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:

SONS OF THE TIGER PART 14

As presented in PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN Nos. 19 & 20.

"AGAIN, THE ENFORCERS!"
Writer: Bill Mantlo | Artists: Sal Buscema & Mike Esposito
Letters: Jim Novak | Colors: Mary Titus | Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

"WHERE WERE YOU WHEN THE LIGHTS WENT OUT?"
Story: Bill Mantlo | Art: Sal Buscema & Mike Esposito
Letterer: Irving Watanabe | Colorist: Don Warfield | Editor: Jim Shooter

The Plot: (Issue 19) In the hideout of their new boss, Lightmaster, the original Enforcers, Fancy Dan and Montana, practice beating on a Spider-Man dummy. Lightmaster appears and introduces the men to the new third member of their trio, a lumbering brute named Ox, to replace the original Ox who died in battle with Daredevil. Lightmaster sends the enforcers to the Coffee Bean near Empire State University, where they take the customers and staff hostage, demanding Spider-Man come to face them. Peter Parker, in the area, changes to the web-slinger and confronts the Enforcers, while the hostages escape. But one hostage, Hector Ayala, remains inside to watch the fight. After Spider-Man easily defeats the Enforcers and departs, Hector emerges from the Coffee Bean, leading Lightmaster to believe that Hector is actually Spider-Man.

(Issue 20) The police interrogate the Enforcers (while Spider-Man secretly listens in), but are unable to learn who their boss is. The web-slinger heads home for rest, while Lightmaster prepares to move against Hector. The next morning at Empire State University, Lightmaster appears and abducts Hector in front of Peter and others. Peter manages to tag Hector with a spider-tracer and tracks him to Lightmaster's hideout on Long Island. There, Lightmaster has activated TV cameras to broadcast his unmasking of Spider-Man. Spidey delivers to Hector the tiger amulets, which he dropped during the abduction, and Hector changes to White Tiger as Lightmaster's cameras roll. Spider-Man and White Tiger then defeat Lightmaster together.

SONS OF THE TIGER PART 13

As presented in PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN Nos. 9 & 10.

Though DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU ended with the February 1977 installment, Bill Mantlo was by no means finished with his co-creaton, Hector Ayala, a.k.a. the White Tiger. Also the writer of PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN, Mantlo brought Hector in as a supporting character on that series in very short order. Hector and/or the White Tiger appeared in several issues of Mantlo's run, but I don't intend to look at all of them here. I will, however, examine issues 9 and 10, the Tiger's first encounter with Spider-Man, and next week we'll look at issues 19 and 20, as they feature a major event in Hector's life.

"...LIKE A TIGER IN THE NIGHT!"
Writer: Bill Mantlo | Artists: Sal Buscema & Mike Esposito
Letters: John Costanza | Colors: Phil Rache | Editor: Archie Goodwin

"TIGER IN A WEB!"
Writer: Bill Mantlo | Artists: Sal Buscema, Mike Esposito, & Frank Giacoia
Letterer: Irving Watanabe | Colorist: Sam Kato | Editor: Archie Goodwin

The Plot: (Issue 9) Peter Parker arrives at Empire State University to find students up in arms over the school president's cancellation of night classes due to budget issues. But when ethnic studies professor Ramon Vasquez reveals that the school recently turned down a multi-million dollar bid for its prized Erskine Manuscripts, and that the money could've been used to keep the night classes running, the students become more riled up. One student present is recent enrollee Hector Ayala.

That night, the White Tiger arrives at ESU to steal the Erskine papers, and finds Peter Parker in the science library for a project. The Tiger and Peter have a scuffle and the Tiger gets away with the papers. Peter chases him into the hallway to find the Tiger fighting a group of armed, costumed men. The Tiger beats these men into retreat, and then departs. ESU's President Dwyer then arrives and announces the school is under a state of emergency. Spider-Man does some research on White Tiger, chatting briefly with Blackbyrd in the process, and then returns to ESU. Meanwhile, White Tiger has done the same, entering Professor Vasquez's office to find the professor looking at the Erskine Manuscripts. A moment later Spider-Man arrives as well.

SONS OF THE TIGER PART 12

As presented in DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU Nos. 31 & 32.

"DARK WATERS OF DEATH!" | "THE TIGER-SONS MUST DIE!"
Story: Bill Mantlo | Art: Joe Staton & Sonny Trinidad
Tones: Michele Brand (issue 33)

The Plot: (DEADLY HANDS #32) White Tiger and his brother, Filippo, arrive at the waterfront, where the Tiger boards the freighter El Tigre. Filippo soon follows him aboard, just as Jack of Hearts arrives. Jack and Filippo are confronted by a group of costumed men, while White Tiger prowls the ship. Elsewhere, Danny Rand and Shang-Chi arrive at Misty Knight's private detective office, where Misty is speaking with Blackbyrd, who wants help in finding White Tiger. Danny and Shang-Chi agree to join in as well.

Back on the freighter, White Tiger fights his way to a sinister executive named Wender. Meanwhile, Blackbyrd, Iron Fist, and Shang-Chi approach the ship via helicopter. The two heroes disembark to join Jack of Hearts' battle on deck, but Blackbyrd is shot down. The chopper crashes, sending El Tigre drifting down the river, but Blackbyrd survives. White Tiger fights off Wender's men, while Shang-Chi and Iron Fist help rout Jack of Hearts' opponents. Filippo is injured and makes his way into the ship, where he finds Wender babbling about White Tiger. Further into the ship, Filippo meets up with his brother to find the drug-runners in their board room, all dead of self-inflicted gunshots.

White Tiger confronts Filippo, realizing that his brother is actually the leader of the drug-runners and that he was never a junkie. Filippo pulls a gun on the Tiger, who is joined by Jack, Shang-Chi, and Iron Fist. Filippo reveals his plans to join Fu Manchu's organization, but is shocked when he views a recording from Manchu stating that Filippo's operation is beneath him. Realizing he has no way out, Filippo arms the bomb attached to his chest. White Tiger and the others escape, but the ship blows up with Filippo, his men, and his drugs aboard.

SONS OF THE TIGER PART 11

As presented in DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU Nos. 29 and 30.

"FLESH OF MY FLESH!"
Story: Bill Mantlo | Art: Ron Wilson, Sonny Trinidad, Rudy Mesina & Pete Lijauco

"THREADS OF EVIL... WEB OF HATE!"
Story: Bill Mantlo | Art: George Pérez & Sonny Trinidad

The Plot: (DEADLY HANDS #29) On the handball court where the girl, Cheeky, was killed, a riot breaks out as the neighborhood citizens blame White Tiger for her death. With the help of Blackbyrd, D'Angelo, and the police, White Tiger fights the mob off, but is consumed in his fury until Blackbyrd punches him. Meanwhile, Jack of Hearts leaves the hospital to find White Tiger, while at the Ayala apartment, young brother Filippo reveals to Awilda that he was running drugs for Maris, the man killed trying to abduct Jack of Hearts at the hospital, and only Maris can deactivate a bomb attached to Filippo. Elsewhere, Lin and Lotus receive a call from Bob's agent regarding his estate, while Bob himself struggles to survive in the snowy Canadian wilderness. And in Africa, Brillalae tells Abe it is his destiny to wear the costume he carried in his suitcase, and to become... the Black Tiger.

(DEADLY HANDS #30) Jack of Hearts finds D'Angelo and Blackbyrd and learns that White Tiger has left them to continue his quest for "El Tigre". Jack next visits Daily Globe publisher Barney Bushkin to gather facts about his father's murder, and learns that El Tigre is a ship from Chile which the drug-runner, Maris, was going to meet before he died. Meanwhile, White Tiger sees hallucinations of those who have died since he became a hero -- but the moment is interrupted when he hears Awilda below, being accosted by a gang after Filippo. White Tiger saves his brother and sister, and Filippo reveals the bomb wired to his body. Elsewhere, Bob struggles through the wilderness and runs into a polar bear, while in New York, Lin and Lotus visit Bob's agent and refuse to take their friend's money. In Africa, Abe, wearing the black costume, leads the bedouins in an assault on a military convoy.

SONS OF THE TIGER PART 10

As presented in DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU Nos. 24, 26, & 27.

"TIGER, TIGER... BURNING BRIGHT--"
Story: Bill Mantlo | Art: Keith Giffen & The Tribe

"WHITE TIGER"
Story: Bill Mantlo | Art: Jim Sherman & The Tribe

"...DEATH IS A GAME CALLED HANDBALL!"
Story: Bill Mantlo | Art: Ron Wilson & The Tribe

The Plot: (DEADLY HANDS #24) White Tiger, Detective D'Angelo, Blackbyrd, and Awilda rush the injured Jack of Hearts to the hospital. While the doctors examine Jack, White Tiger reveals his true identity as Hector Ayala to the others. Meanwhile, Abe Brown awakens in a bedouin camp, to find Brillalae, the woman who switched suitcases with him in New York, tending to him. The bedouins also have the hijacker, Mole, captive, and they want Abe and Mole to fight over the costume inside the case. From a dune above, Mole's compatriots, Scratch and Table-Top, watch. Back in New York, Lin Sun and Lotus have been unable to reach Bob Diamond by phone, so they send him a telegram. But up in Canada, Bob has been buried by an avalanche during the filming of his movie. At the hospital, Jack of Hearts' power goes out of control until White Tiger calms him down -- but moments later, costumed men arrive, demanding that Jack be turned over to them.

(DEADLY HANDS #26) At the hospital, the White Tiger, Blackbyrd, and D'Angelo fight the newcomers, eventually defeating them. In Africa, Abe fights Mole, somehow catching a bullet from the criminal's gun. Mole falls into a pit of snakes and dies as Brillalae crowns Abe winner of the duel. In New York, Lin and Lotus recieve word that Bob was lost in an avalanche, while in Canada, Bob emerges from beneath the snow to find the film crew has departed, and he is alone in the wilderness.

(DEADLY HANDS #27) Searching the South Bronx for the mysterious "Tigre", White Tiger, D'Angelo, and Blackbyrd meet a girl named "Cheeky" playing handball at the local junior high school. The group then heads on to a bar, where they question the patrons and get into a fight that leaves nearly everyone dead, save our heroes and the bartender, Whitewash. While Blackbyrd and D'Angelo question Whitewash, White Tiger leaves the bar and bumps into Cheeky. She has a handball someone asked her to get autographed by the Tiger, but it explodes in her hands, killing her.

SONS OF THE TIGER PART 9

As presented in DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU Nos. 21, 22, & 23.

"TO CLAW THE EYES OF NIGHT!"
Story: Bill Mantlo | Art: George Pérez & Jack Abel

"WHO IS THE WHITE TIGER?"
Story: Bill Mantlo | Art: Keith Giffen & Rico Rival

"REVENGE IS THE JACK OF HEARTS"
Story: Bill Mantlo | Art: Gil Kane & Rico Rival

The Plot: (DEADLY HANDS #21) The police attempt to arrest Hector, but when he feels the tiger amulets beginning to change him into White Tiger, he runs and transforms in an alleyway outside his family apartment. Meanwhile, Abe Brown is aboard his flight to Morocco when a group of men attack him for the suitfcase that was swapped for his own at the airport. Abe fights the men off, but only after they kill the pilots and all flight attendants. As Abe opens the case and finds a black costume inside, the plane begins plummeting toward Earth. In New York, Bob Diamond decides to go do a movie in Canada, while the White Tiger eludes the police only to find himself up against the Prowler. Prowler and the Tiger fight to a standstill and the police arrive, informing the Tiger that both he and Hector have been cleared in connection with the death of young Manny Lopez. The vigilantes part ways and the Tiger changes back into Hector, who has once again blacked out and has no memory of his name being cleared.

(DEADLY HANDS #22) While Hector's mother and sister wonder where he is, Hector finally realizes that he is the White Tiger when he sees a newspaper photo of the Tiger wearing his amulets. Meanwhile, Detective D'Angelo and his boss discuss the Tiger when Blackbyrd interrupts them, looking for information about the vigilante as well. Elsewhere, Abe manages to land the plummeting airliner in the Sahara desert, while in New York, Lotus and Lin Sun look for jobs. Meanwhile, the White Tiger approaches Hector's father, Nestor, and tells him that Hector is okay. But as soon as he leaves, the Tiger is attacked by the costumed Jack of Hearts.

(DEADLY HANDS #23) Jack of Hearts fights White Tiger, claiming that the Tiger is behind his father's recent murder. Meanwhile, Abe leaves the crashed plane in pursuit of one of the men who attacked him -- Mole, who has taken the mystery suitcase. Abe and Mole are found and taken by a group of bedouins, while aboard the plane, two of Mole's compatriots, Table-Top and Scratch, come around and head out after the others. In New York, Lin and Lotus see a news report about the plane crash. Knowing Abe was aboard, they call Bob, up in Canada shooting his movie, for help. Meanwhile, White Tiger convinces Jack of Hearts that he didn't kill anyone, just as Jack passes out due to their battle. Detective D'Angelo, Blackbyrd, and Hector's sister, Awilda, then show up.

SONS OF THE TIGER PART 8

As presented in DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU Nos. 19 & 20.

"AN ENDING!" | "THE BEGINNING"
Story: Bill Mantlo | Art: George Pérez & Jack Abel
Additional Dialogue: Yvette O. Pérez

The Plot: (DEADLY HANDS #19) The Sons of the Tiger meet at their dojo, where Bob Diamond attacks Lin Sun over Lin's love for Lotus. Abe attempts to intervene and is knocked aside by Bob, leading Abe to remove his amulet and storm off. Lotus tells Bob that she and Lin are in love, then she, too, departs. Bob and Lin fight, with Lin ultimately gaining the upper hand and savagely beating his friend. Lin stops himself from hurting Bob further, and the men finally come to a sort of peace, leaving the dojo together. Lin discards all three tiger amulets in a trash can as they go. Soon after, the amulets are found by a young man named Hector Ayala, who dons them and transforms into the White Tiger.

(DEADLY HANDS #20) At a train yard in the South Bronx, White Tiger attempts to stop a street gang from murdering a night watchman, but in the ensuing chaos, the watchman winds up killing a young child running with the gang. White Tiger then departs and returns to the Ayala family apartment, where he reverts to Hector, with no memory of his nocturnal exploits. The next morning, Bob and Lotus say their goodbyes and Lotus leaves the Sons' brownstone with Lin Sun -- while elsewhere, Abe is leaving for a vacation when he bumps into a beautiful woman at the airport who distracts him and switches his suitcase for her own. The next morning at the Ayala apartment, a police detective arrives to arrest Hector in connection with the previous night's killing.

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

"...THE WHITE TIGER" | "A KILLER ELITE" | "THE MENACE OF GIDEON MACE!"
Writer: Roger Stern | Penciler: Denys Cowan
Inkers: Jim Mooney, Dave Humphreys, Josef Rubenstein
Letterers: Joe Rosen, Jim Novak | Colorists: Ed Hannigan, Christie Scheele
Editor: Dennis O'Neil | Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter

The Plot: Nathaniel Alexander Byrd, a private detective called Blackbyrd, speaks with a stool pigeon named Lou Gunther. He tells Gunther the history of the Hector Ayala, a.k.a. the White Tiger, his tale culminating with the murder of the Tiger's family one night before. Blackbyrd wants to know who did it, as does the White Tiger -- who arrives moments after the story has been told.

Gunther tells the Tiger that it was "out of town muscle" who murdered his parents and sister, and the Tiger vows to track them down. He heads for the abandoned candy shop Gunther says they have been using as a headquarters, where he finds the men -- a highly trianed military unit led by Colonel Gideon Mace -- holed up.

Mace's soldiers battle the Tiger until he is forced to retreat, but he finds his attempted point of egress -- a window -- to be painted onto the wall by Mace as a trap. With his back literally against the wall, the White Tiger is gunned down by Mace, who proclaims him the first victim of a crusade to rid New York City of all its superhuman residents.