"The Spider and The Burglar"
Marvel Comics’ Flagship Hero, The Amazing Spider-Man has had many, many prolific stories attached to his incredible canon, such as Issue #50 (where Peter Parker gives up being Spider-Man), Issue #129 (which introduced the Punisher), Issues #96-99 (the infamous “drug” issues) and of course the tragic “Death Of Gwen Stacy” storyline told in issues #121-122. There is ONE storyline that seems to always be overlooked though, and I think it is a shame as it is MY FAVORITE SPIDER-MAN STORY ARC of THEM ALL!
I’ve always felt very strongly that The Amazing Spider-Man has been the most linear of all the Silver-Age Marvel titles in that there is no other comic out there that felt so much like ONE CONTINUOUS STORY. From his debut in Amazing Fantasy #15 to Amazing Spider-Man #1 and beyond, each issue felt like it was written as a DIRECT continuation and every issue of Amazing Spider-Man that came out seemed to be adding to the first chapter introduced in Amazing Fantasy #15.
When we first meet Peter Parker, he is a thin, shy wallflower type, but as each issue moved along, we saw him get more and more confidence. We saw him lose the glasses. We saw him “fill out” into his muscles. He graduated from High School and went to College. He moved into his own place- got girlfriends, got roommates! We are with Peter Parker every step that he’s taken!
In fact, out of all Marvel Comics Titles, The AMAZING SPIDER-MAN is the one that most closely relates to its own history. People Pete has met, things he's discovered and lessons he's learned are always reflected back upon, and they are the primary reason for Peter Parker’s beliefs and motivations.
It's hard to actually pin down exactly where my favorite storyline arc begins. Strictly speaking, the story is focused in issues #196-200, but actually begins around issue #194-195, which in turn sort of begins around #191-193. There are even elements in issues #189 and 190 that are relevant.
Whenever I feel like reading this storyline, I myself always start from issue #191, because this is really where events start happening until they grow and snowball into the epic 200th issue. However, for this article, I'll stick to only scenes that are relevant to the 200th issue.
****AS ALWAYS,SPOILERS ABOUND!!!****
The Amazing Spider-Man #193
While May Parker is residing at the Nursing Home, they are renting out the house to make ends meet. But there is more to the current tenant than meets the eye, and when we first meet him, he is obviously up to no good. He is tearing up the Parker house looking for…something, and when he cannot find it, he decides to get the information from Aunt May herself.
He crashes in on the Nursing home and introduces himself to the caregiver: He is the BURGLAR WHO KILLED UNCLE BEN!
The Amazing Spider-Man 194-195
The unscrupulous criminal we know only as “That Burglar” wants to interrogate Aunt May about a mysterious "package", but, hoping to deter the thief, Dr. Ludwig points out that her nephew comes every day to visit her, and so he should just leave her alone.
The Burglar realizes this is true, and devises a cruel way to stop Peter from ever having to come to the Home again.
After a long, horrendous day, Peter slinks home, depressed over his apparent failure to rescue the villainess Black Cat from her death. But nothing can prepare him for the telegram that waits for him when he gets home…
The ending that sent chills down my spine! Of course, part of me was immediately saying “Ahh, there’s NO WAY she’s really dead...is there…?” but I couldn’t deny the impact that cliffhanger had for me...
The Amazing Spider-Man #196
Peter immediately makes his way to the nursing home, where he is greeted with the sight of Aunt May in a open casket. Peter is shell-shocked.
Peter’s grief really hits home. Even now, after knowing the entire story, this scene still tears me apart! But there are more sinister things going on that Pete realizes…Upon returning to their old home, Peter finds that the last tenant has TORN UP the entire house! With his mind wildly thinking, he suddenly realizes something about the Nursing Home caretaker that he'd forgotten! He races back to confront the Caretaker, but is nabbed- by none other than...The Kingpin!
The Amazing Spider-Man #197-198
The Kingpin’s wife Vanessa (introduced way back in 174) has given him an ultimatum- leave crime behind him or lose HER! The Kingpin has been given 24 hours to tidy up his criminal affairs, and of course he uses this time to eliminate the one thorn in his side, Spider-Man!
They begin a terrific battle together-each one taking his turn attacking each other as they hurl threats (and physical objects) at each other. I remember really digging the pacing of this fight, and there’s even this great page where there’s no dialog at ALL except for the sound effects of their punches! The editors noted “Sometimes we know when to keep our mouths shut!”
The Kingpin is about to deliver the killing blow to Spidey just as midnight strikes- suddenly Vanessa reappears, ready to have The Kingpin do good on his promise to leave crime. He knows it would take just one second to kill Spider-Man and have his record clean, but his love and respect of Vanessa is far greater than his criminal career.
Spidey has barely recovered from the Kingpin's assault, when another villain from his past re-emerges- the master of illusions, MYSTERIO! It seems the caretaker of the Nursing home has been the old foe eking out a life bilking old folks out of their estates. After hearing of the supposed treasure the Burglar has been trying to get, Mysterio's curiousity piqued him enough to come out of retirement, but after several struggles, Mysterio has had enough, and opts to quit the battle while he is still ahead. He draws out a tranquilizer gun and shoots Spider- Man in the chest.
As Mysterio leaves, he laughs at Peter's attempts to detain him.Quickly batting away his hands, Mysterio declares:“Don’t you realize the basic truth? Spider-Man is DEAD!”
As Spider-Man falls to the ground,the blurb announces in big letters:
NEXT ISSUE: SPIDER-MAN #200!
What A cliffhanger! I was BESIDE myself with anticipation for the next issue!
The Amazing Spider-Man #200
“ The Spider and The Burglar”
Well, this is it! The story that I consider the final chapter that began all the way in Amazing Fantasy #15. This story is that finally brings closure to all the trails and tribulations of Peter Parker that IS “The Amazing Spider-Man”.
The story begins with Peter realizing that the drug-dart Mysterio used to kill him has instead taken away his Spider-powers. But he cannot stop to be concerned about that because he has a lot of work to do- he has to find out who his last tenant was, and why the house was torn up. Using detective work, he is shocked to find the last tenant was the last person he thought he would hear about again- the burglar who killed his Uncle Ben!
Peter arrives home with new knowledge of the person who has re-entered his life. And who should be WAITING at home for him? The BURGLAR himself! Hoping to terrorize Peter, he confronts him face to face, but is unprepared for the explosive assault by him. Years of hatred has been building up inside of Peter and without a thought, he lets the burglar have it! But his anger blinds him, and without his Spider-strength, the crook knocks Pete out with the butt of his gun.
The Burglar tries to get Peter to give him the information he had previously been trying to get out of Aunt May, but after repeatedly beating Peter, realizes he won’t get anything out of him.
200d
He then realizes he has SOMETHING that might persuade him to talk.
He leaves to get it, and in the interim, Peter finally breaks out of his prison. Peter has had enough-Spider-Man is out for the Burglar's BLOOD!
While Spider-man is off trying to find the burglar, He has returned with the “persuasion” he needed to get Pete to talk-and it is none other than AUNT MAY, frightened but very much ALIVE! I have to say that when I read this, it blew me away! Aunt May alive was the last thing I expected to see, even with my earlier doubts about her “death”!
But if the burglar is surprised that Peter has escaped, he doesn't have time to think about it as his worst nightmare appears on the scene- SPIDER-MAN has arrived-just like he did way back in AMAZING FANTASY #15!
The Burglar is flabbergasted! The spectre of Spider-Man has haunted him his whole life - He cannot see why Spider-Man would hound him forever for the death of one old man.
Then Peter drops the bomb on the criminal: Why does Spider- Man care so much about Peter's old Uncle's murder?
BECAUSE PETER PARKER IS SPIDER-MAN!!!
The points of this scene cannot be underplayed- here we have the burglar realizing that the unimportant old man he killed years ago is the Uncle of his biggest nightmare. And of course, we as readers know that if not for this act, Spider-Man might never have become the amazing hero he is. This confrontation is one of the most significant moments in the Spider-Man 200 issue run!
The burglar’s shock turns to panic and wide eyed fear- he believes Spider Man will kill him for what he has done, because it’s what HE would have done. But of course, Spider-Man won’t sink to the burglar’s level- because Peter IS a true Hero. But the burglar cannot see this, and as insane panic overtakes him, his heart gives out, and he dies.
Epilogue:
Aunt May finally remembers what the burglar must have been looking for- it was an old box hidden between some floorboards. But whatever had been stashed in the box had long ago been eaten away-by silverfish!
The two have a good laugh, and Peter says “So all that heartache was for nothing!” But Aunt may points out that there was purpose in it, because it made them stronger. And Pete realizes she is right.
The story ends with Peter swinging about town with a new resolution- during the time when He didn’t have his powers, he realized how much he needed them. And he know how much good he can do with them. He resolves that never again will he ever take them for granted, and makes a promise to be grateful every day for the gift that has been given to him.
He has made peace with Uncle Ben’s death, his identity as Spider-Man, and himself.
'Nuff Said!
