“Next time I’m choosing the Renaissance Fair instead!”
The Adventures Of Spider-Man #9
Marvel (December, 1996)
“Where Demons Ride!”
WRITER: Nel Yomtov
PENCILER: Alex Saviuk
INKER: Rob Stull
COLORIST: Kevin Tinsley
LETTERER: Steve Dutro
EDITOR: Mark Bernardo
May inherits a piece of land in Arizona but the Parkers can’t afford the high taxes. Peter tricks JJ into giving him the money to fly out and investigate, and finds squatters living in the old Depression shanties on the land. They’re also being attacked by different kinds of monsters and unnatural disasters every night…or are they? Spider-Man learns that Mysterio is trying to scare them off, and defeats the special effects wizard. He turns the useless land over to the squatters, not realizing the reason Mysterio wanted this property…because there’s oil underneath!
What they got right: Mysterio’s plan is pretty good for a villain scheme (although despite what Spidey says it’s less Murder She Wrote and more like Scooby-Doo. He does have some good monster designs though.
What they got wrong: I know Yomtov was going for a “Lone Ranger” joke with the squatters not knowing who the “masked man” was, but have they really not heard of Spider-Man? Do they not own a newspaper or watch TV? He’s kind of well-known by now. And the reveal of Mysterio being behind it all kills what might have been a fair mystery. O. And yes, it is a rather odd coincidence that Mysterio is pulling something in Arizona on land Peter’s aunt just inherited.
Recommendation: A good little story that’s worth a read at least.
BW Media Spotlight 