Spider-Rama: Amazing Spider-Man #52

Welcome to Spider-Rama! Each Wednesday, Ben and Duy will look at a Spider-Man issue from the very beginning, in chronological order, and answer questions for various categories, inspired in large part by one of our favorite podcasts, The Rewatchables by The Ringer. Our goal is to make it to Amazing Spider-Man #200. Will we make it? Grab your Amazing Spider-Man Omnibus or crank up your tablet to Marvel Unlimited, and then tune in every Wednesday to find out!

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #50
Spider-Rama
by Stan Lee and John Romita Sr.

Spider-Man has to help J. Jonah Jameson escape the clutches of the Kingpin!

POINTLESS TRIVIA

BEN: Villain appearance count:

• Green Goblin: 7
• Doctor Octopus: 5
• Sandman: 4
• Kraven the Hunter: 5
• The Vulture: 5
• Mysterio: 3
• The Enforcers: 3
• The Rhino: 3
• The Lizard: 3
• The Kingpin: 3
• The Chameleon: 2
• Electro: 2
• The Ringmaster: 2
• Scorpion: 2
• Molten Man: 2

BEN: Robbie gets a name and job title:

DUY: The death of Frederick Foswell.

BEN: So that's what happened to him.

DUY:  Did Peter know he was Patch and I missed it? No, right? I wonder if that's going to be a thing.

BEN: I don't think he did.

WHAT'S AGED THE BEST?

BEN: Romita seems like he is really hitting his stride in this stretch of comics. The crime stuff suits him. Heck, it suited Ditko. There’s a lesson in there...

DUY: I know that Jameson being rattled in the hostage situation is a nitpick for you, but it makes for a comedic situation that would be at home in a movie.

DUY: Also, here's Spider-Man demonstrating spider-strength just by tapping someone on the head:

WHAT'S AGED THE WORST?

BEN: Kingpin puts Spider-Man and Jameson in a death trap, instead of just shooting them in the head. And he's a wanted criminal by the end of this first story, instead of the untouchable "businessman" he would eventually be portrayed as.

DUY: I want to see how they sweep that under the rug.  I guess no one can say Wilson Fisk is the Kingpin, Wilson Fisk is the untouchable businessman.

BEN: He’s periodically had cases put on him before too.

DUY: Also, Betty Brant, if you want a completely safe relatonship, you might consider not dating a reporter.

NITPICKS

DUY: Why did Robbie's hair go from black to white in one issue?

BEN: Jameson is a bit too rattled for a seasoned journalist.

FAVORITE PANEL

BEN: Mine:

DUY: MY HEAD IS WET IT MUST BE BLOOD:

WHO WON THE COMIC?

BEN: Still Robbie. With Foswell gone, that opens up more time for him.

DUY: In a comic where Robbie will get more time, Foswell does the heroic sacrifice, and Flash Thompson makes a triumphant return,  J. Jonah Jameson, once again for me, steals the entire comic.  But now that Robbie has been introduced, it seems like the best time to post this pinup, the greatest supporting cast he'll ever have.

BEN: That's it for Spider-Rama this week.

DUY: Thank you, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko—

BEN: —for telling us we aren't the only ones.

Leave us a comment below or on our Facebook page. See you next week!