Issue(s): Web of Spider-Man #104, Web of Spider-Man #105
Cover Date: Sep-Oct 93
Title: Crisis of Conscience: "Infinity crusader" / "Soul gauntlet"
Credits:
Terry Kavanagh - Writer
Alex Saviuk - Penciler
Don Hudson - Inker
Eric Fein - Editor

Review/plot:
Here's a complete waste of two issues. I actually thought it was going to be along the lines of what i was suggesting in the entry for Infinity Crusade #2, since it starts with Spider-Man fighting some low level criminals who give up the fight thanks to the Goddess.

But that's all we see of that. The rest of the issue is a lot of repeating of scenes from the core Infinity Crusade books. And, worse, Spider-Man having dreams caused by Moondragon because he's feeling doubt about the Goddess' paradise since Mary Jane isn't with him. The idea seems to be that the other heroes recruited by the Goddess are helping act out the scenarios. It's hard to tell care.

In the end i guess after getting beaten up by a bunch of random characters, Spider-Man gets his faith back for now.

Meanwhile, J. Jonah Jameson demands that Joe Robertson go out and start making some news, since with all crime and war in the world stopped, there isn't any.

That's pretty insane, and puts JJ in a much worse light than usual (outside of his Spider-Man obsession, he's supposed to have integrity). Isn't a global outbreak of peace big news? Aren't there a million angles to this story?

In any event Robbie is actually investigating something about JJ's wife with Betty Brant.

Quality Rating: D

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: Issue #104 begins during Infinity Crusade #1 but it quickly moves on to taking place during issue #2, and continues directly into #105 which is said to take place between Infinity Crusade #2-3. Moon Knight makes a reference to Moon Knight #57.

I had a lot of trouble figuring out what he was talking about, but it turns out that it means that a portion of Moon Knight #57 takes place during this story (although it's placed further ahead since it concludes later).

The Nightwatch back-up from these issues is covered in a separate entry.

References:

• The gang that Spider-Man is fighting in the beginning of this story is the one that attacked him after he fell into the alley during Maximum Carnage in Web of Spider-Man #101. Spider-Man also complains that they've expanded their territory while he was fighting for his life to protect them in Spider-Man #36.
  
• The Goddess was recruiting heroes in Infinity Crusade #1.
  
• The Goddess left Moondragon in charge in Infinity Crusade #2.
  
• Something something Moon Knight #57.

Crossover: Infinity Crusade

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

This issue made it into Comics Should Be Good's the Wrong Side feature because Peter defeats all the heroes despite them being far more powerful than him.

Alex Saviuk has had quite a run on this title. It's been about 70 issues since he began.

Checking on The Unofficial Handbook of Marvel Comics Creators, it shows that Alex Saviuk penciled near every issue of Web of Spider-Man from issue #35 to issue #116. Saviuk is definitely another of those good, solid, underrated artists who you can always rely on to meet a deadline. I just wish that during his time on Web he hadn't ended up having to pencil so many underwhelming stories. If Saviuk had been given the opportunity to work with better writers he might be more highly-ranked among the various Spider-Man artists.

He's currently pencilling the AMAZING SPIDER-MAN newspaper strip Sundays. Apparently he also inks the dailies.