The Amazing Spider-Man #450 (vol2,9)

(Marvel)
September 1999




Good Guy: Spider-Man/Peter Parker
Bad Guy: ??

Cameos: Doctor Octopus, Paul Stacy, Arthur Stacy, Mary Jane Watson-Parker, Glory Grant

Overview

“The List”

Story: Howard Mackie/John Byrne
Art: Ray Kryssing

A man with an eye-patch, Jonathan Rickman, is close to discovering something about someone. An intruder sets fire to an entire building, Spidey saves many lives including Rickman’s.

Rickman drops a notebook as Spidey gives him to the paramedics. It has the name Peter Parker in it.

Peter investigates the burnt out building and discovers a Tectonic Research Labs emblem. The same labs where Doc Ock, and Spidey, accidentally got their powers.

Peter visits Rickman in hospital he tells him that one by one the survivors from that blast at Tectonics Labs have been disappearing. Meanwhile out in the hall Dr Octopus is confronted by a man from the shadows and the last we see of Ock is his glasses smashing on the floor.

Rating: 7/10

Not a bad plot and the artwork is great.

Favorite Panel:


Spidey saves Jonathan Rickman from the fire.

The Amazing Spider-Man # 231

(Marvel)
August 1982




Good Guy: Spider-Man/Peter Parker
Bad Guy: Cobra

Cameos: Ned Leeds, Dr Marla Madison, J Jonah Jameson, Betty Brant-Leeds, Debrah Whitman, Nose Norton, Killer Shrike, Mister Hyde

Overview

“Caught in the act”

Scripter: Roger Stern
Artists: John Romita Jr & Jim Mooney

The Cobra has been stealing jewels from the property rooms of police stations via drain pipes.

Ned Leeds, a reporter for the Daily Bugle, seeks some information off his underworld contact, Nose Norton, for some dirt on the Brand Corporation. Dr Marla Madison, JJJ’s future wife tags along as she wants to know what type of experiments she was subjected to whilst being held there.

The Cobra goes to meet Nose Norton as well and thinks he is ratting on him to the reporter. He attacks them in a back alley, Spidey shows up after Peter receives a worried phone call from Betty and a fight ensues.

Spider-Man beats the Cobra and on the way to the police station they are confronted by Mister Hyde, Cobra’s former partner in crime, who’s out for revenge. That’s where the issue ends.

Rating: 9/10

A brilliant comic book!! Spidey the way he should be!!


Favorite Panel:
Mister Hyde introduces himself to Spidey on the final page.




Sounds like the end of a Quantum Leap episode!!

The Silver Surfer #54

(Marvel)
Early September 1991



Good Guy: Silver Surfer
Bad Guy: Rhino

Cameos: Firelord, Captain America, Thor, Nova, Dr Strange, Iron Man, She- Hulk, Vision, Wolverine, Spider-Man, Antman, Hulk, Adam Warlock

Overview

“Cages”

Writer: Ron Marz
Penciller: Ron Lim

The Silver Surfer travels to earth to warn its heroes of Thanos, who has the infinity gauntlet and now has the power to mould the universe in his own image.

The Silver Surfer needs to clear his mind so he goes to Central Park where all the animals have been freed by the Rhino.

The Rhino explains that he doesn’t want the animals to spend their last moments of life behind bars (as he has had plenty of experience in jail over the years). While a battle ensues a tiger that has been freed is shot by a policeman.

The Rhino and the Silver Surfer then set about capturing the animals and putting them all back in their cages.

Rating: 8/10

Great little story.

Favorite Panel:

Silver Surfer copping a punch from one of Spidey’s foes!!

Firestorm the Nuclear Man #35

(DC)
June 2007




Good Guy: Firestorm (Jason Rusch/Martin Stein)
Bad Guy: Kalibak

Cameos: Orion, Mister Miracle, Firehawk (Lorraine Reilly), Gehenna, Darkseid

Overview

"The End is here."

Writer: Dwayne McDuffie
Penciller: Pop Mhan

I know, I know it’s not from the back issue bin but there are some correlations between this post and my last. This is the final installment of Firestorm the Nuclear Man Volume 3.



###WARNING SPOILERS###



Kalibak has been sent from Apocolypse by Darkseid to retrieve Professor Martin Stein. The Prof has through his time within the Firestorm Matrix the secrets of the antilife equation. Darkseid wants it.

With help from Jason’s girlfriend Gehenna, Mister Miracle, Orion and Firehawk, Firestorm defeats Kalibak and his Parademons. This is all to no avail as in the final scenes Darkseid appears removes Martin from the firestorm merger and takes him to Apocolypse via a Boom Tube.

We end with Gehenna and Jason merging to become Firestorm.

Rating: 8/10

Loved seeing Firestorm match it with the big boys and display the type of power that he possesses.

Great artwork by Pop, and a great way to end the series by McDuffie… leaving the Profs life hanging in the balance at the hands of one of the most deadly villains of the DC Universe.

Favorite Panel:

Couldn’t separate any individual panel on the page where Darkseid enters.. they’re all great..