Look at Marie Severin drawing a facepunch. It hurts just to look at it.
The first comic book I ever read, out of a polybag in a friend’s basement, was Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #1, and I was about nine years old. One of the first comics I remember actually buying, with my own allowance, was Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man #45.
And I mean, who wouldn’t buy it? Look at that cover!
This is a Vulture-as-crimelord story, which is never my favorite use of old Adrian Toomes, but this is probably the best version of that story out there.
Look at the panels above. They remind me a LOT of the work Frank Miller was doing at the same time over on Daredevil. The use of big and small lettering, the sense of motion between panels, the use of shadow on the inking, the general sense of menace coming from the hero…Interesting.
And for some reason, this panel stuck with me.
Spidey breaks the Grand Central Station clock.
Also memorable: This sequence, which crosses over both issues.
Script by Marv Wolfman (#44) and Roger Stern (#45), with art by Stephen Leialoha (co-plotter and art #44) and Marie Severin (#45)
The second panel IS nice. Cover isn’t bad either. There’s a cover of Spiderman being lowered into a burning vat of oil (also while wrapped in chains) that I like a little better. No idea the issue number or artist though – have to Google around and try to find it!