Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #85

Background

After recovering from the ear-infection caused by Morbius' bite, Peter and MJ were looking for a little off-time from the superhero thing. Too bad the Shocker doesn't see it that way!

Story 'Little Lies'

For about the hundreth time, Aunt Anna almost finds out Peter's Spider-Man by fiddling with their laundry. Pete and MJ talk about buying their own place in the city, something closer to campus and a little more private. Mary Jane tells Pete that they're going to meet the Stacy's, namely Jill and Paul. Petey starts griping, but MJ tells him to suck it up.

Switch to the Stacy home, where Paul is still being pestered by the Friends of Humanity. In the past few issues, Paul had become a charter member of F.O.H, but then ducked out after having a little heart-to-heart with Robin Vega, who was a mutant. Donovan Zane, NY's F.O.H. captain, is disappointed about Paul's decision, and decides to call in some "professional" help to deal with the Stacy boy.

Later that evening, when Jill and Paul meets up with MJ and Peter, it's angst as always as the two men constantly get on each other's nerves. The girls duck out to the ladies' room, hoping the boys can resolve their problems, and to Peter's credit, he tries. But Paul still pulls the ol' "stick-up-the-hiney" routine, and leaves the restaurant in a huff. And he runs right into THE SHOCKER!!!

Just as Shockey plans to put Paul out of the game, Spider-man comes swinging in to save the day. He flips a tracer on Paul Stacy as he runs away, while trying to keep Shocker from bringing down buildings on the innocent by-standers. Shocker erupts a gas-main by using his vibro-blasts on the street. Spidey cleans up, but by that time, Shocker's gone!

Later, Spidey tracks down Paul Stacy to (where else) the top of the Brooklyn Bridge. Stacy's standing at the top, contemplating his life. Spidey tells him "I'm not going to let you kill yourself." Paul says he wasn't even thinking of that, but now that he mentioned it, it seemed like a good idea. "Let's see what you're made of... Spider-man!" Pauls says, and approached the ledge!

General Comments

Finally! An issue where Spidey and his supporting cast are the main focus of the story!

I'm just about sick and tired of Peter leaving himself open for Aunt Anna. He needs to either send his costume out to Avenger's Mansion for pressing, or hand wash it. Those two need their own place, definitely.

I liked the development of the Paul Stacy character, but he seems too bitter, too mad at everyone else in the world. You'd think after so many years, he'd be over it. I think that Paul's headed somewhere, I just wish he'd suck it up and get there.

The return of the Shocker was a definite delight. For one of the few old Spidey villans that did not require a ressurection, his re-appearance was a welcome one.

Overall Rating

It didn't piss me off, but it didn't knock my socks off, either. This issues seems to be a "transition" issue, and didn't contain a lot of action. Not every book has to be filled with non-stop action, but the story contained in them should be interesting enough so that the reader doesn't realize that nothing's really happened. I think this issue did that, but didn't give out any shockwaves (pun intended) or revelations that made me gasp. So I've got to Knight it... "Sir Three Webs"!