Spectacular Spider-Man (UK Magazine) #116

Background

Ever wondered what happened to the Spider-Man of the 90's TV cartoon series? Well, he's alive and kicking in Spectacular Spider-Man Magazine, currently being released every three weeks in the United Kingdom. Each issue features a swag of puzzles, posters, letters, and general all-out Spidey fun - all aimed at the young at heart. Plus, there's an 11-page original story featuring more of Spider-Man's Adventures.

Story 'Shock Tactics!'

Elektra is in town, and the Kingpin has a job for her. Fatboy wants Elektra to bring him Spidey's mask and head. The rest is optional. Nice and simple, eh?

Elsewhere, Peter is shopping for a new camera. Seems like he goes through a fair few of them. How annoying, a business expense - and he can't even write them off against his taxes! Shopping is interrupted when he gets a spidey-sense tingle, and off he goes as Spider-Man. And true to form there's a guy a few blocks away hanging off the edge of a building. Spidey goes into rescue mode, but is interrupted by a kick in the head from Elektra. Yeah, it was a trap. "The game begins", says Elektra.

Spidey does the rescue of the suitably ungrateful bystander, and then enters a running battle against Elektra. Until they are both surprised by the entrance of... The Shocker! Seems like the Kingpin didn't trust Elektra, and so he sent Shocker to keep an eye on her. This doens't please Elektra, and she slips away to make contact with the Kingpin and insist that he come to pick up Spidey personally... which he does. Turns out that Kingpin was actually standing BEHIND the wall on which the computer panel displaying his face was mounted. How unbelievably convenient for the plot!

Kingpin and Elektra return to the Spidey/Shocker battle, making it a four-way battle royal. Four pages of fight-scene later, Kingpin and Shocker are KO'd. Actually, it technically seems that Kingpin is "paralysed" by the shocker's beam. Given that the shocker's hand units deliver sonic vibrations, it's hard to see how that could happen. But it's a key to the story, as it allows Elektra to deliver the message to Kingpin that her entire involvement was merely to allow her to tell Fisk that she no longer wishes to work for him.

General Comments

This story is full of bright battles, but the dialogue is painfully stilted, and the plot-holes and unbelievable coincidences are too much for anybody out of their teens to comfortably accomodate. In the final analysis this is just a "tale full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

Overall Rating

Strictly for the kids. Bland page-filler that's pretty to look at but ultimately unsatisfying. A meagre two webs for this effort.