From Claremont to Claremont, Episode 2h - Marvel Comics Presents #88-89 (1991)

From Claremont to Claremont: An X-Men Podcast

Episode 2H

Marvel Comics Presents #88-89 (November, 1991)

"Blood Hungry, Part 4: Four Scents Worth"

"Blood Hungry, Part 5: Five Scents Worth"

"Just Friends, Part 4: Fool for Love"

"Just Friends, Part 5: My Pal Mugsy"

"Hero of the People"

"Shopping"

"Youngblood"

"What's Wrong With this Picture?!"

Writers - Peter David, Scott Lobdell, Eric Fein, James Brock, & Dan Slott

Pencils - Sam Kieth, Jae Lee, Mark Runyan, James Brock, Rita Fagiani, & Joe Madureira

Inks - Sam Kieth, Tim Dzon, Don Hudson, Bob Wiacek, Jim Starlin, & Christopher Ivy

Colors - Pat Garrahy, Mike Thomas, Fred Mendez, Kevin Tinsley, & Dan Slott

Letters - Dave Sharpe, Diana Albers, Todd Klein, & Steve Dutro

Edits - Terry Kavanagh

Cover Price: $1.25/per

It's anthology day at #FCTCXMen - and so, Walt (@waltkneeland) and me are going to take a look at two issues of Marvel Comics Presents!

The Cyber storyline rolls on in Wolverine... the Beast is still looking for love... and we get to discuss the first Marvel work of eventual Uncanny X-Men artist, Joe Madureira!

All that, plus Walt answers the dreaded Pod-File questionnaire! 

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From Claremont to Claremont, Episode 2c - X-Factor #72 (1991)

From Claremont to Claremont: An X-Men Podcast

Episode 2C

X-Factor #72 (November, 1991)

"Multiple Homicide"

Writer - Peter David

Pencils - Larry Stroman

Inks - Al Milgrom

Colors - Glynis Oliver

Letters - Michael Heisler

Edits - Harras & DeFalco

Cover Price: $1.00

Will the real Jamie Madrox please stand up... or, well - die, I guess?

Episode Two rolls on, as Jeremiah (@bigox737) and I discuss the weirdness of which dupe got shot, and look into Havok and Polaris's awkward romantic reunion.  Jeremiah will also hop into the hot seat for the dread "Pod File" segment!

It's a great time as always, we hope you'll give us a listen!

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From Claremont to Claremont, Episode 1h - Marvel Comics Presents #85-87 (1991)

From Claremont to Claremont: An X-Men Podcast

Episode 1H

Marvel Comics Presents #85-87 (October, 1991)

"Blood Hungry, Part 1: First Scent"

"Blood Hungry, Part 2: Two Scents"

"Blood Hungry, Part 3: Three Scents"

"Life During Wartime, Part 4: Fire in the Hole"

"Life During Wartime, Part 5: True Colors"

"Life During Wartime, Part 6: Sacrifice"

"Just Friends, Part 1: Professor!"

"Just Friends, Part 2"

"Just Friends, Part 3: If This is Tuesday, it Must be Belgium"

"... The Dude in the Really Rad Armor!"

"Take Me Out to the Bomb Game"

"To Touch the Darkness"

Writers - Peter David, Marcus McLaurin, Marie Javins, Scott Lobdell, & Eric Fein

Pencils - Sam Kieth, Dwayne Turner, Rob Liefeld, Jae Lee, Ron Wilson, J. Adam Walters, & Ron Wilson

Inks - Sam Kieth, Christopher Ivy, Jose Marzan Jr., Tim Dzon, Sam de la Rosa, & Harry Candelario

Colors - Glynis Oliver, Marcus McLaurin, Mike Thomas, Mike Rockwitz, Fernando Mendez, & Kevin Tinsley

Letters - Clem Robins, Rick Parker, Todd Klein, Dave Sharpe, & Diana Albers

Edits - Mark Powers, Terry Kavanagh, & DeFalco

Cover Price: $1.25

No matter what the year is, Wolverine's adventures could never be kept to the handful of titles he was being featured in... and so, Walt Kneeland (@waltkneeland) and I are including his Marvel Comics Present exploits as part of this project!

This time out, we're featuring all three MCP issues cover-dated October, 1991 - which see Wolverine's first tangles with Cyber and also features adventures from other X-Men (and X-Adjacents) Beast and Firestar!

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From Claremont to Claremont, Episode 1c - X-Factor #71 (1991)

From Claremont to Claremont: An X-Men Podcast

Episode 1C

X-Factor #71 (October, 1991)

"Cutting the Mustard"

Writer - Peter David

Pencils - Larry Stroman

Inks - Al Milgrom

Letters - Mike Heisler

Colors - Glynis Oliver

Edits - Bob Harras

Cover Price: $1.00

Back to the #FCTCXMen Episode One Redux... today, I'm sharing the FIRST segment we'd ever recorded for the program... and, for the first time, you're going to be hearing the whole thing!  It's the X-Tended Cut of X-Factor #71 with Jeremiah (@bigox737), complete with awkward Treadmillisms I'd included when I wasn't completely sure how these segments were going to go, and a long chat on the house ads included in the issue!

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From Claremont to Claremont, Episode 3f - X-Factor #73 (1991)

From Claremont to Claremont: An X-Men Podcast

Episode 3F

X-Factor #73 (December, 1991)

"Crowd Control"

Writer - Peter David

Pencils - Larry Stroman

Inks - Al Milgrom

Letters - Michael Heisler

Colors - Glynis Oliver

Edits - Harras & DeFalco

Cover Price: $1.00

From Claremont to Claremont, Episode 3 rolls on - with the final segment I've got in the hopper - Jeremiah (@bigox737) and I go dupe-crazy when we discuss X-Factor #73!

From there, Jeremiah will share with us the "Soundtrack of his Life" - It's a great conversation, that I've been sitting on for far too long - we hope you'll join us!

Also: I heard from several... a handful... okay, a couple of people, who said they'd like for me to break the previous two episodes of FCTC into individual segments... and so, that will likely begin in the coming weeks!  If you haven't heard 'em - they're new to you!

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X-Factor #71 (1991)

X-Factor #71 (October, 1991)
"Cutting the Mustard"
Writer - Peter David
Pencils - Larry Stroman
Inks - Al Milgrom
Letters - Michael Heisler
Colors - Glynis Oliver
Editor - Bob Harras
Chief - Tom DeFalco
Cover Price: $1.00

Blogger's still being precious... don't worry though, Blogger support doesn't care a bit, so it's probably all in my head!

"Leave Feedback" they say (they being the "lookitme, lookitme" white-knights in the support forums - they really need that pat on the head from Daddy Google!)... I'd get further asking my dog for programming help.  Hell, at least that way, I'd get a response of some sort.

If I wasn't so scared of losing the million-plus words I've written here over the past four and a half years, I'd be jumping ship PDQ.

Anyhoo... let's meet the all-new, all-different (as of 1991) X-Factor.

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We open with Lila Cheney's bodyguard, Guido Carosella asking Lorna Dane if she happens to have any Grey Poupon.  Now, that's kind of a dated reference... so, a teeny bit of context.  Ya see, back in the early 90's, there were these commercials for Grey Poupon Mustard... featuring very classy individuals in fancy cars eating, ya know, things that go well with mustard.  One would pull up to another, roll down their window and inquire whether or not the other had any.  The answer would always come back, "but of course".  Here, have a look for yourself:

Lorna too replies "of course", because ya see... X-Factor has everything... including some of the tallest ceilings you'll ever hope to find anywhere.  Guido gets the mustard and positively slathers it all over a split loaf of Italian bread.  At the end of the table, Jamie Madrox struggles getting the lid off a jar of mayonnaise... lotsa condiment humor here.

Lorna and Guido discuss the possibility of Alex Summers joining up with this All-New, All-Different X-Factor... with the former having a bit of dilemma considering her personal history with Havok.  Meanwhile, Madrox continues to fiddle with the mayo jar.  He can't open the thing... even with the help of a dupe.  Guido and Lorna are also unsuccessful in their attempts.

We shift scenes over to Genosha, where Alex is acting as a sort of foreman for the post-X-Tinction Agenda rebuild.  Government liaison, Val Cooper is trying to convince him to sign on with X-Factor... but, Al ain't feelin' it.

Suddenly an I-Beam snaps from its supports and plummets toward Val and Al.  Alex plows the thing with an energy blast, just as Rahne Sinclair leaps onto the scene pushing the other Summers out of the way.  Val doesn't even flinch... she wasn't scared in the slightest, knowing Alex would protect her.

Back in Washington, D.C. Quicksilver arrives, with the only Inhuman anyone ever cared about, Lockjaw in tow.  He's there to meet with X-Factor, but finds himself in the middle of an anti-Roxxon demonstration.  One of the protesters proclaims that Roxxon is "raping the environment".  Not used to seeing that word in an early-90's superhero comic!

Quicksilver is informed that there's a bomb about to go off... and so, he rushes into action to take care of it.  He uses his speed to find and deactivate the boom-box.

Back in Genosha, Alex, Rahne, and Val are chatting about what X-Factor can offer.  Alex is steadfast in his refusal... which prompts the arrival of Professor X and Cyclops to try and convince him.  Wonder if Charlie's gonna use the ol' Mind-Wipe?  Nah, they're just going to tell him that Lorna's already signed on.

Speaking of Lorna, back in D.C. she answers a knock at the door.  It's Quicksilver, who's finally found his way over... looking much worse for wear.  Once inside the high-ceilinged room, he faints straight away.  Guido carries him over to the couch.

Some time passes, and we get a gag about the Inhumans convincing Ben Grimm that Lockjaw was a humanoid that became a dog instead've just being a dog.  Ehh, even with their jokes, the Inhumans are a complete bore.  We also learn here that something has happened to Pietro's powers... every time he uses them, his metabolism accelerates his aging.  So, in essence, his powers are killing him.

We rejoin the Genoshan contingent as they're flying back toward the States.  On board, we learn that Val Cooper has a brother who's in the F.B.I.  At present, he's working on a case regarding a girl who was found... dead, wrapped in plastic.  Hmm... I'm sure the first time I read this, I totally missed the Twin Peaks reference.

Quicksilver continues his tale of woe... he learned via a postcard that somebody in the Washington, D.C. area is responsible for his accelerated aging.  Just then, Havok and Wolfsbane arrive and announce that they're joining the team.  Alex and Lorna have a nice little reunion... much to Rahne's dismay.  Ya see, Rahne's recently gone through some stuff... and found herself emotionally attached to Alex.  We'll be dealing with that until issue #100.

Alex also gives opening the mayo jar a shot... and is just as unsuccessful as the rest.  Finally, Val gives it a wap on the edge of the table and easily unscrews the lid.  The mayo, it's worth noting, looks pretty disgusting.

That night, we learn that Jamie Madrox's mayo jar was a gimmick he invented back on Muir Island.  Why?  Who knows.  Anyhoo, as he's in the middle of congratulating himself, there's a knocking at his door.  He answers it... and is positively riddled with bullets!

Jamie is blown back by the shots... and crashes through a window!  He falls a few floors, and our issue ends with him laying lifeless and smoking.

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It's weird... X-Factor was definitely something of an outlier back in the long ago.  It didn't feel like the other (three main) X-Books... it also didn't look much like 'em!  I remember thinking there was "too much talking" in this issue... as well as hating the art back in the day.  Strange that, near thirty-years later, it feels like this one might've "aged" the best!

I'd come around to Peter David pretty quick... in fact, by the time X-Cutioner's Song was over, he was one of my favorite writers.  Heck, he was one of the first writers (not named Pini) I bothered to actually make a mental note of.  After that switch flipped, returning to these early new-look X-Factor issues was a treat.

Stroman, however, took me a bit longer to really glom onto.  I compare his place in the X-Books to Jon Bogdanove on the Superman books.  It's a bit abstract, looks nothing like it's cohort-books, and might initially stand out as being, I dunno, maybe "off-putting"?  But... all these years removed, it stands out as being more timeless, than anything... ya know?  This doesn't "scream" 1991 like a Lee, Liefeld, or Portacio... at least it doesn't to me.  I think that really helped this run feel "fresher" than the rest.  Not that I don't love the contemporary X-Books... because, I do.  But, this one's... just a little bit different.  It's that one main-line X-Book from the 90's that folks online won't give you a judgy eyebrow-raise for reading.

As far as this issue is concerned... it was pretty good.  I don't think it hits its stride for a few issues, but we gotta start somewhere.  The mayonnaise jar running gag... ehhh.  Probably not my favorite thing in the world.  I enjoyed seeing Alex and Lorna reconnect... though, that'll become more of a "thing" as we move along.

Reading this again after many, many years... I was delighted to catch the Twin Peaks reference.  Asamattafact, as I'm writing this... we were supposed to be taking our annual trip up to the Salish (Great Northern) Lodge in Snoqualmie, Washington for our Anniversary.  If the world hadn't come screeching to a halt a few months back, I'd be having my annual "girly drink" by the waterfall tonight.  Oh well.  We'll get back up there eventually.

Think that's all for today.  Sorry if my analysis was less "on-point"... just alt-tabbing between windows wrestling with damned (non-existent) Blogger support... and these ridiculous "Notice Me, Senpai" Google fanatics, relentlessly trying to shift the blame to the user.

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Letters Page:

Incredible Hulk #331 (1987)

Incredible Hulk #331 (May, 1987)
"Inconstant Moon"
Writer - Peter David
Pencils - Todd McFarlane
Inks - Kim DeMulder
Letters - Rick Parker
Colors - Petra Scotese
Edits - Bob Harras
Chief - Jim Shooter
Cover Price: $0.75

In the face of nearly universal indifference... #MarvelMay rolls on!

A month or so back, I posted something about "comic book comfort foods" when I discussed an issue of Grant Morrison-era Doom Patrol.  Unfortunately, next to nobody actually read the thing.  I guess a lot of the folks high-fivin' over the Doom Patrol live-action thing didn't get the memo that it was based on a comic book.  Anyhoo... in that piece, I mentioned a few of my go-to "comfort foods"... and among them was the Peter David run on Incredible Hulk.

I never imagined I'd get the opportunity to discuss that run here, considering "rules" I'd self-enforced on this site... but, here we are nonetheless!  I guess all it took was DC Comics devolving into whatever it is at the moment for me to actually start looking in those long-ignored "other" longboxes in my library!

Now, this is the "official" start to the Peter David run... he would occupy the writer's chair a few issues prior for a fill-in... but, this is where his (mostly) uninterrupted run kicks off.  Gotta be careful how I present this one on social media... if I say it's the "start" of his run, I'm sure someone (who won't bother to visit the site) will *correct me* that he accccccctually wrote an issue before this.

Anyhoo...

The other day, we talked about another launch of an epic run in the John Byrne Fantastic Four... and, we might do some comparing and contrasting before we're done.

Let's do it!

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We open with Rick Jones... as the Hulk... on the loose!  Meanwhile, at Gamma Base, the Hulkbusters are trying to figure out their best course of action moving forward.  Ya can't have a Hulk runnin' about, right?  Anyhoo, Bruce Banner... who has been freed of the Hulk persona for a little while, offers himself up to be exposed to Gamma Radiation once again in hopes of tracking down his pal.  Betty, who is Bruce's relatively newly-minted wife at this point is most certainly not cool with that idea.

Bruce, understanding that ol' "happy life... happy wife" axiom comes around quick to the fact that this is a pretty bad idea.  Worth noting that this issue comes on the heels of the death of Betty's father, General Thunderbolt Ross... in fact, they still haven't wheeled his body out at this point!  He had just sacrificed himself to halt the Nevermind.

The Hulkbusters continue to brainstorm, and decide it best to, ya know... bust that Hulk.  Clay Quartermain appears to be especially "randy" about this... he's really down with the idea of, not only catching this new Hulk... but destroying it!

We shift scenes over to the nearest morgue, where a call is coming in to pick up Ross's corpse.  Upon learning that this pick-up is at Gamma Base, the Morgueman ain't too keen on heading out.  The fella running the place says to bring their newest employee to help out... a certain weirdo broom-pusher named "Sterns".  Sterns smiles...

Back to Base, where the Hulkbusters are in the air and on patrol.  Banner looks on via the monitors... despite the fact that his new wife would really prefer he step away so they can... I dunno... consummate?  He, however, still cannot let go of the idea of transforming back into the Hulk to help his pal... and refers to the times he'd done it in the past.  This really rattles Betty... who, always viewed Bruce as more a hapless victim of the Hulk-outs, and not so much a willing participant.

Before this argument can completely boil over, the Banners are interrupted by a distress all from the 'busters.  The Hulk has leapt onto Hulkbuster Hideko's ship... and it looks like our cover-image might be just about to play out!  Worth noting, this might be the first panel in this issue where Todd's art actually looks like Todd's art.

Bruce gets on mic, and starts pleading with the Hulk to let go... accidentally letting it slip that this Hulk is actually: Rick Jones!  This is apparently all-new information to the Hulkbusters...

Hideko manages to turn the craft upside-down, and with Hulk-Rick hanging from the roof of the rig... plows the green guy right into the side of a cliff!  This will buy them a few precious moments of time...

Back at Base, Sterns and Co. have arrived to haul off the body of General Ross.  Betty is still, as one might imagine, torn up over the death of her father.  Bruce tries to offer her some comfort... but, she ain't havin' it.  Bruce stomps out of the room, accidentally bumping into Sterns on his way.  Sterns, is actually quite captivated by what he's seeing play out on the monitors... a Hulk... with all the powers he'll need to... well, do something.

We follow the MorgueMen outside and into their van.  It's here that Sterns beats his partner to death with a wrench!

Elsewhere... we visit a nearby Police Station, where a man has arrived in search of a woman.  This woman is Betty Ross... who he claims is his wife.  This fella is (Rrrrrrrazor) Rrrrrrramon.  Hey yo.

Back in the battle... the Hulkbusters continue taking the fight to the beast, and ultimately snag Rick inside an electrified net... 

... or so they thought.  Rick-Hulk is able to free himself, before launching the net into the Hulkbuster craft... electrifying the whole tub... and, more or less blinding the pilot, Saunders!

The ship soars directly into a butte... Saunders only barely managing to bail out in time.  The Hulkbusters decide it might be best to call it a night... and head back to base to lick their wounds, and come up with a "Plan B".

We now head off to Bruce Banner's secret cave lab... he's come to the conclusion that he's going to have to become the Hulk again.  He does the ol' Gamma-Ray dealie once more... and becomes the Hulk.  Not just any Hulk, however... the gray one!

This Hulk, being of decent intelligence, decides it's in his best interests to destroy the Gamma Projector... this way, he can never be "sent back", ya know?  Turns out, Sterns sees this all go down, and he's rather beside himself... ya see, he needed that Gamma thingie!

We wrap up with Sterns revealing to the Hulk that he is actually... the Leader (duh), and he makes the Hulk an offer he might not be able to refuse... if the Hulk helps Sterns get his powers back, he will in turn help save Rick Jones... annnnnd, more important than that... he can help the Hulk be rid of Bruce Banner forever!

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It's funny reading this issue so close to the first Byrne issue of Fantastic Four.  As we discussed the other day, the Byrne FF issue was a really good "jumping-on point"... I think I might've even referred to it as a "perfect" jumping-on point.  Byrne was able to introduce the team, in both personality and power-set... and, delivered one heckuva strong "chapter one" for his run.

Here... what we're getting is a bit different.  Though, in fairness... and with all due respect, I think Byrne hopping from Uncanny X-Men to Fantastic Four might've been a bigger deal than Peter David taking over a book nobody else wanted in the Incredible Hulk.  While Byrne was handed (more or less) a blank slate to do with as he wanted... David had a very weird mess on his plate, much of it, oddly enough... attributable to Byrne!

Byrne's "back to basics" approach for the Hulk had Banner... separated from the Hulk, and married off!  Yeah, "back to basics" indeed.  Peter David inherited some very weird loose ends that needed to be tied off... and, being the super-talent (and team-player) that he is... pulled it off, and then took this title to creative heights, the likes of which it'd rarely ever see!

This issue, in all honesty, is a toughie if you're coming in fresh.  Again, in fairness, this was a time where, with a few exceptions, a new writer taking over a book wasn't quite as big a deal as it is today.  This didn't get a brand-new number-one, or a new adjective over the word "Hulk" in the title... it wasn't touted as a "bold new" direction for the character.  This was kind of an afterthought... that would become the success it does almost in spite of itself.

Let's talk about Todd.  His art here... while not bad, is... I dunno... "immature"?  Is that a good word for it?  I mean, we can see that it's Todd... and we see flashes of what Todd would become within the next half-decade... but, there is a looseness, and an... "immaturity" to it.  It's still nice... and definitely, in hindsight, a treat to experience... but, he's still got a little ways to go before he becomes the Todd we know today.  That's not a slam... but, an indictment on how he will hone and tighten his craft as he gets more pages under his belt.  Not every artist bothers to do that!

Overall... as stated, this one's a bit of a toughie for a new-reader.  Probably not the "jumping-on point" that FF #232 was... but, it's good!  Solid storytelling, playing the ball where it lay... and really neat early-McFarlane art.  This bugger's been collected a number of times... and, even though I don't know diddly about Marvel Unlimited... I gotta assume this one's up there, right?  I'd recommend giving it a look!

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Letters Page:

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Interesting Ads:

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If you're a Podcast Listener...

A new Episode of Morituri Mondays released today!



Also, the twelve-hour From Claremont to Claremont, Episode 2 dropped this past Saturday!

Amazing Spider-Man #267 (1985)

Amazing Spider-Man #267 (August, 1985)
"The Commuter Cometh!"
Writer - Peter David
Art - Bob McLeod
Letters - Joe Rosen
Colors - Bob Sharen
Edits - Jim Owsley
Chief - Jim Shooter
Cover Price: $0.65

I've said it time and again... if you ever start your pitch with "Wouldn't it be funny if..." you've got a stinker on your hands.  Well... maybe I'd forgotten about the little ditty we're going to discuss today.  Because, we're about to learn when Peter David asks "Wouldn't it be funny if Spider-Man went to the suburbs... where there are no tall buildings to swing from?", the answer is most definitely... Yes!

But first, I wanna thank everyone for their comments... and, again apologize for my lack of interaction.  Been a hectic-er than usual week with school and content-creation... I'll hopefully be more chatty very soon!

Now, let's hit da 'burbs!

--

We open with Spidey bein' all sullen-like, sticking on to a building, wallowing in some recent misfortune.  That's... kinda one of the things he does.  His thought process is interrupted by the arrival of the Human Torch, with whom he shares a little bit of small-talk... and accidentally happens across some topless-rooftop-sunbathers.  After chatting for a bit before Peter decides he's just going to call it a night.  They part company, and Spidey spies a fella in a nearby boutique who looks like he's about to loot the place.

Our man swoops in to get a better look, and sure 'nuff this dude has designs on robbin' the joint.  Upon seeing Spidey, the baddie grabs a nearby mannequin, and threatens to shoot it.  Well, this must be one life-like dummy, because Spider-Man buys it!  Not helping matters is the fact that the mannequin actually looks a bit freaked out... almost like it knows it's been taken hostage!  Ehh, maybe I'm just seein' things... Whatever the case, the would-be robber gives Spidey the slip with this subterfuge, and flees down into the subway.

Our thief hops the turn-styles and quickly goes to hop on board a train.  Spidey follows, but is stopped by the police.  Ya see, this is still early yet in the Black Costume Saga, and New York's Finest aren't quite sure what to make of this "new" vigilante.  Before he's able to get on the Grand Central-bound train, Spider-Man does manage to toss a Spider-Tracer onto the bad-guy's back.

We jump ahead to later that night.  Both Spider-Man and Ron (the bad guy) arrive at their respective homes.  Peter, naturally is at his New York City apartment, while Ron lives wayyy out in da burbs.  Pete watches (I'm assuming) Dallas all by his lonesome, while Ron dines and sleeps with his wife.

The following morning, Peter gets up, has breakfast, and heads out on the town in hopes of tracking down his Spider-Tracer... and, also... the bad guy.  Ron sleeps in.  Looks like he's not going to work in the City today.  Worth noting, Peter has cereal with milk.  Nothing weird about that, right?  Only thing is, the quickest way to make me sick... to make me gag... is to see someone eating cereal and milk.  There is really nothing more disgusting to me.  Just the thought of soggy cereal, and discolored milk... and, and... and... when the cereal's gone, and whoever's eating it kinda tips the bowl into their mouth to finish the rest of the milk?  Ugh... you can't see it, but I'm fighting off the urge to gag as I type this!

Anyhoo, Spidey (in his red-and-blues) spends the better part of the day trying to trace the tracer... but, is coming up short.  He eventually deduces that this feller probably ain't in the City... and so, he heads back to his pad to pick up his Tracer-Tracer Gimmick, to amplify the signal... which places him atop a train bound for... suburbia!

Our hero gets a pretty lousy welcome to the 'burbs by... a Doberman!  Spidey shuts the pup up quick.

On the sidewalk, he runs into a tot on a bigwheel named Shana.  She asks if he's a stranger... and, uh... kid, if you have to ask... Anyhoo, she offers up her trike for Spidey to get around the neighborhood... but, he turns her down... claiming, if she's Shana... he's going to make like Ka-Zar.  Let's not think too deeply about that one, okay?  In a funny bit, he shoots his web at... nothing!  Ya see, there are no skyscrapers to swing from out here!  Spidey winds up in a tree... which breaks... nearly crushing poor Shana!

At this point, our man is confronted by a pair of nudnick suburbanites (hey, I can say that... I am a suburban nudnick).  The fella is ticked that Spidey broke his tree... the fella's wife seems to just wanna feel up our hero's butt!

After getting hassled (and felt up?) for a bit, Spidey webs them to the roof of their car.  He hops a lift on a passing bus to continue tracing-the-tracer.  The driver, upon realizing he's got a rooftop stowaway, pulls over and demands Spider-Man pay his fare!  Welp, no pockets... no money, so Spidey's outta luck!

In a pretty funny scene, we watch as Spider-Man just... walks... though a suburban neighborhood.  Love it!

He finally comes across a pair of Spider-Fans, in the form of garbage men!  They offer Spidey a lift on their truck... and, ya know what they say about beggars and choosers, right?

We jump back to Ron's house, where he's spending his day off doing a bit of laundry.  All the while, Spider-Man draws ever nearer to finding his tracer.  Ronnie discovers the tracer while tossing a load into the wash... and, upon realizing just what it is... stomps it to pieces!

Spidey was so close... yet so far.  Thankfully, ol' Ron figures the jig is up... and so, he grabs a bunch of dirty dough, and decides to make a break for it... nearly running over our hero in the process!

Spider-Man fires a web at the back of Ron's Volvo... but, unfortunately only manages to yank its rear bumper off!

As luck would have it, a taxicab happens to drive by.  In the suburbs?  Before Uber?  C'maaaaahn.  This driver doesn't speak any English either... which, I guess we'll allow.  Doesn't seem like he'd do great business in this lilly-white neighborhood though.  Anyhoo, Spidey's all "follow that car!" (which he thankfully doesn't follow up with "I always wanted to say that") and a chase... is on!

As the chase makes its way through the neighborhood, we catch glimpses of all our new friends... Shana, the creepy-couple, the garbage men, the bus... it's like old home week!  Everything goes to pot pretty quick, we've got some fender-bending... and Spider-Man bounds over the trash truck and lands right on Ronnie's ride!

We wrap up with Spider-Man saving the day... or, at least catching the crook... as all the wacky suburbanites act... well, wacky... and suburban.  Spidey laments just how crazy it is... out in the 'burbs!

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Man... I love this issue.  Makes me really miss reading Spider-Man... it's just too bad they stopped making Spidey comics all them years ago!  Err... a-hem.

This was just an absolute blast.  So much silly fun, making Spider-Man a bit of a fish out of water.  The gags, under a less skilled writer would have likely fallen a bit flat... but David manages to pull it off.  It doesn't overstay its welcome... it doesn't insist upon itself... it also doesn't pat itself on the back for being clever, which I very much appreciate.

I really enjoyed that, upon arrival in Scarsdale, or wherever... Spidey just instinctively shot a web... expecting it to connect to a tall building.  That panel alone... is just a riot!  It's like you can feel the realization hitting him as the sad little web-line unceremoniously plops down on the street.  So much fun.  Also, running into some weirdos... that's always a good time!  What do suburbanites know from heroes in the city, right?  Bringing everything together at the end, as if it were an episode of Seinfeld was a lot of fun too!  Obviously worth mentioning, the art was pretty fantastic throughout!

If you haven't read this one... and, I wager many of you have... I'd recommend doing so just as quick as you can!  If it's been awhile since you've read it (like it had been for me), I'd say it's definitely worth a revisit.  Peter David's written plenty of Spider-Man (plenty of great Spider-Man, including my favorite Spider-Man story: The Death of Jean DeWolff!)... but it's definitely a shame he didn't get an sustained run on the flagship Amazing Spider-Man.

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