From Claremont to Claremont, Episode 3b - Ghost Rider/Wolverine/Punisher: Hearts of Darkness (1991)

From Claremont to Claremont: An X-Men Podcast

Episode 3B

Ghost Rider/Wolverine/Punisher: Hearts of Darkness (December, 1991)

"Hearts of Darkness"

Writer - Howard Mackie

Pencils - John Romita, Jr.

Inks - Klaus Janson

Colors - John Wellington

Letters - Joe Rosen

Edits - Bobbie Chase & Christian Cooper

Cover Price: $4.95

Episode 3 of From Claremont to Claremont: An X-Men Podcast rolls on -- and goes off the beaten path, with our first look at a comic (prestige format dealie, actually) that isn't one of our regular monthlies!

This time out, I am joined by Mark Radulich (@MarkRadulich) to discuss one of Wolverine's many, many... many guest appearances.  It's a little ditty called Hearts of Darkness by Howard Mackie and John Romita, Jr.!

After going through the story cover-to-cover, we continue the FCTC Episode 3 "hook" where my co-host discusses the "Soundtrack of Their Life"!  Another very fun conversation... I hope you all decide to join us - and maybe even share your own personal "soundtrack"!

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Check out more from Mark at the W2M & Radulich in Broadcasting Network!

https://www.spreaker.com/user/wrestling2themax

https://www.spreaker.com/show/radulich-in-broadcasting

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@acecomics / @cosmictmill / weirdcomicshistory@gmail.com

chrisandreggie.podbean.com

chrisisoninfiniteearths.com

facebook.com/groups/90sxmen

Amazing Spider-Man (vol.2) #1 (1999)

Amazing Spider-Man (vol.2) #1 (January, 1999)
"Where R U Spider-Man???"
"Rebirth!"
"The Secrets of Spider-Man"
Writers - Howard Mackie & John Byrne
Pencils - John Byrne & Rafael Kayanan
Inks - Scott Hanna & Jimmy Palmiotti
Colors - Gregory Wright & John Kalisz
Letters - Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Liz Agraphiotis
Edits - Ralph Macchio
Chief - Bob Harras
Cover Price: $2.99

So... hey Blogger, looks like both your "New Look" and "Legacy" versions are gigantic pieces of crap!  Why am I still using this platform?  Today's post, which hopefully at least a person or two is going to bother to look at... took friggin' forever (we're talking close to three-GeeDee-hours... which is probably about two and a half hours longer than Howard Mackie spent writing the actual issue), thanks to Blogger being very finicky when it comes to uploading images.  There are something like 25 images associated with this article.  I had to manually upload them one-at-a-time, while taking several "breaks" because Blogger would simply stop responding after like three or so in a row.

I mean, this is Google, right?  Like one of the biggest tech companies on this planet?  Fix ya stuff.

Now, if all that's not bad enough... here's Amazing Spider-Man #1.

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We open at the Statue of Liberty, where the Human Torch has writ a message in flame... he's looking for Spider-Man, see?  Seems as though the Wall Crawler meant it when he tossed his duds into the flaming drum this time.  Worth noting, Byrne draws the most depressed-looking Lady Liberty here.  We get a bit of a flashback to the final chapter of... The Final Chapter, and learn that it's been months since anyone's seen Spidey.  Johnny rejoins the Fantastic Four and decides to give up the search... for now.  The Fantasticar zips right passed a penthouse apartment... where, thanks to one giant modeling contract, Peter, Mary Jane, and Aunt May now reside.

It's really a heck of a joint... looks kinda like where a 1980's drug-lord might live.  Peter is thankful that his life as Spider-Man is behind him, though not so thankful that he doesn't have a framed picture of Spidey on his wall.  I guess since Parker made his name by snapping pics of Spider-Man, it makes sense that it'd be here.

Aunt May makes herself useful by slapping together a sandwich for her favorite nephew... and they sit down to "catch up".  May recalls all of the weirdness of late: her faked death, her abduction, that horrible Spider-Man... yadda, yadda, yadda.  Gotta wonder just how often she and Peter have this same exact conversation.  I'd guess 2-3 times a day.  This time, May blames it all on rap music.  Seriously.

The chat is mercifully interrupted by a phone call from Mary Jane's legs.  She's just found out that her time away has been extended another week-plus.  Peter, doesn't seem all that bothered... so long as she's having fun, she can stay away forever!  That's a sign of a healthy marriage.  Peter promises not to engage in any arachnid endeavors while she's gone... after all, he's got other priorities now: grad school and an upcoming job interview!

We shift scenes to Daredevil beating up some would-be mugger in an alley.  He's really felt the pressure since Spidey stepped down... looks like all the "street level" crims are now solely under his purview.  That's gotta suck.  Elsewhere in New York City, Captain America watches as Johnny's flaming missive dissipates.  He wonders if they'll ever see Spider-Man again.  Hmm... where were all these heroes while Norman was destroying half the city?

Cap heads inside and witnesses a really awkward and clunkily-written Avengers training exercise.  Thor almost kills Wanda with his hammer, Justice and Iron Man are arguing over whether or not Spider-Man's disappearance even matters.  It's really forced stuff.  Jarvis gives Captain America the latest edition of The Daily Bugle, which has a (imagine this) scathing headline about Spider-Man.  Ooooooh.  This time, Jonah's gone too far... insinuating that Spider-Man might be... a coward!  I'm pretty sure Jonah's accused Spidey of eating babies before... this is really the bridge too far?

Heck, even Robbie agrees!  This is really bad.  I'd like to give them a bit of credit here, for having Jonah still be obsessed with Spider-Man, even though nobody's seen him in forever.  Robbie even tells him that he's gotten everything he's ever wanted... and has, in fact "won" his endless feud.  This is just a very hamfisted way of getting that point across.

Peter arrives with some photos... but, since none of them involve Spider-Man, Jonah doesn't even wanna look at 'em.  Dude's obsessed.  Just then, a crime comes in over the wire: the Scorpion is running amok downtown.  Peter declines an offer to go snap a few pics, leaving the gig to Betty Brant.  Now, this Scorpion redesign... woof.  It su-u-u-u-u-cks.

Okay, so we follow Ms. Brant downtown with her cheap-looking camera, so she might capture some of this rampage.  Scorpion notices her... and heads right in her direction.  But... but... but... then, Spider-Man shows up!  Well, that didn't take long, now did it?

They fight for a bit, before Scorpion drops a building on poor Spidey and flees the scene.  It's almost like Spider-Man is some sort of "rank amateur" or something.  Welp... that's too bad.

A "short time later", we pop over to Tri Corp Research Foundation, where Peter Parker has arrived for his job interview.  Hey, waitaminute, didn't he just have a building dropped on him?  Hmm... well, that would be telling.  Anyhoo, Pete is met by a Ms. Terry Kwan who gives him the nickel tour before introducing him to the folks he'd be working with if he's offered the gig.  There are a lot of words crammed into these panels, folks.  Words that basically say nothing.

Let's meet his team (well, if he gets the job, wink, wink).  Walter Thorson - an Astrophysicist, Javier Caldrone - a Molecular Chemist, Stan Hardy (really?) - Geneticist, and Chantal Stone - Quantum Mechanic.  It's a Burger King Kid's Club up in here.

Just then... the Scorpion attacks!  Well, that's inconvenient.  Peter springs into action, helping his new acquaintances to safety... hopefully, without giving away his secret identity.

The Scorpion focuses in on Peter... and reveals that his bioscan "matches perfectly", whatever that means.

Before our man can act, however... Spider-Man shows up!  Wha-a-a?  (You bored yet?)

As Spider-Man and the Scorpion tussle... with the latter definitely maintaining the upper-hand, Peter does some quick thinking and figures out a way to get involved in the brouhaha without giving up his secret.  He notices a Kirby2000 generator, and lassos a bunch of wires around the Scorpion's arm before short-circuiting his ugly new suit.

With Gargan on the ground, Peter heads over to Spider-Man and asks who's under that mask.  Spidey quips that it's a secret... duh.

Peter then meets Dr. Ted Twaki, the Head of Tri Corp... and, is offered the job on the spot.  We close out with our boy returning home to share the good news with his Aunt.

That's not all, friends... we've got Back-Ups!  Well, sorta... there's really very little to even talk about.  The first one is called Rebirth!, and features the Scorpion testing his ugly new costume by fighting a bunch of computer-generated Spider-Men.  Hmm... maybe he just went into the future and checked out a "current year" Spider-book... there are hundreds of Spider-folks running around these days!

The other back-up is called The Secrets of Spider-Man, which is more or less post-Byrne/Mackie Reboot Peter reminiscing over his time as Spider-Man... while incorporating bits and pieces from Spider-Man: Chapter One into his narrative.  It's not great... but, it does save you from actually reading the first issue of Spider-Man: Chapter One... so, thank goodness for small favors!

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I'm about half-hot right now due to Blogger being a complete POS... not sure this is the sort of state of mind I ought to be in to give an objective gander to this here issue... but, there ain't anybody else writing this... so, we'll give it the old college try.  I started writing this post when it was still dark outside... and it's now mid-morning.  Jesus.  Thanks for wasting half my Monday, Blogger!  Piece of crap.

Okay, okay... let's talk Spidey.  Here's the thing... reading this back, it really isn't as bad as Spider-Man: Chapter One... and yeah, that's sorta "damning with faint praise".  That being said, it also doesn't (at all) feel like it ought to have been a "#1".  There was nothing special about this... at all!

I feel like, and this is just me, if you have a "#1" issue, you should be able to feel like you're reading a "#1" issue... even if you didn't have the foggiest idea what the number on the cover is.  It should feel NEW, it should feel FRESH... it should feel SPECIAL.  This felt like none'a that.  I think a few days back I said that this reboot smells like moth balls and Werther's Originals... and, I still feel that way.  This is instantly stale.

It feels like a Byrnian gimmick out of the 1980's... which, back then was novel.  Nearing the turn of the 21st Century, however, there's a definite feeling of "been there, done that".  Byrne and Mackie were supposed to be breathing new life into this property... and, they absolutely failed.  This might not be entirely their fault, however... I mean, Marvel has an editorial staff... is this really what Ralf and Harras envisioned when they handed the reins over to these two?  Stale, throwback, barely Spidey newspaper-strip worthy stories?

That's kind of the most aggravating part of this... this is "serviceable" more so than "awful", but if you're relaunching, rebooting, and reimagining your flagship character/property... it needs to be more than just serviceable.  It needs to absolutely kick your butt... make you sit back and say "wow".  Lemme tell ya, back in 1999, we Spider-Fans were indeed saying "wow", but for all the wrong reasons.

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Fold-Out:

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Wrap-Around Cover:

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Interesting Ads:

Peter Parker: Spider-Man #98 (1998)

Peter Parker: Spider-Man #98 (Late November, 1998)
"The Final Chapter, Part 4: The Final Chapter"
Writer - Howard Mackie
Pencils - John Romita, Jr.
Inks - Scott Hanna
Letters - Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Liz Agraphiotis
Edits - Ralph Macchio
Chief - Bob Harras
Cover Price: $1.99

R.I.P. Denny O'Neil.

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We wrapped up yesterday with Spidey in rather a sticky widget.  Well, actually... he was unmasked and dead, with a triumphant Green Goblin holding his body aloft in celebration.  How we ever gonna walk that back?  Heck, maybe we won't be!  Maybe this is how Peter Parker's story ends!  It is called "The Final Chapter" after all.  Arright, arright... let's turn the page and let that other shoe drop already...

Ya see, folks... Norman actually won the "gift" of MADNESS during The Gathering of Five, so... much of this was all in ol' Normie's head.  It's not clear quite how much, because Spider-Man does seem to know all about the Aunt May/actress debacle.  Maybe I'm not supposed to be thinking about that?  Anyhoo, the Green Goblin is babbling about DNA Bombs and what-not... really making a good of himself, which... gotta say, actually makes sense considering the ugly costume he's wearing.  Jonah, and the rest of the Daily Bugle staff are all here to witness this, by the way.

Just then... one of the Goblin's pumpkin bombs explodes... right at the foundation of the Bugle building!  Spidey gets in there to hold the thing up... so, it looks like we're getting yet another callback to that other "The Final Chapter".  Haven't seen that sort of thing in a few issues, have we?

Over the course of the next eight-pages, Spider-Man precariously holds the Daily Bugle building on his shoulders.  The police show up to haul Norman away... Jonah demands they arrest Spider-Man as well.  The news shows up... even Mary Jane somehow winds up in the crowd!  Finally, Spidey is able to hoist the building over his head.

Spider-Man then steadies the building, before unloading like a dozen web cartridges on it to keep it standing.  I will concede, I like this bit a lot.  Once the place is steadied, Jonah still demands Spider-Man be arrest... to which, Spidey basically tells him to go eff himself.

Okay, maybe it wasn't quite that crass.  Still, a very strong little scene here.  As Spidey exits stage-left en route to Reed Richards' surgery theater, he walks past Emjay and tells her he loves her.

Spider-Man swings toward the Fantastics... fearful that Reed will remove the DNA Bomb trigger thingie from Aunt May's noggin... which, according to Norman, will render all of humanity into component DNA goop.  Then again, Norman was a raving loon when he said all'a that... so was it even true in the first place?

Spidey arrives at the final moment to fill Reed in on the sitch... and begs him to find another way to save her life, ya know, without removing the dongle.

We shift to a little while later, with Peter and Mary Jane seated in a waiting room... ya know, waiting to hear whether or not May's surgery was a success.  While they're... uh, waiting, Mary Jane fills Peter in on some of the deets of her modeling contract... and Peter replies by saying he's going to quit the web-game.  Reed interrupts the conversation to reveal that Aunt May... (duh) will survive.

And so, Peter and MJ head into May's room... where they have a touching reunion.

Later, and stop me if you've heard this one before... Peter burns his Spider-Man costume in a barrel.

We wrap up (the issue, the volume of Peter Parker: Spider-Man, and this whole dang near-forty-year-long era of Spidey) with the Green Goblin in a padded room.  Some cloaked figures enter the place, overpower security and swipe ol' Norman... claiming that he is the property of (yawn) the Scriers.

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Alrighty... so, that's how we're wrapping up Peter Parker's story, izzit?  Kind of a mixed bag, I s'pose...  I think it best we "Facts of Life" this one... ya know, take the good, take the bad... take 'em both.

Let's start with some "good".  First of all, Romita's art here is wonderful... ugly Goblin design notwithstanding, of course.  I mean, I don't even think George Perez could make that disaster look good.  I'm not sure if it's more my "comfort level" with John, Jr., but his work here just feels "right".  I really enjoyed it... if I'm being honest, it was the main highlight of this entire story arc.

More "good"... Peter telling off Jonah.  We really get the impression that Spidey's at his wit's end.  He has no more effs to give... and doesn't care whose feathers that may ruffle.  I mean, Jonah was being a complete jackass... so, any sorta snippiness in his direction was well-earned.

Spidey's trip to Reed's was well done.  I liked him trying to run everything through his head to make sense of it... while he was still recovering from, ya know, hoisting a great big building over his head.  I mean, he used his webs to tape up his ribs.  Really cool visual... really desperate sort of tone.  Just another very strong scene.  I think Mr. Mackie, despite how poorly this entire era has aged, could deliver some super-strong-Spidey.

Finally, and this is a weird one... but, I thought it was interesting that this issue shipped with two covers... but, they were both attached to the same book!  Weird "gimmick", but I appreciated the, uh "added value" at no additional cost.  It's really the only little "extra" we're getting here to denote that this is, in fact, a milestone issue.  It's not like Spidey's actually "going away"... the new #1's will be on the shelf in about a month!

Now, let's get into some "not so good".  If you've been reading my stuff for awhile, you've probably seen me complain about anytime a new creator gets a shot at Batman, they have to tell their version of the "Zorro scene".  Ya know, gunshot... blood splat... pearls everywhere.  With Spider-Man, I feel like we go back to the (original) "The Final Chapter" hoisting heavy crap trope a bit too often.  I swear, for awhile, we'd see callbacks to it several times a year.  Though, in fairness, "hoisting heavy crap" is sort of what superheroes do from time to time... but, I dunno.  It just kinda irks me... and falls prey to that law of diminishing returns.  On the same subject, I really don't think we needed to take up nearly half the issue with the hoisting scene.

Then, we've got Spider-Man quitting... again.  I think this is something that had been done too often before to make this time actually feel "special", ya know?  I mean, Peter gave up being Spider-Man like just a couple years ago when Ben Reilly showed up.  More of that law of diminishing returns, I guess.  I feel like if we really wanted to "draw a line" under this... we needed a scene with a) more "oomph", and b) one we haven't already seen... a few times before.

The MADNESS cop-out reveal was... I mean, they really wrote themselves into a corner here, didn't they?  There really wasn't any other option here, right?  Something had to give... and unfortunately, goin' by the Law of Mackie's Razor... the most uninspired answer is usually going to wind up being the right one.  I also didn't like how nebulous Norman's MADNESS actually was.  I mean, how much of what he pontificated last issue actually wound up being said?  Only the most relevant parts to the story?  Was he actually lucid (and super-powered) for the first 19 pages of the prior chapter... only going full-blown loony when he "unmasked" Peter?  Weird stuff.

Then, there was the stuff with the Scriers.  I can't remember if this is the first time we find out there's "more than one" Scrier... as, if I'm being honest, my eyes usually glaze over and I revert to "skimming" any time I see a Scrier on the page.  Whatever the case, I find them incredibly boring... and the fact that it looks like they're going to be sticking around into the Byrne/Mackie Reboot does not inspire a heckuva lot of faith.

Now, if you look at the Letters Pages I include in my pieces (which assumes that folks actually look at the pieces to begin with), this time out, we learn that the next issue we're going to want to read is... sigh... the first couple of issues of Spider-Man: Chapter One.  Are we bad enough dudes and dudettes to even dare try?  I will admit now that, even though I was a full-blown Marvel Zombie back 'round the turn of the century, even I dropped Chapter One halfway through!  Actually, I'm not even sure I made it halfway!  I'm game for another go-round.  I guess we'll just have to see if I somehow happen across that particular longbox today.  If not, we'll move right into the brand-new Spider-Man "volume 2's".

Thanks for reading, if you still are.  I didn't think this topic would be quite the blog-killer that it has been!  Hmm... maybe it's just me people don't like?

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Both Covers:

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(Don't Call it a) Fold-Out:

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Letters Page:

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Interesting Ads:

Spectacular Spider-Man #263 (1998)

Spectacular Spider-Man #263 (November, 1998)
"The Final Chapter, Part 3: The Triumph of the Goblin!"
Writer - Howard Mackie
Pencils - Luke Ross
Inks - Al Milgrom
Colors - Mike Rockwitz
Letters - Richard Starkings & Comicraft/SH
Edits - Ralph Macchio
Chief - Bob Harras
Cover Price: $1.99

Now that there's one ugly cover.  I get the feeling that John Byrne might've been in a Rocky Horror state of mind when designing this Goblin, no?

Something I've wanted to mention, but didn't quite know how to shoe-horn it in... or even put it into words, I suppose... is how this attempt at a "fresh" take on Spider-Man feels instantly old and outdated.  It's like if you took a property and gave it to your grandparents to "pep" up.  It's like Byrne and Mackie drew their inspiration from the Stan Lee Spider-Man newspaper strip or something.  It just feels so behind the times, and it's covers like this that really drive that point home.

It's low-effort, it's low-hanging... and it's just plain ugly.  What non-Spider-Man reader would ever pick this one up off the rack?  This was 1998... Marvel Knights just kicked off (same cover month, in fact!), and felt like (mostly) a breath of fresh air... but Marvel's "flagship" book... stinks like mothballs and Werther's Originals.

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Picking up right where we left off (well, maybe a few seconds later), Spider-Man is with a woman who looks a whole lot like Aunt May.  The Green Goblin has un-webbed himself, and is there to really lay into Spidey.  Aunt May is very confused, which I suppose stands to reason.  Norman backhands the broad, sending her right into Spider-Man's arms.  Our hero ain't buyin' that this is the real-deal Aunt May... after all, we're not too far from the Clone Saga that monopolized much of the 1990's.  Norman insists this isn't a gag... and suggests that Spider-Man take his Aunt home, and spend what time he has left with her... because, ya see... tonight, Spider-Man dies.

Spider-Man takes his leave, and heads over to the Baxter Building... or wherever the heck the Fantastic Four were holed up post-Heroes Return.  He asks Reed to give this old woman the once-over, to see if this truly is his dear Aunt May.  Without a sample of the real-deal-May's actual DNA, however, all Reed can confirm is that this woman is human.

Spidey's got an idea... and tells Reed he'll be back soon.  Reed tries to stop him, because there's this one teensy tiny detail he really ought to know, but Spider-Man ain't willing to wait around.

We follow our hero back to his and Mary Jane's house, where the latter is having a big fashion blowout or something.  Lotsa "absolutely fabulous" people are present... though, thankfully since this isn't a John Byrne script, none of them are actually saying "absolutely" nor "fabulous".

Emjay hears something in the attic, and heads up to check.  Naturally, it's Peter... and he's digging through some old junk.  Ya see, Aunt May was a lotta things, including a packrat... and so, he had a sneaking suspicion that the answer to his problems might be up here.  And, whattayaknow... it is!  Peter happens across an old science experiment he did in Junior High, where he collected some of May's DNA.  What luck!  He explains the sitch to Mary Jane, who... is dubious (and probably just wants to get back to her schmoozing and hob-nobbing).

We immediately shift back to Reed's lab, where he confirms that the old bitty is indeed May Parker.

Then, we move onto that teensy tiny detail Reed really wanted to share earlier.  Y'all ready for this?  Aunt May's got this "cylindrical object" implanted in the back of her brain... which, if not removed ASAP as possible, will kill her.  Reed wants to operate... but needs the a-okay from her next of kin.  Rather than unmasking, Spidey tells Reed that he'll contact her family.  We assume he just pops outside to the nearest payphone and calls Reed as Peter... but, we don't see it.

We follow Spider-Man to... Osborn Industries Corporate Headquarters, where he comes crashing into ol' Norman's office.  Norman starts mocking him straightaway.

Norman speaks of the Gathering of Five ritual (remember that?), and how it gave him the power of a god.  Spidey insists Osborn's gone insane... but, the baddie corrects him, claiming "Nah, this other guy got that gift..."  We'll put a pin in that for now.  Spider-Man asks what Norman's big plan is... to which, Osborn is more than happy to share.

Spider-Man is directed over to a big window overlooking a laboratory.  He explains that these scientists were responsible for the weirdness at the hunting lodge (that dumb stuff regarding the flora and fauna).  He also now has the "technology" to, well... make people melt down to their "component DNA structure" (which we already saw a few issues back).  Fans of the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion might be familiar with the Human Instrumentality Project... this sorta feels something like that.  He demonstrates this before a shocked Spidey.

Ya see, Norman is planning to melt everyone down... and reshape the world in his own image.  Hmm... maybe Spider-Man's right, and Norman has gone insane?

They spend the next several pages fighting... and bantering.  Well, Norman's doing most of the talking.  He explains a lot here... so, let's get right into it.  He talks up his philanthropy... and how he's used several of the Osborn charities to distribute his "DNA Bombs"... which, oh yeah... is exactly the thing that was embedded into poor Aunt May's dottering dome.  What's more, while it's in her head, it's basically inert.  Only when it's exposed to air will it "activate".  Very "damned if ya do..." sorta situation, no?  In fact, it's her DNA Bomb that will start the chain-reaction in setting off all the DNA Bombs.

So, you might be asking... how in all hells is Aunt May actually still alive?  I mean, we all saw her die back in Amazing Spider-Man #400, right?  Well... here we go.  Ya see, Norman... who was retroactively made the mastermind of the entire Clone Saga (which was already in high-gear around the time of ASM #400)... kidnapped the real-deal Aunt May, and replaced her with an actress.  This actress, reportedly, spent years learning Aunt May's mannerisms and voice... and, what's more, Norman even filled her in on all of Peter's secrets... which is why they were able to have that touching final conversation atop the Empire State Building before she passed.  Ya get it?  This is one of those weird situations where... we don't have to necessarily like it, but it actually feels like Marvel is trying.  Nowadays they wouldn't expend the effort!

At this point, the book goes completely bat-stuff insane.  Well, insaner.  The Goblin drops Spider-Man in the middle of a crowded New York City street... and unmasks him!  The world now knows that Spider-Man is actually Peter Parker!

Norman ain't done yet, however... after the... uh, humiliation (?) of the unmasking... he kills Peter Parker!

We close out this issue (and the volume of the second longest tenured Spider-Man title) with... the death of Spider-Man.  How will we ever be able to walk this one back?!

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So... we got a lot of information in this here issue, and very much to Howard Mackie's credit, most of it sorta-kinda makes sense?  I mean, it isn't perfect by any means, but... the answers we get, are satisfying in the sense that... it feels like they actually tried.  How did Aunt May come back to life?  Why, she never died in the first place... that was an actress!  How did Norman's hunting lodge "come alive"?  Well, ya see... this room full'a nerds saw to that... now watch them die!

Again, it isn't perfect... and, honestly, it's not even any fun to read... but, I can't say that Mackie isn't trying here.  Perhaps it's only with the couple-decades of hindsight... where the "hot writers" of "current year" don't put in any effort to make their stories or character motivations make any sense, but I appreciated the attempt at making everything "fit" here.

Mackie and Byrne could've very easily said "None'a that ever happened"... and just picked up with Spider-Man as a swinging single, living with Aunt May, and snapping pics for Jonah while taking classes at ESU.  But, this happened back when Marvel Editorial still had some respect for continuity... so, instead, we get an actual "work-around".  A clunky-as-all-hell work-around, but a work-around nonetheless.  Kudos (I guess) for that.

Let's look at that cliffhanger.  Oof... how are they gonna walk that one back?  Welp, we'll find out tomorrow... I hope you're all prepared for a pretty massive disappointment.  I know I am!  I did like seeing Norman get his big win.  It really drove home his motivations, and illustrated just how personal this rivalry between he and Peter still is.  I will say, however, this Green Goblin design?  Uh, it... ain't got no alibi.  It's ugly.  U-G-L-Y.  Ross' pencils are pretty tight here throughout, but not even he could make this Goblin look good.

Next time, we'll wrap up the pre-boot... and close out this "final chapter" with Peter Parker: Spider-Man #98.

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(Don't call it a) Fold-Out:

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Letters Page:

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