Two short stories in one issue. Methinks Stan Lee was getting into the 12-page-story rhythm, what with Strange Tales, Tales To Astonish, etc.
In the first story, Flash Thompson breaks Peter’s glasses…
So Peter knocks him out.
It’s in a school boxing match. Flash assumes he cheated.
When his classmates see him without a shirt they make fun of his body but…
…dude has a six-pack. Meanwhile, The Living Brain, a robot, goes nuts and Spider-Man takes care of it.
This story would have been much better without the Living Brain sequence–it would have been the first time we had a superhero comic where he never put on his costume.
After Flash breaks them, Peter stops wearing glasses for good because his spider-powers are improving his vision.
The second story is more of the Spider-Man/Human Torch bromance.
What makes “Spider-Man Tackles the Torch” special is that it’s pencilled by Jack Kirby, who we rarely got to see drawing Spider-Man.
It’s also fun to watch him compete with Johnny Storm over who can make the best party shapes with their abilities.
The rest of the FF show up at the end to break up the fight.
