12:01 PM
Brad
Plot Overview: A creature named the Lizard chases men out if his swamp and tells them to stay out. Meanwhile, in New York, Spider-Man grabs a copy of the Bugle to see that he's being challenged to face off with the Lizard. He decides to try and get JJJ to send him to Florida as Peter Parker. JJJ of course declines. He doesn't believe that the Lizard actually exists.
Peter decides to head to the museum to try and learn more about reptiles. Liz Allan and Flash Thompson are also there. Peter realizes that two men have stolen something from the museum and sneaks off to become Spider-Man. He returns to find that the men have taken Liz Allan hostage. Spider-Man saves the day and Liz instantly falls for the masked hero.
Spider-Man decides to take a different approach to JJJ and visits in person. He webs JJJ to the ceiling and tells him he accepts his challenge. He's heading to Florida and JJJ better send a photographer. JJJ sends for Parker and tells him that they are going to Florida. Peter is not amused by having JJJ tag along but he figures he'll just have to make the best of it.
They arrive in Florida and Peter tells JJJ that he'll meet up with him later. Peter dons the Spider-Man suit and quickly encounters the Lizard. The Lizard ambushes him and pulls him under water. Spider-Man throws mud in his face to escape. Spider-Man quickly realizes that the Lizard isn't a guy in a suit and then tries to grab his tail. The Lizard flings Spider-Man far away from the battle.
Spider-Man realizes that he's close to the house of reptile expert Curt Conners and finds his wife Martha crying. She explains that her husband is the Lizard. He lost his arm in the war and decided to try and derive a serum for reptiles to try and regrow his arm. The experiment was initially successful but Curt eventually changed into the Lizard. He loses his humanity the longer he exists as the Lizard.
Martha's son Billy is being chase by the Lizard and Spider-Man makes the save. He punches the Lizard and almost breaks his hand in the process. Martha calls out for Billy and it causes the Lizard to flee the scene. Spider-Man asks for Curt's notes on the serum and begins to develop an antidote. Just as Spider-Man finds success, the Lizard storms the house. The battle is quick as the Lizard throws an oak desk on Spider-Man and then leaves thinking he has killed his opponent.
Spider-Man sets out in search of the Lizard and finds him gathering crocodiles near an old abandoned tower. The Lizard is planning to use the serum to make a race of super intelligent reptiles. Part of the tower crumples and the Lizard sees Spider-Man. The coming battle pretty much sees Spider-Man trying to avoid the Lizard and distracting him with web. Spider-Man also has to contend with the crocodiles and eventually locks himself in a tower with the Lizard. He manages to get the Lizard to swallow the antidote. The Lizard catches Spider-Man with his tail and has him beaten before finally reverting back to Curt Conners.
Spider-Man returns Curt safely to his family before becoming Peter Parker again. Parker meets up with JJJ and hands him pictures of the Lizard. JJJ thinks Parker has been scammed and won't buy the pictures. He also complains that he didn't get any Spider-Man pictures. They head back to New York with JJJ still mad at Parker. At home, Peter decides to call Liz Allan for a date. She says that he only has eyes for Spider-Man now. Peter thinks that's a real kick in the pants as the issue comes to a close.
My Take: Great issue here. Spider-Man was absolutely no match for the Lizard in this issue and it made this a really memorable comic. He tried going toe to toe with the Lizard the first few times and it was a disaster. He finally decided to just avoid the Lizard and get the antidote in his mouth. I love it when the hero has to use strategy and out think the bad guy like this. I think this issue really showcased what the Spider-Man character is all about. Spider-Man is an underdog through and through and this was a perfect example of that. He had no business beating the Lizard and yet he managed to pull it off with determination and brainpower.
This read a lot like a monster movie from the 50s and 60s. A giant lizard creature in a swamp, terrorizing the public. I think this was a well executed storyline. It had almost no Silver Age cheese to it either. I think this story could actually work in modern times with some rewriting. The characterization is really good in this issue and it felt like a Spider-Man comic. This issue also featured a ton of action. Spider-Man and the Lizard had about 4 different battles in this book. 3 of those fights were really short but the final fight was about 4-5 pages at the end. You could feel the desperation from Spider-Man during the last battle and it was a very memorable fight.
I've said it a few times in these reviews but it's amazing how quickly they figured out Spider-Man. There were virtually zero hiccups in the process of getting the character off the ground. And his rogues gallery has just exploded from the beginning. This is issue 6 and we've been introduced to Doctor Octopus, the Vulture, the Sandman, Lizard and Chameleon. Those are all villains that continue to play a part in the Spider-Man mythos up to the modern era.
As always, the art is top notch in this issue. The Lizard looked awesome in this issue and the fight scene was really good. Steve Ditko always brings his A game on the Spider-Man title. I think Spider-Man probably features my favorite art from the Silver Age.
I give this **** out of *****.
Notes: This is the first appearance of the Lizard and the Conner family. The Lizard is one of Spider-Man's biggest foes over the years. You honestly don't get much bigger as far as Spider-Man villains go than the Lizard. He was the featured villain of the latest movie and he's appeared in several of the animated series. As far as Spider-Man villains go, he's probably one of my favorite. There's just something special about a Lizard story to me. He's a foe that Spider-Man can't really stand toe to toe with in a good story and he has to outsmart him. He's a good villain to showcase the underdog nature of the Spider-Man character.
Next Issue: Journey Into Mystery #98
Posted in: Amazing Spider-Man,Aunt May,Betty Brant,Billy Conners,Flash Thompson,J. Jonah Jameson,Liz Allan,Lizard,Martha Conners,Spider-Man
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