Reading The Amazing Spider-Man: Issue Number Nine Part One
After five months off, it’s time once again to join me reading The Amazing Spider-Man! In this series, I critically review every issue of The Amazing Spider-Man comicbook from issue number one through issue number five hundred. All along, I have one eye on what storyworld stewards and other creators can learn from studying one of the most endearing examples of modern Western mythology. It’s fun, too!
Issue nine of The Amazing Spider-Man introduces us to “The Man Called Electro!” The splash page, again patterned after a movie one-sheet, proclaims that this issue is a “triumph” from the “new Marvel Age of comics,” continuing the company’s efforts to brand itself as something new and different.
The footer caption continues the bombastic, self-congratulatory tone as Stan Lee explains what’s to come:
Know something, little friend? If you’re just starting to read this story, we envy you! Because you’re gonna have a ball!
The splash page art features Peter Parker / Spider-Man as one figure divided into his distinct identities staring open-mouthed up at the looming Electro, who is tossing lightning bolts down on our hero. On either margin, the book’s cast of characters hover, accuse and attack — left side matching the people in Peter’s life; right side, the crooks, townspeople and naysayers opposing the amazing Spider-Man, with J. Jonah Jameson and Betty Brant earning slots on both.
It’s a great visual hint that this tale will balance super-hero action with wonderful soap opera melodrama. Let’s see how it goes…
Synopsis
The amazing Spider-Man races through the city, ignoring pedestrians and even a shoot-out between some cops and robbers in his haste. Fortunately, the bad guys saw him even if he didn’t see them, and were so freaked out they surrendered to New York’s finest… a subtle indicator of Spider-Man’s reputation as a formidable crime-fighter even when he’s oblivious to the crime.
Spider-Man is in such a rush, he changes into Peter Parker on the run as he nears the house he shares with his Aunt May, reasoning that it’s too dark for anyone to see him (despite the streetlamp clearly shown) and that it will save time.
The reason for his haste? His aunt is bedridden and ill, and Peter wanted to fill her prescription as fast as possible. Aunt May takes her medicine and falls asleep, and Peter holds a vigil in the dark next to her bed, filled with anxiety because earlier, the doctor told Peter his aunt is much more ill than she realizes.
Meanwhile, “on the other side of town,” the man who calls himself Electro is ready to introduce himself to the world. He chooses to rob an armored car by tossing electric shocks between his fingers and the metal of the armor car, the watches on the guards’ wrists, and so on. The guards decide they’re outclassed and surrender their bags of gold (conveniently colored gold and emblazened with dollar signs).
The next day, Peter learns his aunt is even worse — she needs to go to the hospital. Pete admits her and heads off to school, where his rival, Flash Thompson, is re-considering his treatment of Peter in light of the fight they had in the previous issue. Unfortunately, Peter’s so pre-occupied with worry he ignores Flash completely and, at least for now, dashes any hope for their potential reconciliation.
After school, Peter rushes to the hospital, where he finds Betty Brant already there with his aunt. Peter is grateful, and the two stay with Aunt May until visiting hours are over, when Peter excuses himself suddenly and leaves Betty to find her own way home.
Left alone, Betty muses on the two Peter Parkers:
It’s as though he carries a deep secret within him — one which no one can ever share!
Perceptive girl!
Meanwhile, Pete’s changed into the amazing Spider-Man and taken to the rooftops. He hopes to find some action so he can sell photographs to The Daily Bugle, as he needs the money for Aunt May’s operation. Rotten luck — it starts to rain, and his portable camera’s too cheap to take good pictures in the lousy weather. Pete gives up and calls it a night.
The next day, The Daily Bugle publisher J. Jonah Jameson just happens to be at the Forest Hills Bank (in Peter Parker’s neighborhood) when Electro stops by for a withdrawal of sorts. Electro recognizes Jameson and calls him by name before robbing the bank and escaping by using his electricity “like a magnet!!” to climb up the side of a building.
Jameson — who has previously been established as a very public figure in the city — leaps to the conclusion that if Electro knows who he is and can also climb walls, he must be Spider-Man in disguise. Seeing local resident Spider-Man swing by a moment later only serves to confirm this for J.J.J.
The next edition of The Daily Bugle blasts the claim, “on the basis of indisputable evidence,” that Electro is Spider-Man. This infuriates Peter Parker, but he has bigger worries. His aunt’s pending operation requires a specialist that charges a thousand dollars. We still don’t know what the operation is for, but apparently whatever’s wrong with Aunt May is life threatening.
Peter asks Jameson for a loan, but for no real reason other than to move the plot forward, when the publisher asks Peter Parker what the loan is for, the kid just says it’s personal but important.
Jameson assumes it’s just a “hot-rod” Peter must want and tells Peter if he can find photographic proof that Electro is Spider-Man, he’ll pay him the money. If Peter had been forthcoming about his aunt’s predicament, Jameson might have loaned him the money… but if that happened, Peter apparently wouldn’t have the incentive to go after Electro and our story would be over!
Of course, Peter can’t get photographic proof of something that isn’t true, but there is a big reward for Electro’s capture. He spends hours looking for the villain before finally finding him.
Next comes a storytelling shortcut that is illogical to the point of ludicrousness, Spider-Man — from a rooftop across the street — sees Electro through the window of an apartment, tossing electrical bolts at a wall. Here’s Spider-Man’s thought balloon:
He’s using his electric power like a mine detector! He just located a hidden safe in that deserted apartment!
There’s only one way to explain how Spider-Man could know what Electro was doing, how he was doing it, what the outcome would be, and that the apartment was deserted, all in a single beat of storytelling time.
The writer needed us to know it.
Terrible.
Anyway, the amazing Spider-Man snaps some pictures of Electro doing the deed and plans to follow him to his hideout, where he’ll capture him.
Unfortunately, Electro sees Spider-Man via a reflection in the mirror in the apartment, and the fight is on. Spider-Man foolishly makes direct contact with Electro while he’s in “electric shock condition” and collapses to the rooftop, smoldering.
Electro expresses some regret over the prone body, but reasons that it wasn’t his fault because he didn’t have a chance to warn Spider-Man… and now that he’s out of the way, there’s no one left to challenge him. (Because New York City isn’t, y’know, crawling with super-heroes…)
Of course, once Electro’s gone, the amazing Spider-Man recovers, having been saved by his “spider-induced strength.” Desperate to pay for his aunt’s operation, Spider-Man decides to snap some pictures of himself. He super-imposes them over the shots of Electro, making it appear as if the villain was caught in the act of changing into Spider-Man.
The next day, though he feels terrible about it, Peter sells the pictures to Jameson, who prints them as proof that Electro and Spider-Man are the same person.
Meanwhile, believing Spider-Man to be dead, Electro gloats…
To Be Continued!
We’re at the half-way mark of this issue and it’s a good spot to stop for now. Stay tuned for the second half of the synopsis, and my analysis, in a few days. Be sure to subscribe to the blog in the reader of your choice or sign up to receive new posts directly in your email inbox.
Meanwhile, share your thoughts on the first half of The Amazing Spider-Man number nine in the comments!
The Amazing Spider-Man number nine
“The Man Called Electro!”
Cover Date: February, 1964
Script: Stan Lee
Illustration: Steve Ditko
Letters: Art Simek
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