Spider-Rama: Amazing Spider-Man #98

Welcome to Spider-Rama! Every weekday until the end of May, 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 #98

Spider-Rama 

by Stan Lee, Gil Kane, and John Romita Sr.

It's the conclusion to the historic non–Comics Code–approved three-parter featuring the Green Goblin!

POINTLESS TRIVIA 

BEN: Villain appearance count:

• The Kingpin: 12
• Doctor Octopus: 12
• Green Goblin: 11
• The Vulture: 7
• Mysterio: 6
• The Lizard: 5
• Kraven the Hunter: 5
• Sandman: 4
• Electro: 3
• The Enforcers: 3
• The Rhino: 3
• Professor Smythe/Spider Slayer: 3
• Man Mountain Marko: 3
• Silvermane: 3
• The Chameleon: 3
• The Schemer/Richard Fisk: 3
• The Ringmaster: 2
• Scorpion: 2
• Molten Man: 2
• Shocker: 2
• The Beetle: 2

DUY: The Goblin is just one appearance under the record, at this point, held by Kingpin and Dr. Octopus. Gwen Stacy returns at the end of the issue.

BEN: Stan being Stan.

WHAT'S AGED THE BEST?

DUY: So it's weird, because this is three issues long and starred the man who would eventually be Spider-Man's greatest villain... but he's somehow the least exciting part of it. It had to be him, because it made sense for the addict to be Harry, but the Goblin portions of the last three issues are the least engaging. So I guess what I'm trying to say is that everything else about the drug issues aged pretty well.

 

BEN: If you were a reader at the time that missed the Spectacular magazine, this is the first Green Goblin has been seen since the landmark identity reveal.

WHAT'S AGED THE WORST?

BEN: Cut yourself something slack, Gwen. Your dad died.

DUY: Norman is defeated because he sees Harry going through withdrawal. Fainting after he recognizes his son is just kinda weak.

NITPICKS

BEN: Two drug dealers in suits and ties, and a beatnik.

DUY: Gwen keeps talking about how Peter won't propose to her. You're in college, Gwendolyn! And presumably a freshman!

BEN: Can you steer someone standing on a bat glider by squeezing their neck?

FAVORITE PANEL

BEN: Why am I always the one that has to do it the hard way?

DUY: Peter Parker letting loose to deal with the drug dealer is amazing. See, you can cut loose sometimes, Peter:

BEN: But now this drug dealer will assume he's Spider-Man. #sarcasm

WHO WON THE COMIC? 

DUY: Peter Parker.

BEN: Peter Parker.

JJJ AND ROBBIE 

DUY: So JJJ wanted this story killed and then Robbie called him out, right?

BEN: He caved pretty quick. At the same time, I don’t think printing Harry’s real name in a story about drugs is warranted.

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

BEN: Thank you, Stan Lee and Steve Ditko— 

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

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