Comics Corner: Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual 5

   

Title: Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual
Issue Number: 5
Release Date: November 1985

Highlights

• First appearance of the Reapers gang; Ace, Al Webber, and Lorenzo Spencer
• Additional first appearances of the Dragons (all unnamed), Jean Hillman, Rosie Spencer, Mrs. Spenger, and Mr. Alexander
• First appearance and death of Sammy, and Vince DiFeo
• A gang war has broken out, and the wake leaves the dead teenage boys of the Dragons at the hands of the Reapers
• Spider-Man spies Ace sitting in an alley on his bike, and catches a picture of him with his camera
• Joy Mercado, new hire for the Daily Bugle, rushes outside, almost knocking over Peter Parker
• When she learns who he is, she grabs him, saying she needs a photographer, and drags him with her
• Reference is made to The Amazing Spider-Man 267, and Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man 103
• Al Webber and Lorenzo Spencer stand trial for shooting Vince DiFeo, unfortunately, he's in a coma, and can't be a witness
• As the trial is postponed, the defending legal team find out that DiFeo has passed away
• Peter shares his photo of Ace with Joy, and the two head to his neighborhood, asking around for him
• Peter and Joy are attacked by the Reapers, and when Ace appears on scene, he pretends to get hit by his bike, playing possum until he can change into his Spider-Man suit
• The gang kidnap Joy
• When Spider-Man tracks down the Reapers, he's surprised by Ace, who crashes through the window on his bike
• As the two fight, Spider-Man can't land a punch on Ace, nor nab him with his webbing, the guy is just too quick for him
• Just as Spider-Man thinks he's tricking Ace into getting closer for him to land a blow, the guy cuts him with a knife, so fast that Spider-Man can't even react
• The rival gang, the Dragon's show up, ready for war
• Spider-Man asks Ace to intervene and stop everyone, but he says it's none of his business
• During the fight, a "kid" named Sammy is hit by a bullet, and dies in Joy's lap
• Ace goes to see Lorenzo in jail, and tells him he's going to testify against him and Al
• Lorenzo turns out to be Ace's half brother

Low Points

• We don't learn why Ace is so fast in a fight, but a quick search of Marvel Fandom informs that he's a mutant

Oddities

• None

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

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