Tales From the 50 Cent Bin! - Peter Parker: Spider-Man # 77-78

This installment of "Tales from the 50 Cent Bin!" is brought to you by Oscorp Industries - If you need some random goblin to cause havoc, call them!!! Ha HA HA!!!

Well, here is one of the Spider-Man things I'll be looking at during this month. the first issue is actually one of the oldest issues I own. The cover isn't even connected to the book. I think I got this at either Kroger or this book store in Columbia back in '97. I didn't get part 2 until I was actually in college. I don't know anything about the creative team except that they worked on Spider-Man in the 90's. I do know who John Romita Jr. is though.

Peter Parker: Spider-Man #77
Story and Art: Howard Mackie, Claudio Castinelli, Cam Smith, Bud LaRosa, Harry Candelario, and Ralph Cabera

The issue starts out as some random drunkard/possible wife-beater gets killed by Morbius: the Living Vampire. The next morning, Spidey witnesses the ambulance taking away the man’s remains and thinks to himself that he has to find Morbius and stop him before he kills anyone else. As he heads to see his wife……Hmmm…… So Quesada hasn’t come out of the mirror to belt me with loads of fish yet! Anyway, Pete thinks about how Mary Jane is trying to have him bond with what left of the Staceys because of all of the history he has with some of them like Gwen and Captain Stacey. Pete sees MJ and meets Jill Stacy and her father, Arthur. They set up to have dinner later that night.

We then cut to Morbius who’s hiding out in a warehouse. He thinks about all that has led him up to this moment. We even get a glimpse of that old costume (kind of looks like Nightwing’s old costume). Back with Peter and MJ, the two talk about how he doesn’t want to go to the dinner. MJ tells him to go pout while she goes to the dinner. As she leaves, Peter runs into another older flame, Betty Brant. They head to a coffee shop to talk about things like Flash Thompson, her ex I guess. While they talk, some members of the Friends of Humanity (the KKK of the mutant world) rough up some random dude. Peter, always being the hero, tells the members to shove it. After they leave, Pete and Betty get back to talking. The talk is interrupted when Pete’s Spider-Sense goes off because Morbius is right by. Pete leaves the coffee shop.

The FoH is waiting outside as Pete comes out of the shop. They try to beat him up, but Pete is able to get away and change into his costume. Later, Morbius tries to supposedly claim another victim as Spiderman shows up and a fight breaks out. They throw a few punches and web, but eventually Morbius gives Spider-Man a big punch, bites him, and gets some of his blood. Spidey knocks him off before he gets anymore blood. Spider-Man passes out as Morbius leaves to find the victim, Doctor Andrea Janson.   Later, as MJ is having dinner with Jill and Arthur, Pete comes in stumbling. The issue ends as he passes out from his bite from Morbius. 

Peter Parker: Spider-Man #78
Story and Art: Howard Mackie, John Romita Jr. , and Scott Hanna

This issue starts out as MJ and Peter take the subway back home. She tends to Pete as he rests from his bite from Morbius. She thinks about all the times she had with Pete and all of the things that have happened to them and their friends. Some guys on the subway look like they might cause some trouble, but MJ gives them that ‘look’ that makes men crap themselves and they leave the two alone. After they leave, Pete wakes up and the couple talks about the night. Meanwhile, Morbius chows down on another victim, but feels tired of fighting the hunger. He heads off to find Andrea Janson to see if she can cure him. Later at the Parker household, Pete is having nightmares about Morbius. At the behest of MJ, Peter heads out to find The Living Vampire. MJ tags along without his knowledge to keep tabs on him.

Mary Jane Parker...looks like she has a mean left hook.

After some interaction between Betty and Flash (the current Venom by Rick Remender), we get back to Morbius as he has found Dr. Janson. Meanwhile, Spidey is trying to fight off some vertigo as he’s swinging through NYC. MJ is still trailing him and she thinks something that is puzzling even to me:

Yeah Pete! You even blamed yourself for Obama winning, the Red Sox winning, Shaq retiring, the Ozone layer, Ridley Scott’s Prometheus, and the success of Glee! It’s got to stop!

Spidey gets to Morbius and the doctor and another fight breaks out. Morbius tries to explain that he wants a cure, but Spidey ain’t having it. Who can blame Peter since ‘ole Morbid took a bite out of him last issue? Their fight interrupts something going on between MJ and some other members of the FoH. The members try to beat up both guys, but Morbius grabs one member and bites him. The other members run off in fear. Bigots: They’re scared of everything ain’t they? Anyway, Spidey is too weak to fight, so MJ tries to help him.  The fight ends as Doctor Janson tells Morbius that she will help him find a cure. As the two leave, Spidey tries to stop them, but MJ reminds him about the injured FoH member.  The issue ends as the two take the man to the hospital.

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So what did I think of these two issues? They're okay. The issues are not bad but they're not too special either. The first issue is decent enough and has a good cliffhanger in Peter getting bitten. Seeing Peter deal with Gwen relatives was okay. The artwork is okay but Morbius' costume is a little too 90's. What's up with that collar??? Anyway, the next issue is a little better. The artwork  is okay since I'm not too much of a Romita Jr. fan. I do like that it focuses a little on MJ and how she is able to cope with Peter's double life.As I said before, the issues are okay. Well, I'm out. Next time will be a little different though.


NEXT TIME: BATMAN, ARKHAM ASYLUM, AND OWLS!!!