Amazing Spider-Man Annual #11 – Three years ago, I picked up this older annual on the cheap. Leaving aside the condition of the book, which wasn’t too bad, I can see why I got it at a bargain. Nobody wants this thing. No earthshaking annual here! Throwaway issues of Marvel Team-Up have had more impact.
Earlier this week, on a trip out of town, I stopped into a local shop and was surprised to see a copy in similar condition to my own selling for $15. Other titles seemed reasonably priced. What was the shop owner seeing here that I did not?
According to the credits, this was another Mantlo stinker. Now, it must be said that I love Bill Mantlo on Micronauts. On Rom? Perfection! Mantlo’s Hulk was the Hulk I grew up with. I also enjoyed his writing on runs usually panned by others, specifically Alpha Flight. So, understanding that I enjoy Mantlo’s writing, I feel like I can safely admit he also wrote some stinkers.
Spider-Man needs rent money (and believe it or not, bail money for Aunt May!). In a case of mistaken menace of the month (year, this is an annual after all) he confronts a weird-looking spider-monster that turns out to be an actor in a movie. The director enthusiastically hires Spidey to work as the stunt double for the spider monsters. The wall-crawler’s money problems are solved, but things start to go wrong on the set.
Someone modifies the costumes to give powers to a trio of generic thugs. In a way these guys are just the Enforcers in spider costumes. As I’m not the Enforcers biggest fan this isn’t an endorsement. At least they have powers. There is a showdown in an old silo out in the countryside. Spider-Man comes out on top. The thugs in the spider-costumes are never heard from again.
Maybe the price was due to the “debut penciller” in the back up story? Johnny Romita Jr.! It’s an inconsequential story, but it is his first published work for Marvel. The art here gives very little hint of JRjr.’s mimetic approach to his dad’s style before that sharp left turn where he developed a style distinctly all his own.
It’s not much to go on, but that’s my theory for why the comic shop wanted so much for this issue. So, that said, I have a pretty good copy of Spider-Man Annual #11—only $10!
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