Miscellaneous Comments:    26 October 1999

    Earlier tonight I read an issue of Mark Waid's Flash. And I enjoyed it. A lot. I've become a real Flash fan in the last few years. It's good super-hero comics. Good straight-forward super-heroics. Straight-forward in the sense that it has nothing to do with magic, or fantasy realms, or outer space, or elaborate back stories.

    It's just a Super-Hero and a Villain.

    Going at it.

    Flash #72 is a prime example. The hero is Flash, the villain in Doctor Alchemy. The Doctor is out to nail a fellow-crook who double crossed him and Flash has been brought in to protect that self same crook.

    From there it's all down to the writer to make the yarn worth reading.

    And Waid does a superb job. Being part two of a story, the issue opens in the heat of the action. Flash is in trouble.

    But he escapes. Pretty soon he has the baddie cornered, and makes off with the target in his care. A little interrogation follows (to advance the story) before Dr. Alchemy shows up again and Flash does something brave to beat him.

    And the issue ends in a high note.

    Cool!

    Anyway, having read that, I felt like some more Superhero action.

    But, when I looked around my collection I failed to see anything in a similar vein. The Avengers, although cool, is a team book. Doctor Fate is magic. The Incredible Hulk doesn't fit into any moulds. Sandman and Shade and Doom Patrol are in a world of their own. The Punisher is too realistic. Fantastic Four… too fantastic. X-Men too involved.

    And then I remembered…

    Spider-Man.

    The best super-hero of them all.

    A guy I haven't read for years.

    So, I dipped in and pulled out Spectacular Spider-Man #164.

    And I loved it.

    Now, don't get me wrong, it's not a classic or anything. This isn't one of the innovative Spider-Man stories. Nor is it one of the turning points in his life. Nor is it part of much wider story arc.

    It's just a straight-forward good vs. evil yarn.

    And it is extremely well done.

    From the opening moments, I knew I was going to enjoy the issue. "Bugged" is told - chiefly - from the point of view of the bad guy. It opens with The Beetle - newly back from prison - flying over the city and reflecting on the fact that Spider-Man always seems to be around at the wrong time lately. Just when Beetle is planning something, Spidey swings by. Six weeks this has been going on, and The Beetle is royally pissed.

    Anyway, enough Spider-Man, Abner - for that is his real name - has an appointment with a member of the mob. A high up member of the mob.

    Who - it turns out - wants him to kill Spider-Man!

    Abner doesn't like the sound of this, so he declines the contract and prepares to make his way out.

    His contact - The Arranger - relents and instead offers him information on an upcoming movement of diamonds. If The Beetle carries out the heist, he gets to keep 50% of the take.

    Abner agrees.

    He's sick of this game. And he's - fairly - determined to get out. For good. After this one last job.

    He's nervous.

    He doesn't even sleep the night before.

    Little does he know that he's a pawn in somebody else's game. The Arrangers wants Spidey dead. He wants a confrontation between the two men. Any way possible.

    So he tips Spider-Man off about the heist.

    And when The Beetle arrives, Spidey is waiting.

    A battle ensues.

    The Beetle escapes.

    And heads straight back to The Arranger.

    But Spidey's in hot pursuit, and determined to protect the man who wants him dead.

    A second battle, and The Beetle is down.

    End of story.

    Type of Series: Super-hero.

    Similar Comics: Flash; Daredevil. While Spider-Man and Flash are generally light in tone, Daredevil can be a bleak series.

    Typical Issue: This one. Peter would rather spend the day with his wife, but duty calls. Spider-Man is about responsibility.

    Strengths: The likeability of the central character.

    Plotting: Good. Spidey, Beetle and Arranger are playing off one another very nicely.

    Logic: Impeccable.

    Originality: None really. It's good stuff, but it's hardly innovative.

    Ending: Superb. As Beetle lies defeated at his feet, Spider-Man clues him in to the bigger picture. And Abner realises that The Arranger is in some deep doo-doo.

    Re-Readability: High.

    Impressive Characters: All three principles.

    Impressive Writers: When I see the name Gerry Conway in the credits I think: "solid dependable Spider-Man story-telling."

    Impressive Artists: When I see the name Sal Buscema in the credits I think: "solid dependable Spider-Man art-work."

    Impressive Dialogue: Abners closing narration is quite haunting: "So the Arranger's got a problem with The Kingpin, huh? Well, that's some consolation… Funny, you see a guy like The Arranger, you see someone with power and perks… and you never think what it's gotta cost him to keep what he's got. You never think… there's a guy whose whole life depends on keeping one man happy. So what happens when the boss ain't happy no more? Makes you wonder. Maybe there're worse things than a stretch behind bars."

    Impressive Scenes: The final shot of the Arranger. A small man in a large room.

    Continuity: Reference is made to the gang war which got The Arranger in trouble.

    Guide:

    Reviews:

    Other Info: Spectacular Spider-Man ran 263 issues, that's 22 years. To my mind it was always the most dependable Spider-Man series.

GRADE: B+

Review by Michael Leddy

Comments are welcome: rikerdonegal@hotmail.com

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