Spider-Man: The Manga #7

Background

We start a new three-part arc in which The Kangaroo is the villain, in a story which for the first time in the Manga series, is loosely based on a tale from the original Spidey. Yu Komori is our Spider-Man, if you didn't know. The rest of the supporting cast is pretty much non-existant.

Story Details

At the Japan Pro Wrestling Association, an official makes an emergency phone call to the police. A foreign wrestler known as the Kangaroo is wreaking havoc. Before the police can arrive, the Kangaroo flees, pursued by five wrestlers. A fight takes place on a Tokyo sidewalk where Yu Komori, our friendly neighborhood Manga Spider-Man steps in on the side of the Kangaroo, seeing as the odds are five to one against him. But the blood that is spread about comes from the five wrestlers. It is the Kangaroo who is pounding on them. Before Spidey can sort it all out, the Kangaroo bounds away. The wrestlers tell Spidey that Kangy is "a wanted criminal in the U.S." who "got kicked out of the American Pro Wrestling Association" (which must have taken some doing), so the web-slinger decides to give chase. The two super-powered antagonists briefly tangle before the Kangaroo gets away.

But it doesn't end there. The wrestlers and the police blame Spider-Man for sticking his nose into the initial fight. Nearby, the Manga J. Jonah Jameson, publisher of the Joho Newspaper, has witnessed the whole event and gets an idea for an article. He is still steamed over giving up one hundred thousand dollars to Spidey for the capture of Electro and he wants revenge.

The next day, an editorial appears entitled, "The Truth About Spider-Man" in which the publisher maintains that our hero is only in this business for the money. All over Japan, the media plays Spidey up as a villain and the people start to believe it. When Yu attempts to stop the Kangaroo at the Toyko Gymnasium, the crowd attacks the webhead. Yu is forced to let the Kangaroo escape He chooses, instead, to save a young boy from getting trampled in the rush of the crowd. The boy certainly appreciates being saved but this selfless act does little to persuade the mob.

Overall Rating

The series is steadily improving. Here's hoping that continues. Three webs.