Issue(s): Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #72
Cover Date: Nov 82
Title: "Waiting for Doctor Octopus!"
Credits:
Bill Mantlo - Writer
Ed Hannigan - Penciler
Al Milgrom & Rick Magyar - Inker
Linda Grant - Assistant Editor
Tom DeFalco - Editor

Review/plot:
Doctor Octopus has escaped...

...and Spider-Man is on his trail. But Doctor Octopus also has an imitator in the form of Ollie Osnick, a super-intelligent but spoiled rich kid. He tried to start a super-villain fan club but isn't good at making or keeping friends.

He is good at science, though, and he's built a working set of Doctor Octopus arms. So to deal with the rejection of his classmates, he goes on a rampage, stealing comic books (can't believe he left that Bruce Jones Ka-Zar behind)...

...and toys (only those licensed by Marvel, of course).

Spider-Man eventually catches up with Ollie and stops him.

Ollie was under the impression that he had injured or killed a security guard when he broke into the toy store, but the guard turns out to be ok.

The store was an FAO Potrzebie's - "Amusements for the Well-Heeled".

Ed Hannigan seems heavily influenced by Frank Miller in this issue and the result is actually pretty good. Rick Magyar provides background inks, which may help ensure that all the detail isn't lost. There is also some nice moody coloring from Glynis Oliver-Wein. The darker look helps balance the goofier subject matter.

One of those panels above shows Spider-Man chasing some burglars that had just robbed his apartment. He does get his stuff back.

Hannigan also delivers a unique painted cover.

The final page reveals that Debra Whitman has had problems in the past and is "a very unstable person". This development is her own fault for being the only love interest (revealed) so far to have learned Spider-Man's secret identity.

More on that in upcoming issues.

A surprisingly decent issue considering it introduces a "Kid Octopus". After his encounter with Spider-Man, Ollie changes gears, throws out his Doc Ock posters, and begins working on some web fluid. We'll see him again. And, of course, the real Doctor Octopus is still out there...

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 2 - first Ollie Osnick, eventually Steel Spider

Chronological Placement Considerations: The MCP places this between Amazing Spider-Man #236-237. Inconsequential cameo by Moon Knight (and presumably Frenchie).

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

Damn, Wein knows how to colour a book. I think she's was/is(?) the best in the business.

And this was my introduction to Moon Knight.

I don't think this is a Miller homage; I think it's a Will Eisner homage. There's an off-kilter human interest story at the heart of it, and a villain named after an Octopus who's never quite seen fully.

(More than a year later:) Omar, that's an excellent point--but check out the "crazy artist drawing water towers" on pg. 2--his briefcase says "F.M." on it! There's definitely some Eisner-via-Miller going on here, though.