"TO SQUASH A SPIDER!"
Writer: Stan Lee/Penciller: John Romita Sr./Inker: Jim Mooney/Letterer: Artie Simek/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: John Romita Sr.
Synopsis: Mysterio has seemingly reduced Spider-Man to six inches in height, and will stop at nothing until the wall-crawler is squashed for good...
Review: Despite this being an improvement on the previous issue, I don't really have all that much to say about it, and that's primarily because there isn't really a lot of plot. It's pretty much action all the way, with Spider-Man trying to evade Mysterio and the various traps that the villain's devised throughout the carnival model that the web-head has landed in. This is by no means a bad thing, but regular readers will know that I'm not generally a fan of issues that consist of all action and little to no story; however, what this issue lacks in substance, it makes up for in artwork. This is one of John Romita's finest hours, as he gives us arguably the definitive Spider-Man/Mysterio encounter, one that has gone on to influence how such scenes are portrayed in films, cartoons and video games for years to come.
The issue is pretty relentless, and incredibly exciting as Spidey is forced to keep up the pace, not stopping for an instant lest he be crushed, drowned, or chopped in half, and Romita is just absolutely killing it throughout. One thing I appreciate most about his intense action scenes in this issue is his use of more experimental panel layouts, not unlike something you'd see from Neal Adams; lots of triangular shaped panels that really add to the off-kilter feel of the thing, putting us firmly in Spider-Man's position as he's buffeted and tossed around by every trap or illusion that Mysterio can throw at him. Much like Issue #64 was a brilliant showcase for the Vulture, this does a similar service to Mysterio. Despite Mysterio being one of my all-time favourite villains, I don't like this issue quite as much as that Vulture one, mainly because it lacks much else of interest going on - save for a new character that we'll come to in a moment - as most of the scenes with the supporting cast lack any real development or insight. But, as I say, those moments aren't really the focus; the excitement is, and to be honest, these images will do a better job of reviewing the issue than I ever could with words:
See what I mean?
But, as said above, we do have a new character, in the form of Randy Robertson, Joe Robertson's son, and it's a really sweet debut for Randy, even if it is a very brief scene where he visits the Bugle to see his dad. The two have such a lovely bond that feels just as much like a close friendship than a father talking to his son - complete with some scintillating 60s slang - and I love the moment when Randy says that he doesn't see the point of burdening his dad with every little problem that crops up, to which Robbie replies that telling people about little problems can prevent big problems; wise advice from the Bugle's top city editor. As said, it's a short scene, and it's mainly here to set up the events of the following issue, but I'm still very glad it's here all the same.
ASM #67 is almost a top-tier issue, but not quite. The action is on par with that earlier Vulture issue that I mentioned, but with the exception of Randy's introduction, there really isn't a whole lot else going on here; Issue #64 had those really great moments with Jameson and Robbie that just added to the overall excitement, but here, there's nothing much to write home about. With that said, I cannot fault Romita's artwork, which is truly stunning, and ably enhanced by Mooney's inks, though it does make this issue rather difficult to review; how many different ways can you come up with for saying the art is fantastic? As a showcase for Mysterio, this doesn't put a foot wrong. As an issue in general, it's missing a few key ingredients for me.
Rating: 4/5
Next time, we'll be taking a return trip to the pages of The Spectacular Spider-Man magazine for its second and final issue, wherein the memories that have been slowly returning to Norman Osborn finally rise to the surface...
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