Avengers Classic #11 (Story 2)

Background

This is a continuity implant story that occurs around the time of Avengers #11. In this story a very young Spider-Man meets up with a newly-revived Captain America.

Story 'Along Came a Spider!'

Spidey is going up against Electro and getting ready to hand the villain his cowl when, while dodging one of Electro's blasts, the inexperienced Spidey lands wrong and twists his ankle. Just as Electro is about to take our webbed hero out with an electrical blast, he is stopped by a red-white-and blue circular shield by a certain WWII veteran. When Electro realizes that he is now going up against Captain America, he is ready to bail, only he can't because Spidey has webbed he feet to the roof of the building on which they were fighting.

Next Cap utilizes his shield to take out the legs of a nearby water tower, dousing the electrical villain with several hundred gallons of water, and soaking him to the bone, and preventing him from recharging. Spidey tosses a web over the downed villain, and then gets drawn into a conversation with the WWII legend. In just a few sentences Cap nearly perfectly pegs who Spidey is, and why he is doing what he is doing. He also compliments Spidey in that while his fighting style is akin to "A caffeinated idiot" he can tell that packs quite a punch. He also acknowledges Spidey's scientific ability as he notices that the web shooters are hand-built.

Finally the two heroes get down to just talking. Cap admits that he missed quite a bit while he was on ice, while Spidey admits that he is totally freaking out being this close to a living legend. Spidey admits that someone close to him died because he didn't take his role seriously enough, and Cap tells him that so long as he walks the straight and narrow he'll be fin, but if he ever crosses the line, Cap will be there to take him down. Cap also tells Spidey that one day he, if he continues to improve, he too might one day live up to the promise of becoming an Avenger.

Cap then shakes hands with Spider-Man and tells him that he'll have Spidey's back if he ever needs it. Then they share a couple of hot dogs that they purchase from a nearby street vendor. Right about now Giant Man pears over the top of the building, startling Spidey. Giant Man tells Cap that he's been looking for him as there is some Avenger business to which they need to attend. Spidey asks if he could join in, but is rebuffed by Giant Man with a "this is real heroes' business" type of response. The Teenaged Spidey is totally impressed by this exchange, as well as having lunched with Cap. General:

Wow, what a totally cool story this was. It perfectly precipitates all of the events that follow, all of the times that Cap and Spidey ever met following this event without violating anything that followed. It is so cool that Cap's comments here mirror the conversation that he had with Peter in New Avengers when he recruited him into the new team. You really need to pick up this book and read how Spider-Man should be being written.

General Comments

Wow, what a totally cool story this was. It perfectly precipitates all of the events that follow, all of the times that Cap and Spidey ever met following this event without violating anything that followed. It is so cool that Cap's comments here mirror the conversation that he had with Peter in New Avengers when he recruited him into the new team. You really need to pick up this book and read how Spider-Man should be being written.

Overall Rating

You just can't read a story better than this.

Footnote

For quite a long time now I have been saying how Spider-man is my generation's Captain America. Both are as morally upstanding as you could possibly be without wearing a Boy Scout uniform. In fact, the only real difference between the two of them is that Steve Rogers got to wrap himself in the U.S. flag and receive the support of the Federal government, while Peter was forced to endure the ire of JJJ] In fact, I had initially suggested that when Cap was killed, it should have been Peter who was offered to have worn the uniform, but then again, that's just me.