Issue(s): Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #65
Cover Date: Apr 82
Title: "The heart is a lonely hunter"
Credits:
Bill Mantlo - Writer
Bob Hall - Penciler
Jim Mooney - Inker
Mark Gruenwald - Assistant Editor
Tom DeFalco - Editor

Review/plot:
In Kraven and Calypso's last appearance, Kraven was having a change of heart. He'd realized that his obsession over Spider-Man was defeating him, and even that using Tigra (an "innocent") against Spider-Man in a previous appearance reflected a decline in morals for him. But Calypso kept goading Kraven and questioning his manhood until he decided to challenge Spider-Man again. In this issue, the roles seem reversed. Calypso seems satisfied with Kraven's attack on Spidey last time, even though it failed, but it's Kraven who can't let it go.

Calypso supports Kraven during the fight by throwing him various weapons...

....and even playing drums that mess with Spider-Man's spider-sense

And Kraven is fine with that. But she goes too far for him when she hits him with a poisoned crossbow dart.

Kraven has used drugs before himself, so if he's ok with Calypso helping in the fight in other ways, it seems like a fine line for him to be upset about this. But it is the case, and he even stops Calypso from finishing Spider-Man off with a spear before the cops show up and take both of them to jail.

Calypso in her previous appearance might have played something of a stereotypical manipulative Lady Macbeth kind of role, but i liked her better than this poor simpering thing.

During the fight, there's a scene reminiscent of the one that got Captain Stacy killed but i guess people have the sense to stand a little further back at this point.

I do like Spider-Man's new mask, but i guess it wasn't popular and didn't catch on.

Also in this issue, Peter continues to ignore Debra (i think i could have written that in every appearance of hers for the past two years)...

...and get closer with Marcy Kane. You might think from this scene that the normally all-business Marcy was interested in getting a little closer to Peter, but we'll see soon that they aren't as far along as this may imply.

Quality Rating: C-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: The MCP places this between Amazing Spider-Man 227-228.

References:

• Calypso previously appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #209. Kraven escaped from prison and freed Calypso after that last appearance.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A