DeFalco/Frenz Retrospective: Amazing Spider-Man #256

 


Writer: Tom DeFalco
Penciler: Ron Frenz

Synopsis: The Puma is hired by the Rose to kill Spider-Man. 

Comments: That guy is strong to not only lift that crate above his head, but also lift it above his head with Spider-Man's additional weight. I guess it could be explained away that the guy is a mutant with super strength or an early test subject of the Power Broker. 



Spider-Man's rejection of his blue and red costume in favor of keeping the black one seems to be Tom's message to the hardcore fanboys: suck it up and move on! 


When the Rose's true identity is revealed, you can see why he seems so defensive when asked if he has to clear a hit on Spider-Man through the Kingpin. 




Puma is another character from the famous animal safari deck.  I guess Puma's never done much for me. He seemed a little too derivitive of Kraven the Hunter and Tigra. Kraven was still alive at this point, so there's another hunter after Spider-Man? Puma is even introduced fighting big cats like Kraven would do. 









I do think Puma influenced the TV show The Spectacular Spider-Man's take on Kraven as a mutated cat man. Although Greg Weisman had used mutated cat people in his previous show, Gargoyles. When fans asked Greg Weisman if Puma inspired his version of Kraven, he did not confirm or deny it. 









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