Amazing Spider-Man #81-90

Amazing Spider-Man
# 81-90

Amazing Spider-Man # 81: "The Coming of the Kangaroo!"
Writer: Stan Lee/John Romita
Penciller: John Buscema (breakdowns)/John Romita (finishes)
Inker: Jim Mooney

Jay's Rating:
JJ

Synopsis:
A criminal calling himself the Kangaroo and who gained his powers by training with kangaroos escapes deportation and sets out on a crime spree. The Kangaroo steals a vial of deadly bacteria. Spidey gets wind of the theft and tracks him down. He carefully defeats the Kangaroo and returns the vial to the proper authorities. However, Aunt May has a panic attacks when she discovers Peter's web-dummy he used to escape from her watchful eye. He convinces her that she must have imagined it, but realizes how close she came to discovering his identity and that it may cause a fatal heart attack.

Jay's Notes:

First appearance (unfortunately not the last!) and origin of the Kangaroo!

Amazing Spider-Man # 82: "And Then Came Electro!"
Writer: Stan Lee/John Romita
Penciller: John Romita (breakdowns)/Jim Mooney (finishes)
Inker: Jim Mooney

Jay's Rating:
JJJJ

Synopsis:
Financial woes and worries prompt Peter to pay a visit to a TV station and offer to appear as Spidey on a talk show. Unfortunately, one of the show's electricians turns out to be Electro and decides to take on Spidey. J. Jonah Jameson agrees to pay Electro five thousand dollars to defeat and unmask Spidey. However, Spidey's up to the task and short circuits Electro and Jameson's plans.

Amazing Spider-Man # 83: "The Schemer!"
Writer: Stan Lee/John Romita
Penciller: John Romita
Inker: Mike Esposito (as Mickey Demeo)

Jay's Rating:
JJJJ

Synopsis:
The Schemer begins a hostile takeover of the Kingpin's territory and Spidey, of course, gets caught in the middle. Spidey tracks down the Schemer and confronts him in his lair. He manages to wreck the place, but the Schemer escapes. Meanwhile, the disappearance of the Kingpin's son drives a wedge between Kingpin and his wife Vanessa.

Jay's Notes:

First appearance of the Schemer!

Amazing Spider-Man # 84: "The Kingpin Strikes Back!"
Writer: Stan Lee/John Romita
Penciller: John Buscema (breakdowns)/John Romita(finishes)
Inker: Jim Mooney

Jay's Rating:
JJJJ

Synopsis:
With a five thousand dollars reward offered for the capture of the Schemer, Spidey has extra incentive to catch up with the criminal mastermind. Spidey finds the Schemer who is on his way to confront the Kingpin. The Kingpin ends up fighting with Spidey long enough for the Schemer to make his exit and escape with the Kingpin's wife Vanessa.

Amazing Spider-Man # 85: "The Secret of the Schemer!"
Writer: Stan Lee/John Romita
Penciller: John Buscema (breakdowns)/John Romita(finishes)
Inker: Jim Mooney

Jay's Rating:
JJJJ

Synopsis:
As it turns out, Vanessa convinced the Schemer to leave and she helped him make his escape from the Kingpin's mansion. Spidey catches up with the Schemer and captures him. Unfortunately, Spidey delivers the Schemer into the Kingpin's hands. The Schemer reveals his true identity to the Kingpin as his own son. This revelation is too much for the Kingpin to handle and he goes into a state of shock.

Jay's Notes:

Origin of the Schemer.

Amazing Spider-Man # 86: "Beware ... The Black Widow"
Writer: Stan Lee/John Romita
Penciller: John Romita (breakdowns)/Jim Mooney (finishes)
Inker: Jim Mooney

Jay's Rating:
JJJ

Synopsis:
The Black Widow, seeking a new direction in her life, dons a new costume and sets out to test herself against Spider-Man. Unfortunately, Spidey is still reeling from his recent beating at the hands of the Kingpin. The Black Widow battles with Spider-Man long enough to figure out that his powers are natural and that she can't learn anything from him.

Amazing Spider-Man # 87: "Unmasked at Last!"
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: John Romita (breakdowns)/Jim Mooney (finishes)
Inker: Jim Mooney

Jay's Rating: JJJ1/2

Synopsis:
Spidey's bout of weakness worries him and he believes that he's losing his powers. In a confused state, Peter reveals to his closest friends that he is Spider-Man. Peter finally gets medical attention and it simply turns out to be the flu. With the help of Hobie Brown (aka the Prowler), Peter is able to convince his friends and Captain Stacy that he isn't Spider-Man.

Amazing Spider-Man # 88: "The Arms of Doctor Octopus!"
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: John Romita
Inker: Jim Mooney

Jay's Rating:
JJJJ

Synopsis:
Doc Ock mentally manipulates his arms which are on display at a museum and uses them to break him free of prison. He then hijacks a plane with a Chinese General on board and demands ten million dollars. Spidey frees the hostages and battles Doc Ock. The plane explodes and apparently kills Doc Ock.

Amazing Spider-Man # 89: "Doc Ock Lives!"
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Gil Kane
Inker: John Romita

Jay's Rating:
JJJJ

Synopsis:
Doctor Octopus didn't die in the airplane explosion and goes on a rampage to prove that he's still alive. His rampage gets Spidey's attention and they battle it out on the rooftops. However, Doctor Octopus catches Spidey off guard and throws him to his death.

Jay's Notes:

This issue features Gil Kane's penciling debut on Amazing Spider-Man.

Amazing Spider-Man # 90: "And Death Shall Come!"
Writer: Stan Lee
Penciller: Gil Kane
Inker: John Romita

Jay's Rating:
JJJJ

Synopsis:
Spidey escapes from Doctor Octopus' clutches and licks his wounds. He develops a new webbing formula he hopes will be affective against Doc Ock. He tracks down Doc Ock and engages him. The new web formula proves to be a success as they disrupt Doc Ock's control of his arms. Unable to control his arms, Doc Ock topples a chimney and Captain Stacy saves a kid from the deadly debris. Unfortunately, Captain Stacy is crushed by the debris. Before he dies, Stacy reveals that he knows that Peter is Spidey and that he wants him to take good care of his daughter.

[Back to the Main Index]