Synopsis
The Rhino is coming towards New York! Y'see, JJJ's son, John (remember him from waaaaay back in Spidey #1?) has returned from space and he's got some "space spores" on him. The Rhino plans to sell him to nefarious countries behind the Iron Curtain.
Fortunately Spidey stops him and they have a great battle filled with sound effects. Peter bumps into Betty Brant, and they realize they no longer have romantic feelings for each other. Ned Leeds shows up and he and Betty pick right back up again.
I'd like to take a moment here to talk about John Romita (naturally at this point, he wasn't John Romita Sr., because his son wasn't doing anything in comics yet). Look, Ditko created Spidey--he came up with the look which has lasted until this very day. It's a great look, and I gave him all the credit there is for coming up with it, and drawing the first all-important issues. He also designed and drew the villains who will be around for our web-slinger's career. I come here not to knock Steve Ditko, plenty of praise goes his way.
That being said--he wasn't great with the ordinary people. Spider-Man wouldn't be the great comic it is if it was just fight after fight. It's all about the supporting cast. Romita turned Gwen Stacy from an arched-eyebrow, weird hair-corner-thingie, forgettable character, into a vivacious, tangible, person. Betty Brant transformed from a Ditko Template into an individual woman with a life all her own. Did anyone else ever notice that Liz Allan and Betty Brant had the exact same face when drawn by Ditko?
JJJ's gruffness became written across his face, in the lines, in the hair, and in his "smile." Characters' eyes shone with pain, lit up with joy and widened in surprise. Villains moved from cartoonishly evil, to realistically evil.
Maybe I'm just having a love affair with John Romita, but DAMNIT, he's so good! His Peter Parker is definitely my favorite, and obviously his Mary-Jane is my favorite. I'm forever happy that Marvel held off on showing her to us before Romita took over.
Notes
- First appearance of the Rhino.
Credits
Writer: Stan Lee
Artist: John Romita
Inker: M. Demeo
Letterer: Art Simek
