Issue(s): Human Fly #15
Cover Date: Nov 78
Title: "War in the Washington Monument"
Credits:
Bill Mantlo - Writer
Lee Elias - Penciler
Ricardo Villamonte - Inker

Review/plot:
Here's one without super-heroes. The Human Fly and his support crew go to visit engineer Ted Locke's army buddies and find themselves in a fight with abusive veteran hospital staff.

The art in that opening scene, especially with Locke flying through the air, really fails to give any hint that we're dealing with three regular people. It looks like a typical super-hero splash panel.

Some of the veterans find they've put up with enough abuse, so they take over the Washington Monument and it's up to the Human Fly to stop them.

It's a little odd to think that the police would allow some costumed guy to go in after the hostage takers until you remember that super-heroes are the norm in the Marvel Universe.

I don't have a lot to say about this issue except that the Human Fly is clearly doing super-hero stuff, fighting bad guys, etc.

Which is fine except that there's nothing to distinguish him from a Daredevil or Captain America. The fact that he's "real" means nothing in the comic book itself. It's not like this book is documenting his actual exploits.

I really bought this issue for the photo feature in the back. Unfortunately, the photos are too blurry to make out very much (both in my copy and the online scan i downloaded)...

...and the text doesn't tell me much except that the Fly now has a new sidekick called Mercury that they were going to work into the plot. Mercury was also mentioned in the second article i linked to previously (here).

The feature also announces a stunt contest: come up with a stunt idea and the winner's stunt will be featured in the comic. Human Fly will be canceled before the contest is over.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• The Fly notes that "60%" of his bone structure has been replaced with steel. There's a footnote to Human Fly #1, but i think this is the first time we've seen a percentage.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

The Human Fly was also apparently the last in a line of celebrity(in a way) cycle stuntguys; others being Evel Knievel, Byron Boaz, Rex Blackwell, Super Joe Einhorn, and some teenager named Gary Wells(I think). After the Fly, the sport/whatever pretty much died until Robby Knievel took over for his dad.

A much clearer picture of the Human Fly & sidekick appears in FOOM#21.