PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #10
"Tiger In A Web"
Featuring:Plot Summary:I have no idea where this story is going. We left off with the White Tiger stealing the Erskine Manuscript and planting it on the Ethnic Studies Professor Vasquez. When Professor Vasquez found the manuscript on his desk, the White Tiger started throttling him and demanding answers. That's where Spider-Man stepped in... Ironically, on the opening page, as Spider-Man steps into the fray between the White Tiger and Prof. Vasquez, the White Tiger exclaims, "You don't understand!". He's not the only one. Spider-Man and the White Tiger are pretty evenly matched in the fight. White Tiger is faster and gets in several ineffective blows on Spider-Man. Spider-Man is stronger and gets in several shots of his own on White Tiger. White Tiger insists that the professor "knows what he has done" before leaping out the 2nd story window. Spider-Man follows after him, and the two take to the rooftops. Now, during the fight, Spider-Man comments on the seemingly different fighting styles between the White Tiger now, and the White Tiger he confronted in the library. The White Tiger he fought now is faster, stronger, and a better combatant than when the met earlier. I have a disturbing feeling where this is going, and I'm going to feel very misled if the writer takes it in that direction. When Prof. Vasquez is alone, he contemplates the Erskine Manuscripts (conveniently labeled "Erskine Manuscripts"). He considers how their sale would more than pay to keep the night school open and keep thousands of minority students in college. But their theft may now cause a bloodbath at ESU. I'm not sure a fistfight between Spider-Man and White Tiger counts as a 'bloodbath', but whatever... 
Meanwhile, President Dwyer, backed by the police in riot gear, confronts the demonstrators. Just as a riot is about to break out, Spider-Man and White Tiger's chase leads them to the roofs overlooking the demonstrators. White Tiger throws Spider-Man off the roof, and the onlookers shout in horror. No deaths here though, Spider-Man simple fires a webline to save himself and swing back up to the White Tiger. The brief interruption quells the riot however, and the police and students both seem to settle down. President Dwyer being the only exception as he rants and raves about thugs running rampant on campus. Keep in mind that these two issues BOTH occur in the course of a single evening. Protests, theft, fight, Daily Bugle, Harlem, Blackbyrd, back on campus, Prof Vasquez's office, and now a confrontation. These are all the places that Spider-Man has been in the course of several hours. Personally, I'd be exhausted after all that running around, and I can only imagine that it is, at the earliest, about 2 AM. Odd time for protesters to be running around campus, but why let a little thing like timeframes get in the way of a good story? Speaking of Harlem, we flash back there to find Blackbyrd sneaking around on a warehouse rooftop observing the gang who tried to steal the manuscript last issue. Apparently it is "Snakeye's old gang - the black hand!". I'm not familiar with the Black Hand at all. Blackbryd is about to call the police when the skylight collapses beneath him dropping him into the warehouse. He comes up shooting, and we cut scenes in the middle of the shootout. This seems to be a two-issue story. I'm really not sure where this Black Hand came in, or why they're even included in the storyline at all. Their only purpose so far has been to provide a page's worth of fight last issue, and some filler this issue. Back to the White Tiger/Spider-Man chase across the rooftops which has progressed to the Upper East Side by this point. Spider-Man realizes he's not going to catch the White Tiger on foot - they are too evenly matched in speed and agility. He catches the White Tiger from behind with a webline, but the Tiger easily cuts the webline with a quick swipe of his hand. A brief battle carries the pair off the rooftop and atop a moving truck heading towards the South Bronx. Again, the White Tiger speaks in a mix of English, English with Hispanic slang, Spanish, and now Spanish-translated-to-English for the reader's convenience. 
Back at ESU Campus, Professor Dwyer is DEMANDING that the police arrest the protesters. The police do not seem inclined to cooperate. Suddenly, Prof. Vasquez steps forward and confesses that _HE_ is the one who stole the Erskine Manuscript while masquerading as the White Tiger. Wait.. WHAT???
Ok, let's review the events at library from last issue:
In hindsight, the clues were there. The shadowy figure claiming the White Tiger needed to return as a symbol to the people. The disappearing manuscript I commented about last issue. Even the fact that the Tiger's amulet glows with a yellow light, but the amulet worn by the professor did not. Ok, the only real problem I have is this college professor getting the drop on Peter Parker, leaping around the room like a gazelle, and escaping with the manuscript. I suppose if I can just let that bit go, the rest of the scenario makes sense. It could've been written better though. Hey, speaking of armed thugs, let's get back to the gun battle. Blackbyrd is pinned down in the warehouse and facing 1-to-5 odds in this firefight. Things go from bad to worse when his gun jams. Instead of taking shelter and waiting for help, Blackbyrd tosses aside his useless weapon and leaps, unarmed, at the gang. 
This whole scene between Blackbyrd and the Black Hand is stupid and pointless it is giving me a headache. Blackbyrd 'recognizes' the Black Hand gang from Spider-Man's description, knows where their hideout is, goes their alone, falls into the warehouse, and now doesn't even bother bringing a knife to this gunfight. Over on Lincoln Avenue, Spider-Man and White Tiger continue to struggle. They've finally fallen off the truck and carried their fight into the slum. Spider-Man seems surprised when the locals start cheering the White Tiger as one of their own. Spider-Man begins to realize that he might've made a bad assumption along the way, but the White Tiger is too hot-headed to talk. The fight continues until Spider-Man pauses to save some children from a collapsing way. Finally, the two adversaries stop to discuss ir dispute. White Tiger admits that the professor framed him for the theft, and Spider-Man realizes that he interrupted the White Tiger before he could get a confession. And finally, the sun begins to rise... I am really enjoying the artwork in this story. The fight between the White Tiger and Spider-Man on the basketball court had some nice backgrounds and use of equipment. It was a distinct departure from the typical "Fight on generic rooftop" or "fight on generic city street" that usually occurs. The neighborhood felt a little rundown and had some character to it. Great, we can finally wrap this up in two pages. Spider-Man and White Tiger return to ESU just in time to see Professor Vasquez confess to the theft and return the manuscript to Professor Dwyer. Professor Dwyer backs off slightly from the thugs and hoodlum speeches but still condemns the theft. Blackbyrd shows up with the police, and the Black Hand gang in cuffs. Professor Dwyer finds a heart and vows to keep the night school open. And finally, Spider-Man shows off his multi-cultural sensitivity and calls the White Tiger his 'amigo'. You just know they had to throw that in there. I am nominating Blackbyrd and Black Hand gang as most pointless subplot ever. Well, ever in this issue. It had nothing to do with Spider-Man or the White Tiger, contributed nothing to the story, and the big climatic ending to the fight occurred completely off-panel. The only point to the Black Hand participation was to slow up the real White Tiger at the library and prevent him from apprehending the fake White Tiger right away. That was it. Oh, and it to fill up 3-4 pages of this issue with pointless story that might've been put to better use.. Like advertisements even.
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©2002 Samuel Smith
Spider-Man ™ and all images © 2002 Marvel Characters, Inc.