Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #167

Background

Spider-Man is in London, but he left his memory behind. Kingpin's hired killers are on his trail. Meanwhile back in Manhattan, MJ is finding solace in the arms of another...

Story 'A Misty Kind of Memory'

Peter is still amnesiac, and he displays a great deal of strength, much to the kids' excitement. The captain of the boat says Peter didn't have any identification on him when he found him. Only that the captain is Leo Knight, and he knows that if he shows Peter the costume he had when Leo fished him out of the Mersey, he might remember who he is. And if Spider-Man is in Liverpool, it's because he's after his brother and Fogg. And he can't allow it.

Short note: I assume Leo took off Peter's costume because he was soaked, and then he decided to lie when he found out he had no memories. Any other way and it wouldn't make sense.

Meanwhile, in NY, MJ and Jason Jerome are having fun. He manages to kiss her, but she falls back, and ask him to take her home. She's clearly upset, but with herself.

Firehart chastises the Bugle's correspondent in London for not keeping a track of Spider-Man. After that, he turns into the Puma, and attends a meeting with the Kingpin. The mob lord wants to hire him to kill the Chameleon and Hammerhead. The Puma agrees to talk about it.

Meanwhile, Peter's having dinner in a pub with Leo, while Edgar and Evelyn Fogg arrive. Soon after, Malcom and Thomas arrive too. Leo likes Evelyn who likes Malcolm, who likes Evelyn too but shuns her off because of his criminal life. Peter's Spider-Sense goes haywire when the murdeous duo enters, and he tips over his table while getting up. Leo escorts him home, while he complains his head is blowing. This, of course, doesn't go unnoticed by Thomas. He asks his father who the American is, and his father says the guy's an amnesiac who was fished out of the river this morning. Fogg says he's going to take care of some unfinished business, and asks his father to warn Knight, as soon as he's over with talking to Evelyn. He leaves and goes into mist-mode, realizing he was careless no to check that Spidey was dead, but that he would repair that mistake.

Inside, Evelyn kisses Knight, but he says they can't be together. At Leo's, Leo tells Peter about the clothes he was weraing, and who he is. Peter dresses them, but he can't seem to remember. Leo says he won't have a chance with Evelyn while Malcolm is free. Fogg crashes in, and decides to kill Leo for his betrayal. He throws Spidey through the window (this time it's a ground-floor, no worries -- it was just to get him out of the way). Outside, Peter starts getting his memory back... in due time, because Knight is standing right above him. Spidey attacks, but he's thrown against a wall. He bounces back and knocks down Knight, who reverts to his human form. Spidey moves for the KO, but Fogg arrives and Spidey is forced to flee. Evelyn and Edgar, who had arrived right after Knight was reverted, help him get up. They look inside the house. Leo is lying motionless on the floor. Knight swears vengeance against Spider-Man, and shows Evelyn exactly why he rejected her. He transforms and goes after Spidey.

Meanwhile, Fogg is strangling Spidey. Spidey manages to stun him by ripping of an eletrical cable (with his webs) and pulling him against Fogg. Knight arrives, convinced Spidey killed his brother. When Spidey says it must have been Fogg, they turn at each other, and Spidey uses the cable again to KO them both.

Small note: it was raining. Actually, pouring down. Spidey's trick should have zapped him too the first time he tried it, and a high voltage wire doesn't really KO. On the other hand, I suppose Electro is more powerful than that, and he didn't kill any super-powered being yet.

After that, we find out that Leo is alive, we get a bit of moral speech and it's over. What I just don't get is how a professional killer who has those powers for 5 years, and always strangles his victims can leave someone alive after having all the time in the world to deal with him. Maybe that's why they stuck around the Arranger's body for so long, Fogg's victims usually get back up. Oh, and MJ is confused not because Jason kissed her, but because she liked it.

General Comments

MJ betraying Peter, Noooo!

Overall Rating

How could any issue which has MJ in the arms of another guy ever hope to score more than a below-average rating? Two and a half webs!