Written by Denny O’Neil & Frank Miller
Art by Frank Miller; Tom Palmer; Joe Rosen; & Ben Sean
Cover Art by Frank Miller
SUMMARY:
Reprinting October 1980’s Amazing Spider Man Annual # 14 (also utilizing the same cover image), Marvel Comics released this untitled 48-page story for June 1987. From the mystical Book of Vishanti, it is revealed how Doctor Doom and the extradimensional Dormammu are conspiring together. A captive Doctor Strange and Doom’s lackey, Lucius Dilby, are their expendable pawns. Strange’s gamble is recruiting Spider-Man to fight solo against Dilby’s magical threats and, if possible, still free the world’s Sorcerer Supreme in time.
REVIEW:
While Spider-Man’s first battle sequence is fun, it’s only a momentary respite. The excessively blah script (including the forgettable Dilby’s dwarf-sized resemblance to Otto Octavius) simply overstays its limited welcome. Further, the mystical hijinks are hardly Spider-Man’s forte entertaining readers. Past the halfway mark, the scripting becomes such sheer tedium that even plenty of Spidey-action can’t cure. The art team’s visuals are mostly above-average, but there’s an occasional panel (i.e. a close-up of Strange or Spider-Man) that stands out as high-caliber. The kid-friendly Marvel Tales # 200 delivers plenty of story for the buck, but it’s a chore to read.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
None.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5 Stars
