To me, Spider-Man is one of Marvel's greats, a man who never gives up and keeps on going, no matter how things are stacked against him. That's why I like him. That, and he makes jokes when punching bad guys. He's fun.
The comic I'm going to look at was made during a very interesting time in Spider-Man's history. Stan Lee was still writing the title in 1969, but Steve Ditko had left the book through circumstances that have ever really been revealed, although the main theory was that he and Lee couldn't agree on a lot of things. Artist John Romita Sr. was brought in in his place, and the title looked better than ever. Romita's take on Spidey would be the take on the character for about twenty years.
This is also an interesting choice in issue, as it was part of a bigger saga, involving the crime boss Silvermane, and his search for a way to become young again, which ended up getting adapted into the Spider-Man animated series in the mid-90s. Pretty neat! But for right now, let's see Spidey deal with the Crisis on Campus!
The cover is very well-drawn, depicting Spider-Man swinging over a group of protestors. It's a nice tease of what is in the issue, if a bit misleading.
"Crisis on the Campus"
Writer: Stan Lee
Artists: John Romita Sr. (credited as Johnny Romita), Jim Mooney
Letterer: Sammy Rosen
The issue begins with the Kingpin and his men looking at an image of a clay tablet projected on a wall.
Wilson Fisk is determined to get his big hands on the tablet, and he is told it's on display at the Empire State University campus. Kingpin thinks he'll have an easy time getting the tablet, but one of his men reminds him it's under heavy guard, and Spider-Man is often seen in the area. Kingpin...takes this rather well.
He decides it's time for his daily workout, and challenges a group of men to attack him all at once. Fisk smashes his way through the men, ranting and raving about how powerful he is.
After thoroughly wrecking the men, Kingpin fires them, and demands a larger crew for his next workout. He vows that he and Spider-Man will have their "final reckoning" when they next meet. Yeah, I think we can safely say that Wilson Fisk is not a member of the Spider-Man fan club.
The scene then shifts to Spider-Man swinging back to his dorm room, feeling dejected. After his last battle with Mysterio, he has no pictures of it to sell to J. Jonah Jameson, so he's got no money. There's a bit of a funny moment with him trying to get back in.
The next day, Peter Parker is moping about his financial problems, when he gets introduced to a new friend: Randy Robertson, the son of Joe Robertson.
The two get off on a good foot, and Peter is approached by a man named Josh. Josh asks Peter his thoughts about the exhibition issue. Peter say he has no idea what that's about. Josh explains that after the exhibition of the ancient clay tablet is over, the hall it's being shown in will be used as a private dorm for visiting alumni. Peter recalls that it's supposed to be for students. Josh says he's been petitioning for the college to use the hall as a dorm for more financially-strapped students, reasoning the rich alumni can use hotels. So, Josh and Randy are planning a protest.
Peter then gets a surprise: Gwen Stacy is on campus!
The scene then shifts to the Daily Bugle. J. Jonah Jameson is being his usual pleasant self, grousing to Robbie Robertson about Peter not getting any pictures of Spider-Man's last battle with Mysterio. Robbie, always the reasonable one of the two-man act, says he should be grateful Parker shows up and sells him pictures at all, considering how Jonah treats him, which leads to this funny panel:
Yeah, I doubt it's intentional, but the way that Jameson's eyes are drawn here, makes it look like he's about to completely go bonkers. He storms out, which leaves Robbie alone to ponder his thoughts...and worries about Randy. He worries about his son, like any good dad.
We next see Peter and Gwen go to meet Aunt May, who was at this time, living with Mary Jane's aunt Anna Watson. Aunt May is ill...yeah, in the early days of Spider-Man, Aunt May was possibly the world's frailest old lady. Seriously, you could've left the door open in summertime and she would've gotten a massive cold. They hang with her with a bit and leave. Anna notices May looks a little pale, and asks why she didn't get a doctor. May explains she didn't want to spoil Gwen and Peter's happiness...okay?
The next day, Peter arrives on campus, and finds a big protest going down.
Josh and Randy encourage Peter to get more people to join the protest, so they can march on the exhibition hall. Peter is still a little lost, and Josh explains that they are protesting "The Establishment" getting the hall. Peter wants to know what the dean thinks, but Josh says he isn't buying what the Dean is saying. Peter decides not to get involved, and Josh calls him a chicken.
Peter walks into the hall, where in his thoughts, he admits he does agree with the protestors about the dorm issue, he just didn't like Josh pushing him. He notices the guarded tablet, and wonders why the dean is so obstinate about the decision to not make the hall into low-rent dorms.
The protest begins, and Josh encourages everyone there to take over the hall to get the attention of the media. They charge in, and the Bugle is on it. Robbie Robertson sees this on TV and goes to cover it.
The Kingpin also notices this, and decides to use the protest as a cover to obtain the tablet. Back at ESU, things are getting tense. The protestors are angry, and the guards are worried. Josh gets the idea to steal the tablet and essentially hold it for ransom. Both Randy and Peter rightly think that's a BAD idea. One of the guards pulls a gun in a threatening gesture, and Peter is worried that a riot will break out.
As long as he is there, Peter decides to get some pictures for Jameson, as he could use the money. The Kingpin's car arrives at ESU, staying out of sight. The Kingpin waits for the distraction to begin.
The explosion goes off, and Kingpin and his boys take advantage of the chaos to get the tablet. This part of the comic kind of bothers me. I get that Kingpin would want to make sure his boys get the tablet without damaging it or anything like that, but wouldn't it be really risky, if not downright stupid, for Fisk HIMSELF to be there? I mean, I can imagine even at this time, he was a public figure. People know what he looks like. There's a chance that someone will catch sight of him and recognize him. And that most likely did happen when we continue on here.
Kingpin and his men burst into the building, in front of a whole bunch of students. Yup, Fisk just exposed himself and possibly his entire criminal empire. Yeah, Wilson Fisk at this point was not the smartest criminal mastermind. In a minor funny moment, Fisk shoves Peter aside, and for a moment, senses something special about him.
Peter deduces he's after the tablet, because of course. He changes into Spidey, and swings into action.
You know, the Kingpin never kept that blaster cane for very long. You'd think considering his later battles with Daredevil, he'd want to keep that around. I do get why it was likely dropped, considering the Kingpin was later revamped into a more realistic crime boss, but considering that he is a world with super-powered heroes, such a weapon may come in handy.
Spidey and Kingpin get into a brawl, Fisk showing that his strength and fighting skills allow him to keep up with the webhead, despite Peter's own superior strength and agility. Randy Robertson tries to help, but gets swatted away for his trouble.
Stick to running away, Randy. Spidey nails the Kingpin with some spider-powered blows, then goes to check on Randy. However, Fisk gets to his blaster cane and blasts the wall. Spidey tries to swing himself and Randy away, but the rubble from the former wall buries them. Fisk gets the tablet and makes a run for it.
Spidey and Randy turn out to be okay, and Spidey swings away as the cops arrive. Due to the earlier explosion, the cops believe the protesters were connected to it, and make some arrests, including Randy and Josh. Spidey lets the cops handle the mess, as he has a fat man to chase.
This comic is...honestly, I've read better than this issue. It's kind of...meh. The Kingpin here is a complete bonehead. You'd think that, being the man he is, and being in the position he is in, he'd at the very least be smart enough to not accompany his men to the retrieval of the clay tablet. You'd never see this from Frank Miller's Kingpin. The comic does have a meh story, but it does have some positives. The art is well-done, and the Spider-Man/Kingpin fight was pretty good. It also does set up a possible Aunt May story (probably she's just really sick again), and it ends with a bang.
I would only get this issue if it is collected in a trade. I got this in Amazing Spider-Man Masterworks: Volume 8. I'm not sure if it was put in any Epic Collections yet.
Next time, it's February, it's Black History Month, so we'll take a look at a Luke Cage comic!
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