"THE SECRET OF THE SCHEMER!"
Writer: Stan Lee/Breakdowns: John Romita Sr./Penciller: John Buscema/Inker: Jim Mooney/Letterer: Sam Rosen/Editor: Stan Lee/Cover Art: John Romita Sr.
This review contains spoilers for ASM #85
Synopsis: The war between the Kingpin and the Schemer reaches its apex, as secrets are revealed, and the Kingpin receives a rude awakening...
Review: The Schemer Trilogy concludes in mostly solid fashion with an issue that improves on the previous one, if only because it actually feels like things are happening in the finale compared to the middle chapter. This storyline serves as something of a temporary send-off for the Kingpin, as he wouldn't appear in a Marvel comic again until Captain America #146, and his next appearance in a Spider-Man book would be ASM #154, nearly six years after this issue was published, and I would say that as a finale to Stan and John's work with the character, this issue works rather well.
I'll get the negatives out of the way as quickly as possible. A mild gripe but one I can't help but have: the Schemer possessing a cattle prod and a stun blaster in the folds of his cape are just a little bit too goofy for even me to swallow; as if he didn't look silly enough. The other, more major criticism is just how gullible Gwen and her dad are in this issue. They go to Peter's apartment to try and get him to spill about how he manages to get such good photos of Spider-Man, prompting Peter to come up with a ridiculous "Gosh, look at the time" kind of excuse, which for some reason, they completely believe. Peter then decides that whilst he's out of the room, he'll switch to his Spidey suit and swing in through the window to try and convince Gwen and her dad that Peter and Spider-Man are two different people, and once again, this works. At no point do either Gwen or Captain Stacy point out that Peter could very easily have changed into his costume in the other room before swinging back in. I know secret identities have to be maintained and all, but this scene just makes the Stacys look like morons. To be fair, we can assume that Captain Stacy has sussed out Peter's secret by now, and has decided not to mention it for fear of upsetting his daughter, but that doesn't explain why Gwen herself is so bloody clueless.
The good stuff in this issue is largely contained at the end, during the final confrontation between the Kingpin and the Schemer, although any scene with the Kingpin during this trilogy has been a highlight. I absolutely love the reveal that it was Kingpin who placed an ad in the Bugle, promising five grand for the Schemer's capture; this is exactly the kind of Machiavellian scheming the character would become known for in the 80s. I also like how Spider-Man himself is kind of forgotten by the Kingpin during the final scene in favour of the Schemer, although I suppose it could be seen as a bit disappointing that the web-head doesn't actually do much this issue other than play right into the Kingpin's hands (plus lie to his girlfriend again).
The reveal of who the Schemer really is will come as no surprise to anyone that's been paying attention for the past two issues: it's the Kingpin's own son Richard, who faked his own death after hearing of his father's true nature, and subsequently reinvented himself as the Schemer to get his revenge. I'm not sure what the exact timeframe for this is, considering Richard's disappearance in the Alps seemed to be a pretty recent event in the past two issues, so how exactly did he manage to orchestrate this in such little time? Oh well, it's a great ending scene regardless, as the Kingpin is so horrified by what has happened that he enters a catatonic state, where he'll remain for the next few years of stories. As said, it's a memorable send-off for the character, in a story that finally shows us his fallible, human side after he's been depicted as a typically ruthless, uncaring bad guy for the past few years.
The strongest elements in ASM #85 are found in all of the drama with the Kingpin's family. I love the tense scenes between him and Vanessa, she suspecting the truth about the Schemer's identity, and he thinking that she's somehow involved with him. The final revelation isn't exactly a shock, but it's an effectively told origin story and provides a nice capper to the Kingpin of the Lee/Romita era. Spidey himself doesn't get a whole lot to do, sadly, but there are still some great action moments here and there, and that final swing in the last panel is just gorgeous work from Romita, Buscema and Mooney. The Schemer Trilogy will most likely never be a favourite with me, but it's still a decent story that lays the groundwork for the Kingpin stories of the future, whilst bringing his story up to this point to a satisfying close.
Rating: 3.5/5
Next time, the Black Widow enters Spider-Man's life, hoping to reinvent herself with a new costume and new weaponry...
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