The cover story is Daredevil by Bill “I’m famous for writing fill-in scripts in 24 hours!” Mantlo and an artist named Tony Salmons who has a style that’s pretty unique…And not my favorite. The artist portfolio is Bob McLeod drawing the New Mutants, and it’s perfectly fine—nothing adventurous, but good enough to hang on your wall. So far, a mediocre issue of Marvel Fanfare.
But the second story is phenomenal.
Comic book art fans know Marc Hempel as one of the guys who worked with Neil Gaiman on Sandman, the Vertigo series that has a rabid following among fans and critics alike. But in 1986, nobody really knew him. He’d done some indie work and a strip for Heavy Metal, but this was really his breakthrough. He hasn’t done anything in a long time, which is a shame because this little humorous story about a bored Spidey shows he can do a lot.
Honestly, I’d love to reproduce the whole thing here—but better you should go find a copy for yourself.
