Amazing Spider-Man #141. Mysterio

(Cover from February 1975.)

"The Man's Name Appears to be... Mysterio!"

Words by Gerry Conway.

Pencils by Ross Andru.

Inks by Giacoia and Hunt.

Lettering by Artie Simek.

Colours by Petra G.

You'd have thought that, by now, Peter Parker would've realised that, when it comes to villains, death's a mere inconvenience.

But then, for Peter Parker, cars are an inconvenience.

That's right, true believer, the Spider-Mobile's back and as unworkable as ever.

Granted it isn't back for long and, while it's here, its limitations become all too apparent as it effectively paints a huge target on Spider-Man for the police to chase. But, as I've said before, I've always had a soft spot for the thing. I think it's just the look of it. Somehow it looks like a car Spider-Man should be driving. None of that sleekness or hi-tech for him, just an awkward, ungainly, useless buggy. Exactly where he's been keeping it the last few months is anyone's guess but pretty soon he's keeping it at the bottom of the river where he, no doubt, would feel it belongs.

But now it all gets worse because it's not just his car he's having problems with, it's his marbles.

And that's the thing. How many times has he come up against Mysterio and how many times has the menacing master of illusion had a plot to make him think he's gone mad? And still, after all these times, he falls for it again, thinking he must have lost his mind just because he's told the villain died in jail a year ago. Hey, Petey, the Vulture died in jail years back and that never stopped him from coming back. Come to think of it, Doc Ock's died on more occasions than he's tried to marry Aunt May and he always come back.

On the art front, highlight of the issue has to be the truck driving along the wall, to almost run our hero over.

Highlight after that has to be MJ out of hospital and, in some nicely rendered scenes, getting to reacquaint herself with our hero, not to mention finally drawing the Charlie Brown analogy the strip's been crying out for for years. You can't get away from it, under all that show, and on top of those heels, Miss Watson's a bright girl.