Spider-Man Comics Weekly #45

(December 22, 1973)

In the Clutches of...the Kingpin! (Table of Contents: 1)

Spider-Man / comic story / 19 pages (report information)

Script

Stan Lee

Pencils

John Romita

Inks

Mike Esposito

Colors

? (grey tones)

Letters

Sam Rosen

First Line of Dialogue or Text

At last!!

Feature Logo

The Amazing Spider-Man

Genre

superhero

Characters

Spider-Man [Peter Parker]; Kingpin [Wilson Fisk] (villain); Shorty (villain); Big Turk (villain); Flint (villain; Frederick Foswell; J. Jonah Jameson; Robbie Robertson; Ned Leeds; Betty Brant; Mary Jane Watson; Gwen Stacy; Harry Osborn

Synopsis

Spider-Man is back and starts interfering with Kingpin's criminal activities. Kingpin recruits shady reporter Foswell and kidnaps J. Jonah Jameson. Spider-Man intervenes, but is exposed to gas which renders him helpless at the Kingpin's feet.

Reprints

• from The Amazing Spider-Man (Marvel, 1963 series) #51 (August 1967)

No. 8 (Table of Contents: 2)

Pen pals swap shop / activity / 1 page (report information)

Letters

typeset

First Line of Dialogue or Text

Waiting for you in this grand opening of the PEN PALS SWAP SHOP could be the very thing that you've been yearning for all your life.

Indexer Notes

Small ads type page where readers write in with items they wish to swop with other readers. Includes small Charles Atlas advert at bottom right. Between pages 9 and 10 of Spider-Man story.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 3)

The Web and the Hammer / letters page / 2 pages (report information)

Pencils

? (illustration)

Inks

? (illustration)

Colors

? (grey tones)

Letters

typeset

Characters

Spider-Man

Indexer Notes

Includes three panels taken from Spider-Man stories and a message from the bullpen.

What Evil is This? (Table of Contents: 4)

Thor / comic story / 7 pages (report information)

Script

Stan Lee

Pencils

Jack Kirby; Carl Hubbell

Inks

Vince Colletta; Carl Hubbell

Colors

? (grey tones)

Letters

Artie Simek

First Line of Dialogue or Text

And now, the thunder god has returned to Earth -- to seek his loved one, Jane Foster!

Genre

fantasy-supernatural; superhero

Characters

Thor [Don Blake]; Odin; Balder; Jane Foster; VILLAINS: Loki; Enchantress; Executioner; Yagg [Invincible Slayer](introduction, death); CAMEOS: The Avengers [Captain America [Steve Rogers]; Iron Man [Tony Stark]; Giant-Man [Henry Pym]; Wasp [Janet Van Dyne]; Rick Jones; Daredevil [Matt Murdock]; Frightful Four [Wizard [Bentley Wittman]; Sandman [Flint Marko]; Paste-Pot Pete [Peter Petruski]; Madam Medusa]

Synopsis

Odin sends Thor and Loki to Skornheim to endure the Trial of the Gods which will show which one of his sons is lying to him. Against Odin's decree, Loki uses magic to escape the traps of the enchanted land while Thor has to rely on brawn and sheer will. Meanwhile, the Enchantress and the Executioner set about tormenting Jane Foster in a bid to influence the outcome of the trial. Odin sends Balder to deal with them.

Reprints

• from Journey into Mystery (Marvel, 1952 series) #116 (May 1965)

Indexer Notes

This story takes place at the same time as Daredevil #7 and Fantastic Four #38. First appearance of the land of Skornheim. Nick Caputo suspects that Carl Hubbell provided alterations on the figures of the Executioner, the Enchantress and Daredevil on pages 11-13, per his blog:

Second part of story with a new splash page consisting of a large panel of Thor in flight with the new title above him and credits beneath him. Plus two panels from the story.

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 5) (Expand) /

Mighty World of Marvel / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 6) (Expand) /

The Avengers / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

[no title indexed] (Table of Contents: 7) (Expand) /

promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)