Comments on: A Year of Cool Comic Book Moments – Day 169

By: Mary Warner

Mary Warner — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 06:29:12 +0000

In answer to Geekmobster’s question about how Peter was able to tune his Spider-tracers to his spider-sense, way back in Amazing Spider-Man #2, his spider-sense was triggered by radio equipment used by the Tinkerer and his alien allies. Presumably, he figured out how to duplicate that frequency at some point.

I happen to own this issue (#149, not #2). It’s the oldest Spider-Man book I have. I bought it at a garage sale for a nickle many years ago. I consider myself pretty lucky to have since I’m fairly poor and I’m not willing to spend what issues from that time period normally go for.

By: johnny the boy

johnny the boy — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 18:26:41 +0000

one SIXTY-NINE dude (cue butthead/spicoli juvenile stoner laughter).

By: American Hawkman

American Hawkman — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:48:22 +0000

I don’t think Marcy was a hostile alien spy… the Contraxians seemed to be genuinely interested in Earth and its progress, but not for a military takeover or anything.

By: T.

T. — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 02:19:17 +0000

Crap, Keith beat me to the VD joke. I thought I was the only one classless enough to go there.

By: T.

T. — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 02:17:41 +0000

Why did his Spider-Sense go off? He wasn’t in danger. He secret ID wasn’t in danger.

Because she had Chlamydia and he was about to catch it.

By: Richard J. Marcej

Richard J. Marcej — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:58:13 +0000

“Ross Andru was a great successor to Gil Kane, yeah. He had a nice run of issues on this title. This final page is a nice companion piece to the one from #122.”

And just by coincidence, this past Monday was the birthday of the late Mr. Andru.

By: Lt. Clutch

Lt. Clutch — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 23:18:05 +0000

In Marcy Kane’s case, Bill Mantlo retconned her into an alien in the Jack of Hearts mini-series (which ruined the story for me) and Spidey wasn’t even there when it was revealed. I guess the original plan was for Marcy to have been yet another love interest for Peter Parker.

As for his Spider-Sense tingling, maybe someone was getting robbed in one of the other apartments? Peter might have ignored it because he had higher priorities at the time…

Ross Andru was a great successor to Gil Kane, yeah. He had a nice run of issues on this title. This final page is a nice companion piece to the one from #122.

By: Scott MacIver

Scott MacIver — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:33:50 +0000

Pete and MJ. It’s so nice to thing the two of them would go out for a while, then drift apart and break up for some unknown reason, each feeling powerless about it, and pain and loss in the pits of their hearts placed there by the taint and evil of the Devil.

Ah, love.

By: chad

chad — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:23:49 +0000

another moment showing why Mary Jane and peter make a nice couple for peter little endudendo at the end proves that mary jane is going to be rewarded for supporting peter over losing gwen twice.

By: sgt rawk

sgt rawk — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:52:25 +0000

The door closing was a bit of a motif in 70′s television, as well. I dimly recall several cop shows ending on a similar beat. That and the ‘freeze-frame as someone is smiling or laughing.’ Motifs, I tells ya!

You know what I love? Moon Knight number 7, 1981. The last page … very cool moment. Comics has literally one million cool moments (and counting) so it’s not like you’ll ever lack for ideas.

I very much enjoy this column.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:51:05 +0000

Someone did mention it yesterday, dan.

But you’re the first person today!!!

By: danjack

danjack — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:47:35 +0000

nobody has mentioned the ‘click’ in the last panel and how it is the same as the ‘click’ in yesterday’s moment? Or that it’s so similar to the ‘snap’ which is what killed Gwen? Really? i’m the first to notice such a small detail?
yay me!
DFTBA.

By: Adam

Adam — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:31:49 +0000

During 1989′s “Evolutionary War” crossover, the annual revealed that Gwen wasn’t a clone, but a normal human being who had been transformed into Gwen by some kind of virus. The “Clone Saga” retconned that explanation: Gwen’s clone was still a clone. She’s still out there somewhere; she disappeared again at the end of the clone saga.

By: Richard J. Marcej

Richard J. Marcej — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:48:20 +0000

I think at one point (in an Annual I believe) it was revealed that the Gwen clone was actually an alien.
(??!!!)
I know, I know. Made no sense then either.

Then I think when she returned again it was revealed that she wasn’t an alien, that she was….

I don’t remember.

Let’s say it was revealed that she was a mutant.

Since every other character in Marvel is a mutant anyway.

By: geekmobster

geekmobster — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:44:28 +0000

@Michael P

Was Marcy Kane ever a threat to Spidey? My understanding was that Spider-sense basically functioned as a warning system for Spider-man. Though its been established it malfunctions when Aunt May is the threat. He’s also used his Spider-sense to guide him like it was the Force. And noone ever explains how he managed to tune his Spider-tracers to his Spider-sense.

Still, considering the trouble he’s had with MJ… I can see his head getting the ol’ Spider Buzz whenever she unexpectedly dropped buy.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:03:08 +0000

She’s been back to the books twice since then. I think eventually they killed her (but I say that more as a “eventually all characters like that are killed” rather than a definitive “I know what issue they killed her off in”).

By: Apodaca

Apodaca — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:55:46 +0000

“The Gwen clone leaves to start a new life for herself”

So, there’s a Gwen Stacy clone wandering around out there, somewhere?

By: Michael P.

Michael P. — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:38:52 +0000

The Spidey-Sense never warned him about Marcy Kane being a freakin’ alien spy, either. Clearly, it has a preternatural knowledge of whether the writer wants Spidey to know about something or not.

By: Keith

Keith — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:26:53 +0000

Re: Spider sense

One word: Gonorrhea

By: geekmobster

geekmobster — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:48:26 +0000

Carl has a good point… One time Aunt May beaned Spidey with a vase. She took him completely by surprise and even knocked him out. His spider-sense failed to warn him because Aunt May was someone he loved and trusted. Perhaps Mary Jane is naturally dangerous and untrustworthy. I can’t imagine Gwen ever setting off Peter’s spider sense.