Okay, so these issues are all “Gauntlet: Origins” stories. They don’t really tie all that much into the main “Gauntlet” event and mostly they’re fine-but-forgettable retellings of the origins of Spidey’s main villains. Most issues are at least half reprints, with the main Gauntlet stories being about 12 pages per issue, then often a second original back-up of 8 pages. And between them, reprints of entire issues of Spectacular Spider-Girl.
Last issue, #2, was also a Gauntlet story–but it was easily the best of all of these so I gave it its own post.
Issue #3: Rhino is hired as a mercenary by a South American dictator and remembers what it was like before he became Rhino.
Issue #4: Before he became Mysterio and met Spider-Man, Quentin Beck tries to prove that Doctor Strange isn’t really a magician–he’s just full of special effects. Hammerhead also gets 8 pages of original material, showing some of his early mobster days. It’s actually one of the better stories across these issues, with a script by Frank Tieri and interesting art by Eric Canete.
Issue #4 has Vulture in a story that gives more detail to his second appearance, where he broke out of prison. Ben “Scarlet Spider” Reilly gets a backup feature where he’s hiding out as a dude who cleans toilets.
Lizard is up next–and he’s living in Man-Thing’s swamp. But through flashbacks we learn that Curt Connors lost his arm in the war, and Doctor Ted Salis (future Man-Thing) tended to him.
I really dug this one–especially the art. The back-up feature in this one is a “Shed” prequel. Shed is a really good story that runs in Amazing Spider-Man (about Lizard), and nothing here is necessary reading.
And finally, issue #7 explores Ana Kraven’s past relationship with her daddy.
As a back-up feature, Joe Casey and Jim Mahfood offer Mary Jane Watson having a runway show interrupted by Paper Doll and…It’s fantastic.
Honestly, this story almost made me up the collective ratings of these issues to a B+. Loved it.