Noteworthy Issues: The Amazing Spider-Man #69 (February, 1969)

I’ve done 69 issues of this series?

Wait, no I haven’t.  I covered a few annuals too!

Issue:  The Amazing Spider-Man #69, February 1969

Writer:  Stan Lee

Artist:  John Romita Sr

The Plot:  Kingpin stole an ancient tablet in broad day light, and Spider-Man had nothing better to do than get it back.

Commentary:  Well, the Kingpin got away with an ancient tablet that no one alive can read.  Well, maybe Thor can, but he’s not guest starring in this issue.  The Kingpin naturally assumes it’s valuable.  So does Peter for that matter.  Is it?  Well, I suppose anything people are willing to pay for is worth at least as much as people are willing to pay for it.  But that thing could just be a recipe for a good fruit smoothie or something for all anyone knows.

Eh, never mind.  It’s another case where the Kingpin is somehow strong enough to match blows with Spider-Man, and even if that fat is all muscle, I would still think Spider-Man was stronger.  If anything, there is a weakness of sorts revealed in this issue:  he will not abide anyone mentioning his wife.

Hold on…the Kingpin has a wife?  That means someone was willing to marry that Big Bald Baddie.  Does she also call him “Kingpin”?

Eh, again, never mind.  Spider-Man wins and even gets the tablet out of the vault that can only be opened if you’re really strong.  He can just return it to the cops and that should be that.

You know, except people in the Marvel Universe are apparently stupid, and if the Kingpin, a known criminal who probably never met a lie he didn’t tell, says Spider-Man is his partner, rather than believe that Spider-Man is generally popular with the cops, the cops decide Spider-Man must be a criminal and try to shoot him, leading to Peter’s once again declaring “No more mister nice guy!” once again.  It’s that or a silly injury of some kind that keeps happening.  Really, Peter should stop being such a doofus.

Grade:  A-