Comics Corner: Web Of Spider-Man 29

   

Title: Web Of Spider-Man
Issue Number: 29
Release Date: August 1987

Highlights

• The story opens at Ned Leed's funeral, and we're told it takes place during the events of The Amazing Spider-Man 289
• Death of Mr. Varley, and Mr. Johnston
• Reference is made to Spider-Man Versus Wolverine, and The Amazing Spider-Man 284 - 288
• After everyone leaves the funeral, Richard Fisk approaches the casket, and leaves a rose on it
• He's interrupted by Joy Mercado and Lance Bannon
• As Joy grills him with questions, Bannon snaps photographs
• Richard tells his girlfriend Dina about Ned being Hobgoblin, and their combined plan to take over the city
• In his office, Roderick Kinglsey and Lt. Keating argue over the death of Hobgoblin
• Kinglsey says he'll do 15 to 20 years for his involvement with the villain, but that if he goes down, he's taking Keating with him
• Though he may not have broken any laws, Keating is reminded that he turned a blinds eye to Hobgoblin's activities in exchange for tips on the mob
• Mr. Varley and Mr. Johnston burst in, stating that Foreigner has no more use for them, and they attempt to kill both men
• Spider-Man returns home, needing someone to talk to, and self volunteering Black Cat, but she's stepped out for the night, leaving a note that he shouldn't wait up
• The events from The Amazing Spider-Man 289, where Hobgoblin comes to Rose's home, kills Varley, and Johnston, but then learns Kingpin has a file on him, once again unfold
• However, after them, the Rose states he's going to burn his mask, and be done with the alter ego
• Alfredo infiltrates an old Hobgoblin stronghold, checking for anything that could lead to Richard Fisk
• Wolverine finds a moping Peter Parker sitting on the docks, and attempts to talk to him
• He's approached by a thug who pulls a knife, and demands his wallet
• Wolverine responds in kind by showing the thug his blades
• The thug calls in reinforcements
• Hobgoblin finds Alfredo at the stronghold, and the two battle
• They take their fight to the streets as Alfredo speeds away in his car, and Hobgoblin gives chase
• Their fight takes them past Spider-Man and Wolverine, enjoying round two with the thugs from earlier
• The Arranger see's Spider-Man, and deliver's the message that Kingpin wishes to see him
• Alfredo crashes into the river, but is saved by Spider-Man
• Hobgoblin retreats
• Thinking his friend is dead, Richard Fisk questions what he's become
• Wolverine tells Spider-Man he can't keep carrying the burden of people's deaths, that he has too much to live for

Low Points

• Peter is once again moping around talking about quitting being Spider-Man - I thought we'd all moved past that
• It's a lot of retreading on The Amazing Spider-Man issue 289

Oddities

• Editor's Day Off: As Hobgoblin chases Alfredo, he says, "Let there be and end to this game!"

Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Retro Spins - Huey Lewis And The News - Small World

By 1988, Huey Lewis And The News was in a steady decline of sales and popularity. Despite their previous album, Fore! (1986), reaching number one on the Billboard 200, sales wise, if far under performed in comparison to 1983's Sports. This drop continued with 1988's Small World, which stalled out at number eleven on the Billboard 200, and would "only" go platinum in the USA, and gold in Canada. As a whole, it was considered, "noticeably weaker" by critics and label Chrysalis.

Single, Perfect World would also fail to impress much, stalling out at forty-eight on the Billboard Hot 100. As it would turn out, the only noteworthy highlight would appear to be the instrumental track at the end of the album, which was written solely to be used for highlight reels for the San Francisco 49ers, which the NFL team did indeed incorporate into their games.

Small World (Part 1), and Perfect World are pretty okay tracks, and as a whole, you can definitely hear that the band's writing styles have matured over the years.

However, as a whole, it's not a very noteworthy album. It's pretty mediocre at best. Candidly, there's not much more I can say beyond that. I mean, there's simply no hits here, and it was a pretty poor way to end the decade.

Overall, pretty boring. Specifically pointing out the song Slammin', it's a relatively unnecessary song, and frankly doesn't showcase any catchy riffs or hooks often associated with instrumental tunes.

The band's contract with Chrysalis came up for renewal after Small World, and the boys opted to depart, instead singing with EMI USA. However, they wouldn't release anything new until 1991's Hard At Play. It would be their last album to receive any form of sales certification, but not their last to chart on the Billboard 200.

Though they continued to tour, things were brought to an abrupt halt in 2018, when Lewis reported he had been diagnosed with Ménière's disease. Things worsened to the point where he essentially went deaf by 2025. The band would release one final album, 2020's Weather, before officially retiring. Through the aid of cochlear implant, Lewis has recently stated that he can once again hear talking, but doubts he'll ever be able to hear music, and thus perform ever again. That's kind of a downer.

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Disclaimer: They Toy Box does not endorse or contribute to piracy. Retro Spins posts are intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. None of the music discussed here is available for sale, downloading or distribution.

Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 289

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 189
Release Date: June 1987

Highlights

• Death of Mr. Varley, and Mr. Johnston
• Mac goes to Foreigner, and asks him to kills "someone" for him, to which he agrees
• After a brief phone call, and a quick call back, Mac is informed that Hobgoblin is dead, and the fee is one million dollars
• At JFK airport, the body of Ned Leeds is brought home, and there to see it are Robbie Robertson, Peter Parker, J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Leeds, and Marla Jameson
• Peter remembers the events as told in Spider-Man Versus Wolverine
• As Peter blames himself for Ned's death, J. Jonah Jameson also claims responsibility
• Despite his supposed death, Hobgoblin glides across the sky over JFK Airport
• Peter opts not to give chase
• While playing a literal game of chess together, Kingpin tells Foreigner he's not pleased that he had Hobgoblin killed without first consulting him
• Kingpin has his assistant, Mrs. Tate put word on the street that he wishes to see Spider-Man about information on Hobgoblin, including his identity
• At the funeral, Betty appears to be losing her mind, stating she's listening to hear if Ned is still breathing, and then asks the men carrying his casket to open it
• Peter pulls her away
• Betty tells Peter to head home, and that she'll be fine because her mother is coming to stay with her for a while, but as he walks down the street, he recalls that her mother passed away already
• Tired of running, Flash Thompson approaches a cop car, and attempts to turn himself in, but between thinking he's a vagrant, and hearing about an officer down over their radio, they dismiss him, and take off
• The Rose walks through his apartment, finding his staff murdered, as he announces he may be next, Hobgoblin emerges from the shadows
• Spider-Man arrives at Kingpin's building, and is given the file on Hobgoblin, no strings, no questions
• As Kingpin leaves, he confronts his man, Geppi, and tells him he knows that he is a double agent for The Rose, and bugged his office
• Kingpin gives him a choice; admit it and live, deny it and die
• After the man admits it, Kingpin kills him anyway
• In a flashback just before his death, Ned Leeds is revealed to be Hobgoblin

This event would be retconned in the
1997 mini-series, Hobgoblin Lives

• As Spider-Man begins to shout in disbelief, Kingpin returns to the room to tell him that Jack O'Lantern, AKA, Jason Philip Macendale, hire Foreigner to kill Hobgoblin, and that Foreigner then gave him the Hobgoblin costume and equipment as a "lark"
• As Spider-Man departs, Hobgoblin arrives, and demands the file from Kingpin, who informs him that he then needs to get it from Spider-Man
• Hobgoblin decides that Kingpin is of no further use then
• Kingpin's men surround him, and Hobgoblin retreats quickly, which amuses Kingpin, who see's Macendale as a coward who always runs away
• Spider-Man is relieved that he isn't responsible for the death of Ned, but still enraged by the culprits who did it
• As he makes his way to Foreigner's office, Flash sees him from below, and chases after him, intent on turning himself in
• The office appears to have been rented by someone else, and there's no trace of Foreigner, but Hobgoblin appears, and a massive battle between the two takes place
• Hobgoblin hits Spider-Man with a pumpkin bomb, lighting him on fire, leaving the wall crawler scrambling to rip the torso portion of his suit off as he falls off a roof
• Taking advantage of the situation, Hobgoblin chucks another bomb, but it's caught by Flash, who throws it back at him
• Flash actually dies, but Spider-Man resusetates him with CPR
• Though laid up in a hospital bed from the blast, all charges against Flash are dropped
• Kingpin and Foreigner have another game of chess, and when leaving, Kingpin hands him a piece of paper and tells him not to read it until he's down the elevator
• Foreigner reads it in the hallway, prior to getting on the elevator, which explodes
• Though he doesn't die, Kingpin has sent the message clearly
• Felicia has apparently sewn three new black suits for Spider-Man while he was in Berlin
• She's still living with him from her apartment being fire bombed

Low Points

• None

Oddities

• Editor's Day Off: Betty sits in her apartment after the funeral talking to Peter, and tells him, "My mom's on her way over and she'll be staying on while."

Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Christmas Catalogs - JCPenny 1973

Hey! You want to spend the next two years looking at the fantastic Christmas catalogs produced by Sears, JCPenny, and Montgomery Ward? Cause I do! Yeah, I said two years, cause that's a lot of catalogs! Join me on most Monday's each month as I post up one of those fabulous books starting with 1970, and ending with 1989.

Look through every page, feeling every bit of nostalgia. Chuckle at the look and style of the wardrobes those zanny past decade people wore. Gawk at the toys you used to have, but long since parted ways with. Bring back all those memories of hours spent laying on the floor, combing every inch as your young mind pined over everything you wanted. Reminisce over the Christmas that followed as you unwrapped those lucky few that you got.

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