Obsessively putting our comics in chronological order since 1985.
| 1969-06-01 00:04:10 |
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Amazing Spider-Man #73
Issue(s): Amazing Spider-Man #73
Cover Date: Jun 69
Title: "The web closes!"
Credits:
Stan Lee - Writer
John Romita Sr. - Layouts ("Coordinated by")
John Buscema - Finishes ("Innovated by")
Jim Mooney - Inker ("Illustrated by")
Review/plot:
Spider-Man bothers Captain Stacy for info on the stolen tablet...
...and follows a lead to the Shocker's girlfriend's apartment.
Man-Mountain Marko is already there, threatening her. Spidey and Marko fight...
...but Marko gets away with the tablet.
Meanwhile, the Kingpin's man Louis Wilson is bailed out of jail by Caesar Cicero...
...who currently works for Maggia boss Silvermane...
...but has his eyes on the top seat and continually acts without orders, trying to prove himself. He also kidnaps Curt Conners, thinking Conners will be able to translate the tablet.
Joe Robertson and his son Randy continue to debate racism and the merits of working for a white boss.
Jameson's temper doesn't exactly help matters, but the fact that Joe stands up to him is a plus in his son's eyes.
This issue features the first appearance of Man-Mountain Marko, an uninspired C-list super strong thug, and Silvermane. To me, Silvermane will always be an animated corpse in an exo-skeleton, but here he is as a real live human being.
Quality Rating: C
Historical Significance Rating: 5 - first Man-Mountain Marko, Silvermane, and Caesar Cicero.
Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A
References: N/A
Crossover: N/A
Continuity Insert? N
My Reprint: Marvel Tales #54
Inbound References (2): showCharacters Appearing: Captain Stacy, Ceasar Cicero, Gwen Stacy, J. Jonah Jameson, Joe 'Robbie' Robertson, Lizard, Louis Wilson, Man-Mountain Marko, Randy Robertson, Silvermane, Spider-Man 1969 / Box 5 / Silver Age Previous:
Captain Marvel #15-17Up:
MainNext:
Uncanny X-Men #54-56
Comments
I always think of Silvermane as the robotic version too, from Mantlo,s Spectacular stories and further. It's a pity Maney isn't used more in modern stories. Although his head was great in that recent Superior Foes series. So i guess there is that. He should team up with Modok and the BiBeast, and then go up against the Headmen.
Why has there never been a Modok versus Headmen fight? Why?!
At the risk of initiating a Charlie Foxtrot, the JJJ / Robbie/ Randy scene illustrates the current fallacy of referring to current Republican nominee Donald Trump as a racist. He may be a blowhard at times...but racist?!?
I think that epithet has worn out its welcome.
When these "superheroes" put on their masks they're committing crime, they're rapists... And some, I assume, are good people.
Why has there never been a Modok versus Headmen fight? Why?!
He does team up with them, at least, in the subpar Defenders run by Kurt Busiek and Erik Larsen.
Marc De Matteis had his first letter to Marvel printed here, age 14. About twelve years later, he started writing Marvel Team-Up, starring Spider-Man.
Worth noting that Man Mountain Marko and Silvermane are the first new villains introduced since the Kingpin in issue #50. It seems that after Kingpin, Stan and John were mostly content to work with existing villains to develop them more. Many people point out that fewer classic villains were introduced after Ditko left, but of course, Ditko had no existing villains to fall back on (unless you count Doc Doom, Ringmaster and Beetle).
