THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #165

"Stegron Stalks The City!"

• Writer: Len Wein
• Artist: Ross Andru
• Inker: Mike Esposito
• Print Date: Feb., 1977

Featuring:

Plot Summary:

He was heading home when his spider-sense started tingling while he was twenty stories above the ground. This explains why our issue opens with Spider-Man crashing through a skylight into a secret SHIELD lab disguised as a run-down apartment building. He quickly notes the ransacked lab and injured workers and pursues the assumed perpetrator into the next room. A short tussle and quick kick to Spider-Man's midsection allows the mystery villain to escape. Coming under fire from SHEILD agents, Spider-Man crashes through a window and swings out into the night wondering all the while he bothers sticking his nose in where it isn't welcome.

Elsewhere in a mid-Manhattan laboratory/apartment, Dr. Curt Connors greets his wife Martha and son Billy who're visiting for the holidays. When a dizzy spells strikes (attributed to the lab explosion last issues), Martha aids her husband when with a THROOM!, the door is kicked in interrupting this family reunion. Stegron, The Dinosaur Man, has come looking for Dr. Connors. Stegron leaves instructions for Connors and kidnaps Billy to insure Connors' compliance.

And while the battered biologist staggers to his lab, we rejoin Peter as he spots Flash Thompson strolling down the street. Peter sprints to catch up and starts an argument by shouting at Flash for seeing MJ behind his back. Flash retorts that MJ told him that she wasn't dating anyone and insists that he would never cut in on a friend like Peter. After Peter apologizes, Flash walks off to have a little chat with Ms. Watson.

Elsewhere, in the almost deserted science wing of Empire State University, Dr. Marla Madison and Jonah work on the details of their plan to defeat Spider-Man. After some testing, Dr. Madison announces they'll be ready within the week.

Unfortunately, we have to leave the gloating Jameson for the nonce and return to the harried Peter Parker. Peter and MJ walk along discussing their relationship and MJ's encouraging Flash's advances. They also talk about seeing all their friends getting together, and MJ questions where their relationship is going. They enter the Hayden Planetarium, and settle in to watch the laserium. As their chat winds down and the laser show starts up, the power goes out leaving everyone in the dark.

Meanwhile, several blocks south, Dr. Connors tells his wife not to call the police, that they'll have to get their son back some other way. He promises that everything will be all right, and returns to his lab to get to work.

And, back in the Museum of Natural History, the man-monster Stegron illuminates several dinosaur skeletons with some sort of machine. The electro-magnetic field generated by the machine reanimates the skeletons and sends them marching through the museum. As Peter sneaks out of the planetarium and changes into costume, he hears the CLUMP CLUMP of the skeletons marching along. As he avoids being tramples by the runaway army, the skeletons barrel right through the entrance and out into the street. Before Spider-Man pursues them, his spider-sense allows him to dodge Stegron's slashing tail. The battle rages with Stegron absorbing many of Spider-Man's most punishing blows until Spider-Man is caught and buried beneath a collapsing wall allowing Stegron to escape.

And elsewhere for one final time, the stress and pressure have finally gotten to Dr. Connors. His arm regenerates, his body develops scales, and when his transformation is over, the Lizard vows to destroy Stegron!