Spider-Man Heroes & Villains Collection (UK) #43

Background

This is a 60-part weekly series being pumped into the market by Eaglemoss publications. They don't know much about Spidey, but they know that 60 * $8.99 = quite a lot. And I'm the kind of idiot who will spend that sort of money without doing the math.

There's an original 7-page story in every issue, and collectible trading cards too. Sure, the stories are terrible, the art has been 90% ghastly, and the price is far, far too high. But there's glossy paper, trading cards, and an original Spider-Man comic strip series that 99% of the U.S. collectors will never own!

Story 'Electric Dreams'

Oh no, Electro is everywhere. He can travel through televisions and see into everybody's homes! What does he want? Money? Power? Revenge on... Spider-M... what? Revenge on Harry? Electro is using his near-infinite powers to get back at Harry? No way!

Yes way! You see, back in Spider-Man Heroes & Villains Collection (UK) #31, Electro kidnapped Harry in order to get information about the Green Goblin. While Harry was tied to a chair, the "Green Goblin" arrived and rescues Harry. Now, the "Green Goblin" was actually Spider-Man in disguise. But that's neither here nor there.

So, Electro blames Harry for being rescued by the Green Goblin. And here's the part that really makes Electro mad. It wasn't really the Green Goblin! For that double insult, Harry must pay!

No, it makes no sense to me either.

But let's move on to how Electro got his enhanced powers. The Tinkerer stumbled into a super-chip that may be of alien Kree technology. Tinkerer didn't know what it did, so he figured that the best way to deal with sensitive computer equipment is to zap it with as many volts as possible, so he called on Electro. Hint. Don't try this with real computer equipment, kids. Your laptop CPU will not appreciate being zapped with even a little bit of static electricity.

But in this case, the chip leaps into Elecro's body, giving the villain those aforementioned powers - namely to transfer himself into pure electricity and be everywhere at once. Oh, yeah, and also giving Electro the power to become pure lightning.

How is poor Harry to escape? By leaping through the mystic inter-dimensional portal that first appeared way back at the start of this series. Of course!

Meanwhile, the chip has used Electro to summon a Kree spaceship to take it home. It abandons Electro, leaving him only with his normal powers once more.

The danger is over. But Harry is still lost in the dimensions.

General Comments

Not that bloody inter-dimensional portal again! Why not just call this magazine "the Amazing Multi-Purpose Plot-Sustaining Inter-Dimensional Mystic Technology Portal (with guest appearances by Spider-Man)".

Overall Rating

The immature art distracted my attention momentarily from the pointless plot and insufferable dialog. But only briefly.

One web.