Issue(s): Amazing Spider-Man #233
Cover Date: Oct 82
Title: "Where the @¢%# is Nose Norton?"
Credits:
Roger Stern - Writer
John Romita Jr. - Penciler
Jim Mooney - Inker
Linda Grant - Assistant Editor
Tom DeFalco - Editor

Review/plot:
JJ offers a $1500 reward to anyone who can find and deliver Nose Norton, the informant that Ned Leeds was trying to talk to before the Cobra attacked.

Norton has information regarding Roxxon's illegal activities. Roxxon hires the Tarantula to kill Norton before anyone gets to him.

Since Peter is interested in the $1500, he makes a special effort to find Norton...

...and his search brings him (and Ben Urich) into conflict with the Tarantula.

Spider-Man says "I can't deny it, Tarantula. You made me look like a jerk a couple of times. The only thing I can figure is that you must have caught me on a couple of off days. A second-rater like you shouldn't have been able to lay a finger on me!". It's funny because it's true.

But while Spider-Man is fighting Tarantula...

...a pair of private eyes hired by the Brand Corporation shoot Nose Norton. They claim it was in self defense, but the scene is designed to make them seem shady, setting up the upcoming Brand plotline.

Do i have to say it? Roger Stern + John Romita Jr. = great!

Quality Rating: B+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: Issue #234 begins soon after this issue ends.

References:

• Spider-Man last saw the Tarantula in Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #1.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

The tarantula was my favorite Spider-Man villain as a od. This issue is one of the reasons why. That dialogue suggests that Stern was trying to take him down a peg though. I wonder if Stern really had disdain for the character and wanted him marginalized?

Stern didn't dislike the character as much as the idea that someone without powers could go toe to toe with Spider-Man.

It's a shame but today that kind of reward money could pay for one college class...and maybe the books too.

Fnord, just read this issue again, and it's clear that issue 234 takes place right after this one as this tarrantula story is noted as being crowded off the page the following day by the report of Will-o-the-wisp blowing up a plant (start of issue 234).

I really don't think Spidey could fit in the adventure with Professor Power in MTU 124 between these issues.

Thanks, Kveto. I agree with you and i've shuffled the books.

Stern/Spidey literally burying the Tarantula in garbage is one of my favorite moments in this run of ASM. I do have to wonder what Gerry Conway thought of this. Once he was back on the Spider-books, one of Conway's first moves was to make a new Tarantula, who he then gave a hideout in a garbage barge just like the one above. Hmmm...