The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #75

 "DEATH WITHOUT WARNING!"

Writer: Stan Lee/Breakdowns: John Romita Sr./Penciller: Jim Mooney/Inker: Jim Mooney/Letterer: Artie Simek/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: John Romita Sr.

Synopsis: Silvermane has found the youth that he so desperately sought and is now younger and stronger than ever before, but will his new prize come at a cost...?

Review: And so, the Petrified Tablet Saga comes to a spectacular end. It's rather interesting to know that neither Stan nor John knew where the story was going when they first started it back in Issue #68; they just created the tablet as a recurring plot device and then incorporated whatever villains they wanted to into the issues as the storyline progressed. Reading all eight issues together, you can kind of see that this is the case; Silvermane and the Maggia are the ultimate villains of the piece, and yet they don't appear or even make their presence known until the last three issues. With that said, I can't stress enough just how much fun this storyline is, and its finale is one of the best you'll find in Spider-Man.

First of all, the younger Silvermane is a terrific inclusion, and a real force to be reckoned with. He goes toe to toe with both Man-Mountain Marko and Spider-Man in quick succession, and manages to hold his own against both of them - for a time, at least, but we'll get to that in a moment. We've been told for the past two issues just how powerful and deadly Silvermane was when he was in his prime, and now we finally get to see him in action; as expected, the artwork is bold, exciting, and full of expression and detail in its characters as they pummel the living crap out of each other. Rather than relying on brute strength, Silvermane employs skill and precision in his fighting style, and this proves more than a match for Marko, who I actually end up feeling rather sorry for in this issue, as his poor brain can't comprehend that his boss - to whom he was so loyal - has de-aged, and thinks that an imposter must have taken his place. You'd be right to wonder just how Silvermane is able to fight so well considering it's been a long time since he's last done it, but you can just chalk that up the tablet's formula containing some kind of endurance enhancing qualities or somesuch.

But the formula has its side effects, which Silvermane soon discovers to his peril as he continues to get younger and younger until he's seemingly no more, leaving behind a bundle of clothes where his body once was. This is a genuinely spine-chilling moment; even now, Silvermane's horror at what's happening to him is rather disturbing, made even more so by the combination of brilliant artwork and Artie Simek's use of giant letters that break the panel borders as the crime boss cries out, "NOT THIS!" When Spider-Man enters the room where the child that was once a man has crawled to die, there's an almost horror film quality to it: the creaking door opening, the long shadow of Spider-Man being cast into the room; it's beautifully done and creates a nice off-kilter atmosphere. Silvermane would be brought back later on - in Daredevil of all titles - and I do enjoy his later encounters with Spider-Man, but his 'death' here will always remain iconic for me, and I kind of wish they'd just left the character to suffer the fate he unwittingly invited upon himself.

As if all the Silvermane scenes weren't enough, we also have a load of extra excitement as all hell breaks loose in the Maggia headquarters. Curt Connors finally succumbs to the stress he's been suffering for the past couple of issues and transforms into the Lizard once again, tearing his way through the guards and all set to wreak further havoc in the next issue. I've always loved the final page of this issue when the Lizard fully takes over Connors' mind, and the ominous line: "Only the beast remains!" It's a shame the resulting Lizard story is a bit naff, really, but that's for next time. We also get some nice scenes with Caesar Cicero as he once again makes a bid for the leadership of the Maggia, unleashing his goons who are all met with a swift defeat at the hands of Spider-Man. There's just so much action going on in this issue, but it never feels mindless; it's a kind of beautiful, perfectly paced bedlam that ensues, and that only escalates as the issue goes on.

There's no time to look in on the supporting cast here. It's action and excitement all the way, and it's an absolute treat. Tons of exciting moments, exquisite artwork, a memorable - albeit temporary - demise of a great villain; it all combines to form the perfect ending to one of my favourite Spider-Man stories of all time. Stan and John may not have known where the story was going when they started, but they brought the house down with this finale.

Rating: 5/5

Next time, the Lizard is back! That's...about it, really... 

The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #74

 "IF THIS BE BEDLAM!"

Writer: Stan Lee/Breakdowns: John Romita Sr./Penciller: Jim Mooney/Letterer: Sam Rosen/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: John Romita Sr.

Synopsis: With the unwilling aid of Curt Connors and the Kingpin's former henchman Wilson, the aging Silvermane finally unveils the secret of the petrified tablet...

Review: If the last issue felt like setup, then this one feels like more of the same, but that's no bad thing when the setup is this strong. There's less of Man-Mountain Marko for a start, with the big lummox relegated to just hanging around in the background and threatening Curt Connors every now and again. The main event, though, is of course the reveal of what the hieroglyphics on the petrified tablet actually mean, although we don't find this out until the very last panel.

In the journey to getting there, we have plenty of top notch Spider-Man action as the web-head goes in pursuit of the Maggia to reclaim the tablet and rescue Curt Connors and his family, who have all been kidnapped by Silvermane and his goons. It's great seeing Spidey so determined and fighting mad in this issue, making mincemeat of Caesar Cicero's hoods and diving to the ground to stop a metal door from slamming down and separating him from the fleeing Cicero - this sequence in particular is incredibly effective, with Romita and Mooney effortlessly portraying the struggle and willpower of our friendly neighbourhood superhero. There's no big supervillain showdown, no one-on-one battle; it's just Spider-Man barrelling his way through a load of small fry to get to the top, and even if he doesn't really get anywhere in this particular issue, it's satisfying all the same to see him on top form, although I do have to question whether swinging around the entirety of New York on the off-chance that his spider sense will tell him where Connors is being held is a bit of a silly way to go about things.

Silvermane is as great a villain as ever, even if he hasn't met Spider-Man yet; that craggy, menacing face is enough to show just how much strength lies within the crippled body, and I love the way he backhands Marko just to prove who's still in charge, regardless of age. It's also nice to see more of Curt Connors this time around, although again he's being used as a Reed Richards-esque catch-all genius rather than a reptile expert, as he's tasked with deciphering the hieroglyphics of the tablet, but I do like the idea that the reason why the tablet has remained untranslated all these years is because language experts, and not a biologist were examining it: the strange hieroglyphics are actually representing chemical symbols, not words. I'm not entirely sure how Connors is able to devise a serum from some old chemical symbols - that would obviously denote the name of a chemical element - but I suppose you can't always expect a wacky plot like this to make sense all the time. It's cool to see the threat of the Lizard returning throughout the issue, another nice bit of setup for later, even if the Lizard stuff we ultimately get is pretty lacklustre. There is a continuity issue here, however, as Billy Connors reveals to his mum that he's known for years that his dad is the Lizard, after she has apparently kept it from him, which doesn't tally with what we see in ASM #6, where Billy is fully aware that his dad is the Lizard, and his mum is making no effort to hide the truth from him.

There's barely any time to look in on the supporting cast this time around, with only a few panels devoted to Gwen and Harry at ESU, and even that seems to serve little purpose other than to show off Harry's new moustache that lasts about eight issues before he shaves it off again. The moustache combined with the gold chain he's wearing around his neck make me think that Stan and John were trying to make their characters up to date with the fashions and culture of the time, and as the more straight-edged Peter would look a bit odd sporting facial hair and a bit of bling, Harry makes for a far more believable hippie type - having said that, they do try to give Peter a gold chain later down the road, but we'll cross that bizarre bridge when we get to it.

It's another issue of setup for the final confrontation between Spider-Man and Silvermane, but I don't really mind. It goes without saying at this point, but I'll say it anyway: Romita and Mooney are a phenomenal team and are bringing us the best artwork the book has had in years, even if the more intricate plots of the Ditko era have sadly been lost. The final splash page is proof enough of their powers, as Silvermane rises to his feet having drunk the serum brewed from the tablet's instructions, now decades younger: the tablet contains the secret to the fountain of youth. This could be a tad far-fetched for some, delving more into supernatural territory than scientific, but I feel it's got enough of a foot in science to make it feel appropriate for Spider-Man, and like I say: that artwork, man. The powerful, triumphant stance of the rejuvenated Silvermane as Marko looks on with a combination of confusion and horror is just an iconic image from this era. This issue may be a lot of setup with little pay-off, but it's still a good deal of fun.

Rating: 4/5

Next time, Silvermane has the prize he sought, but at what cost...?

The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #73

 "THE WEB CLOSES!"

Writer: Stan Lee/Breakdowns: John Buscema/Penciller: John Romita Sr./Inker: Jim Mooney/Letterer: Sam Rosen/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: John Romita Sr.

Synopsis: A new sinister figure emerges from the woodwork with his eyes on the petrified tablet: the aging crime boss Silvermane, who sends his brutish henchman Man-Mountain Marko to retrieve it...

Review: We're entering the home stretch of the Petrified Tablet Saga now. These final three issues represent something of a culmination of everything that has come before, and whilst we won't see the return of the Kingpin or Shocker, we do start to see some familiar faces coming back to bring the story to a close. The title of this particular issue is very apt indeed; this really feels like the threads of the plot tightening around the characters, with the danger only increasing with each scene.

New villains mostly get introduced to us one at a time, but here we get three to whet our appetite for what's to come. Man-Mountain Marko is certainly the most prominent of the bunch - he's featured on the cover, after all - but I find him ultimately the weakest of the trio, which is a shame considering a good chunk of the page count is dedicated to a battle between him and Spider-Man. Marko isn't necessarily a bad villain, but he's just nothing to write home about. He's a big, strong, dumb guy who does anything Silvermane asks him to. He doesn't possess any unique physical characteristics other than his size, nor does he have a unique fighting style; he's all brute force, and to be fair, the stunning artwork does a great job of making him look like the kind of guy you'd want to avoid if you saw him on the street. I personally find him a bit one-note, but your mileage may vary. The fight between him and Spider-Man is also pretty dull compared to the others we've had recently; I feel this may be down to the fact that a lot of the panels consist of close-ups, not allowing us to see the characters battling each other in all their glory; it's just a hand or a side profile.

Of far more interest are Silvermane himself, and fellow Maggia member Caesar Cicero. There isn't much of these two in this particular issue, but when they do appear, they're a lot of fun. The issue takes on a more noir-ish, old-school gangster movie quality when these guys show up, and I love the bitterness between them, with Silvermane keeping a firm grip on his power over the Maggia despite his age, and Cicero making every move he can to undermine his boss' authority; it makes these characters feel like more than just your average gangster types, and the artwork on Silvermane's craggy, wrinkled face is beautiful; there's so much brooding menace in every single line, and Mooney's inks only accentuate this. What's more, Silvermane actually seems to know what secret the tablet holds, making him in some ways a more compelling villain than the previous bad guys who have tried to get their hands on it. Not to disregard the Kingpin or Shocker - I prefer them to Silvermane as villains - but until now, we haven't seen anyone actually possess any knowledge of what the tablet's hieroglyphics might say.

We get some a nice return to Robbie and his discussions with Randy in this issue; the scene they appear in doesn't really add anything to the overall story, but I'm glad it's here all the same, and I also appreciate how their argument about the importance of education for black Americans doesn't offer any easy answers; it simply presents opposing viewpoints and allows the reader to draw their own conclusions, or better yet, discuss the same issue with their peers or family more openly. Another thing that stands out in this scene is the return of Jameson, discharged from the hospital and eager to take his paper back from the man who's been printing pro-Spider-Man news stories. It's here that we get a nice remark from Robbie after Randy questions why his dad lets an "old racist" like Jameson tell him what to do: Robbie replies that Jameson isn't a racist; just a stubborn old blowhard. We'll see some more evidence of Jameson's stance on civil rights in future issues, but this is a nice little teaser of just how much the old goat can surprise you just when you think you've got him pegged.

This issue is clearly a lot of setup, with the Maggia characters being introduced, along with the return of Curt Connors and the Kingpin's former henchman Wilson, who are tasked with solving the riddle of the tablet by Silvermane, but there's still a lot to like here. In fact, I think I like the stuff with the supporting characters and the villains more than the stuff with Spider-Man in this issue. As said, the fight scene is OK, but nothing special, and the fact that it keeps getting interrupted so that the other scenes can get some focus means that we can't really invest in it all that much. Regardless, this is another great instalment, and a solid way to begin the conclusion to the longest Spidey story thus far.

Rating: 4/5

Next time, the secret of the petrified tablet is revealed, and what a secret it is...

The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #72

 "ROCKED BY THE SHOCKER!"

Writer: Stan Lee/Breakdowns: John Buscema/Penciller: John Romita Sr./Inker: Jim Mooney/Letterer: Sam Rosen/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: John Romita Sr.

Synopsis: The Shocker breaks into the Stacy home and steals the petrified tablet, hoping to fence it to the highest bidder...

Review: Anyone who has read my review of ASM #46 knows that I'm a big fan of the Shocker, so it should come as no surprise that this is one of my favourite issues of the Petrified Tablet Saga. It's not the absolute best - Issue #68 has been and gone, after all - but this is still a fantastic slice of late 60s Spidey action, featuring one of the best and most underrated villains.

The Shocker is even better than he was in his debut; more powerful, more determined, more confident than ever before. He blazes through the Stacy home, a pawnshop, and an armoured car without breaking a sweat, and causes untold destruction throughout the issue; he really is like a force of nature in this outing. I've said it before, but it bears repeating: I will never - and I mean never - forgive Brian Michael Bendis for turning this character into a total pushover in the pages of Ultimate Spider-Man, but hey, we've always got the proper version to enjoy. The action scenes between Spider-Man and Shocker are just as much fun as before, with loads of destruction and plenty of 'crunch' factor to every single punch, kick and vibro-shock blast. Walls come crashing down, the floor caves in, and both super-powered foes get in some hits that you can almost feel; they really beat the tar out of each other here. I'm not so much a fan of how easily Spider-Man manages to defeat Shocker in the end, as it pretty much just amounts to knocking him unconscious with one punch, but as the preceding action is so good, it doesn't bother me too much.

There isn't as much to talk about regarding subplots this time around. In many ways, the issues are becoming less and less about the balance between Peter's personal life and his life as Spider-Man, and more about the big, splashy panels full of dynamic action. There's nothing wrong with that when the quality is as good as it is here, but later down the road, this approach is going to become a bit more of a problem. We still get some decent character moments in this issue, however; my favourite has to be Jameson's continued ranting and raving in his hospital bed as Robbie carries on with his pro-Spider-Man editorials in the Bugle; the ill-fated phone call he tries to make is hilarious. I also really like the little self-aware comment we get to accompany Aunt May's trip to Florida, about giving her fans a scene where she isn't at death's door! The dialogue between her and Peter here is just as sweet and lovely as always; I don't think anybody really nailed the relationship between the two like Stan did. I'm less of a fan of the scene that gives us more tension between Peter and Gwen, as this subplot was tiresome before it had even reached this point. Not even the return of Flash can rescue this moment; in fact, it actively makes it worse by trying to shoehorn in a potential romantic rival for Peter; why is this happening when Peter and Gwen only got together all of six issues ago?

Despite a slight annoyance with the Peter and Gwen subplot, this is still a highlight of the Petrified Tablet Saga for me. Top tier action, gorgeous artwork from the Buscema/Romita/Mooney team - lovely to have another of Marvel's premier Silver Age artists on board - and some really nice understated moments of atmosphere; I adore the scenes of Peter wandering the streets in the rain. Perhaps because it was raining outside my window when I re-read it, allowing me to immerse myself in the issue all the more. Or perhaps because this is just the latest in a long line of phenomenal issues during this storyline.

Rating: 4.5/5

Next time, the tablet is sought after by the most dangerous player yet: the aging crime lord Silvermane...

The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #71

 "THE SPEEDSTER AND THE SPIDER!"

Writer: Stan Lee/Breakdowns: John Romita Sr./Penciller: Jim Mooney/Inker: Jim Mooney/Letterer: Sam Rosen/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: John Romita Sr.

Synopsis: Quicksilver attempts to prove his innocence to the Avengers by apprehending Spider-Man, who is still a wanted felon...

Review: This is an issue that I found far more enjoyable on a revisit than I would have ever thought. It's hardly one I've ever rated poorly - in fact, I've always felt it to be a pretty decent instalment - but on this occasion, I had a real blast going through it; in many ways, I feel that it's an improvement on the previous issue, which suffered slightly from plot contrivances and some rather frustrating subplots. There's none of that here; just good old-fashioned Spider-Man action combined with the usual personal drama that we crave.

It may seem even more unusual for me to be praising this issue considering it's another in a long line of mashups that we've been suffering from lately, what with Ka-Zar in ASM #57, Medusa in #62, and not to mention a return for the Human Torch in ASM Annual #4. Regular readers will know that I am no great fan of crossovers, especially when they involve Spider-Man fighting another Marvel hero for no discernible reason other than...it's cool, I guess? I much prefer each Marvel character to kind of occupy their own unique space in the Marvel Universe; the odd crossover every now and then is fine, but I like it when a creative team can carve out their own little niche for a character, and obviously this goes for Spider-Man as well. With that said, I find the appearance of Quicksilver here to actually be pretty good fun, all things considered. It helps that he's a much more visually exciting character than the likes of Ka-Zar or Medusa, and Romita and Mooney really emphasising the speed and power of the character through the use of heavy speed lines and ghosting effects. His reasons for battling Spidey are also somewhat believable, as he wants to prove to the Avengers that he and his sister Wanda - plus the Toad - are innocent of wrongdoing, so his desire to capture a dangerous fugitive makes sense in context. I'm not a big Avengers fan at all, so I'm unfamiliar with the whole history of what was going on in the comic at the time, but as Stan's annotation says, that doesn't really matter, as you can follow the plot and character motivations easily enough. All in all, one of the more successful guest appearances.

Of course, we still get plenty of great stuff from our own loveable cast of regulars, even if the Spider-Man/Quicksilver battle takes up a good bit of the issue. It's always lovely to see Robbie get some focus, and I particularly liked seeing another glimpse into his home life here, as his wife consoles him about the worries he has about their son's future; their conclusion about Randy's generation wanting to change the world for the better is a really sweet and optimistic moment. In addition to this, with Jameson still in hospital, Robbie's running the Bugle, and he's giving out more money than JJ ever would! I love the scene where Peter gets handed a huge check for the photos he brings in, and I love even more Jameson's reaction when he finds out that Robbie has begun printing pro-Spider-Man articles in his paper; we've rarely seen the man so livid. There's not much going on with the petrified tablet this issue; we just see Spider-Man leaving it in the care of Captain Stacy, which I suppose makes some kind of sense, although I still don't know why he doesn't just hand it in at a police station and swing off; it's not like a load of ordinary police officers are going to prove much of an obstacle to him escaping.

There isn't much to say about ASM #71 other than that it's another really fun issue, probably better than the last one, but not quite a top tier outing. It manages to slip in more plot developments than I remember, and the fight between Spider-Man and Quicksilver is actually pretty enjoyable, thanks to the typically phenomenal art combo of Romita and Mooney.

Rating: 4/5

Next time, the Shocker enters the scene, and he's got his eyes on the tablet...

The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #70

 "SPIDER-MAN WANTED!"

Writer: Stan Lee/Breakdowns: John Romita Sr./Penciller: Jim Mooney/Inker: Jim Mooney/Letterer: Sam Rosen/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: John Romita Sr.

Synopsis: After being tricked by the Kingpin, the police believe that Spider-Man is in league with the arch criminal, and have orders to shoot on sight...

Review: This issue is a noticeable downgrade from the first two instalments in the Petrified Tablet Saga, but it's still an enjoyable enough read. It's also the last time we'll see the Kingpin during this storyline, but us Kingpin fans needn't worry; he'll be back before you know it.

The main highlight of the issue for me is the artwork and action. We've been seeing Romita and Mooney turning out what is, to my mind, the best artwork we've yet seen during this run of ASM, and they show no signs of letting up here: characters are well-defined, action is intense and exciting, and the use of deep blacks from Mooney gives every image that much more depth. The scenes of Spider-Man being hunted or shot at by the police are a great deal of fun, especially when they ambush the wall-crawler by throwing a spotlight on him, as per the incredible cover art. There perhaps isn't as much of the police manhunt as I would have liked, especially as both the cover and the end of the previous issue promised something a bit more intense, with Spider-Man saying that he might as well become the menace everyone believes him to be. That doesn't really happen here; it's pretty much business as usual, but occasionally the police turn up to shoot at him. There is a pretty shocking moment at the end of the issue, however, where in a blind rage, Spidey swings down to threaten Jameson, and gives the poor guy a heart attack, leaving the web-head in more hot water than ever; this scene is probably the best one in the issue.

What doesn't work so well are the continued subplots. Anyone who read my previous post will know that I'm not a fan of Gwen starting to think Peter's a coward, and I don't like it any more here, even if Romita and Mooney's art is simply gorgeous during Peter and Gwen's brief tiff on ESU campus. What's even more regrettable is the way the subplot about the student protestors is resolved; after two issues of really solid characterisation and tackling of more complex themes, all it boils down to here is that apparently the dean was on the students' side all along, but just had a hard time convincing the trustees that a low-rent dorm was a good idea, so he felt that the students should carry out their protest. It's not a terrible resolution to the story, but it does feel like a bit of a damp squib of an ending, especially after the previous two issues had built it up to be something more substantial. I also have to wonder about the ethics of Robbie covering the story of his son's arrest; surely there's a conflict of interest there?

To be honest, the main plot of Spider-Man being hunted by the police doesn't work that well either; it's a nice one on paper, but in practice you have to wonder why Spider-Man doesn't just take the tablet back to the exhibition hall and leave it there, possibly with a note? There's even a scene here where a police officer fires on Spidey, but only to bring him down from his web; the officer even says that he doesn't want to harm the wall-crawler, so why doesn't Spidey use this opportunity to explain what's going on, instead of slapping the gun out of the poor guy's hand and swinging off again? It just feels a bit too contrived for me.

But, with that said, I still love the experience of reading this issue, primarily just for the exciting scenarios it presents with the police manhunt, and of course, the continued threat of the Kingpin, who gets some great moments here, such as the way he breaks out of his prison cell simply by working the metal bars loose with his bare hands, not to mention our first brief glimpse of his wife when she turns up to save him from capture at the end of the issue. All in all, it's a highly flawed issue, but one I find entertaining nevertheless, though I think Romita and Mooney are doing most of the heavy lifting with this one.

Rating: 4/5

Next time, with the tablet still in his possession, Spider-Man is attacked by the avenging Quicksilver...

The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #69

 "MISSION: CRUSH THE KINGPIN!"

Writer: Stan Lee/Breakdowns: John Romita Sr./Penciller: Jim Mooney/Inker: Jim Mooney/Letterer: Sam Rosen/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: John Romita Sr.

Synopsis: Spider-Man pursues the Kingpin to his hideout in order to recover the stolen petrified tablet, but the Kingpin is lying in wait for the wall-crawler to make his move...

Review: A far less plot-heavy issue than last time, but that's not a bad thing at all when the quality stays at such a high level. This issue continues all of the plot threads left dangling from the previous issue very well, whilst setting up some new ones; some intriguing, one not so much, but let's get into it.

I didn't really talk much about what the Petrified Tablet Saga exactly entails last time, so let me do that briefly now. The petrified tablet itself serves as a MacGuffin that several different nefarious parties are after - akin to the Maltese Falcon - and who all come out of the woodwork to try and get their hands on it. It's a brilliant set-up that allows Stan and John to incorporate multiple bad guys into one storyline, and also allows the story to extend beyond the usual two or three part structure that's been established by this point - the longest story we've seen prior to this is the four part Doc Ock/nullifier story from Issues #53-56. It is true that the arc is somewhat episodic, with each villain being introduced in turn rather than all of them after it at the same time, but I don't think that detracts from the epic scope the story has, and it certainly doesn't detract from the enjoyment. As said above, we're sticking with the Kingpin for the time being, who in this issue stores the tablet inside a gigantic metal safe, the door of which has no locks or combinations, for only the Kingpin's terrifying strength can wrench it open. I love this detail, because when you think about it, that really would be a pretty secure way of storing any valuables you might have. No safe-cracker can break it, no one can guess any kind of combination code; the only thing that opens the door is naked strength.

The Kingpin himself is just as much fun as the last issue, although sadly we've lost the thumps and thooms that accompanied his footsteps last issue. We do, however, get the first mention of his wife when one of his henchmen unthinkingly cracks wise about her within earshot of the Kingpin himself, who promptly backhands the fool and demands he be thrown out the door - really, I expect the Kingpin would have straight-up murdered the guy for talking about his wife, but I suppose the Comics' Code would have frowned on that. We won't actually meet Vanessa Fisk until quite a bit later, but this is a tantalising bit of foreshadowing all the same. The battle between Spider-Man and the Kingpin makes up a good chunk of the issue, and is easily one of my favourite encounters between the two, with gorgeous, exciting artwork from Romita and Mooney that almost feels like it's going to burst forth from the page. So many fantastic little action moments in this issue, from the Kingpin's henchmen frantically firing at what they think is Spider-Man, only for it to turn out to be a web-dummy, Kingpin hurling Spider-Man into his own webbing in order to ensnare him, and every so often there will be a huge, dynamic panel that makes the action even more explosive; top notch stuff all around.

The plight of the student protestors is continued as well, with Randy, Josh and the others being interrogated by the police regarding the theft of the stolen tablet, whilst Robbie tries to appeal to his son and get him to realise that the damage he and his friends caused was wrong, even though their cause was a just one. The conversation between Robbie and his son is one of the real highlights of the issue for me; Randy clearly feels that his father has become a part of the white establishment and no longer cares about the troubles faced by the black community; the tension between generations is very much felt, and I like that this is a discussion with no easy answers. Randy's frustration is understandable because he feels his father has abandoned any real crusade to improve the lives of black Americans, whilst Robbie tries to argue that in achieving such a prestigious position at a major New York newspaper, he has proven that he is just as good, if not better, than any white person. It's another great example of this era of Spider-Man exploring more pressing social issues, and I for one think it's done well here.

There is one new subplot, however, that I'm not much of a fan of. After hearing a protestor call Peter a coward, Gwen lashes out, but secretly thinks that the protestor may have been right. I don't like this for a number of reasons. For one thing, it just comes out of nowhere; there has never been any hint that Gwen thinks Peter is cowardly, save for a scene way back in ASM #35, and that was before Peter and Gwen got involved anyway, so it hardly matters here. Secondly, it makes Gwen rather unsympathetic and unlikeable; over the course of the next few issues, she'll begin to question why Peter always runs off at the first sign of danger, and all I can say is..."Well, what do you think is the natural response when all hell breaks loose?" Apart from anything else, Peter always uses the excuse of going to find a good vantage point from which to take photos for the Bugle, so she can hardly say he's a coward for doing that. Finally, didn't we just resolve a subplot surrounding tension between Peter and Gwen? Can't they have an extended period of happiness, or at least contentment? The good vibes between them have lasted all of three issues; at this point, I'm thinking Peter should give her the heave-ho if she's so quick to think ill of him without cause. I'm all for having Gwen become suspicious of Peter's disappearing act, but the way it's set up here just makes her unlikeable, and it ultimately feels kind of artificially inserted into the story, without any real build-up or momentum.

The ending, however, is pretty great, as the Kingpin tricks the police into thinking that Spider-Man is his accomplice in the theft of the tablet, so when the web-head is seen by the cops with the tablet in his hand, they open fire. This causes Spider-Man to fly into a rage and declare that if the city insists on treating him like a menace, then he might as well be a menace. It's an ominous ending that to be honest doesn't really go anywhere in the next issue - it sort of does, but not to any great degree - but for the time being, it's a tantalising close to what has been another top tier issue for me. Great action, great character moments for Robbie and Randy, and the same high calibre of artwork we've come to expect.

Rating: 5/5

Next time, Spider-Man is on the run from the law and the Kingpin escapes from prison to reclaim the tablet...

The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #68

 "CRISIS ON THE CAMPUS!"

Writer: Stan Lee/Breakdowns: John Romita Sr./Penciller: Jim Mooney/Inker: Jim Mooney/Letterer: Sam Rosen/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: John Romita Sr.

Synopsis: The Kingpin has a plan to steal the recently discovered petrified clay tablet from the ESU campus, using a student protest as a cover...

Review: I mentioned way back in my review of ASM #31 that that issue is quite possibly my single favourite Spider-Man comic of all time. If I had to pick a second favourite, it would be ASM #68. This issue begins what is almost certainly my favourite storyline from the Lee and Romita era: the Petrified Tablet Saga, an absolutely fantastic eight part story that features numerous villains, returning allies, strong character drama for the regulars, and some of the finest artwork to ever grace the pages of a Spidey comic. It all begins here, in an issue that I just can't praise highly enough, and one that you could argue begins a kind of third phase of the Lee and Romita era.

Think of Lee/Romita's first phase as taking place between Issues #39 and #52; John is still finding his feet as a Spider-Man artist, whilst Stan is really taking the reins of the character and steering him in a more mainstream direction that will appeal to a wider audience, removing the elements of the comic that defined the Ditko era such as the romance between Peter and Betty, or the presence of Frederick Foswell. The second phase runs from Issues #53 to #67, an era that sees a ton of returning classic villains like Doc Ock, Kingpin - admittedly a fairly new creation at the time - both Vultures and Mysterio. The writing and artwork is much more confident, and ASM really begins to soar to heights of greatness that it hadn't seen since the peak of the Ditko run. Now, in Issue #68, we begin the third phase, one that retains the confidence of the second, but heightens the melodrama to an even greater degree, as well as featuring stories with a much stronger social conscience.

This third phase of Lee and Romita is defined by stories that feel keyed in to the cultural, social and political climate of the late 1960s; the shadows of Vietnam, the Civil Rights Movement, Woodstock and more can all be felt in this latter stretch of stories, and I for one am fully on board. Marvel took a strong stance on civil rights issues across the board around this time period, but nowhere was it more evident than in Spider-Man, with its cast of predominately college-aged characters, who reflected a large portion of Marvel's readership. For the first time since the Ditko era, I feel that ASM was truly beginning to reflect the reality that its readers inhabited, and that's one reason why I feel that this period of Lee and Romita's work is their strongest. Look no further than this issue, in which we see students angry at the injustice of having affordable dormitories taken away from them, angry at the establishment that they feel is oppressing them. We see a demonstration led by two young black men, who are tired of a system that ignores them, that is outright against them. This is one of the most dialogue heavy issues in a long time, but I feel that this is warranted, because of just how fervently Stan is trying to convey the passion of the students, and this is helped immensely by Romita and Mooney's artwork; simply stunning, with expressive, well-defined characters and plenty of exciting, dynamic panels. There are lots of large crowd scenes here, as is to be expected, and I really appreciate the detail of each student's sign being slightly different. Again, it's this idea of the world of the comic feeling real, and I feel that Lee, Romita and Mooney accomplish this in spades.

It's nice to see Peter meeting Randy Robertson for the first time; whilst Randy has never been a major supporting character like Mary Jane or Jameson, he's still a significant member of Peter's friendship circle, and I love their easy-going, friendly banter during their first meeting here. Slightly strange is how Randy's fellow protestor Josh is introduced, as it would seem that he and Peter know each other already, even though we've never laid eyes on him before. I suppose we don't have to see Peter get formally introduced to literally every character on campus, but it does seem odd that he knows Josh and not the son of the Bugle's city editor. Speaking of which, can we all just agree how ace Robbie is in this issue? For the first time in Spider-Man, we have a character with a more clearly defined family; Robbie has a wife and a son who love him, and who he tries his best to provide for, and when Randy is in danger during the protest, Robbie steps straight in to try and help out his boy. Robbie has already been a more than welcome presence in ASM, but this is where I feel he truly begins to shine as a character, as we get an extra peek into his home life and the love he has for those close to him.

You would think that involving the Kingpin in this otherwise very grounded story would detract from the realism of it all, especially as it's quite a compelling scenario to see Peter faced with a tense situation like a student protest, that even Spider-Man wouldn't be able to defuse, but this issue is just the Kingpin at his absolute best: his brief workout session at the start of the issue reminds us just how fast and powerful he is against a whole gang of opponents, and when he storms the campus...oh, yes, this is what I want from the Kingpin. The thing that always sticks out to me the most about this issue is just how much impact the character as, and it's all down to the genius inclusion of loud sound effects to accompany his walk; every step he takes unleashes a THOOM or a THUMP; more than ever, you get the impression of the Kingpin as a powerhouse, able to tear his way through an obstacle that stands in his path. His fight with Spider-Man is brief, but satisfying, and we'll get to see much more of it next issue. The Kingpin wanting to steal the petrified tablet is perhaps a bit strange in hindsight, given his reinvention by Frank Miller into a more Machiavellian crime lord, but it's totally in keeping with the character at this point in time, and it's nowhere near as absurdly sci-fi as his brainwashing plan from the last time we saw him.

If you hadn't guessed already, I love this issue to bits. It's not just the phenomenal artwork, the exciting action or the more socially conscious plot; it's the little moments as well, such as Spider-Man being presented with as mundane a problem as being unable to get back into his own apartment because Harry has locked the window, or the way one of the Kingpin's henchmen reacts upon arriving at ESU: "So this is what a college looks like! Big deal!" Yes, it's pretty clear that the story is being crafted by middle-aged white men - some of the rather dated and obvious slang is a reminder of this - and I would argue that the object of the protest could have been something a bit more provocative than simply wanting a low-rent dorm, but everything works so seamlessly together here to give us an all-time classic story, and a textbook piece of Spider-Man.

Rating: 5/5

Next time, Spider-Man pursues the Kingpin to try and reclaim the petrified tablet, but danger lurks around the corner...

The Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) Annual #5

 "THE PARENTS OF PETER PARKER!"

Writer: Stan Lee/Penciller: Larry Lieber/Inker: Mike Esposito/Letterer: Artie Simek/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: John Romita Sr.

Synopsis: Spider-Man journeys to Algeria to try and find evidence that his parents weren't traitors to their country...

Review: At long last, an ASM annual actually feels like an event again. Whilst annuals #3 and #4 are hardly the worst Spidey stories ever put out, there's a distinct lack of ambition or scope to them, especially compared with the first two annuals, both of which felt like a celebration of the character that brought something new or exciting to the table; the Sinister Six in one, a team-up with Doctor Strange in the other. The team-up format was retained for the next two annuals, but without Steve Ditko, they felt rather flat, tired, and in all honesty, a little bit boring. Thankfully, we're back on solid ground with one of my favourite Spider-Man annuals ever; it's not quite as good as the first, but I would put it on par with the second.

Until this story, we'd never really had much mention of Peter's parents; all we knew about them was that they died when he was very young, forcing Uncle Ben and Aunt May to raise Peter themselves. This issue finally solves the mystery by revealing that Peter's parents were, in reality, secret agents working for the US government, who were killed by the Red Skull. Despite loving this story, I am still in something of two minds about this revelation. It does give us a nice bit of history and a connection with a major Marvel villain - not to mention a pretty cool issue of Untold Tales of Spider-Man - but at the same time, I have to wonder if such a fantastical backstory really works for a character like Spider-Man, who is generally kept very grounded. That's one of the reasons why we love him so much; he's the superhero that could be you or I, and once you start introducing the idea that his parents were super-spies, that relatability starts to evaporate a bit. They have the same issue during the Michelinie run in the 80s and 90s, where Peter found himself married to a successful actress/model, but that's a story for another time. I guess the idea of Richard and Mary Parker being secret agents is one I accept rather than necessarily liking; to be honest, I usually forget about it because Peter's relationship with Aunt May and Uncle Ben is so much more important; they are the ones who raised him, after all.

Having the Red Skull as a villain is quite a fun inclusion, I must admit, and though he only really gets in on the action at the end, the Skull certainly presents a step-up for Spider-Man, who usually fights street-level crime or mad scientists. Here, we have the head of an evil spy organisation, and whilst this kind of grandiosity may look a bit out of place in the ongoing monthly title, in a double-length annual, it feels entirely appropriate. The Skull's henchmen are a little bit naff, admittedly; there's a stereotypical strongman in Sandor, and the Finisher - supposedly the Skull's best assassin - is defeated with speed and ease by Spider-Man, in a scene that raises the question of Spidey's ethics; he technically does lead a missile to blow up the Finisher's car with the villain inside it. I suppose when the reputation of his parents is involved, he's more willing to bend his usual no-killing policy.

Larry Lieber's artwork has improved noticeably since his last work on a Spidey annual, although I have to wonder if Esposito's inks aren't doing a lot of heavy lifting. With that said, I will give credit to Lieber for crafting some engaging and easy-to-read action scenes, solid figure work and expressive characters. It's still nowhere near as good as the work we've been getting from Romita lately, but it's decent enough, particularly the opening fight in the casbah - where Stan uncharacteristically reins in his dialogue to heighten the impact of the moment where Spidey's head is grazed by a bullet - as well as the big battle scenes between Spider-Man and the Red Skull, and the final splash page of Spider-Man triumphantly swinging into the air having found the evidence to clear his parents' names is one that always sticks with me when I think of just how inspiring and rousing the character can be at his best.

The story, whilst suitably epic for an annual, does have a few holes to pick, the biggest one being how exactly the US government allowed Richard and Mary Parker to be branded traitors when presumably they had been ordered to infiltrate the Red Skull's organisation by...the US government? Couldn't someone have put out an official statement condemning the so-called evidence against the Parkers? Also, why is Richard's US secret service card hidden inside his Red Skull card? Why would it be there? Surely if you want to hide your true allegiance from the Skull, you would just leave your other secret service card at home, or hide it somewhere else. These are nit-picks, but I feel that I have to bring them up, as they're probably the only thing that let this story down.

From the opening scene of Spider-Man being attacked in the casbah - love that they open this story right in the middle of the action without too much build-up - to a nice cameo from the Fantastic Four, to the first appearance of the Skull to Spider-Man vindicating his parents, this is a classic Silver Age story, and possibly my second favourite ASM annual after the first one, despite a couple of plot holes and my misgivings about the Parkers' backstory. The Algeria setting is a nice change of pace - and again, gives the story the broader scope that befits an annual - and the artwork by Lieber is some of his best. Stan's dialogue is great throughout as well, especially in that final splash page; he really pulls at the heartstrings and has you feeling the same joy as Spider-Man himself. All in all, a great return to form for the ASM annuals. It's a shame they'll contain nothing but reprints for the next few years.

Rating: 4.5/5

But, of course, we have some extras, although they're pretty scant this time around.

First up is a nice enough pin-up of the Bugle, and regular readers will know how much I love the Bugle regulars: Jameson, Betty, Robbie and Ned are all here, and I'm happy to see them.

Next is a bizarre inclusion where Peter imagines what it would be like if an athlete had the powers of Spider-Man. Stan admits that the Bugle splash page is filler, but this feels even more so, though it does feature some of Lieber's most dynamic artwork in the annual.

After that we get a simple one-page feature called, "Where It's At!", which sort of tries to show the reader where exactly the notable locations from the world of Spider-Man are located in New York - the Bugle, ESU, Peter and Harry's apartment, the Coffee Bean, and Aunt May's house. It's a nice idea, but one that I don't think comes across all that well in practice; I'm no native New Yorker, so can't place where any of these are - obviously Aunt May lives in Queens - but even residents of the city may struggle with this image as the map is so blurry and the writing is tiny to the point of illegibility. Good idea, poor execution.

Next we get a pretty fun double-page spread featuring Spider-Man in the style of other comic creators. I particularly like the Chester Gould-esque Dick Tracy Spider-Man, and the Charlie Brown Spider-Man is nice too. Rather pointless, but fun nonetheless.

And last, but not least, we have "Here We Go-A-Plotting!", a three-page comedy skit in the vein of Marvel's Not Brand Echh satire comic. It's kind of amusing, featuring caricatures of Stan Lee, John Romita and Larry Lieber as they map out the next issue of ASM - parodically, of course. It's fine for what it is, but nothing exactly stellar.

And with that, another annual is done. A great main event, with some hit or miss bonus items. As said, this would be the last annual for several years to feature a brand new, original story; it wasn't until Annual #10 that we got new material again. Oh, well; at least the next few annuals have some nice covers.

Next time, we're back to ASM after our little break, with an all-time classic in Issue #68, wherein the Kingpin tries to steal an ancient petrified tablet from ESU during a student protest...