Electro was thoroughly disappointing in the early 1970s. Will crossing into the 80s help?
It’s part of this retrospective, what do you think?
Amazing Spider-Man #187 (1978)
written by Marv Wolfman & Jim Starlin
pencils by Jim Starlin
cover by Keith Pollard
Apparently it’s already a trend to use Electro in stories where Spider-Man teams up with another hero.
For reference, Spider-Man hasn’t fought Electro alone since 1970… in fact, up to this point there have only been TWO stories where Spider-Man and Electro were the only hero and villain of the story!!!
This is a rare Spider-Man adventure that doesn’t take place in New York City: Peter Parker has been sent upstate at Indian Point because the authorities are quarantining the place without saying why.
Among the people trying to keep Spider-Man away there is Captain America, seen here holding his shield in an extremely uncomfortable way.
Cap is being uncharacteristically hostile here. We will learn later why he’s supposed to keep people away, and there is NO REASON for him for not just telling Spider-Man.
So what is going on? All we learn for now is that someone kidnapped the son of a movie star after he got sick because he was bitten by a rat.
Wolfman, just because you point out that it makes no sense for the backyard of a rich actor being infested by rats, it doesn’t make it any better.
Captain America soon tracks down the kid and the kidnapper…
…who we discover is *gasp* Electro!
Who would’ve thought it would be THE VILLAIN ON THE COVER?
Notice that Captain America was knocked out IMMEDIATELY after getting close to Electro, which is how EVERY encounter with the guy should work for people without powers.
Spider-Man comes to the rescue leading to, what else, a Big Dumb Electrical Fight.
Good thing we already established with the Daredevil team-up that one of Electro’s weaknesses is being punched really hard in the face.
Electro has one last trick: using the kid as a hostage.
Remember from the original infodump that the kid got sick before the kidnapping?
Specifically, he has The Plague.
THE PLAGUE.
The funniest thing about this whole situation is that WE KNOW HOW TO TREAT THE PLAGUE.
If this is the Bubonic Plague specifically, the first documented antibiotic treatment of plague in the U.S. was in 1942, so even Captain America shouldn’t consider it a death sentence.
But Electro has a different cure in mind: electricity!
Not that the public will ever know about any of this, because S.H.I.E.L.D. covers up the whole thing.
That’s not a pop culture reference: Dum Dum Dugan was a regular character in the Godzilla series by Marvel.
Historical significance: 0/10
The Godzilla series has more relevance! I’m going to have to review that thing one day, isn’t it?
Silver Age-ness: 4/10
There was absolutely no reason for the kid to have THE PLAGUE instead of a more believable disease.
Does it stand the test of time? 4/10
The Jim Starlin artwork is really the only reason to check this one out, and even then there are some awkward poses here and there.
In addition to the ridiculousness of choosing THE PLAGUE as a disease, the story barely makes any sense. Why is Cap being such a dick to Spider-Man? I feel like Cap would have simply said “don’t tell anyone but we’re looking for a child with a very contagious disease, you’re in danger of catching something” instead of attacking? It’s not like that would have stopped Spider-Man, he would’ve gone look for the kid anyway.
Spider-Man also plays a surprisingly small role… adding to the presence of Captain America and an adventure outside of NYC, was this originally supposed to be published in Marvel Team-Up?
And finally, this is yet another very generic use of Electro: you could have used just about any other supervillain here.
Marvel Two-In-One #57 (1979)
written by Mark Gruenwald and Ralph Macchio
pencils by George Perez
Electro has a 3-panel cameo in a story set at Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S., where he’s been taken after the building collapsed on his head in the Spider-Man issue.
Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. is a government facility studying weird comic-book energy sources, and at the time it doubled as a prison for supervillains with energy-based powers.
No scores here since I’m just looking at a cameo, but this is a fondly remembered run of Marvel Two-In-One. Both because the writing is really solid and, most notably, George Perez’s artwork is just GORGEOUS.
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #38 (1979)
by Bill Mantlo & Sal Buscema
Apparently Electro managed to escape Project P.E.G.A.S.U.S. at this point, and he’s done with fighting Spider-Man. He’s not even the villain of this issue (it’s a Morbius story).
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #39 (1980)
by Bill Mantlo & John Romita Jr.
Well, he’s done fighting Spider-Man alone… which I should point out again he has only done TWO TIMES in his entire career up to this point!!!
Despite the attempt to disguise them, these are CLEARLY Sandman, Wizard and Trapster… which Electro beats shockingly fast.
That’s right: after the Sinister Six and *groan* the Emissaries of Evil, Electro joins the Frightful Four now.
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #40 (1980)
by Bill Mantlo & Frank Springer
Spider-Man is busy with other stuff, but THREE ISSUES for the subplot about Electro joining another team feels excessive.
“Wingless Wizard”, “Sinister Sandman”, “Terrible Trapster”… and Awesome Electro?
Did you just run out of alliteration, Wizard?
Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #42 (1980)
by Bill Mantlo & Mike Zeck
This entire part of the retrospective has a very Marvel Team-Up vibe despite not including any issue of Marvel Team-Up.
Despite introducing himself as the powerhouse of the team, Electro is bossed around by Wizard like the rest of the Frightful Four.
And so the Frightful Four take control of the Statue of Liberty…
…because that’s canonically the designated meeting place between Spider-Man and the Human Torch.
Let’s be honest, Spidey, this is not the weirdest thing that happened to you lately.
You were turned into a humanoid lizard two issue ago!!!
This is obviously a trap, complete with giving Electro a costume that mimics the Torch’s powers.
This is also a repeat: Wizard wore a suit like this in Strange Tales #102.
The Wizard is counting on the fact that Spider-Man won’t notice that one of his best friends has a different voice, a weird appearance, and presumably a different build.
Credit to the comic, Spider-Man IMMEDIATELY notices something is wrong!
I mean… it’s not like there’s a ton of electricity-based supervillains around in 1980.
Still, the Frightful Four are used to fighting the Fantastic Four: they’re no laughing matter!
Okay, you’re allowed to laugh at Trapster a little.
In fact, this is a definite loss for Spider-Man. The only reason why the Frightful Four don’t kill him is that he makes too much money for Marvel they need him alive.
I think? Honestly if all they want is to disguise one of their team as Spider-Man they might as well kill the guy.
Fantastic Four #218 (1980)
by Bill Mantlo & John Byrne
cover by Al Milgrom
Given their history, the Frightful Four could’ve chosen FAR worse villains for their fourth member.
Not the last time in his career that Trapster will impersonate Spider-Man.
No surprise, given that he is canonically one of the few people capable of replicating his web with near perfect precision. But given that adhesives are his specialty, you’d think he’d figure out a better way to stick to walls than using suction cups!
Spider-Man immediately figured out that he was dealing with an impostor, while the Human Torch… doesn’t.
Johnny, you’re not beating the accusations of being dumb.
I can buy the Trapster copying the webbing. I can buy him copying the wall-crawling.
But how on Earth is he copying Spider-Man’s agility!?!?
It’s a good thing that the Frightful Four scheduled their attack for when Invisible Girl (that’s still her codename at this point) is horny for her husband.
I’m going to assume that every instance of a comic placing Susan in situations contrived to strip her naked is a subtle reference to this comic and not shameless fanservice.
Seriously, would she have lost to ELECTRO if she was naked?
And we close the sequence of embarrassing Fantastic Four defeats with their leader.
Thankfully for the team, Spider-Man managed to break free and SINGLE-HANDEDLY keep up with the Frightful Four.
Until Mister Fantastic saves the day with a super-vacuum cleaner.
Weirdly enough, not the first time Sandman has been defeated by a vacuum cleaner!
In fact, this was in Sandman’s very first story.
Things you can use to defeat Electro:
I) a vacuum cleaner
I) rubber hose
Hey at least it’s not as embarrassing as Trapster just fainting.
Creepy Smile Thing is not real.
Creepy Smile Thing can’t hurt you.
Creepy Smile Thing will stop haunting your nightmares.
And that concludes this mini-crossover with… basically nothing being accomplished.
Historical significance: 0/10
You would think Electro would bring up having been a member of the Frightful Four more often than being in the Emissaries of Evil, but…
Silver Age-ness: 8/10
If this was a 1960s story, I would excuse SOME of the silliness in how the Frightful Four infiltrate the Baxter Building and defeat the FF. But for 1980, that’s just stupid.
Does it stand the test of time? 2/10
I’m just scoring the Fantastic Four issue, since the scenes in Spider-Man’s book are little more than cameos.
Let’s start with the positives: the artwork. John Byrne is almost unrecognizable (might be the Joe Sinnott inks), but it’s solid throughout.
That’s pretty much it.
Especially after such a long build-up in the Spider-Man books, this is a truly underwhelming crossover. He barely interacts with the Fantastic Four!
The Fantastic Four come out as just TERRIBLE here. While the Frightful Four are a legitimate threat, it shouldn’t be anywhere NEAR this easy for them!
The Frightful Four’s plan also makes no sense. Given that they kidnapped Spider-Man in order to infiltrate the Baxter Building, you’d think it would be important for their plan… but it really isn’t.
Trapster could’ve disguised himself as Spider-Man without the trouble of kidnapping him; he doesn’t even take his web-shooters!
It’s particularly idiotic considering that the team is being lead by Wizard, who we have seen multiple times in Fantastic Four has A MACHINE THAT CAN BRAINWASH PEOPLE, so why couldn’t he just brainwash Spider-Man into joining forces?
Despite what the story actually does with him, Electro joining the Frightful Four isn’t a bad idea. Granted that’s a team that is mostly motivated by revenge instead of money, so it doesn’t entirely fit Electro, but the idea of him joining a supervillain team fighting other heroes isn’t bad at all.
After all Electro has a very versatile power, and while he’s not an heavyweight I see no reason why he couldn’t put up a good fight with most superheroes.
Superheroes Electro has fought: 13
Adding Captain America and the Fantastic Four.
Things you can use to defeat Electro:
A) water
B) curtains
C) his feet
D) throwing something in his face really hard
E) YOUR feet
F) a solid punch
G) trash
H) telepathy
I) a rubber hose