The Toy Box: Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 20

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
Issue Number: 20
Release Date: November 1986

Highlights

First appearance of Iron Man 2020, AKA Arno Stark, Robert Saunders (Earth-616), and Richard Saunders
First appearance and death of Robert Saunders (Earth-8410), Cynthia Stark, and Arno Stark Jr.
Death of Blizzard (Gregor Shapanka), and Dr. "Hawk" Hawkins
The story opens in the year 2015 on Earth-8410
Arno Stark is nominated Man of the Year for his invention of the Time Displacement Device
Arno's wife Cynthia calls him, and though she attempts to remind him that he promised the coming weekend for her and their son, Arno blows her off the meet with Dr. Hawkins
Robert Saunders infiltrates Stark's plant, and arms the buster bomb, and unknown initially to Stark is that his wife and kid are there
Saunders doesn't have any intensions of blowing the place up, but instead disarming everything from a safe distance after his terrorist act is over

Unfortunately, he ends up splattered all over the dome as Stark blasts his escape air scooter

It's deduced that a retinal scan from Saunders is the only thing that can stop the bomb, but with him blown up, there's only one chance - time travel

On Earth-616, Spider-Man battles Blizzard, all while snapping photos which he needs to sell to pay his late rent, but knowing that the Bugle isn't interested - They're not
At the Bugle, Peter meets a young child, Robert Saunders
Jameson gives Peter an international assignment for Now Magazine in Geneva, Switzerland, which Peter jumps at for the money
Peter is excited to be leaving for the assignment "tomorrow" until he's reminded by Mary Jane that it's his Aunt's birthday
As Peter attempts to leave for the airport, he see's his landlady in the hallway, and instead attempts to duck out the skylight as Spider-Man, but his neighbors are on the roof sunbathing

So, dressed as Spider-Man, he simply decides to walk down the hall, but is seen by the child from the Bugle, who's come to see Peter to learn how to be a photographer

Spider-Man drops the kid off at the Bugle, and tells him he has a plane to catch, but as he swings away, Blizzard grabs the boy, dragging him to his van

The roof of the van is ripped off by Iron Man, Arno Stark, and he grabs the boy, immediately flying away

Blizzard gets angry at being ignored, and blasts Iron Man, knocking him from the sky

Annoyed, Iron Man blasts Blizzard back, killing him
Iron Man scan's the kids retinal to get the information he needs
Spider-Man circles back to make sure the boy guy into the building safely, and is met by Iron Man who immediately opens fire on him

The battle causes the retinal scanner to be destroyed, and as Spider-Man swings away with Robert, Iron Man gives chase, continuing to shoot

A close blast from Iron Man sends shards of glass into the boy's skin, cutting him badly
Spider-Man goes into a rage, and pummels Iron Man, damaging all of his suit's systems

Robert's face is severely disfigured from the shards of glass, an origin story to why as an adult his face is all scarred up
Spider-Man is met by Robert's father who says if Spider-Man needs anything to let him know

Spider-Man asks for a loan, and the man offers him fifteen thousand dollars, but Spider-Man just asks for his rent money, $275.36

Stark is returned back to his time, his calculations off, and the time he thought he had not precise - The bomb has detonated, and his family, along with countless others are dead

Low Points

Oddities

Editor's Day Off: The text boxes for Blizzard aren't colored in during an action infused panel, making them difficult to read

Of course when Iron Man sees Spider-Man he immediately opens fire instead of using his words - It's the Marvel way

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

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