TITLE: Marvel Team-Up featuring Spider-Man and Falcon issue #30
YEAR: February 1975
COMPANY: Marvel Comics
WRITER: Gerry Conway
PENCILLER: Jim Mooney
INKER: Vince Colletta
LETTERER: John Costanza
COLORIST: Petra Goldberg
EDITOR: Len Wein
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Marv Wolfman
Spider-Man in the ’70s, there were a lot of things happening in that decade, from “The Amazing Spider-Man”, the TV series and possibly one title that I grew up with as a kid…”Marvel Team-Up”.
It was a way for Marvel Comics to promote their lesser known or not-as-popular superheroes in the Marvel Universe (along with “Marvel Two-in-One with the Fantastic Four member, Thing).
Stories were often hit and miss but during this time, “Marvel Team-Up” had one of the best Spider-Man writers out there….Gerry Conway, known for co-creating the Punisher and DC Comics Firestorm, scripting the death of Gwen Stacy and later the Justice League of America. Also, the first major crossover between Marvel and DC, Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man. And while working with DC in the ’80s, would return to Marvel for “The Spectacular Spider-Man” and “Web of Spider-Man” series.
In this issue, Peter Parker is having difficulties balancing his school studies and being Spider-Man. Just when he returns home and thinks he could get some rest, he sees his apartment’s new tenant, Gloria Grant being attacked by street thugs.
Spider-Man eventually defeats them but Gloria Grant pleads to help bring the men into her apartment building, as one of them is her cousin and she feels there is no way that he would attack her. Spider-Man notices Ramon’s eyes and that he has been drugged.
When her cousin Ramon comes through, he tells her that they went out to a disco club in Harlem, were taken by a few men and some guy in gold sprayed them with something that made them attack.
They are able to get a name and it’s Harrison J. Merriwell, a liberal philanthropist and so Spider-Man leaves to investigate. But Gloria Grant also calls a friend of a friend, a social worker named Sam Wilson a.k.a. Falcon.
And it happens that both Spider-Man and Falcon end up visiting Harrison J. Merriwell’s home but when they arrive, it appears that the house guests were drugged and hypnotized to attack Spider-Man and Falcon.
Both men are bolted to the floor with metal restrains and revealing himself as the man in gold is Malcolm Merriwell, brother of Harrison who goes by the name Midas.
Can Spider-Man and Falcon escape?
First, I don’t think Spider-Man would have gotten hit in the head so easily, especially with his Spider sense. And I don’t think these two would be easily restrained with metal restraints to concrete. I don’t think the rescue would have gone that easily.
Nevertheless, these Marvel Team-Up stories aren’t meant for one to overthink it or be serious about it. Just take it as is, enjoy the collaboration of Spider-Man with a superhero and enjoy!