings; everything you could possibly want from this premise is here. It isn't just superficial action, however; there's a nice theme running through this fight that brings us back to why the original Vulture was such a good villain to begin with: his young opponents always mistake him for a feeble old man, only for him to take them by surprise, and to see him kick Drago's arse pretty thoroughly is very cathartic for anyone like me who was sad at seeing the old buzzard get seemingly replaced back in Issue #48.
Adding to the excitement we also get some really funny scenes with Jameson dragging Peter up to the Bugle's rooftop to take photos of the fight; Jameson's indignation when Peter asks what he'll pay for the news pics is priceless: "Pay you? You should pay me! Who brought you up here?" I do feel that Jameson comes across as a bit too heartless when a kid is put in danger by the two Vultures, thinking only of the photo opportunity and not of the child's life; the J Jonah Jameson I know would never be quite that callous.
The events of ASM #62 are now nothing more than a bad memory because Stan and John bring it right back with a bang: two Vultures for the price of one, and plenty of subplots to keep you interested. I think it was pretty brave of them to create an issue where Spidey doesn't really get involved in any of the action, but just you wait until next issue! As well as being a really great story jam-packed with engaging scenes, this is also a superb showcase for the Adrian Toomes Vulture; still alive and ready to soar again, and it's about time. Sorry Blackie; you're relegated to the history books, because the real Vulture is back.
Rating: 5/5
Next time, Spider-Man faces the Vulture in mortal combat above the streets of New York...
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