DeFalco/Frenz Retrospective: Amazing Spider-Man #283


 

Writer: Tom DeFalco
Penciler: Ron Frenz

Synopsis: Spider-Man battles the Absorbing Man and Titania, while they are on a mission from the Masters of Evil. 

Comments: Spider-Man comments on how he couldn't save a boy. The boy did survive and the full story is here. It was resolved in Incredible Hulk #339. 



This story is sort of crossover with Avengers #273-277, reprinted in the TPB Avengers: Under Siege. The Masters of Evil at this point have taken over the Avengers Mansion. This takes place between pages 13 and 14 of Avengers #274 after the Wasp discovers Jarvis and the Black Knight are prisoners but before Captain America and Hercules try to rescue them. 




According to DeFalco's plans, this is supposed to be Hobgoblin (Richard Fisk) and Roderick Kingsley (The Rose). In Roger Stern's original plan, which was later revealed in the mini-series Hobgoblin Live, this is Hobgoblin (Roderick Kingsley) and his twin brother, Daniel. 



Spider-Man saying that that no one's tough enough to take on  the Absorbing Man and Titania is kind of funny because in Avengers #275  which was published the following month,  the Wasp and Ant-Man defeat the Absorbing Man and Titania. 




This being their last issue, Tom and Ron did not get a chance to introduce the shadowy figure in the trench coat, whose identity was revealed in Thor #391 as the Mongoose. Another refugee from the animal safari card box, I'm sure. 





While the subplot of Spider-Man wanting to quit had been around for a few issues, the way he just gets fed up and leaves is an interesting subtext to the tension that was going on between Tom DeFalco/Ron Frenz and the editor Jim Owsley. According to DeFalco, Owsley was going to fire him in six months, but DeFalco told Owsley to ahead and fire him then because he was fed up. 



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