Web of Spider-Man #19 (1986): 1st Solo, Humbug

Two debuts in this issue.  First, Solo.  David Michelinie is best known for developing Venom into the worldwide phenomenon he eventually became, and overall his run on Spider-Man took the increased grittiness that Peter David brought to the series with stories like the death of Jean DeWolff but didn’t bring along with it David’s excellent sense of humor.  Solo is basically Punisher with more powers.  That’s his debut above, teleporting in to kill some terrorists.  He and Spidey don’t meet in this issue.

The second character, Humbug, is intended for comic relief—he has tech that enables him to weaponize the sounds that bugs make.  (Get it?  Hum+Bug?) 

Unfortunately, he’s not very funny.  Spidey takes him out in this issue.

 

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