THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #143

"...And The Wind Cries: Cyclone!"

• Writer: Gerry Conway
• Artist: Ross Andru
• Inker: F. Giacoia & D. Hunt
• Print Date: Apr., 1975

Featuring:

Plot Summary:

Christmas may have come and gone, but it is still winter in New York. You couldn't tell by the steady downpour that Spider-Man hangs around in, but the weather is not what catches his attention. No, our hero is distracted by a familiar blonde hairdo walking away down a city street. Spider-Man decides he's either gone bananas or he is seeing ghosts. Which is worst? Gwen Stacy is dead yet this is twice now that Spider-Man has seen her walking around. Could it be that something in Mysterio's illusions last issue are causing delusions based on Spider-Man's guilt?

Firmly deciding that nothing can bring her back, Spider-Man continues onto the office of the Bugle's publisher J. Jonah Jameson. No is home, and judging from the empty state of Jameson's office, no one has been in for quite a while. Mystery #2: Where is Jonah? Deciding that Peter Parker can solve that question quicker, Spider-Man changes out of his crime-fighting duds and into his street clothes. Some quick flirtatious banter with Betty reveals that Mr. Jameson is on leave in Europe and Robbie is in charge. Speaking of Robbie, Peter arrives at his office just in time to get invited out for a free lunch.

Life isn't all fun and games though, Jonah recently sent Robbie a wire asking Robbie to come to Paris immediately and bring one million dollars with him. Robbie is on his way to Paris and he wants Peter to accompany him.

After Peter responds in the affirmative, he heads off to campus to get permission to miss class from Professor Warren. Then, at the airport, Peter gets the good-bye kiss of a lifetime from Mary Jane. This magical moment is their first kiss, but unfortunately, it is cut short by the boarding announcement. Soon, MJ waits alone in the airport.

Some twenty-some hours later, our red and blue costumed caperer web-slings his way past the Palais De Chaillot, in Paris, in France. Spider-Man trails Robbie, unaware of his shadow, around Paris following the directions of kidnappers who hold J.J.J. hostage. Robbie eventually stops underneath a bridge where he is ambushed and attacked. As Robbie lies unconscious, Spidey leaps in to a confront three gaudily clad attackers. His mind flashes back however to review how he and Robbie arrived in the country, got a call from the kidnappers, and a short tour around the city later (showing the artist's ability to depict Paris' landmarks) leads to this moment...

After disposing of Robbie's attackers, Spider rudely knocks Robbie unconscious again, and begins to carry him back to the hotel. Without warning, Spider-Man is struck from behind and sent flying into a nearby brick wall. As a strong wind blows over his stunned form, The Cyclone steps out of the vortex and introduces himself to Spider-Man. Soon, the Cyclone turns himself into a living whirlwind, as he lifts his henchmen and Robbie away, smashes an entire building down on Spider-Man's stunned form. As Spider-Man drags himself out of the rubble, the Cyclone demands a ransom of one million dollar for the safe return of Jonah and Robbie. If his demands aren't met, both men will die and the Cyclone will come after Spider-Man next.

Comments:

No music for this review. I sit in the lobby of the Embassy Suites Indianapolis. I'm here on business again, and hoping to get this Cyclone story and the upcoming Scorpion story reviewed before I return home. What I lack in music, however, I'm making up for in complementary beer and pretzels.

Plot Analysis:

All in all, I enjoyed parts of this issue, and I found parts to be incredibly implausible. The issue promises fun and excitement (or at least fun and humor) as the writer states "Featuring possibly the most bizarre super-Villain in the annals of Spidey-Dom". Really, have we forgotten the Mindworm already? Well, let's take on both the good and the bad as it arrives...

Bad: Peter spots Gwen Stacy walking down the street again. Last issue, when Peter saw her, he hustled out on the street to try and catch her but lost her in the crowd of pedestrians. This time, despite his speed as Spider-Man, despite the fact that it's a dreary, drizzly January first and there is no crowd, despite the fact that he thinks this is his long-dead love, Spider-Man just stands and shakes his head trying to decide if he's seeing things or not. I would suggest that leaping down and confronting the blonde in person would be a good way to settle this argument, but he'd rather sit and question his own sanity. To each their own...

Good: Peter touches base with a lot of his supporting cast this issue. He talks about Betty's nuptials, says hi to Flash and Liz on the college campus, and even Prof. Warren makes a brief appearance congratulating Peter on his renewed interest in his studies.

Bad: Over a free lunch we find that Peter has worked at the Bugle longer than Robbie which I was not previously aware of. Robbie asks Peter opinion on the wire that Jonah sent which is plausible. But then Robbie invites Peter to come to Paris with him to deliver the ransom which seems implausible. Why would Robbie want Peter around? He offers no explanation for his invitation and indeed, Peter doesn't even think to ask for one. I submit this as further evidence that Robbie has deduced Peter's secret identity and hopes to have Spider-Man in his back pocket in Paris in case there's trouble. Whether Robbie knows who Spider-Man is or not can be debated even to this current day.

Good: Peter and MJ's relationship takes a HUGE step forward. It was really nice to see the writer and artist making a big deal about their first kiss, and indeed, there is a lot unspoken thoughts and emotions tied up in the three-page scene at the airport. I think this was my favorite part of the whole issue, and I really surprised how well the whole thing came off. Their conversation, thoughts, and feelings are conveyed well, and they feel 'real'. Typically, in older issues of Marvel comics, the writers' idea of romance is usually the heroine swooning over the hero or villain during the course of a fight or at completely inappropriate times. It almost feels like the Marvel staff has matured a bit in this issue.

Bad: God, the costumes of the Cyclone's goons. First, why does someone with his powers and abilities need three thuggish henchmen to rough up and rob an older man? Why would he dressed them in such garish costumes? It's pretty obvious that they are tossed in as cannon fodder to give the reader some sense of 'action' while Spider-Man flashes back over his time in Paris.

Good: Well, Ross Andru puts his art class training to good use by depicting Spider-Man against several Parisean landmarks including the Cathedral of Nortre Dame, Place do Vendome, and the Arc De Triomphe. I don't know why this part had to be a gratuitous flashback, but it was a an OK interlude.

Bad: Spider-Man karate-chopping Robbie on the back on the neck to keep him unconscious. OK, no matter how desperate he is to keep his identity secret, do you really think Peter would risk permanently injuring Robbie this way?

Bad (again): The Cyclone, despite his goofy name, goofy costume, and second-rate powers is not presented as a credible threat. For starters, he ambushes Spider-Man and gloats over his prone form. Then, he dumps a brick building on Spider-Man's already stunned body. Finally, he exits the scene leaving his adversary alive and kicking. Typical villain buffoonery and I really would've hoped for more.

Art Review:

Well, like I said above, there was a lot to like and a lot to dislike about this issue. For starters, seeing Spider-Man swinging against the Paris backdrops instead of the familiar New York landmarks. On the downside, the Cyclone's outfit (and his thugs) were really really bad. I'm guessing the artist really didn't have much to do with the design of the Cyclone. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume some color-blind writer/editor-type came up with the design instead.

Action Factor:

The first half of the issue was the slower paced half following Peter running around New York, and talking to his friends. It probably says a lot that the first half of this issue was a lot better than the second half. Spider-Man takes down the three goons in about a page while "flashing back" to his and Robbie's arrival in Paris. There's a shot of Spider-Man knocking Robbie unconscious. I don't know if Spider-Man beating up on senior citizens counts as "action" or not. Finally, the Cyclone appears on the next to last page, and knocks out Spider-Man in the span of about three panels.

Spider-Villain lessons 101:

Tip #1:
Spider-Man is pretty tough when attacking unsuspecting older men from behind.