Issue(s): Spider-Woman #9
Cover Date: Dec 78
Title: "Eye of the Needle"
Credits:
Mark Gruenwald - Writer
Carmine Infantino - Penciler
Alan Gordon - Inker

Review/plot:
Mark Gruenwald takes over the writing on Spider-Woman, in what i believe is his first regular series at Marvel. For this issue anyway he continues the horror theme set up by Marv Wolfman, but this story is a lot more straightforward and directly involves Spider-Woman, unlike Wolfman's meandering and generic plots. The villain this issue is a character called the Needle...

...and while his origin and powers (he paralyzes you with his eye - the eye of the Needle, you see. And he got his powers because he was an old tailor who was beaten up by street thugs... and then his eye power just... manifested), are on the silly side, his MO of sewing his victims lips shut is pretty creepy.

Gruenwald also starts setting up the idea that Jerry Hunt is not content in his relationship with Spider-Woman because she never lets him be the big strong man who saves the day.

This is with the goal of getting rid of the character, although Gruenwald isn't going to just dump the previous team's supporting cast, which is a classy move even though in my opinion the sooner we get rid of Hunt, the better.

Infantino seems to just be suited for this book; his pencils here are much nicer than i've seen in any other books he's been on.

Although i do question the need to have a shot of Jessica undressing.

Quality Rating: C+

Historical Significance Rating: 2

Chronological Placement Considerations: N/A.

References: N/A

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A