I was going to open with a smart remark about Lee calling this issue a “book-length” story, but he really does fit a lot in. The whole arc with Electro, with lots of fight scenes, heist scenes, an origin and a prison break, plays second fiddle to the Peter Parker story. Lee puts Aunt May in medical danger–she needs an expensive, unspecified operation–and forces Peter to come up with the cost of the operation (see, if we had national healthcare, Spider-Man wouldn’t have had to fight Electro).

There’s also a lot going on with Betty Brant. Peter is clearly becoming split–there’s the Peter who goes to high school and the Peter who works for the Bugle; it’s okay, but it doesn’t really seem likely. High school, it seems, didn’t interest Lee much.

The ending is great. Makes me sad Peter didn’t end up with Betty.

CREDITS

The Man Called Electro!; writer and editor, Stan Lee; artist, Steve Ditko; colorist, Stan Goldberg; letterer, Art Simek; publisher, Marvel Comics.

When I started reading these comics again, I had no expectations. I read them as a kid, but as I grew up, I really only read Silver Age on recommendation and no one ever recommended a reread of these.

Most of these issues, so far, are absolutely fantastic. This issue, with the Vulture returning, has all sorts of great stuff in it–not to mention ending with Peter and Betty hanging out (romantically). Ditko’s art, though not always enthusiastic, is frequently great. He’ll go soft on Spider-Man details for a few panels and then come up with some incredibly dynamic one.

One thing I don’t think Lee noticed–though he does have Spidey’s wisecracking self-aware in this one–is how Peter Parker’s changed in terms of his self-image. Maybe with the girls, sure, but the super-powers are making him a much different person than originally seen.

CREDITS

The Return of the Vulture; writer and editor, Stan Lee; artist, Steve Ditko; colorist, Stan Goldberg; letterer, Art Simek; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Lee gets back on track (subtly developing Peter Parker too–the flirtations with Betty Brant at the Bugle give him the courage–apparently, it’s never pointed out–to ask Liz Allen out on a date), not just introducing the Lizard, but also sending Spider-Man to Florida. The comedy scenes with Peter and Jonah heading down are absolutely hilarious.

There’s a ton of story–besides the Lizard (and Peter’s high school science curing him), Lee has a museum action set piece (where Liz falls for Spidey). It’s nice to see he and Ditko work so much into one issue–though the alligator army is a little much. But the Florida trip gives Ditko a chance to draw differing environments.

The Lizard’s nickname is “Liz,” which I don’t think they kept, and Peter’s after a girl named Liz. Kind of strange.

Very good stuff.

Though Aunt May’s still not a character.

CREDITS

Face-to-Face With…the Lizard!; writer and editor, Stan Lee; artist, Steve Ditko; colorist, Stan Goldberg; letterer, Art Simek; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Guess who wins in a fight between Doctor Doom and Spider-Man? Guess who wins in the rematch? If you guessed Doctor Doom both times, you get a twelve cent sucker, which is what this issue cost when it came out. It’s a twelve cent sucker too. Lee opens it with some expository paragraph about how it’s the best comic the reader has ever read. It’s amazing bad he is predicting reading experiences.

Besides the contrived Spider-Man versus Doctor Doom story, there’s this stuff with Peter’s classmates. Lee has never really shown them as bullies or downright mean, but here he does. Here, Liz Allen is really mean to Peter; here, Flash Thompson is ready to–presumably–rough him up. It’s like an Archie issue gone bad.

However, the Daily Bugle stuff–Betty crushing on Peter, Jonah going off about how Spider-Man sells papers–works.

The rest doesn’t.

CREDITS

Marked for Destruction by Doctor Doom!; writer and editor, Stan Lee; artist, Steve Ditko; colorist, Stan Goldberg; letterer, Sam Rosen; publisher, Marvel Comics.

It’s the first appearance of Betty Brant. I hadn’t been expected it, but now I’m looking forward to it. She and Peter’s romance was always effecting. Even here, her thought balloon foreshadows the eventual dating.

Lee fits a bunch into this issue (oh, it’s the first appearance of the Sandman too), including the first battle at Midtown High–the Sandman sneaks it and Spidey surprisingly appears–with Spider-Man coming up with some semi-scientific solution to the problem. There’s also, much more amusingly, Peter trying to figure out how to sew his mask back together after it gets ripped in the first fight with the Sandman.

The scenes with Peter stuck in bed, pretending to be sick because Aunt May almost walked in on his Spider-Man costume, are hilarious.

The Sandman origin, told mostly through a news report, is concise and well-executed.

So far, my favorite issue.

CREDITS

Nothing Can Stop…The Sandman!; writer and editor, Stan Lee; artist, Steve Ditko; colorist, Stan Goldberg; letterer, Sam Rosen; publisher, Marvel Comics.