Issue(s): Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #16
Cover Date: Mar 78
Title: "The Beetle and the Badge!"
Credits:
Elliot S! Maggin - Writer
Sal Buscema - Penciler
Mike Esposito - Inker

Review/plot:
A fill-in by DC mainstay Elliot Maggin (credited without the S! here) uses the Beetle as a generic criminal mastermind in a story that really focuses on a cop, Joe Macone, who is struggling with the fact that his wife wants him to stay out of danger.

The Beetle has his vast criminal network (!) go on a massive crime spree...

...the purpose of which is to keep all the police out of the station so that the Beetle can raid the evidence room. Only Macone is left at the station when the Beetle, arrives, pursued by Spider-Man.

When Spidey gets into trouble, Macone grabs some heroin from the evidence room...

...and becomes Heroin-Man, strung out hero of the streets uses it to try to gum up the Beetle's suction cups.

It doesn't quite work but it gives Spider-Man the idea to do the same thing with his web fluid.

The story ends with Macone being lauded as a hero, and Peter opting to not take a photo of Macone's wife walking away.

A response in the lettercol for this issue apologizes for the lack of continuity between Spider titles, blaming the fact that both books are in transitional periods due to creative team switches. It's actually in response to a letter praising Bill Mantlo's scripts that have been careful to mention events in Amazing so that there was at least one-way continuity.

Quality Rating: C

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A

References:

• Along the lines of the lack of inter-title continuity i mentioned above, in the opening splash panel, there's probably something of a world record for half-hearted references, with a narration box saying "A lot has happened in Peter Parker's life lately*. A lot more is about to happen**." The asterisks point to footnotes sayings "*See last issue as a for instance" and "**Check out this month's Amazing Spider-Man.".

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A