The Toy Box: Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 22

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
Issue Number: 22
Release Date: September 1988

Highlights

Mark Bagley's first work on Spider-Man
First appearance of Speedball, AKA Robbie Baldwin
Also first appearance of Spitface Flanagan, Madeline Naylor, and Marty O'Donnell
First appearance and death of Dylan Thomas
First appearance of Earl's Bar
Spider-Man breaks up a drug shipment delivery at pier7

After he alters the police, Splitface Flanagan shows up to claim the contraband without resistance

Peter returns home to a concerned Mary Jane, and a news report stating that Spider-Man is wanted in connection with the murders at pier 7
Young Robbie Baldwin is visiting New York with his mother, but something is awry with him
Matt Murdock learns of the accusations against Spider-Man and decides that either he or Daredevil needs to help
Meanwhile, at the Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson congratulates Peter for finally proving Spider-Man the criminal he always knew he was, and gives him a private stash cigar as a bonus
Reference is made to The Punisher Annual 1
Kingpin meets with his men, and discusses the recent events of mysterious armored warriors destroying drug shipments in South America
Spider-Man returns to the scene of the crime, where he's greeted by Daredevil

Daredevil uses his powers to hear Spidey's heartbeat, and knows he isn't lying when he says he didn't do it

Kate Cushing tells J. Jonah Jameson that the city is backing Spider-Man because they're tired of crime, and are glad someone is doing something about it

Jameson says he can't have Spider-Man labeled a hero, and tells her to put every reporter on proving his innocence

As Robbie walks down the street alone, he's grabbed by some thugs who are intent on robbing him

Pushing him down activates his hidden powers, and he's transformed into Speedball

As Speedball bounces all over the walls, he manages to make his way to the roof, and grab hold of the wall to stop his uncontrolled powers

Meanwhile, back on the ground, the mysterious armored warriors see the thugs, and attack

One of the armored men is captured by Kingpin's men, and taken to him for questioning

However, when he doesn't cooperate, Kingpin breaks his ribs, rendering him unconscious

Speedball follows the other to their hideout, and overhears the mission from the High Evolutionary

Everyone in the city will be rendered unconscious the next day, and the sterilization process will begin with all people with unfit DNA patterns will be eradicated

Speedball decides he needs to get involved to stop them, but at that moment, his power leaves him, returning him to his high school youth state

He instead calls the cops, but when they don't believe his story, he heads to the Empire State building

Kingpin learns of the High Evolutionary from his prisoner, and informs the Arranger to get a message to Spider-Man and Daredevil
Spider-Man and Daredevil go from dive bar to dive bar seeking information, and finally get it from someone at Earl's

They bust through the top floor windows of the Empire State building, and the battle against the armored men immediately commences

Robbie climbs the building, and when he see's a satellite dish high above an observation deck, slams himself to the ground to activate his Speedball powers
Back inside, Daredevil and Spider-Man occupy themselves destroying every piece of equipment they can, but nothing is stopping the clock counting down

Outside, Speedball destroys the satellite by bouncing into it, but then realizes he's gone over the edge of the building

At the order of Kingpin, the Arranger takes some men, and aggressively make their way into Splitface Flanagan's hideout

Flanagan is given a choice - Go to the precinct and confess to the murders being pinned on Spider-Man, or stay there, and become the next victim

The Arranger returns to Kingpin and informs him they can continue their drug operations, but Kingpin tells him that for the first time, he's beginning to worry

This story continues in Fantastic Four Annual 21
There are some nice extras in this Annual, which include a layout of Peter and Mary Jane's new home, as well as a couple unpublished Spider-Man covers

Low Points

The full story began four Annuals ago, and encompass an additional seven after this one

There is a "B" story which encompasses a solo adventure of Speedball
There is also a "C" story with features a tale about the High Evolutionary
It remains to be seen if only reading the issues related to Spider-Man have any impact on the overall story arc, or if they can be read as a standalone story

Oddities

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

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