Amazing Spider-Man Annual #15 Review

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Reviewer: Jesse Baker
Story Title: Spiderman: Threat or Menace?

Written by: Denny O’Neil
Penciled by: Frank Miller
Inked by: Klaus Janson
Colored by: Bob Sharen
Lettered by: Jim Novak
Editor: Tom DeFalco
Publisher: Marvel Comics

OK, hailing from the year 1981 is this “classic” Spider-Man story. And by “classic” I mean, it’s drawn by Frank Miller and as a result has gotten a ton of fame over the years. For one thing, it contains an early Punisher appearance and two, this was one of several fill-in issues that Frank Miller did regarding Spider-Man during his original late 70s/early 80s stint at Marvel. So for a lot of people wanting to read this issue, they usually had to shell out huge amounts of money for it. Nowadays though you can just buy the Essential Punisher trade to read it.

Anyway this issue throws Spider-Man against long-time nemesis Doctor Octopus and the Punisher, who at this time was still treated as a villain as opposed to an out-and-out hero. The plot, provided by Denny O’Neil, is extremely weak but ultimately non-offensive as Doctor Octopus attempts to poison the ink in all copies of the Daily Bugle unless the city of New York pays him a huge ransom. Combined in this story is the presence of the Punisher, who Doc Ock beats the brains out of before using him as a test subject for the poison. As Doc Ock attempts to carry out his plan he ends up having to also deal with J. Jonah Jameson, who can’t decide whether or not Spidey is in on Ock’s plot or trying to save him. In the end, the day is saved and both Doc Ock and the Punisher are hauled off to jail as the poison plot is foiled.

Boring but competently written, this annual has gained some fame for the Frank Miller/Punisher. The only real hi-points for the issue are Punisher getting beaten to a pulp and poisoned by Dock Ock and a sequence at the start of the issue involving Jonah Jameson and his friend/colleague Robbie Robertson. In this sequence, Robbie reveals that JJJ’s anti-Spider-Man editorials and front page stories (which includes a mock cover which has Spidey looking a lot like Venom, complete with a wide-mouth grin with sharp-teeth showing) are no longer selling and are now causing people to stop buying the paper.

Frank Miller’s artwork is well done as he has Klaus Janson inking his work. Miller and Klaus are an artistic pairing that works extremely well with Klaus reigning in Miller’s artwork and making it look realistic and less block-like and angular.