Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 314

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 314
Release Date: April 1989

Highlights

• First appearance of Howell Thurston III, department store Santa, Clark, Marty, Sid, and Kermit
• First appearance of J.C. Herdling Department Store
• The story opens with Peter and Mary Jane being evicted from the Bedford Towers on December 24th
• They learn that Jonathan Caesar is behind the eviction order, despite him being in jail for the kidnapping of Mary Jane 
• Reference is made to The Amazing Spider-Man 304 - 309
• Aunt May tells the two to put their stuff in her attic, and move into Peter's old bedroom
• They take her up on the storage, but Peter tells her they already have somewhere else to stay
• In the office of Howell Thurston III, manager of J.C. Herdling Department Store, he scoffs at Christmas Eve being on a Saturday, with all the banks closed
• He says this to Clark, who is working at a small desk behind him
• Howell asks if this is his 19th Christmas to work, to which Clark informs him it's his 23rd, but will be his best, as the man uncovers a gun in his briefcase
• As Aunty May heads home, Mary Jane asks Peter where they're staying, to which he responds that he doesn't know
• He explains that he simply can't move back home, and have to start explaining his comings and goings to his aunt
• As the two walk through the park, they see a woman getting mugged
• Though wanting to wallow in his sorrows, Mary Jane convinces Spider-Man to intervene
• At a security firm, a truck speeds away from the place, and in the back are the three guards intended to be in it tied up and gagged, their uniforms removed
• Peter and Mary Jane head to the Bugle for their annual Christmas party, and while there, Peter considers asking a few co-workers if they can crash at their place
• He considers the Robertson's, Joy Mercado, and even briefly, J. Jonah Jameson
• Thurston and Clark head outside to meet the security truck, only for Clark to pull a gun on him
• Peter heads to the cemetery to talk to Uncle Ben
• Back at the store, another guard sees Clark holding the gun and springs into action
• The three fake guards in the truck spring into action, and open fire, but Clark calms everyone down by taking a department store Santa hostage, dragging him to the truck which takes off with Thurston's money
• Peter hears the gunfire, and springs into action
• A short battle later, and Clark and all the guards are subdued
• Peter returns to Uncle Ben's grave to find Aunt May there
• Peter realizes he and Mary Jane that staying with Aunt May is what she wants, and decides to do it
• The Parker's enjoy Christmas Eve together
• While there's no spiders on the cover, Felix the Cat makes two appearances
• The first is on the splash page where the Parker's are being evicted

• The second is on the wrapping paper of a gift being given to Spider-Man by a woman he saves from being mugged

Low Points

• Another issue with no major villain

Oddities

• None

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

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