INVADERS #22

"THE FIRE THAT DIED!"
Writer/Editor: Roy Thomas | Artists: Jim Mooney & Frank Springer
Colorist: Phil Rachelson | Letterer: John Costanza
Consulting Editor: Archie Goodwin

The Plot: The Invaders board the British vessel Forester, which ferries them back to England in order to get medical attention for Toro. On the way, the Human Torch tells his friends the true origin of his young ward.

Continuity Notes: The Torch says that he met Toro in 1940's HUMAN TORCH #1, "nearly two years" before the events of this issue. The story the public knows is that the Torch met Toro when he was part of an act in a circus, and adopted him as a crime-fighting partner after his parents were killed in a train accident. The Torch fills in some blanks, however: Toro is actually the son of Fred Raymond, lab assistant to the Torch's creator, Professor Horton. Raymond is a specialist on asbestos, and has contracted a terminal disease due to his work with the substance. But this doesn't stop him from marrying his sweetheart, Nora, who is also dying due to exposure to radium.

The couple welcomes a child soon after their wedding, but are shortly accosted by the Human Torch's enemy, Asbestos Lady, who wants Raymond to work for her. The Torch saves them and learns from the couple that Toro is a mutant, with flame-based powers. The Torch decides to keep an eye on the Raymonds, but fails to protect them from the train accident, which -- unknown the general public -- was staged by Asbestos Lady. Toro is adoped by the circus fire-eaters, and his survival of the crash soon becomes public knowledge. Asbestos Lady and the Human Torch both go to the circus for him, and Toro's powers awaken as he helps the Torch defeat Asbestos Lady.

INVADERS #16

"THE SHORT, HAPPY LIFE OF MAJOR VICTORY!"
Author/Editor: Roy Thomas
Guest Artist: Jim Mooney | Embellisher in Residence: Frank Springer
Colorist: Janice Cohen | Letterer: John Costanza

The Plot: Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes watch a newsreel of a recent Invaders misson to France. Afterward, when London suddenly blacks out, they change to costume in time to stumble onto the kidnapping of an American soldier by Nazi agents. Cap and Bucky intervene, but are unable to prevent the abduction.

Soon, the duo regroups with the other Invaders, where they are briefed by their superiors on a Nazi plot to kidnap an American soldier. Cap explains that the kidnapping has already happened, and gives the soldier's name, which he overhead: Private Biljo White. Toro and Bucky realize White was the artist on the hottest new American comic book, MAJOR VICTORY, and Cap knows that since he was drafted, he has been drawing cartoons for the armed forces' Stars and Stripes newspaper. When Cap shows everyone the most recent issue of MAJOR VICTORY, the group is shocked to see that White's origin for the title character mirrors Cap's own origin very closely. Realizing that the Nazis believe White harbors some secrets about the Super Soldier formula, the Invaders head out to find him.

Deducing that the Nazis would have brought White directly to Hitler's fortress, Berchtesgaden, the heroes head there -- but upon arrival, they are attacked by Master Man, empowered once more and now able to fly. Master Man takes out the entire group with ease. When the come to inside the fortress, the Invaders find themselves face-to-face with Hitler himself.

INVADERS #5 & MARVEL PREMIERE #29

"RED SKULL IN THE SUNSET!"
Writer/Editor: Roy Thomas
Pencilers: Rich Buckler & Dick Ayers | Embellisher: Jim Mooney
Colorist: Petra Goldberg | Letterer: John Costanza

The Plot: The Invaders rampage through a munitions plant in the Midwest, destroying it and departing. That night, the Red Skull cuts into all American radio and TV broadcasts to inform the populace that the Invaders now serve him and their attack was staged at his command.

At the White House, the Invaders' FBI Liaison, Mr. Stuart, explains to President Roosevelt that it all started when the group was tapped by the government to appear in a New York parade, sponsored by magnate Bettman P. Lyles, to raise money for war bonds. There, the Red Skull abducted Captain America, the Sub-Mariner, the Human Torch, and Toro via a strange vortex, and Bucky was left catatonic.

Following Stuart's story, Bucky appears in the Oval Office, jogged from his stupor by reports of his teammates' attack on the plant. Bucky has a plan, but since he is unwilling to disclose it to the president, Roosevelt turns him down. Bucky leaves the White House, despondent.

Continuity Notes: While Stuart appeals to the adult Invaders to join the parade, Bucky and Toro look over a stack of comic books about their own exploits, pointing out everything the creators have gotten wrong. This seems to be Roy Thomas reiterating his stance, described in a column back in GIANT-SIZE INVADERS #1, that the original Golden Age stories about these characters are considered apocryphal until stated otherwise in the pages of INVADERS.

SONS OF THE TIGER PART 15 - MEANWHILE...

And now we wrap up the saga of the White Tiger with a couple of "reruns" from the earlier days of this blog. Way back in 2014, I looked at one of my all-time favorite Marvel runs -- Roger Stern's tenure on SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN from the early eighties. As part of his work on the former title, Stern decided to revisit Hector Ayala and, at least at the time, give his story a conclusion. Stern did a story about a hero-killing vigilante called Gideon Mace, and I suppose he needed to show that Mace was serious business, so he decided to have him cripple Spidey's pal from SPECTACULAR's earlier days.

When I read this at the time (and previously, in my younger days), I didn't think much of it since the Tiger was a curiosity and not a character with whom I was terribly familiar. But now, with the benefit of having seen his earliest appearances in DEADLY HANDS and some of his struggles in SPECTACULAR, Stern's callous treatment of the Tiger and his family, characters into whom Bill Mantlo clearly had invested a great deal of his energies and interest (and into whom George Pérez had injected biographical tidbits from his own life and family), reads differently, and is perhaps a blemish on his otherwise wonderful run.

But I'll let you decide! Following are my looks at the White Tiger backup serial Stern used to set up his Gideon Mace tale, and then Spider-Man's battle against Mace himself, originally posted here way back in the summer of '14:

PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN: THE WHITE TIGER SERIAL
PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #52

But if, after reading these stories, you think Roger Stern was rough on the Tiger, just remember that a couple decades later, in the pages of DAREDEVIL, Brian Bendis had him framed for a crime he didn't commit, after which he was gunned down and killed by cops while trying to clear his name.

So that's it for the White Tiger, but we're not quite finished with this saga yet. There's still one last big dangling plot left over from the final days of DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU, so I broke out the Comicraft fonts and prepared a little "primer" to get you ready for it:

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #17

"HEROES AND VILLAINS"
Plot: Roger Stern | Script: Bill Mantlo | Penciler: Ed Hannigan
Inker: Jim Mooney | Letterer: Diana Albers | Colorist: George Roussos
Editors: Tom DeFalco & Danny Fingeroth | Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The Plot: Milton Farr, publisher of sleazy men's magazines, is kidnapped by mobsters who are aware he has information which could topple the Kingpin. Meanwhile, Peter Parker attends the pre-reunion mixer for Midtown High School's class reunion, where he bumps into former classmates Louie Minelli, now an insurance salesman, and C.J. Vogel, a comedy writer. Peter leaves the mixer and changes to Spider-Man, and as he departs he spots Louie coercing C.J. into delivering a package for him by invoking the name "Remington Colt".

Peter learns that Colt was a pen name for writers working for Farr, and also that Farr has been kidnapped. He follows C.J. on his delivery run and gets in between two rival gangs, both after Farr's dirt on the Kingpin. Spider-Man saves C.J. from the gangs and nurses him back to health as Peter Parker. After C.J. leaves Peter's apartment, Spider-Man heads out to Farr's office, where he finds a hidden safe C.J. had described to Peter. The web-slinger takes a file which would identify C.J. as Remington Colt, then departs to let the police in on the safe's location, which still contains the evidence on the Kingpin.

But Farr finally breaks under pressure, and his captors head for the office to raid the safe. C.J. has headed there as well, to recover the Colt file, and is cornered by Louie. Spider-Man returns from calling the police in time to find one of the gangs holding Louie and C.J. both at gunpoint. The wall-crawler saves them and webs up the gang, but C.J. burns Farr's safe, still believing the Colt file to be inside.

Later, at the Midtown High reunion, C.J. gives a monologue filled with cruel jokes about his former classmates, and the alumni are not amused. Backstage, Peter gives C.J. the Colt file and informs him that Louie has been arrested for his part in recent criminal activities. C.J. evidences his selfishness to Peter, who berates him and walks away.

PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #85

"THE HATRED OF THE HOBGOBLIN!"
Writer: Bill Mantlo | Artists: Al Milgrom & Jim Mooney
Letterer: Diana Albers | Colorist: Bob Sharen | Editors: Tom DeFalco & Danny Fingeroth
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter | Gracious Plot Assist: Roger Stern

The Plot: The Hobgoblin finally perfects Norman Osborn's strength enhancement formula in the form of a chemical bath. After immersing himself in it, the villain emerges super-strong. He sets out to test his now power by killing Spider-Man.

The goblin conveniently finds the web-slinger out for an evening constitutional with the Black Cat, and attacks. Spider-Man proves a match for his foe's newfound strength, but when the Cat attempts to offer aid to her love, she spoils his hastily planned trap and allows the Hobgoblin to escape into the night.

The Sub-Plots: Harry and Liz Osborn host a lunch at Central Park's Tavern-on-the-Green, where they announce to their assembled friends -- Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson, Ned and Betty Leeds, Flash Thompson, and his girlfriend Sha Shan -- that they're expecting a baby.

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #233

"WHERE THE @¢%# IS NOSE NORTON?"
Scripter: Roger Stern | Artists: John Romita, Jr. & Jim Mooney
Letterer: Diana Albers | Colorist: Glynis Wein | Editor: Tom DeFalco
Lost & Found: Jim Shooter

The Plot: Realizing that underworld informant "Nose" Norton may hold the key to their exposé on the Brand Corporation, Robbie Robertson, Ned Leeds, and Marla Madison convince Jonah Jameson to offer a $1500 cash reward to the first Daily Bugle employee to find the missing stool pigeon. Spurred to action by the reward, Peter Parker -- as Spider-Man -- combs the city for Norton.

Meanwhile, the Brand Corporation wants Norton silenced. Their own men are on the hunt as well, and they hire the South American terrorist called the Tarantula to kill him once he is uncovered. Brand finds Nose around the same time as Peter and Bugle reporter Ben Urich, who have decided to split the reward.

When the Tarantula arrives to kill Norton, Peter changes to Spider-Man and fights him off. But private investigators working for Brand arrive and gun Norton down, claiming he fired upon them first. After the Tarantula escapes, Spider-Man changes back to Peter and informs Ben that he has photos of the entire altercation.

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #232

"HYDE...IN PLAIN SIGHT!"
Scripter: Roger Stern | Penciler: John Romita, Jr. | Inker: Jim Mooney
Letterer: Diana Albers | Colorist: Bob Sharen | Editor: Tom DeFalco
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The Plot: Mr. Hyde challenges Spider-Man for his captive, the Cobra. Hyde proves too much for the web-slinger and eventually Spider-Man tosses Cobra to Hyde -- but not before coating Cobra's helmet in webbing, which sticks the two villains together when Hyde catches him. Hyde collapses several rooftop water towers and escapes with Cobra, while Spider-Man heads for Empire State University.

Later, Hyde, in his guise as Dr. Calvin Zabo, brings Cobra to the latter's penthouse suite with the intention of killing him and taking his riches. But Spider-Man, having planted a tracer on the Cobra before handing him over, arrives to challenge Hyde. The wall-crawler's non-stop barrage of quips enrages Hyde to the point of irrationality, and Spider-Man manages to defeat him by hurling him from the penthouse to the street below. Hyde passes out, and Cobra surrenders to Spider-Man rather than go another round with the webbed wonder.

The Sub-Plots: Ned Leeds and Marla Madison put in a brief appearance as they wait for Spider-Man to deliver Cobra to the police, and Marla makes her dislike and mistrust for the web-slinger clear to Ned. When Lance Bannon shows up to snap photos of the captive Cobra and gets caught up in Hyde's rampage, Spider-Man saves him but Lance chastises the wall-crawler for not rescuing his camera as well.

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #231

"CAUGHT IN THE ACT..."
Scripter: Roger Stern | Artists: John Romita, Jr. & Jim Mooney
Letterer: Joe Rosen | Colorist: Bob Sharen | Editor: Tom DeFalco
Precinct Captain: Jim Shooter

The Plot: The Cobra robs a police evidence locker of several gems from a jewel theft ring, the latest in a series of similar crimes. At his home, he makes plans to see his fence about them. Meanwhile, Jonah Jameson has assigned Ned Leeds to investigate the Brand Corporation. Ned and Dr. Marla Madison go to meet with Ned's contact, "Nose" Norton -- who just happens to be the Cobra's fence, as well.

Cobra arrives at the same time and sees Nose consorting with Ned, who he recognizes as a reporter from his last trial, and assumes Nose is selling him out. He jumps Nose, Ned, and Marla in an alleyway. Fortunately Spider-Man is in the area, having been informed (as Peter Parker) by Betty Leeds that Ned was headed to a bad part of town.

The web-slinger defends the Cobra's victims and makes short work of the wily villain, but as he heads away to turn Cobra over to the police, the pair is attacked by Cobra's ex-partner, Mr. Hyde.

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #230

"TO FIGHT THE UNBEATABLE FOE!"
Writer: Roger Stern | Artists: John Romita, Jr. & Jim Mooney
Letterer: Joe Rosen | Colorist: Glynis Wein | Editor: Tom DeFalco
Dream Analyst: Jim Shooter

The Plot: After leaving Madame Web to the paramedics, Spider-Man continues to battle Juggernaut across the city, even after running out of web fluid. He tosses girders and wrecking balls at his foe, drops a building on him, and even rams him with a gasoline truck, but every tactic fails. Juggernaut is finally subdued when Spider-Man covers the eye holes on his helmet and he walks into a deep bed of wet cement.

The wall-crawler realizes that his camera was accidentally turned on during the fight and races to the Daily Bugle, where he sells the photos to Joe Robertson, then he heads to the hospital to check on Madame Web.

Meanwhile, Black Tom Cassidy anxiously watches the Juggernaut's new tomb, praying for his friend to emerge unscathed.

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #229

"NOTHING CAN STOP THE JUGGERNAUT!"
Writer: Roger Stern | Artists: John Romita, Jr. & Jim Mooney
Letterer: Joe Rosen | Colorist: Glynis Wein | Editor: Tom DeFalco
Dream Analyst: Jim Shooter

The Plot: The crippled precognitive Madame Web dreams that a powerful being is coming for her. She calls Peter Parker and informs him that she will need Spider-Man to defend her. Meanwhile, a ship owned by Black Tom Cassidy enters New York Harbor. Juggernaut exits the ship to go capture Madame Web as part of Black Tom's latest scheme.

Web calls Peter at the Daily Bugle and informs him that Juggernaut is coming by sea. The web-slinger intercepts the villain but is unable to stop him from proceeding through Manhattan, crushing everything in his path. Spider-Man finally faces down the Juggernaut in Madame Web's home, but the unstoppable villain overcomes him and pulls Web from her life support machine. Web goes into convulsions and Juggernaut realizes she will be no use to him dead, so he discards her and departs.

As paramedics tend to Madame Web, Spider-Man vows to find the Juggernaut and make him pay for what he's done.

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #227

"GOIN' STRAIGHT!"
Writer: Roger Stern | Artists: John Romita, Jr. & Jim Mooney
Letterer: Joe Rosen | Colorist: Bob Sharen | Editor: Tom DeFalco
Est. 1951: Jim Shooter

The Plot: Spider-Man confronts Captain Jean DeWolff about a Daily Bugle article covering the previous night's fight at Phil Bradshaw's party, but which omits the Black Cat's participation. DeWolff says the police can't condone the activities of a fugitive, but Spider-Man informs her that the Cat wants to go straight.

Spidey then visits the Black Cat, who tries to get him to join her in stealing a valuable gem called "Quest's End", currently in the possession of a mobster named Galvagno, to use for their "nest egg". Spidey refuses and the Cat promises to drop the matter. But instead, later that night, she breaks into Galvagno's penthouse for the jewel. Spider-Man shows up to stop her, but the Cat instead attempts to implicate him in the crime, explaining that she can't live his life but hopes he can live hers.

Galvagno and his men show up and Spider-Man is injured saving the Black Cat. He pursues her to the docks where she intends to escape in a speedboat, but Spider-Man webs her up before she can. Preferring death over capture, the Cat jumps into the water. Spider-Man dives in as well, but is unable to find her. The police soon arrive and Captain DeWolff informs Spidey, too late, that she has procured a conditional offer of amnesty for the Black Cat from the district attorney's office.

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #226

"BUT THE CAT CAME BACK..."
Writer: Roger Stern | Artists: John Romita, Jr. & Jim Mooney
Letterer: Joe Rosen | Colorist: Bob Sharen | Editor: Tom DeFalco
Orderly: Jim Shooter

The Plot: The Black Cat escapes from Mitchell State Hospital in upstate New York and returns to her life as a cat burglar. But she feels unfulfilled and pines for Spider-Man. She sends him a sky-written message, and he meets her at the site of their first encounter. There, the Cat tells Spidey that she will go straight for him, and as a show of good faith she gives him a priceless painting she stole from mob boss Phil Bradshaw, along with an invitation to meet again at a party thrown by Bradshaw the next night.

Spider-Man returns the painting to NYPD Captain Jean DeWolff and gets wind from her that the party may be raided by the police. The web-slinger meets the Black Cat at the party in a Jawa costume and a fight breaks out. Spider-Man and the Cat defeat Bradshaw's goons, and Bradshaw himself is arrested by DeWolff and her men. Afterward, the Cat reiterates her desire to go straight, and she and Spider-Man share a rooftop kiss.

PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #61

"BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY MOONSTONE"
Story: Roger Stern | Dialogue: Bill Mantlo | Artists: Ed Hannigan & Jim Mooney
Letters: Jean Simek | Colors: Ben Sean | Editor: Tom DeFalco
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The Plot: After saving a hapless child from falling to his death while trying to emulate him, Spider-Man arrives at Empire State University, where he spots a mysterious figure breaking into the science building. The wall-crawler moves to investigate and the intruder reveals herself as a villainess named Moonstone. In the ensuing fight, bystander Marcy Kane, working late into the night, is injured. While performing CPR on Marcy, Spider-Man allows Moonstone to escape with a piece of equipment stolen from the lab of Dr. Curt Connors.

Soon after, Spider-Man speaks with Connors about the stolen device, the portable enervator pak, which Moonstone intends to use to supercharge her powers for a crime spree with the ultimate intention of attracting the eye of a potential new employer. Connors provides Spider-Man with a tracking device which allows the web-slinger to track Moonstone down. This time Spider-Man bests his foe, knocking her out and removing the enervator from her before it can, as expected by Connors, harm her. The enervator explodes, Moonstone is captured, and Marcy makes a full recovery at St. Luke's Hospital.

PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #60 - PART ONE

"BEETLEMANIA!"
Storytellers: Roger Stern, Ed Hannigan, & Jim Mooney
Letterer: Diana Albers | Colorist: George Roussos | Editor: Tom DeFalco
Grand Vizier: Jim Shooter

The Plot: The Beetle easily outclasses the weakened Spider-Man one-on-one, forcing the webbed wonder to retreat. Beetle kidnaps the Gibbon and departs as well. Later, Beetle sends out word for Spider-Man to meet him at the Kreller Building in Manhattan or the Gibbon will die.

Spidey arrives at the Kreller Building, which Beetle had previously rigged with a revolving roof, to find Gibbon manacled to a large "X". The web-slinger fights Beetle while also trying to free Gibbon. Eventually Spider-Man gets lucky and snaps off one of Beetle's antennae, which overloads his battlesuit and stuns him. Gibbon, now free, decks the Beetle with one punch and receives the public's accolades as Spider-Man heads home to rest.

PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #59

"I WANT SPIDER-MAN!"
A Roger Stern/Jim Mooney Production
Principle Photography: J. Strzltski | Titles: Simek Titles Ltd. | Colors: Sharencolor
Director: Thomas DeFalco | Executive Director: James Shooter

The Plot: A documentary TV series called "On The Trail Of..." makes plans for a show about Spider-Man. Their grip operator, Marty Blank, claims to know where to find the web-slinger.

Meanwhile, in New York, the Beetle puts his new armor through its paces in preparation for his upcoming battle with Spider-Man. Beetle's sensors locate the wall-crawling wonder uptown, and he heads out to challenge his quarry. But the documentary crew, aboard a helicopter, finds Spider-Man at the same time. Marty dons a costume and reveals himself as Spider-Man's one-time opponent, the Gibbon, and leaps from the chopper to attack.

Beetle hangs back to observe the fight between Spider-Man and the Gibbon, then, after Spidey defeats his enemy, Beetle topples a brick wall onto the web-slinger then moves in to finish him off.

PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #57

"THESE WINGS ENSLAVED!"
Roger Stern: Words Beyond Compare!
Jim Shooter: Layouts That Are Fair! | Jim Mooney: Artist With A Flair!
Jim Novak: Letterer Extraordinaire! | Ben Sean: Colorist, If You Care!
Denny O'Neil: Editor With Gray Hair! | Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The Plot: En route to a high society bash at Jonah Jameson's penthouse, Spider-Man is accosted by a glowing yellow energy cloud. After it departs, he realizes it was probably his old foe, Will-O'-The-Wisp. Then, with the cloud gone, the web-slinger proceeds on his way. At the party, Jameson's girlfriend, research scientist Marla Madison, accepts a job working for the Brand Corporation. But the party breaks up when the bodyguard of James Melvin, Brand's president, reveals himself as the mercenary Killer Shrike and kidnaps Marla.

The police detain the party guests for some time, trapping Peter among them. Finally, when Melvin departs, Peter changes to Spider-Man and follows him to a Brand factory in New Jersey, where Killer Shrike has taken Marla. Shrike's costume is possessed by Will-O'-The-Wisp, who has been rendered non-corporeal and needs Marla to restore him to normal. Spider-Man allows Marla to do her work and holds off the Brand guards when they interfere at Melvin's order.

Finally Will-O'-The-Wisp is restored to normal and escapes, but not before wiping Marla's memory of the entire incident and destroying the factory.

PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #56

"THE PERIL... AND THE PUMPKIN?"
Words: Roger Stern | Layouts: Jim Shooter | Finished Art: Jim Mooney
Letters: Janice Chiang | Colors: Bob Sharen & George Roussos
Editing: Dennis O'Neil | Again: Jim Shooter

The Plot: Spider-Man sees the terrorist called Jack O'Lantern carried into Bellevue Hospital and snaps some pictures, then heads for the Daily Bugle. The next day, Jack O'Lantern's men attempt to spring their boss from the hospital's prison ward, but the terrorist instead decides to hold the hospital hostage. Informed of the situation by Aunt May, whose fiance Nathan is at the hospital for physical therapy, Peter Parker changes into Spider-Man and infiltrates Bellevue. He takes out Jack O'Lantern's men, saving the hostages, then defeats Jack O'Lantern himself.

The Sub-Plots: The Marcy Kane plotline finally comes to an end as Steve Hopkins positions himself over the door to the chemistry department offices and snatches her scarf when she enters, discovering that she has a wig on as well. Marcy runs away but Peter follows, and Marcy tells him that her hair used to be blonde when she was young, but that it went dark so she began to dye it instead -- until her doctor told her the dye was harming her hair and she needed to stop. When Peter tries to cheer her up, Marcy realizes that perhaps he's not as bad a person as she had previously believed.

PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #51

"ALIENS AND ILLUSIONS!"
Writer: Roger Stern | Artists: Marie Severin & Jim Mooney
Letterer: Jim Novak | Colorist: Christie Scheele | Editor: Denny O'Neil
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The Plot: The aliens bring Peter Parker before Mysterio, who straps him into a machine which uses a combination of nausea-inducement and holography in an attempt to make him reveal the location of Dutch Mallone's loot. But Peter feigns passing out, so the aliens stick him a cell while Mysterio forumulates a new plan. He sends the aliens to the Restwell Nursing Home to kidnap Debra Whitman, who has just finished giving a statement on Peter's abduction to the police.

Meanwhile, Peter changes into Spider-Man and escapes from his cell to explore the aliens' "spaceship". He soon realizes the whole place is merely an elaborate set, and the aliens themselves are men in disguise. When our hero sees that Mysterio has Debra as his prisoner, he uses Mysterio's own technology to confuse the villain with holograms. Debra escapes her captor and Spider-Man swings in to finish off Mysterio and the "aliens". He then returns to his cell and changes back into Peter Parker just in time for Debra to release him.

PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #50

"DILEMMA!"
Writer: Roger Stern | Artists: John Romita, Jr. & Jim Mooney
Letterer: Jim Novak | Colorist: Ben Sean | Editor: Dennis O'Neil
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The Plot: Still holding the Smuggler with one hand and unable to reload his web-shooters, Spider-Man decides to walk his prisoner to the police. But first he checks on the Smuggler's men, who have recovered from last issue's fight and are lying in wait to ambush the wall-crawler. Alerted by his spider-sense, our hero pushes the Smuggler into the room first, and he is K.O.d by his own men. Spider-Man then takes the goons out and finally reloads his webbing. After webbing up the Smuggler's men, Spider-Man leaves with the villain and hops a ride on the nearest train back to Manhattan. But the Smuggler gets loose and another brief fight breaks out, culminating in the villain being electrocuted into unconsciousness by the third rail. A bystander calls for the police, and Spider-Man finally heads home.

The next day, Peter Parker and Debra Whitman meet Aunt May and her fiance, Nathan Lubensky, at the Restwell Nursing Home. The group goes out to lunch, but their meal is interrupted by a group of surly waiters. Peter removes one of the men's life-like masks to reveal that they are actually aliens. The aliens declare that they are after the treasure of Dutch Mallone, and Peter says that only he knows where it is. The aliens abduct Peter, bringing him aboard their spacecraft, where our hero is confronted by their new ally -- Mysterio.