Amazing Reads: Amazing Spider-Man #9

Here we are, one away from the big milestone of #10. And what do we have for this much belated Amazing Reads. Electro? Ohhh I like. I always had a weird relationship with Electro. Growing up I always thought he was a B-lister. I mean no Doc Ock, or Goblin, and certainly not Venom or Carnage. (What I grew up in the 90s!) But I've come to appreciate this villain. That and he got his own staring role as a villain in a video game. Also, a member of the classic Sinister Six. Speaking of which, Doc Ock, Sandman, Vulture. Hey, we're over half way there! Sweet!

The Defeat of Spider-Man! Like in Issues 3, 4, and 7!

And thus our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man rushing across the skyline. He's in a hurry. Some madmen must be up to no good. We find a gang of gangsters, with guns of all things. So Spider-Man swings down...and right past them.

With Great Responsibility...comes with not giving a damn.

Peter is rushing home. Something must be wrong with the REALLY old Aunt May. Yes I'm still hammering that home. This grudge isn't going away Quesada.Seems Aunt May has Character Development Flu, and thus Pete is in a horrible straights. Apparently CDF is very bad indeed for Miss May Parker. And thus we fade away to the lair of some masked man. He stands with electronic gadgetry over his body and charges himself up. It's Electro!

Corpse found strung between two Tesla Coils today.

Our villainous character has a heist in mind. He's robbing an armored car. And does electric gimicky things. It's hard to tell, but I'm guessing electricity doesn't work at all the way it does here. The guards give in, realizing they are no match for, ELECTRO! We cut back to the Parker's home where the doctor is suggesting that Aunt May go to the hospital. She is worried about leaving Peter home alone, because no one will take care of him. Peter is a little "distant" at school.

Who is the blue haired guy anyway?

 Pete goes to the hospital after class. Betty Brant is there with Aunt May. He expresses some gratitude, and after a while later he escorts the young woman from the building. He says he can't escort her home he has other things to attend to.

My plot senses are tingling.

So Spider-Man swings through the city, working off some steam. It starts to rain. He calls it quits for the night. A lot of what's going on is the man is depressed because of his aunt. And maybe he realized that he's trying to get with three women at once and maybe he should calm it the bloody hell down.

The next day! We're at the Forest Hills Bank, where J.J. is making a deposit of some ungoldly amount of cash, because he's Jameson. Electro arrives and demands the money from the vault. After a brief altercation with Electro, J.J. is put in his place. Electro robs the bank and runs away.

Or you're someone who has their name plaster on newspapers. You know...that too.

So J.J. knows who Electro must be. SPIDER-MAN! Cause you know...that makes perfect sense. J.J. is an ornery old bastard. So he goes to print with these accusations.

Proof that people aren't getting dumber, they always have been.

And so the motivation for Spider-Man to do something occurs. MONEY! At least this time it isn't self service, but because he needs a grand to pay for the specialist to operate on his aunt. After talking with J.J. he remembers there is a reward for Electro's capture. So he goes off to find the criminal!

Seriously...dudes still a crook, look at him. He's wearing purple.

And so the search goes on...and on....and...you get the picture. He finally finds Electro, and because stopping him, takes a few pictures. Because, you know, money or something. Some how Electro saw Spider-Man. And thus we reach another battle. God I hate writing these. Pages and Pages of nothing but flips and webs, and bad one liners...let's get this over with.

...Well that was quick. Does this mean Miles is the hero now?

And so our story winds to a close with Spider-Man dead on a roof top. Or what Electro thinks at least. Seems that electricity can't kill the Spider. The man slinks off into the darkness. Peter takes a few photos and pretends to make it look like Spider-Man is Electro. He at least feels guilty about it afterwords.

Same people read National Enquirer.

And so we meet Max Dillon. Also known as Electro. So we know Flint Marco is Sandman, Kurt Conners is  the Lizard, but we don't know Adrian Toomes is the Vulture or Otto Octavius is Doc Ock. I wonder when we will learn those names. Note I don't care who Chameleon really is...cause you know...he's everyone. Turns out he's an ass. Won't save a coworker who works on the power lines, unless he's paid.

And thus, Electricity, gives super powers!

So he is alive, and he can output energy. He uses his electric engineers degree to build devices that allow him to harness such energy and he starts robbing people. Also thinks Electro is a good name. (I kind of like it too.) Electro breaks into a detention center. Because he's gonna cause chaos. Who is he, the Joke? (Can I make DC references on a Marvel Comic?)

Back to the hospital, where Pete has heard the attack by a passing police car, and is worried. But his Aunt May comes first. May goes into surgery. She asks him to stay. And his guilty ass does. Also Betty is there. She's being nice.

Did you tell any of  anyone else?

And so the two wait. Across town. J.J. is gloating that he is right. Spider-Man is Electro. A prison riot is in progress. Much punching ensues. Aunt May comes out just fine. and Peter is happy. He then goes off to fight Electro. Also Betty is getting some character, and the first hints of a running story. Also Aunt May's illness, but you know, Aunt May sick happens every other week.

More next issue.

And so Spider-Man is off. He swings off to a convenience store to grab a few supplies. Because he needs stuff to beat Electro. (I don't think he plans ahead at all.) J.J. is off gloating merrily at the sight of a horrible tragedy. Because he's an ass. Oh, and Spider-Man shows up.

Cry old man. Like a little baby.

Crotch light appears as Spidey has infiltrated the Prison. He's donned rubber gloves and booties. He goes to fight Electro, and takes out several prisoners. The back and forth goes back a few pages and we all "Gasp" because he's doing well. Electro grabs some "power wires" from the wall and start using them as electric whips.

Whip it good.

Spidey defeats him with a jet of water from a fire hose. He short circuits Electro and then reveals his mask. And good lord he doesn't know who the guy is. Shock of Shocks. He grabs his camera. We cut to the Daily Bugle, where J.J. Jameson is pacing like the angry fool he is. Peter brings in the pics of the fight, and he is flabergasted. They are worth a fortune, and Peter is able to get J.J. not to sue or fire him for those photos.

Yes...my precious.

And so we get some emotional heart of this issue. Betty is annoyed he went to take the pictures. Peter tries to tell her he likes her. She tries to tell him that she has a past with dangerous men. He sulks off, cause he's a moron. Peter visits his Aunt in the hospital, and the two discuss Betty. (Because they can!) Peter is leaving the hospital. He realizes he was an ass, and well look who comes charging up, but Betty, apologizing.

Next week, He tries to get in Liz Allen's pants.

I don't talk enough about why I like these books.I make fun of them, I try to be funny. But I do love these comics. I think it's a masterful skill of writing to tell these complex stories in 22 pages. There aren't complicated panel set ups, and every panel shows a purpose. We don't have splash pages galore displaying a single strike. 

I'd also like to praise the art. I do't show them often, but some of these panels are quite good, and I can't say how awesome they are enough. and I'm not an art guy.

So What do I give Amazing Spider-Man #9. A good solid 3. Fun readable and what I expect from a Spider-Man story.