Issue(s): Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #11
Cover Date: Oct 77
Title: "A life too far"
Credits:
Chris Claremont - Writer
Jim Mooney - Penciler
Mike Esposito - Inker

Review/plot:
A Claremont fill-in on Peter Parker featuring Medusa? I'd guess it was a Marvel Team-Up issue that was used in a crunch here. But it should still be good, right? Claremont's a good writer, and he's especially good writing strong, capable women, and that sure describes Medusa.

Peter Parker is rescued by a random guy from a runaway truck. It's questionable why Peter's Spider-Sense didn't help him, but maybe it did and the guy doing the rescuing just got in the way.

OK, but it's not like the guy gets hit by the truck. No, he dodges the truck, swings around and inside it, navigates it away from the crowd, and then gets covered in chemicals, all while Peter stands dumbly to the side. "That's what you get for trying to upstage me in my own book, buddy!"

Well only a special serum will reverse the effects of the chemicals, so Spider-Man goes to get it. But Medusa has already attacked the delivery truck and taken the formula (nice touch on the Dr. Octopus angle, though).

Now these guys know each other. And they're both reasonable people. So they just have a nice conversation and figure out how to split up the serum that they both need, right?

How about an 8 page fight/chase sequence instead?

Followed up by more fighting with the rest of the Inhumans.

In the end, the Inhumans use the serum for what they need it for (an ill Falzon, the Kree from their recently cancelled series), and then Black Bolt flies the rest over to the hospital to save the boy. It's a very thin plot. Medusa's bizarre powers are enough to give Mooney something to work with, but it's very unsatisfying, and disappointing from someone like Claremont. Honestly, i no longer think it was a Marvel Team-Up plot. Maybe the plot of the first three pages, before Spidey and the Inhumans team-up to fight something much cooler.

Quality Rating: D+

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• Instead of referencing Spidey's previous encounter with Medusa in Amazing Spider-Man #62, the only footnote in this issue is a gratuitous reference to Marvel Team-Up #61-62: "Haven't hurt so much since the Super-Skrull pulverized my jaw a few weeks back."

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A