Issue(s): Marvel Team-Up #58 / Marvel Tales #255
Cover Date: Jun 77 / Nov 91
Title: "Panic on pier one!" / "Shock therapy"
Credits:
Chris Claremont / Scott Lobdell - Writer
Sal Buscema & Dave Cockrum / Vince Evans - Penciler
Pablo Marcos / Phil Sheehy - Inker

Review/plot:
Buscema drew this issue but apparently Cockrum drew the planes that appeared on an airforce base that was the setting for the final fight.

The Trapster shows up looking for revenge on Ghost Rider, but Spidey is around and the two are able to stop him.

The interesting twist is that Ghost Rider defeats Paste Pot with his hellfire, which causes him to scream out in such a horrifying way that Spider-Man is shocked and disgusted.

It is nice to see Ghost Rider not being treated as a typical super-hero.

There's also a flashback that shows how the Trapster and the rest of the Frightful Four (three) escaped after their last defeat. Basically the minute the Fantastic Four handed them over the the authorities, the Wizard whipped something out of a false tooth and freed everyone.

Pastey Pete then saw a newspaper article about Johnny Blaze performing some stunts for a movie, and temporarily left the group for his solo vendetta. It's amazing how these super-villains always manage to escape the minute the super-heroes turn them over to the police and leave the scene. Someone's dropping the ball somewhere.

There is a back-up story in the Marvel Tales reprint by Scott Lobdell and Vince Evans that details what happened to the Trapster afterward. It shows him recovering from the Ghost Rider's attack on his soul, and it shows him nearly finding redemption, but then the Wizard uses an image inducer to make it seem like Ghost Rider is attacking again, which forces Pete back into costume.

Pretty good stuff. Maybe the best thing i've read by Lobdell, actually! And it sure shows the Wizard to be an ass, which i think is a fair portrayal. The reprint also has a nice cover by Sam Kieth.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• The Trapster wanted revenge for the time the Ghost Rider defeated him in Ghost Rider #13 (incorrectly referenced as #15 in one footnote).
  
• Spider-Man and Ghost Rider last met in Marvel Team-Up #15.
  
• The Frightful Four were defeated by the Fantastic Four in Fantastic Four #178.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? P - (Reprint adds new material)

My Reprint: Marvel Tales #255

Claremont later stated that #58 was the worst of his MTU run.

When Spider-Man and Trapster fought in Acts of Vengeance, it seemed like they had not met before (which was, of course, the point of the Acts)

Erik - My no-prize attempt at this problem is that Spider-Man blocked this painful memory from his mind due to his disgust of Ghost Rider's treatment of the Trapster.

@Clyde: Or most likely, Trapster did. After all, it in Acts it was the villains to chose unusual foils, not the heroes (although in some cases it was presented as sheer luck of the draw instead).

Love the Buscema horrified mouth on the Trapster

Though he may not have been proud of his work on this issue, Claremont must have looked back on this, saw Spidey's last words to GR as he left, and found the future catchphrase for a certain diminutive Canadian mutant with retractable claws.

When did Wolverine first use that phrase? Claremont was already writing X-Men at this point.

He first used it in his 1982 miniseries; on the very first page, in fact. At the time this book came out, Claremont was writing X-Men, but Byrne hadn't yet come on board. And it was under Byrne that Wolverine really became a star.

The back-up was really good, showing insight to both the Trapster and Wizard and showing that the manner in which villains are defeated could contribute to their personal issues.