When the Kingpin escapes from prison, he won't be the only problem Spider-Man has as he struggles with being Public Enemy #1, despite trying to be a hero.
Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber) was an American writer, editor, creator of comic book superheroes, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics.
With several artist co-creators, most notably Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, he co-created Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Thor as a superhero, the X-Men, Iron Man, the Hulk, Daredevil, the Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scarlet Witch, The Inhumans, and many other characters, introducing complex, naturalistic characters and a thoroughly shared universe into superhero comic books. He subsequently led the expansion of Marvel Comics from a small division of a publishing house to a large multimedia corporation.
Once again Spider-Man tries to do the right thing and gets slapped back! Peter contemplates whether he should continue being the hero or give in to what everyone thinks of him. The end of this was definitely different that could have many repercussions for the web-slinging hero!
One of the best Spider-man issues I've read so far. The art is just great, with Jim Mooney's inking getting better and better. The story is very good. It has a solid villain but it's not centered around kicking and punching him. It provides a little mystery and a lot of drama. It shows clever writing and surprising turns and it even foreshadows the shadow that will one day fall on Spider-man.
Spider Man is caught between doing the right thing and being accused of doing the wrong thing. "Okay then..stand there chewing your cud! Gwen's not happy with Peter and his constant disappearances.. No MJ sighting...she's dating Harry!...or the 60s equivalent.
ASM #70 is a classic case of Spider-Man trying to do the right thing, only for the world to turn against him yet again. With the Kingpin behind bars and the stolen tablet now in Spidey’s possession, the police somehow conclude that he’s working for Kingpin, turning him into Public Enemy #1. Instead of immediately handing over the tablet, Peter makes some questionable choices—like storing it in his closet and later webbing it to his back while patrolling the city. Not exactly his smartest moment!
Beyond the action, this issue digs into Peter’s growing frustration. He’s being blamed for everything, Gwen is calling him a coward for avoiding student protests, and J. Jonah Jameson’s relentless smear campaign is getting under his skin. It all culminates in Peter losing his temper and physically confronting Jameson—a rare but satisfying moment of pent-up emotion boiling over.
Meanwhile, a mysterious figure helps Kingpin escape just as Spidey is about to catch him, setting up more trouble ahead. Romita Sr.’s artwork continues to shine, capturing both the intensity of the chase and the emotional weight of Peter’s struggles.
This issue is a strong mix of action, tension, and personal drama, making for another great chapter in Spidey’s never-ending battle to be the hero no one seems to want.
In ASM #70 The Kingpin is in jail and Spider-Man is in possession of The Tablet, the police think the wall crawler is working for Kingpin (?!) so Spidey is on the run, instead of immediately handing it over to the police (who he disarms in one early panel) or anonymously leaving it at Captain Stacy’s residence he obviously chooses to store it in his closet whilst he catches some zzz’s. After some sleep he decides the best option is to stick it to his back and roam NYC once again. Maybe as his Spider-Sense strengthens his common sense dissipates?
“You would think that Stan and I planned all of this in advance with each and every twist carefully plotted and orchestrated. I can assure you that was not the case at all! In our story sessions we set out to plot one issue at a time, but we’d happy just to make it through one hour without interruption. Our aim was to get a complete story in one month. I must tell you first, I foolishly did not tape our planning sessions (that would have been smart) relying on my memory when I got back to the drawing board. We didn’t try to do too much at those meetings, and it’s a good thing, too.” – John Romita Snr.
Another decent cover and the third in a row for this story arc. Romita's artwork is perfect for Spider-Man; I have enjoyed every issue pencilled by him so far.
Gwen and Peter's relationship is great and very credible, especially compared to other couples in different titles. She is the best female partner so far, and much better than Mary Jane.
Stan, as always with these series, manages to deliver a story where it's easy to empathize with Peter's problems and his struggle to balance both of his identities. His anger and frustration towards Kingpin, intimidating some of his henchmen, and apparently losing control over J.J. Jameson add tension to the plot.
As downsides, Kingpin's escape from jail was too easy, although it fits this brute force version of him. Also, J.J. Jameson's appearance felt very forced.
The cliffhanger is great, featuring a desperate and regretful Spidey.
Puncak kekesalan Peter Parker karena Spider-Man selalu disalahkan oleh masyarakat. Hasutan Kingpin berhasil meyakinkan para penegak hukum bahwa Spider-Man adalah rekan penjahatnya. Gwen Stacy menuding Peter sebagai pengecut karena ia selalu menghilang dan tidak mau terlibat dalam demonstrasi mahasiswa. Tudingan-tudingan itu diperparah oleh tulisan-tulisan dan opini-opini Jonah Jameson di media massa. Ditambah dengan masalah sakitnya Bibi May, Peter Parker sebagai Spider-Man kesal dan menyerang Jonah Jameson.
Sementara itu, ada tokoh misterius lain yang muncul dan menyelamatkan Kingpin. Justru ketika Spider-Man nyaris menangkapnya.