Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Steve J. Ditko
Letterer: Jon D’Agostino
“Spider-Man”
December 10, 1962
Stan Lee should take a page, literally, from this issue of Spider-Man in terms of recapping an origin story. The first page opens with the origin, all done in four panels and we move on to the story. And what a way to start the story. The aftermath of Uncle Ben’s death means there is no breadwinner in the family. (Ah, the 60s when one salary could sustain a household.) Although how is it that the Parkers rent the house? You’d think they owned it and might have to deal with the mortgage.
He goes back into show business but quickly finds a problem with being paid by checks made out to Spider-Man as he won’t reveal his real name. Meanwhile, J. Jonah Jameson, editor of The Daily Bugle, is writing a series of articles on the dangers of masked men, especially Spider-Man. it has a powerful impact as Spider-Man is basically blackballed in show business.
On the cover of this issue, we’re told we’ll see the Fantastic Four. In the story itself, Peter wonders how heroes like the Fantastic Four and Ant-Man are able to be embraced by the public, but he can’t catch a break. With this issue, we’re finally seeing the threads of the Marvel Universe coming together. Soon, the Hulk will be fighting the Fantastic Four and the Avengers will be formed. This is it, True Believers!
Back to the story, as Peter watches Aunt May pawn family jewelry, he knows he will have to get a regular job in order to help the family. But he finds it hard to do. He takes his mind off his troubles by watching the launch of an orbital craft from…Long Island? Not sure where the craft is launched from. From what I understand, launching spacecraft from this far north in America is not practical.
The craft is piloted by John Jameson, son of J. Jonah. When the craft goes out of control because it is missing a unit that was never installed. (see what happens when you let New Yorkers manage a space launch?) Spider-Man offers to take the unit to the falling spacecraft, despite Jameson’s objections.
He hitches a ride on a jet fighter and then snags a webline to the spacecraft, dragging himself to it. He attaches the unit, the craft stabilizes, and Spider-Man jumps away, using a web parachute to land on Earth. He thinks this will help get his career going again, but it only incenses Jameson even more who steps up his attacks on Spider-Man.
We end the story with Peter wondering if he should just become the menace Jameson is writing about. We’ve seen shares of heroes having their darker moments, even in comics of the 60s, but here we have a teenager who is given this awesome power and all he wants to do is what’s right and he’s being punished for it. How do teens usually respond to such pressure? We’ll see how long it takes for Peter to find his way.
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Steve J. Ditko
Letterer: Jon D’Agostino
“Vs. The Chameleon”
December 10, 1962
The story opens with Peter deciding to “audition” for a spot in The Fantastic Four. For a smart kid, he should have realized that the four spots were already filled. He toys with the four, showing them what he is capable of, but eventually, he is turned away because he isn’t going to make the money he was planning on working with them.
Meanwhile, the Chameleon, a mercenary spy, manages to steal the first half of a missile plan. He sees the news about Spider-Man visiting the Fantastic Four and figures he has found his fall guy. He contacts Spider-Man via a “spider frequency” attuned to Peter’s Spider-Sense.
As Spider-Man makes his way to his meeting on the roof of the building holding the second hand of the plans, the Chameleon disguises himself as Spider-Man and steals them. What quickly follows is the mistaken identity, Spider-Man catching up with Chameleon by following his copter with his Spider-Sense, and then the Chameleon making one last ditch to lose Spider-Man and the police by hiding among them as a cop. He is caught as he struggles with Spider-Man and his uniform is ripped, revealing who he really is.
The story ends back with the FF as they wonder if Spider-Man with all his power will be a threat at some point. It’s a nice little lead-in to our next story as we pick up with the FF in their own book. Would have been nice if Spider-Man appeared there as well, but instead, they have a different guest star. This is a short write-up on this story, mostly because out of all the villains in Spider-Man’s Rogue’s Gallery, the Chameleon is my least favorite, and admittedly, I skimmed through the story. Presumably, he becomes a more formidable foe as the years pass, but I have never seen it in any story, comic, or cartoon, I’ve ever viewed.
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: Jack Kirby
Inker: Dick Ayers
Letterer: Artie Simek
“The Incredible Hulk”
December 10, 1962
It’s interesting that it’s at this point that the Hulk appears in the FF. His own comic series is not five issues in with only one more to go before it is cancelled. Was this an effort to try to boost the character’s presence in the MU? It’s also interesting that having read the run of the original FF stories several times, I don’t seem to remember this one.
The story opens with the Thing being accosted by a platoon of soldiers while leaving a concert hall in NYC. They mistake him for the Hulk and he becomes irate which causes them to respond. He is only calmed down when a higher-up realizes the mistake and calls his men off. Shortly after, the FF are visited by General Ross who enlists their aid in capturing the Hulk.
They watch film of the Hulk in action and the three men of the group talk about how they can capture the Hulk, leaving Sue to feel like she’ll just be along for the ride. Remember, at this point, all she does is turn invisible. There’s nothing else to her power. But I can see where John Byrne got the idea for her to lose it at one point in his run of the comic as Ross proclaims she can help by keeping the men’s morale up. Maybe this is why I’ve forgotten this issue.
What follows is an introduction to Banner, Rick, and Banner’s assistant. Banner maintains the Hulk had nothing to do with recent attacks as the weaponry was destroyed from the inside out. But Ross is determined to catch the Hulk – as usual. There’s a momentary distraction as the Thing loses his cool once again and chaos erupts as they have to calm him down. Looking at the way he’s acting here, you’d think he was as much of a threat as the Hulk.
Banner has nicknamed whom he believes to be the real saboteur, the Wrecker. Rick quickly discovers it’s the assistant when he finds out the man is part of a subversive organization. He is captured by the Wrecker.
Meanwhile, Reed sees a rocket test chair sitting idle and he discovers the issues with it and corrects them. He sends the Thing to test it, but the tracks the chair rides along have been sabotaged, so the Thing crashes. Banner receives a letter from the Wrecker that he has Rick and wants the FF gone. When Banner tries to get the FF’s help, he is reluctant to reveal everything, so he goes off on his own and makes the change, and proceeds to hunt them himself.
They battle, with the Hulk finding it difficult to handle the four at once. He manages to knock out all but the Thing with a thunderclap. Suddenly, the Hulk is stunned by a ray from the ground. The Thing discovers it’s a robot and takes it out. The robot’s path leads him to the Wrecker’s hideout underground where he captures him and rescues Rick. The Hulk, still weakened, gets away as he doesn’t want to tussle with the Thing in his state.
The FF are given an awards ceremony as Reed tells Banner he wishes to speak to him one day about himself, Rick, and the Hulk. Does Reed suspect something? Will the Hulk meet the FF again? Time will tell. I don’t know why I don’t remember this story. It’s not a bad one. I’d say the only thing I’d want is a longer battle between the Thing and the Hulk. I know it will happen, but that’s a future story.
