TITLE: The Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 1, Issue #248
YEAR: January 1984
COMPANY: Marvel Comics
Writer: Roger Stern
Pencils/Breakdowns: John Romita, Jr./Ron Frenz
Finishes: Bret Breeding/Terry Austin
Letterer: Diana Albers/Joe Rosen
Colors: Bob Sharen/Christie Scheele
Editor: Bob DeNatale
Editor-in-Chief: Jim Shooter
Back in the ’80s, Marvel Comics would have “Assistant Editor’s Month”, a time when all editors hit the comic conventions and assistants are in charge of the titles they work on.
At times, you have really goofy, hilarious stories and at times, you find something new and different.
And in a blue moon, you discover a storyline that brings out the emotions in you.
And one of the most successful “Assistant Editor’s Month” issues to be released by Marvel back then was “The Amazing Spider-Man” issue #248.
For this issue, Bob DeNatale filled in for Danny Fingeroth and what he decided to do was have two stories in one issue. Two stories with dramatic tones.
The first issue is straightforward action as Spider-Man searches for Hobgoblin and instead he finds Wrecking Crew leader, Thunderball. And these two take on each other in a thrilling fight. And I think its predictable of who is left standing.
But it’s the second story that captivated readers and which made this issue one of the best “Amazing Spider-Man” stories to own.
The story begins with an article from the Daily Bugle and Jacob Conover’s column, “Connover’s Corner” about a nine-year-old child named Timothy Harrison. He is a big “Star Wars” fan, big fan of the New York Mets but he is also a kid who collects Spider-Man.
And we see Spider-Man visiting the boy, and Timothy looking up to him as a hero and having a heart-to-heart talk with Spider-Man. Showing all the newspaper articles he had collected and Spider-Man explaining to Timmy of how he got his powers and how he is able to shoot webs. But also the story of why he became Spider-Man.
And as the two have a good time talking to each other and having fun, Spider-Man has to leave to get back to crime fighting and Timothy asking one last thing, Spider-Man’s real identity.
At first Spider-Man refuses but in the end, he reveals himself as Peter Parker.
Timothy makes a promise to not say anything and the two give each other a hug.
It is revealed that Spider-Man has visited Timothy at a cancer clinic and the article by Jacob Conover was a plea for Spider-Man to visit Timothy Harrison because the child has leukemia and has only a few weeks to live.
As a friend would say, “hits you right in the feels” and this story, really was awesome for being an effective short story that brings out the emotion of the Spider-Man but also seeing Peter Parker, also emotional, giving one boy his final wish as he has weeks to live.
An excellent story and a comic book issue worth owning!