SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #69-70 (1982): Silvermane’s brain in robot body

Mantlo is on a hot streak with this book—perhaps because Roger Stern is forcing him to raise his game by writing one of the best Amazing Spider-Man runs of all time?

Putting to one side the stilted “black dialogue” of the thugs and criminals, this is a solid story taking the 1980s anti-drug sentiment to a new level by two street urchins be transformed by illegal drugs into two Punisher-style vigilantes hell-bent on destroying all pushers and traffickers.

They follow the drugs up the chain until they reach mob-boss Silverman, and kill him.

Except that they don’t.  His gang retrieves his near-dead body and put it into a robotic shell, giving him super strength and the ability to fight Cloak and Dagger. 

Spider-Man tries to stop the kids from becoming killers, as well as stop Silvermane from killing the kids.  It’s a nice three-way battle—and Ed Hannigan is truly at the top of his game.

At the end, Spider-Man lectures the teens about committing murder.

IMG_4651

Kingpin is tagged here because he appears briefly to tell Spidey where to find Silvermane—part of his divide and conquer mentality.

1 thought on “SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #69-70 (1982): Silvermane’s brain in robot body”

  1. I kinda liked Cloak and Dagger. Vaguely remember a spin-off mini-series(?) of those characters. Might actually have the issues sealed up in plastic still lying around somewhere. Should try and see if I can find them when time permits…..

    Reply

Leave a Comment