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