THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #170

"Madness Is All In The Mind!"

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

Featuring:

Plot Summary:

Though the profile is similar, it's not the Kingpin. It's Doctor Faustus who steps out of the abandoned subway tunnels after Spider-Man defeated a gang of costumed thugs. The comics goes into a one-page recap of how Doctor Faustus escaped "certain death" when he fell out of a plane fighting Captain America.

But, whatever, this is Spider-Man. Doctor Faustus is the master of the mind, and his abilities are subtly shown as he wafts cigarette smoke at Spider-Man. At least, upon re-reading these pages, I assume that's how he delivered his hallucinogen because Spider-Man foes start materializing out of the walls. Quickly, Spider-Man is entangled with Dr Octopus, the Rhino, the Vulture, the Man-Wolf, and others.

Ok, so Spider-man does comment that he must be losing his mind. Fair enough. As Spider-Man cowers under the assault, Dr Faustus steps up commands the phantasms to "begone". And, like so much smoke, the specters disappear. Dr Faustus takes Spider-Man by the shoulders and tells him that he'll feel quite splendid in a matter of moments.

Now, you'd think by this point, 15 years or so into Spider-Man's career, that he might've been attacked by illusions before. I mean, I think there's a villain like say, Mysterio, who's tried to twist his senses before. How come it is when an entire hoard of villains suddenly appears from a solid rock wall like ghosts that it doesn't occur to Spidey that he might not be dealing with reality here? I mean, a master of mind attacks appears, talks to you, blows smoke in your face, and SUDDENLY all your greatest foes appear. Do you think there might be some of cause and effect going on there? I'm gonna assume that Fautus' drugs also have some sort of ability to weaken the mind and make the victim prone to suggestion judging from Spider-Man's attitude after the illusions have been driven off.

While, on a quiet street else in the big apple, Mary Jane and Liz Allen hit the bridal shops looking the perfect wedding dress. Other than MJ making a joke about "What would Peter think if he saw me in this.." there's really not much to say about this scene. It's like the writer threw this in there just to break up the story for no particular reason.

OK, back in the abandoned subway tunnel, Faustus confirms that the cigarette smoke contained a narcotic that put the web-slinger completely in his power. Faustus' thugs use the laser-cannon to pierce the wall between the tunnel and a tiled (and trapped) corridor. Faustus sends Spider-Man ahead to lead Faustus past the traps successfully. Spider-Man attempts to lead them past the stun beams, but a misstep by an unnamed thug causes the corridor to fill with stun rays. Spider-Man dodges the beams, gets to the control panel, and rescues Faustus from the rays. Past the corridor, the group enters some sort of laboratory with a hermetically sealed chamber containing the Faustus' goal.

So, if Spider-Man hadn't stopped by, what was Faustus' plan for getting past the traps? I mean, he warns Spider-Man of the traps, so he obviously knew they were there. But he shows absolutely no plan for getting through them without Spider-Man's help. This is what happens when you have comic writers trying to plot out characters smarter than they are.

On that note, we take leave of the enthralled web-slinger for a moment and turn out attention to the residential area of Forest Hills where a mysterious character is viewing the Parker house that's up for rent. Without looking around or even negotiating the price, the character says "I'll take it". Outside, he shouts at the house, "I swore I'd return to you someday, you broken-down old firetrap!" Apparently, Aunt May's old house contains some big secret, and our mystery man is bound and determined to find it.

At least, I assume it is the house he's talking to. Personally, I'd have reservation renting to someone who struck up a conversation with the house itself, but that's just me. I haven't read the issues coming up, but I have an idea who this is and where this is going.

Unfortunately, we're back to the lame Faustus storyline. Inside the lab, Faustus points out a large container that holds the nation's supply of the new antelope flu vaccine. Faustus' "master plan" is to introduce a psychogenic additive to the vaccine mixture which will make the entire population susceptible to Faustus' hypnotic control.

Ok, THAT'S the big plan. First off, who booby traps a phamarceutical manufacturing plant with stun rays, bright strobes, and who knows what else? Secondly, isn't the entire population ALREADY susceptible to hypnosis? I mean, I just got done reading ASM #16, and the Ringmaster had no problems hypnotizing an entire crowd. And just making the susceptible, does that mean that Faustus STILL has to go around one-by-one hypnotizing them in order to take control of the nation?

Well, luckily for us, we don't have to find out. The vents in the lab have cleared enough of the residual smoke from Spider-Man's head, and he frees himself from Faustus' control just in time to snatch the vial from his hand. The thugs attack again, but Spider-Man makes short work of them for the 2nd time in this story. Faustus himself attacks and catches Spider-Man off-guard (what happened to his Spider-Sense?). He pummels Spider-Man for a bit until Spider-Man regains the upper-hand. As Faustus flees, he blows hypnotic smoke at Spider-Man again before sprinting out the corridor. Spider-Man is too groggy to chase after Faustus, but he's not too groggy to reconnect the stun ray control panel. Faustus collapses from the rays, and Spider-Man leaves Faustus and his thugs gift-wrapped for the police.

Ok, so what is with 'big fat guys' who are incredibly strong and incredibly good fighters. I mean, as much as the Kingpin insists that his bulk is all muscle, it certainly doesn't LOOK like muscle. And, the self-styled Master of the Human Mind, when exactly does he find the time to work out, bulk up, and become proficient enough in hand-to-hand combat to gain an advantage of Spider-Man.

Enough for now.. Stay tuned for next month for Photon. Oh great, it's the 2nd part of a two-part story that starts in an old issue of Nova I don't have. This should be fun.