Untold Tales of Spider-Man #9

Background

Writer : Kurt Busiek
Guest Artists : Ron Frenz and Brett Breeding

Story 'Monster Mash'

This issue starts with a bang! Namely, Spidey and the Lizard tumbling through a window! We soon learn, thanks to a flashback by Spidey, how they got in that position. Peter sees Dr.Connors (the Lizard's alter ego), and decides that the Doc could probably help out Spidey's pal Batwing (see previous issues of "Untold"), and maybe even cure him!

Unfortunately, there is an accident with the serum and Doc Connors changes into the Lizard. He beats up Spidey and takes off to hide under the se ers. Spidey whips up the antidote, he and Batwing find Lizzie in the sewer, and, using teamwork they cure him. Batwing leaves with the Doc in order to work on a cure for his condition. It is a pretty average fight scene with no real surprises. The fun part is the sub-plots and this issue has lots of them!

At school, Peter barely contains himself from taking his temper out on the ever-jerky Flash Thompson. Their fight is broken up by Tiny, who shows up at school with a broken arm and a depressed attitude (if you remember Tiny from past issues, he has some family problems). I smell a "child abuse"-themed issue sometime in the near future.

Peter also visits the Daily Bugle, and is perplexed that Betty is still on a leave of absence. JJJ, in his usual jovial manner, tells him that he has to get some pictures of the Lizard, but Peter destroys any pictures he gets to protect the Doc's privacy. On a final ominous note, we see a mysterious scantily clad female who has just robbed a parcel of diamonds decide that she should head off to New York for some excitement.

General Comments

All in all, this was another good issue, although the fight scene was a little predictable. I don't really like Batwing too much, so I sort of just ignore stores that he is in. Frenz and Breeding do a good job on the art, keeping that old-style feel that is so important to this book.

Overall Rating

I give this 4 webs out of 5