Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 23

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
Issue Number: 23
Release Date: September 1989

Highlights

• This annual features seven stories, including part four of Atlantis Attacks, which spread across the entire Marvel universe's annuals in 1989
• The artwork inside is from some of Marvel's greatest, including up and comers Mark Bagley, and Rob Liefeld
• Story I: Abominations
• Artwork by Rob Liefeld
• First appearance of Sam Ewing
• Reference is made to X-Men Annual 13, and Iron Man Annual 10
• Mary Jane surprises Peter at work with an invitation to lunch
• Jennifer Walters, AKA She-Hulk storms out of J. Jonah Jameson's office, shouting at him, and turning green in the process
• Tyrannus, trapped in the body of Abomination demands that Ghaur free him from it, to which he's told will happen, but that another essence must take his place
• We see that Ghaur has Emil Blonsky prisoner, the original Abomination, and he intends to use him as the essence
• The massive energy used to make the transfer sparks across New York, garnering the attention of She-Hulk and Spider-Man
• The transfer works, but is too much for Emil, turning Abomination into a mindless monster
• Ghaur watches the fight, concluding that She-Hulk is what he needs for his next phase - To make her the wife of the God, Set
• Flash Thompson follows the noise of the battle, and as Abomination escapes, he's left to watch over an unconscious Spider-Man while She-Hulk pursues
• The heroes go into battle with the creature
• She-Hulk continues the battle without Spider-Man, and once she's knocked temporarily unconscious, Ghaur imprints her with the mark of Set
• Meanwhile, Spider-Man rejoins the fight
• In an epilogue ending, Dr. Tryon goes to see Viper in her prison cell, looking to help each other
• Story II - My Science Project
• Artwork by Mark Bagley
• A flashback story to Peter's youth during high school, prior to him getting spider powers
• Uncle Ben is still alive and well
• Story III - Uncanny Spider-Sense
• A story focusing on Spidey's spider-sense, and how it works
• Story IV - Standards Of Behavior
• Nick Katzenberg is at Aunt May's home, attempting to move in as one of her tenants
• His nefarious goal is to learn the connection between Peter and Spider-Man
• Nick's "charm" oozes like a reptile, and May picks up on it right away, banishing him from her home
• Story V - Spider-Man's Top 30 Villain Countdown
• Fun art by Fred Hembeck
• It's a rollout of Spidey's rogue gallery, all set to the quirky art of Fred
• Story VI - The Saga Of The Serpent Crown Part IV
• Art by Mark Bagley, inked by Keith Williams
• Death of King Kamuu, Queen Zartra, and Emperor Phraug
• First appearance and death of Antilia
• First appearance of the location, Atra's Sanctum

Low Points

• Good art can't save this over bloated mix match of stories from not being a sludge to get through
• It's too long
• Story I: Abominations
• It's continued in Punisher Annual 2
• Story II - My Science Project
• It's really just a retelling of Amazing Fantasy 15 from a different perspective
• Story VI - The Saga Of The Serpent Crown Part IV
• The story has nothing to do at all with Spider-Man
• It too continues in Punisher Annual 2
• Unless you read fourteen different Annuals, you're not going to get the full story of the two main arcs, making this Annual pointless to read
• $2.00 was a lot of money for a kid back in 1989, and having them drop this on a book that doesn't even contain a relevant story to the next issue of Spider-Man is kind of crummy
• What kid had twenty-eight dollars in 1989 to buy fourteen comic books?

Oddities

• None

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

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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
• Speedball can't tell if they've been killed, or knocked out
• 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
• Spider-Man nabs him with a web line
• Speedball introduces himself to the heroes
• 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

• This is actually a major crossover event
• The full story began four Annuals ago, and encompass an additional seven after this one
• X-Factor Annual 3
• The Punisher Annual (vol. 2) 1
• Silver Surfer Annual 1
• New Mutants Annual 4
• The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 22
• Fantastic Four Annual 21
• The Uncanny X-Men Annual 12
• Web Of Spider-Man Annual 4
• West Coast Avengers Annual 3
• The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual 8
• The Avengers Annual 17
• Alf Annual 1
• 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

• None

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

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 21

     

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
Issue Number: 21
Release Date: September 1987

Highlights

• The first issue in Marvel Comics history to have a variant cover
• Marvel took full advantage of the event, appearing at a televised Shea Stadium baseball game to wed two actors playing the rolls of Spider-Man and Mary Jane, all of it being officiated by Stan Lee
• First appearance of Willi Smith (no, not that one), Judge Spencer Watson, Bruce, Hotchkiss, and the Earth TRN1108 versions of Peter Parker and Mary Jane
• The issue stands as a jumping on point for new readers, a new beginning of sorts
• First appearance of the location, Louie's Fine Clothes
• As Spider-Man swings around town, he arrives at a major police scene outside Louie's Fine Clothes
• Inside, Electro has been sprung by his boys, and is suiting up
• After a fight in the street, Spidey neutralizes him with water from a fire hydrant
• Mary Jane arrives at Peter's apartment, bags in hand to settle into her new home
• During their exchange we learn how Spider-Man's automatic camera works to capture all of the actions shots
• Basically, a transmitter in his belt tells the camera when Spider-Man is in front of the lens, triggering the photo to be taken
• Peter still has the red and blue Spider-Man costume he picked up in Berlin
• Reference is made to Spider-Man Versus Wolverine, and The Amazing Spider-Man 289
• Peter begins to worry about his personal finances, pondering how he's going to give Mary Jane the lavish life she's accustomed to
• As Peter sells his photos to the Bugle, Robbie takes him to the lunch room where a surprise party is being held in honor of his engagement
• During the party, J. Jonah Jameson tells Peter to be sure before he says I do because it's a big step with no turning back
• Robbie hands a bonus check for Peter to Jameson to sign, which he is audibly surprised by
• After signing it, Peter offers to give it back since he knows Jameson didn't intend for him to have it
• Jameson tells him to keep it, and then tells Miss Hotchkiss to make note of every individual at the party for him to dock the expense from their checks
• It appears that Betty is back to being out of it - When Peter bumps into her after the party and tells her that he missed her there, reminding her he's getting married, she tells him that her and Ned will both be at the wedding
• Peter uses the bonus money to buy and present Mary Jane with a diamond ring
• At lunch, Mary Jane gets a phone call from "Bruce", who invites her away with him
• The inside joke is that it's alleged to have been Marvel writers having a laugh, and it's intended to be Bruce Wayne on the line
• Another limo picks Mary Jane up, and she heads to Willi's office to tell him she can't be in the Bahamas this weekend for a fashion shoot as she's getting married
• As she leaves, Peter once again frets over her high profile lifestyle
• After meeting with Willi, Mary Jane is approached by a stranger who hands her a tape, and tells her she can listen to it in the Ferrari parked on the curb, the car has plates that say, "BRUCE"
• The tape is Bruce telling her about the two tickets to Paris in the glove box, and if she changes her mind about getting married to pick him up at the airport, but either way, she can keep the Ferrari
• As Peter looks through a photo album at Aunt May's house, we get a retelling of Spider-Man's origin
• Peter thinks on Gwen Stacy, and how her being close to Spider-Man is what got her killed
• He ponders if he should really let someone love him
• Aunt May startles him, and when she asks him if he always gets scared of people who love him, he says that maybe he should
• She responds by telling him he shouldn't keep distance from people who love him
• The two have dinner with their aunts, and tell them the news
• As the two leave Aunt May's home, Mary Jane gets in a car with Bruce, telling Peter she has plans
• She finally returns to Peter's apartment at 1:00 AM
• She tells him she's been walking around for hours just thinking, and asks Peter where he goes when he needs to think
• He tells her somewhere quiet, and when she says to take her there, as Spider-Man, he takes her to the top of the Empire State Building
• After dropping her off at her apartment, sleep eludes Peter, who sits up all night with a photo of Gwen Stacy
• The next morning, Mary Jane calls and tells him about the wedding dress Willi had delivered to her
• After picking up their marriage license, Peter goes to see Flash Thompson, asking him to be his best man
• At dinner that night, Peter almost calls off the wedding, but gets interrupted by Mary Jane showing him a photo of her dress
• He quickly changes the subject, and tells her about the bachelor party he's having the next day which Flash is throwing
• At the party, which has a major attendance of two people, Flash and Harry Osborne, Peter tells them that he's wondering if getting married is the right choice
• Though they both have their own perspectives, they both say he should take the chance
• As he finally sleeps, Peter's mind is met by a nightmare where at his wedding all his arch enemies are present, and they've all come to do harm to Mary Jane
• Bruce continues to pursue Mary Jane, and as she rides off with him to make a decision, Spider-Man sits atop the bridge that Gwen Stacy fell to her death from, still questioning what he's doing
• As the wedding time comes and goes, both Mary Jane and Peter are not present
• 1:00 PM strikes, and Mary Jane jumps from Bruce's Ferrari, dressed in her wedding gown, and apologizing to Peter, who isn't there to hear it
• Peter comes running down the street, also apologizing for being late
• Mary Jane officially becomes Mary Jane Watson-Parker
  

• J. Jonah Jameson tells everyone that the Bugle is sponsoring the reception, and wants everyone to have a good time, while he enjoys the tax break
• Sad that he can't afford a honeymoon, Mary Jane surprises him with the two tickets to Paris from Bruce, as well as the keys to a private Villa there
• Reference is made to Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man Annual 7, which features their honeymoon adventure

Low Points

• The last issue of The Amazing Spider-Man Annual crediting Jim Shooter as Editor-In Chief - Jim was fired in April 1987 from Marvel Comics

Oddities

• Editor's Day Off: The narrator says, "For this is New York City, a town that's seen it all." It's in the name - "City"
• Editor's Continued Day Off: As Peter thinks back on Spider-Man's origin, several panels show his eye lenses and spider logo on his back colored yellow

• Peter asks Flash Thompson, and not Harry Osborne to be his best man?
• Editor's Still Off: When Flash is telling Peter why he should get married, his word bubbles are partly colored in the same color as the background instead of white

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

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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
• Blizzard also has a new suit, since the cops confiscated his other
• 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
• Just as Iron Man tries to explain (finally), he vanishes in time
• 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

• None

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
• Even Spider-Man is trying to figure out why he didn't talk to him

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

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 19

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
Issue Number: 19
Release Date: July 1985

Highlights

• First appearance of Alistaire Smythe, Johnson, the Spider Slayer VII, and the drug dealers, Lenny, and Charlie
• Reference is made to The Amazing Spider-Man 259
• Peter has an evening dinner at Mary Janes, but he doesn't show up on time, causing her meal to be cold, burnt, and overall ruined
• Arriving two hours late, Mary Jane goes off on Peter, and ends up slamming the door in his face
• Reference is made to Web Of Spider-Man 2
• Alistaire Smythe, Spencer's son, has taken on work with Kingpin, using his money to carefully plan his revenge against Spider-Man for killing his father
• The hat which Kingpin returned to Spider-Man in Web Of Spider-Man 2 was repaired by Alistaire, and he put a tracer in it, hoping to use it to finally figure out Spider-Man's true identity
• Kingpin terminates Smythe's employment
• Smythe sets to his plan to kidnap whoever has the hat, and lure Spider-Man to him
• Mary Jane sits at the G&W Restaurant with Aunt May and Aunt Anna, while Peter searches all over for Mary Jane, just wanting to talk to her
• Just before Smythe arrives at the restaurant with his new Spider Slayer, Anna borrows Aunt May's hat, putting it on
• Smythe crashes through the building, grabbing Aunt Anna and Mary Jane
• Smythe deduces that Mary Jane is Spider-Man
• Having gotten the hat from Kingpin, Spider-Man concludes he's behind the kidnapping, and storms his tower
• Using this distraction to run his operations, Kingpin calmly directs Spider-Man towards Smythe's location in Soho
• Seeing that Smythe will kill her Aunt if she doesn't admit she's Spider-Man, Mary Jane tell him what he wants to hear, and tells him she'll show him where her endoskeleton suit is
• Mary Jane convinces Smythe to get her a camera from a local store so that she can film his victory, and leaves a note while doing so
• Spider-Man rescues Anna, and she quips that he's such a nice and polite young man
• Mary Jane's note leads the cops to Aunt Anna, just as she's rescued, and they tell Spider-Man the note informed that she was luring Smythe to the Bugle
• Realizing that Mary Jane is just playing games, Smythe throws her to her death, but she's rescued in the nick of time by Spider-Man
• Spider-Man destroys the Spider Slayer by tricking Smythe into crashing into the power lines for the subway
• Peter tells Mary Jane that he realizes now they can never be together because it would just put her in constant danger

Low Points

• The story is a bit over the top, and the artwork inconsistent from panel to panel

Oddities

• None

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

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 18

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
Issue Number: 18
Release Date: December 1984

Highlights

• First appearance of Ann Macintosh, Angelli, and Bernie
• First appearance of Sherwood Nursing Home
• J. Jonah Jameson and Marla Madison announce they are getting married
• Spider-Man brings a bouquet of roses to J. Jonah Jameson to congratulate him, and plants a big masked kiss on the old curmudgeon as he quickly exits through the window
• Reference is made to The Amazing Spider-Man 258
• Ned Leeds is back from his assignment
• J. Jonah Jameson goes to a sanitarium in the suburbs to tell his son John that he's getting married - It doesn't go well
• Scorpion is also locked in the sanitarium, and hearing the news of Jamison's marriage, he musters all his strength and escapes, but not before kidnapping John Jamison
• Scorpion crashes into Marla Madison's apartment attempting to kidnap her, but Spider-Man enters the fray
• During the fight, Marla is blasted in the arm by Scorpions tail laser
• J. Jonah Jameson slips the police watching his home, and jumps in a taxi, heading for his fiancée
• John escapes, and when he sees Jameson pleading for Scorpion to let Marla go, just for her to tell Jameson to forget about her and escape, he realizes how much they love each other
• Jameson tells Scorpion that he's been paying the sanitarium to help the villain, as well as the victims he hurt
• Scorpion gives Jameson a choice of which one dies - His fiancée, or his son - Jameson picks himself
• Spider-Man dives in, giving the three a chance to run as he wallops Scorpion into unconsciousness, and webs him up
• Jameson and his son reconcile
• J. Jonah Jameson and Marla Madison get married

Low Points

• None

Oddities

• Editor's Day Off: As Spider-Man hustles away from Scorpion, he says, "Boy, you sure take take the fun out of web-swinging."

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

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 17

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
Issue Number: 17
Release Date: December 1983

Highlights

• First appearance of C.J. Vogel, Mr. Gilbert, Louie Minelli, Barry Hapgood, Stanley Stackmeyer, Ernie, and Charlie
• First appearance and death of Milton Farr
• First appearance of Milton Farr Publishing
• Kingpin's thugs break into Farr Publishing, and rough up the man, and kidnap him
• Kingpin tells Mr. Gilbert that because of his two failures, he will be framed for a crime, and arrested - However, When Gilbert pushes back, Kingpin breaks both of his legs
• Tonight is the night of the Mid-Town High School pre-union party, with Peter reluctantly attends
• Reference is made to Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man 85
• Farr has dirt on Kingpin, and the crime lord wants the files
• C.J. was once a ghost writer for Farr, and his new career as a children's television show hangs in the balance of blackmail from an old classmate, Louie Minelli
• Peter says he owes C.J. a debt for his comedy during high school, which got Peter out of a lot of beatings from bullies
• Spider-Man vows to pay Peter's debt to C.J. by helping him in the mess he's mixed up in with Farr
• In a desperate attempt to bury his past, C.J. burns the contents of the safe, which include the documents about Kingpin
• The Mid-Town High reunion commences
• C.J.'s jokes fall flat as he does nothing but insult his old classmates
• Peter realizes that C.J. thought him wanting to help was to get a story, and tells C.J. he's a loser now

Low Points

• Very long and boring

Oddities

• TBD

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

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 16
Issue Number: 16
Release Date: November 1982

Highlights

• First appearance of Monica Rambeau as Captain Marvel
• Additional first appearances of Professor Andre LeClare, Roxxon employee, Felipe Picaro, the thugs, Scud, and Mojo, New Orleans Harbor Patrol, Generalissimo Ernesto Ramirez, Dougie, and Joey
• Origin of the new Captain Marvel
• Reference is made to Fantastic Four 242
• Harry and Liz come into town

Low Points

• An entire secret organization and their security is swayed by a pair of boobs

Oddities

• None

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

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 15

 

Before we even start, I have to say a heartfelt rest in peace to Jim Shooter. Jim passed away at the age of 73 on June 30, 2025. It's incredibly sad news to hear.

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
Issue Number: 15
Release Date: October 1981

Highlights

• First appearance of the random characters, Harry, Turhan, and Eddie
• Death of Turhan
• Punisher shoots both of Spider-Man's web shooters with precise aim
• Punisher is arrested

Low Points

• Just okay for a king size annual

Oddities

• I was appalled by how bad the artwork on the first few pages was, and then shocked to discover it was Frank Miller

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

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 14

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
Issue Number: 14
Release Date: October 1980

Highlights

• First appearance of Lucius Dilby, Dean Jastrow, and the real life punk band, Shrapnel
• I really like the panels of Spider-Man himself - Denny O'Neil and Frank Miller really make him look cool with various colors, shadows, etc.

Low Points

• It's an Annual for The Amazing Spider-Man, but he doesn't even show up until the last panel of page 13 of 36, and even then it's as Peter Parker
• Spider-Man finally makes an appearance on page fifteen

Oddities

• There's this massive scene of people being put under some form of hypnotic spell, following Shrapnel down the road as they chant, but no reason is given as to why, and it's never again revisited once it happens

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

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 13

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
Issue Number: 13
Release Date: December 1979

Highlights

• First appearance of Jimbo Ryan
• Death of Kent Blake, who is a character who appeared for the first time all the way back in the 1951 comic, Kent Blake of the Secret Service
• A mysterious stranger, allegedly a friend of Kent Blake not only knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man, but urges him to prove Black's death was murder, and not suicide
• Spider-Man makes a subtle reference to Superman
• The mysterious stranger turns out to be the ghost of Kent Blake
• Eight pages of awesome rogue's gallery pin-ups
• A schematical walkthrough of Peter Parker's apartment, The Daily Bugle, Daily Globe, and areas of ESU with images of some of the newest supporting cast members in the pages of Spider-Man
• Peter Parker's apartment address is shared - 410 Chelsea Street, Manhattan, New York 10011 - It's a real apartment building.

Low Points

• None

Oddities

• Kent Blake's lack of aging between his last appearance and now (prior to his death), is not explained

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

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 11

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
Issue Number: 11
Release Date: August 1977

Highlights

• First appearance of Anton DeLionatus, Spider-Squad, Strongman, Tumbler, Acrobat, Klemmer, Leroy, Barney Muller, Paul Cassidy, and Hank
• The Grey Panthers protest outside of city hall
• Aunt May is arrested in the protest
• Reference is made to Marvel Treasury 14, which is a reprints of The Amazing Spider-Man 100 and 101
• Spider-Man gets offered a job in a movie
• Two Spidey stories in one issue

Low Points

• Mary Jane and Peter Parker fight, and part on bad terms yet again

Oddities

• None

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

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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 10

    

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man Annual
Issue Number: 10
Release Date: November 1976

Highlights

• First appearance of Human Fly, AKA Rick Deacon
• Reference is made to Deadly Hands Of Kung Fu 22, and The Amazing Spider-Man 20
• First announcement for the upcoming new monthly Spider-Man series, Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man

Low Points

• We skip over The Amazing Spider-Man Annual 6 - 9, which are all reprints of prior comic books

Oddities

• None

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

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