Spidey in the middle

After that brief interlude to catch-up with a few new comics it's back to 1983 and re-reading my Spider-man collection. I'm trying to read them in some semi-logical order and so the next few are all Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-man.


Issue #80 is by Bill Mantlo (as usual) with guest artist Ron Frenz.

It's a special sort of issue as it concentrates on J.Jonah Jameson - the crusading journalist and people's champion. It's a bit of an origin issue for him and it's a nice little insight into what makes him tick. Unfortunately we still don't get a good explanation as to why he hates Spidey so much (that comes later).

What I really like about this is that JJJ goes on the hunt for a story that none of his best journalists can get to prove himself to Dr. Marla Madison. He gets himself into deep water and if it wasn't for Spidey following him he would have been in serious trouble. There's a nice scene at the end when he realises this fact but can't bring himself to actually report that element of the story. Thus showing how economical with the truth even the most righteous media people can be. I really don't like the press and am often misquoted in the papers. Bastards.

Anyway, it's a good enjoyable "filler" type issue and I like Frenz's art although I know it gets better with good inkers when he takes over the art chores on Amazing in a few issues time.

Rating 7.5/10

Issues 81 and 82 again feature Mantlo's favourite supporting characters, Cloak and Dagger.

However, re-reading these stories like I am I'm getting quite bored of them. At least Mantlo throws the Punisher into the mix but for me the most enjoyable elements of the story were the scenes in the hospital with the Black Cat and Spidey trying to warn the Kingpin of C & D's attack.

Only an average rating for me as C & D's stories seem a little bit samey. 6/10