Still Crazy After All These Years

PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN — Issue No. 21, May 1978

Chance Shirley

Feb 07, 2023

Book: Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man

Issue No.: 21

Published: May 23, 1978

Title: “Still Crazy After All These Years”

Cover Price: 35¢

Format: Digital scan

I would bet that a Spider-Man story that starts in a sewer with a green, animal-inspired Spidey super-villain would have to be a Lizard tale. But the opening splash page of this issue turns that assumption on its ear, revealing the Scorpion in a sewer. I mean, the Scorpion is on the cover, so it’s not that big of a surprise. But it’s fun to see somebody other than the Lizard skulking around the sewers of New York City in a Spider-Man book.

As the Scorpion (FKA Mac Gargan) reminds us in a convenient flashback, he got his super powers and costume in an experiment financed by Spider-Man nemesis and newspaper publisher J. Jonah Jameson. The deal being that the Scorpion would pay Jameson back for this gift of great power by destroying Spider-Man. But Scorpion never managed to destroy Spidey, and his green super-suit is now grafted to his body, so he feels like an outcast and a freak. Since he’s stuck being the Scorpion, he decides to use the device that originally scorpion-ized him to amp up his powers even more. After which, he will get his revenge on Jameson.

Four panels from this issue, showing the Scorpion walking away, down into a sewer tunnel. In the first panel he says "I've hid out down here since then -- my body burnin' from the acid that Marvel chick dumped me in! An' despite all the pain, I ain't never forgotten -- that it was Jameson who made me a freak... an outcast!" In the second panel he says "An' if I can't enjoy my life --" In the third panel he says "--he sure as spit ain't gonna enjoy his!" In the fourth panel the Scorpion says "So swears the Scorpion!"

Spider-Man knows that Jameson hates him, but he’s still not going to let the Scorpion hurt or kill the newspaper publisher. When the Scorpion shows up at the offices of Jameson’s newspaper, The Daily Bugle, Spidey handles the Scorpion in short order. He also points out to Scorpion that he isn’t really trapped in his costume — before he turns him over to the police, Spidey removes Scorpion’s mask, showing the bad guy that at least some of his problems are all in his head.

There’s a fun continuity payoff in this issue where Spidey references (to himself, via thought balloon) his battle with Rocket Racer in the latest issue of the Amazing Spider-Man book. And a note on the fan-mail page promises a guest artist (Mike Zeck!) next issue, to let new-as-of-this-issue artist Jim Mooney get ahead a bit. I wonder if that portends a full-on fill-in issue, or a regular issue with a fill-in artist? I guess we’ll find out in Peter Parker no. 22.

Next time — The Fantastic Four become a team again? Or at least maybe Mr. Fantastic will get his super powers back!

Marvel Time Warp

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