As we here at Slay Monstrobot Central are spending the week wallowing in the decadence of Marvel 1978, we have to ask ourselves: when is a surprise villain not a surprise villain??
Given that pretty distinctive silhouette, and the fact that his name is on the cover in Electric font, you wouldn't think that Electro's presence in the story would be a big surprise...and look on the splash page:
His name is the freakin' title to the story, in HUGE letters. So there's no way they'd try to hide the villain's identity, right? We'll see.
30 years ago irony department:
Thank "goodness," Webhead?? I think not-- bwa hahahahaha....oh, never mind.
Anyway, Spidey is investigating why S.H.I.E.L.D. has quarantined an entire small town in upstate New York. And who turns up to drive him away?
Spider-Man is a little ticked off at getting the runaround, so he unwisely lashes out at Cap:
And you know how that's going to end, don't you?
Ouch. Spidey pretends to learn his lesson and leave, while Cap storms the local power plant. It turns out a millionaire's sick child is being held for ransom there. By whom? Well, just pretend you didn't see the cover or the title page, because the creators are going to pretend it's a surprise:
Oh, come on, Marv--you already told us twice that it was--
Shocking. Positively shocking.
But of course, Peter Parker didn't really leave, so...
But that's not the end. Why all the urgency, why the quarantine?
You're not serious. Oh, you are? Oh dear...
Anyhoo, Electro freaks:
...and you just know that's not gonna end well:
So remember, kids, when your town is threatened by the plague, just blow up the power station, and everything will be well.
One final question: How come we've never had a story featuring both Electro AND Elektra?!? Talk about a natural...perhaps Spacebooger knows the answer!!
The story that probably should have been in Marvel Team-Up comes to you from Amazing Spider-Man #187 (1978), courtesy of Marv Wolfman, Jim Starlin, and Bob McLeod.
Given that pretty distinctive silhouette, and the fact that his name is on the cover in Electric font, you wouldn't think that Electro's presence in the story would be a big surprise...and look on the splash page:
His name is the freakin' title to the story, in HUGE letters. So there's no way they'd try to hide the villain's identity, right? We'll see.30 years ago irony department:
Thank "goodness," Webhead?? I think not-- bwa hahahahaha....oh, never mind.Anyway, Spidey is investigating why S.H.I.E.L.D. has quarantined an entire small town in upstate New York. And who turns up to drive him away?
Spider-Man is a little ticked off at getting the runaround, so he unwisely lashes out at Cap:
And you know how that's going to end, don't you?
Ouch. Spidey pretends to learn his lesson and leave, while Cap storms the local power plant. It turns out a millionaire's sick child is being held for ransom there. By whom? Well, just pretend you didn't see the cover or the title page, because the creators are going to pretend it's a surprise:
Oh, come on, Marv--you already told us twice that it was--
Shocking. Positively shocking.But of course, Peter Parker didn't really leave, so...
But that's not the end. Why all the urgency, why the quarantine?
You're not serious. Oh, you are? Oh dear...Anyhoo, Electro freaks:
...and you just know that's not gonna end well:
So remember, kids, when your town is threatened by the plague, just blow up the power station, and everything will be well.One final question: How come we've never had a story featuring both Electro AND Elektra?!? Talk about a natural...perhaps Spacebooger knows the answer!!
The story that probably should have been in Marvel Team-Up comes to you from Amazing Spider-Man #187 (1978), courtesy of Marv Wolfman, Jim Starlin, and Bob McLeod.
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