AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114

The Follow Up!

Exploring the earliest comics I ever read/owned…

This is NOT one of them! I had #113 and it would be 10 years before I tracked down Part Two of this story, but…

I was curious to re-read it here to see how it held up to Part One!

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with cover art John Romita)

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It’s very rare to see the writer & artist on a comic combined together as ‘Art & Script by’, but Lee had written what would be his last issue of ASM on #110, and so Part Two (#111) of that featured a ‘John Romita/Gerry Conway Production’ listing, which makes sense as Romita (having actually written the story for Lee on #110, had probably already KNEW how the story would finish.

#112 was again listed as a ‘John Romita and Gerry Conway Avalanche of Offbeat Action’ but #113 broke down the work a little better as John Romita (art) and Gerry Conway (script).

Romita was finally getting his (more than just an) Artist Credit! (Well until Lee had the story from Spectacular Spider-Man #1 (Magazine) colored and expanded over 3 issues (#116-118)

When did Conway finally get his clean break as writer/scripter? ASM #121 

NOTE: Continuity Check: Spidey still has on the mask from the Costume Shop! (They even got it right on the cover)

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by T. Mortellaro & J. Starlin)

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Spider-Man also is still wearing the exo-skeleton that amplifies his power (he’s got a head cold and an ulcer). Lee always talked about Spider-Man having ailments that separated him from other heroes, but… I don’t really remember them happening all that much in those issues. Conway uses it pretty quickly in his run…

NOTE: Reference to the Godfather movie, which had come out in March, roughly 2 months before this story!

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by T. Mortellaro & J. Starlin)

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Unlike those goofy villains in that Captain America comic, Hammerhead and Doc Oak actually have some machismo.

They don’t just stand around taking orders or boasting in a way they can’t back up.

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by T. Mortellaro & J. Starlin)

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SpiderMan even gets grazed by a bullet… his Spider-Sense is quick, but at close range like that, 

he’d have to be the Flash to completely dodge it.

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by T. Mortellaro & J. Starlin)

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Conway wasn’t without using the standard tropes… unconscious Spider-Man taken captive and…

NOT unmasked. I always found that annoying.

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by T. Mortellaro & J. Starlin)

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Once an issue it seemed Romita liked to draw these Peter Parker/Spider-Man anxiety dream pages…

Well, they weren’t always full page one’s like this…

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by T. Mortellaro & J. Starlin)

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NOTES: Romita sure could draw women… I don’t think I ever actually heard someone use the word ‘cripes’.

This may be the first instance of PP/SM using the catch phrase ’Terrific’. It was Conway’s thing to , I guess, give Spidey a

personality phrase that distinguished him from other heroes. 

It’s always used as a word, alone, in its own word balloon, and meant to sound…

I don’t know, defeatist, like you’d imagine Charlie Brown saying it. 

I liked it.

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by T. Mortellaro & J. Starlin)

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That’s one way to show you’re toughness! 

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by T. Mortellaro & J. Starlin)

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Then we hear the origin of Hammerhead, a gangster who’s left for dead, beaten and disfigured, 

discovered by one of may mad scientists in these comic books who do ‘experiments’ and…

Presto! New Villain.

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by T. Mortellaro & J. Starlin)

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Yes, it IS Aunt May. There’s a fine line between acceptable and stupid, especially when it comes to comic books and,

I always sort of took the Aunt May/Doc Oc relationship with a grain of salt, though… it would lead to a pretty interesting 

ending in this story… 15 issues later it would go a bit too far though…

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by T. Mortellaro & J. Starlin)

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Boy oh boy… in hindsight this exchange between Professor Warren and Gwen Stacy is…

well it ISN’T a hint of what was to come because apparently Gerry Conway had no idea yet what

was in store for these two characters!

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by T. Mortellaro & J. Starlin)

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I never thought much of Gwen as a character. She always seemed like a plot device more than anything.

Be jealous, get angry because Peter has to ‘run off’, constantly keep him on his heels… ugh.

Behind his back she always defended him though…

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by T. Mortellaro & J. Starlin)

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THAT’s how to quietly take out two guys at once!

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by T. Mortellaro & J. Starlin)

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Man, talk about the weirdness of Spider-Man’s life. Aunt May, of all people, breaking a vase over his head!

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #114 - cover-dated November 1972, on newsstands August 8th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by T. Mortellaro & J. Starlin)

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But it wouldn’t match THIS in the following issue! I’ll do that story one of these days, but I had to show you it now!

One of the most interesting, and bizarre panels in Spider-Man’s long weird history!

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #115 - cover-dated December 1972, on newsstands September 5th, 1972, with Art & Script by John Romita and Gerry Conway - Art Assists by Tony Mortellaro)

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I’m going to explore the comics that I loved and that made me like what I like as a kid (and still like).

And along the way, show the one’s I read that I DIDN’T like (some I later changed my mind about, and some I STILL don’t care for…)

I hope you’ll join me!

Hey, if you're glad to see us back, leave a comment!

Thanks!

  AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113

NOW: How to make a GOOD Comic Book Story!

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with cover art John Romita)

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Note to Heroic Adventure Super Hero Comic Book Artists. THIS is how you stage a 3 page battle between a superhero and one of his most deadly foes. Because Spidey isn’t well… his banter is almost nil (we hear his thought’s, but they are about survival). You can’t have a hero on his heels and yet make him smug - and Doc Ock SOUNDS and LOOKS like he’s moving in for the kill… the difference between writing dialogue like this for the Porcupine or the Cowled Commander is crucial…. THIS is a dangerous foe.

I don’t know who those other clowns were.

Also… notice (with use of narration), the exo-skeleton as it falls…

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with art John Romita and inks by Tony Mortellaro and Jim Starlin))

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Conway, without sounding overly pompous, has narration only when its needed… too many of the 70’s Marvel writers blabbed on and on and on in those yellow (or blue) narration boxes… here its just enough to keep the story flowing. Peter/Spidey is obviously not well…

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with art John Romita and inks by Tony Mortellaro and Jim Starlin))

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I always liked Robbie Robertson, as I think he made a great yin to JJJ’s yang when it came to his interaction with Spider-Man (Spidey was respectful to him, so Robbie treated him with respect back and didn’t ASSUME anything he didn’t have proof of). Same with Peter Parker, who he gave a much more warm face to when he visited the office. 

HOWEVER… the dialogue amongst black characters in Marvel Comics, at some point, I realized sounded kind of forced…

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with art John Romita and inks by Tony Mortellaro and Jim Starlin))

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Conway’s bad guys shot and killed people - they were violent and ruthless - making them even more interesting. This IS a story involving Heroic Adventure… I wasn’t entertained by silly Porpupine’s and Cowled Commanders… give me something intense. 

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with art John Romita and inks by Tony Mortellaro and Jim Starlin))

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I thought Conway (with Romita and then Ross Andru) created some… useful villains to go with Spidey’s exceptional rogues gallery. Doc Ock’s going to be a gangster running crime in New York? How about an old school style gangster to go up against… with a weird, almost grotesque Dick Tracy-ish power himself… this would be the first appearance of…

But WAIT… this is just the tease…

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with art John Romita and inks by Tony Mortellaro and Jim Starlin))

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Doc Ock, with a savage streak and yet an intellectual calm. Well written. 

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with art John Romita and inks by Tony Mortellaro and Jim Starlin))

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Most other heroes had no reason - in my mind - to keep their identities secret. The most important reason for Spider of course was that it would KILL Aunt May, who would either a) never understand and be horrified at him being in danger and presented as a public menace and b) make her a target of his enemies.

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with art John Romita and inks by Tony Mortellaro and Jim Starlin))

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Peter Parker has an ulcer. At 9 years of age I had to ask my mom what that was.

Gerry Conway understood and wrote this character so well…

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with art John Romita and inks by Tony Mortellaro and Jim Starlin))

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To think… back in the early days, Lee, due to pressure from uber nerds who read the comics and felt their voice MUST be heard as far as how things went in the book - tried to convince Ditko to STOP making JJJ take so much delight in Spider-Man’s misery. 

Lucky for all of us, Ditko completely DEFIED him.

(See: ASM #18 where Ditko showed JJJ grinning like a madman over Sider-Man’s misery about 20 times)

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with art John Romita and inks by Tony Mortellaro and Jim Starlin))

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I wonder if Batman ever had to swipe (sorry, ‘borrow’) a mask from a costume shop in order to go fight crime.

The correct use of narration for a few panels…

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with art John Romita and inks by Tony Mortellaro and Jim Starlin))

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...mixed with the character talking to himself in a few panels.

Conway balances it perfectly here.

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with art John Romita and inks by Tony Mortellaro and Jim Starlin))

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Now it’s time for the REAL battle. SpiderMan is feeling better AND…

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with art John Romita and inks by Tony Mortellaro and Jim Starlin))

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…finds the exo-sekelton to power himself more. Romita knows how to stage a battle… but this is just the beginning of our story as we finally get to see..

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with art John Romita and inks by Tony Mortellaro and Jim Starlin))r 5th, 1972, with art Sal Buscema and inks by John Verpoorten)

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Hammerhead.

THIS is what I expected of a Comic Book at the age of 9-10, and really… what I expect now.

Hammerhead seemed dangerous, I mean... they have machine guns! Compare this to that final panel of Cap #158 with those dorky Stan Lee Ant-Man villain rejects and...

It doesn't compare.

(AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #113 - cover-dated October 1972, on newsstands July 11th, 1972, with art John Romita and inks by Tony Mortellaro and Jim Starlin))

——

I’m going to explore the comics that I loved and that made me like what I like as a kid (and still like).

And along the way, show the one’s I read that I DIDN’T like (some I later changed my mind about, and some I STILL don’t care for…)

I hope you’ll join me!

Hey, if you're glad to see us back, leave a comment!

Thanks!