Noteworthy Issues: The Amazing Spider-Man #70 (March, 1969)

Well, this is theoretically embarrassing.  Jimmy realized I skipped an issue.  However, given how I write these up, and this is the one series I am doing every week…I am honestly surprised I didn’t do that sooner.  All you Man Mountain Marko fans will have to wait for next week.

Anyway, issue #70 in this silly tablet saga.

Issue:  The Amazing Spider-Man #70, March 1969

Writer:  Stan Lee

Artist:  John Romita Sr

The Plot:  Spider-Man on the run and the Kingpin in prison!

Commentary:  So, since I skipped an issue…um, what do I say exactly?  I mean, this issue is Peter wondering what to do with this tablet that is, for all I know, completely worthless.  I mean, for all anyone knows that thing is completely worthless.  Some tablet with an indecipherable language on it?  Why would that automatically make what’s written on it valuable?

OK, honestly, Spider-Man seems to live in a world full of idiots considering that the cops decided a toss-off line by the Kingpin was proof that Spider-Man was his partner.  Why are they believing the bad guys?  I mean, that just seems like a smart thing to do.  He’s a bad guy.  He’s probably a liar.  And it’s not like people don’t know he’s a bad guy.  This isn’t one of those “legitimate businessman” sort of mobsters.  Everyone knows him as the Kingpin.  Does he even have a real name?  The only “Wilson” I’ve seen so far is one of Fisk’s stooges.

Yeah, I can call him Fisk.  Just because Stan hadn’t made up a name yet doesn’t mean that I can’t know what it will be later.

As it is, all Peter wants to do is find somewhere safe to return the tablet.  You know, besides the place the Kingpin stole it from.  And cops keep shooting at Spider-Man.  They really do have problems over there.

Eventually, the Kingpin breaks out of jail and fights Spider-Man again, only to be picked up by a mystery person who happened to know where he’d be in the middle of a fight, made worse by J Jonah Jameson’s own car blocking things.  You know, until Spidey yells at him enough to give Jonah a panic attac…I mean a heart attack.  The panic attack reveal comes later.

Man, this was harder than I thought.  I better not skip another issue.  Or if I do, maybe I better hope Jimmy doesn’t notice.

Grade:  A-