Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5 is notable for two important things: Some startling revelations about Peter Parker's parents and Spider-Man's first encounter with the Red Skull. Given those facts, you would think this issue would be considered a classic. To the contrary, it's a widely ignored chapter in Spider-Man's history, which largely has been treated as if it never happened.

The story opens with Spider-Man in Algeria, of all places. He's sneaking through the famous Kasbah when a gang of armed thugs jumps out at him from all angles. "I don't know who tipped them off about me, but one thing's for sure--members of my fan club, they're not!" he thinks. One guy even attacks Spidey with a cartful of watermelons!

Spider-Man takes out most of the gang and the stragglers decide to run away. "I don't know who my enemy is, but someone must've sent them out to attack me! Which means he knows the reason I'm here!" He pursues the fleeing thugs, but one one them pulls out a pistol and fires. The bullet grazes Spider-Man's head, causing him to fall off of a rooftop and into a canal. He disappears under the dark water, apparently to drown. However, our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man pulls himself out of the water and collapses on the edge of the canal, thinking about the past few days as he fades into black.

It seems Peter was helping his Aunt May move some boxes when he came across a photo of his parents along with an old newspaper clipping indicating that his parents were traitors! ""All my life I've wondered -- wanted to know -- who my parents were!," he thinks. "This is why Aunt May has kept it from me all these years! He confronts Aunt May, who admits the story is true, although she says she never believed it. She then tells Peter that although his parents died in a plane crash in Algeria, she never was able to get any information about that crash. "But you mustn't dwell upon the past, dear!" she tells Peter. "No matter what they were, no matter what they may have done, they loved you, Peter!"

A dejected Peter decides he must learn the truth about his parents, no matter where it leads him. He can't afford a plane ticket to Algeria, so he asks the Fantastic Four for a lift and they are happy to provide it. He goes to the only lead he has -- a restaurant owned by the man who supposedly identified his parents' bodies. The restaurant owner tells him his parents worked for "a master of intrigue" and he gives Spider-Man an address. Spidey was on his way to that address when he was attacked.

He collects himself and gets back on his way, more certain than ever that he's on to something. He goes to the address and finds a hidden file cabinet. "If I do learn my dad was an enemy agent, I'll have to live with that all of my life," he thinks. But he goes through the records anyway. He comes across an ID card with his dad's name on it. No, I'm not sure why a secret agent would have an ID card, either. Spider-Man thinks, "Then it is true! It was always true! My own father was a traitor to his country!" Spidey is so shocked that he doesn't hear someone enter the room behind him -- and that someone is the Red Skull!

In case you don't know, the Red Skull is near the top of Marvel's bad guy A-List, right there with guys like Dr. Doom, the Green Goblin and Magneto. An unrepentant Nazi, he is the personification of evil. "Compared to my accursed arch-enemy Captain America, you're no more than a spindly scarecrow! I'll effortlessly destroy you -- without the necessity of sullying my hands!" he proclaims. He calls for a giant named Sandor, who comes in the room to fight Spider-Man. Spidey defeats Sandor, but the Red Skull escapes.

He then calls upon an assassin named the Finisher to put an end to Spider-Man's life. The Finisher tracks down Spider-Man and tries to kill him with a heat-seeking missile. However, the missile ends up blowing up the Finisher's own car, mortally wounding him in the process. He explains to Spider-Man that Richard Parker was, in fact, a double agent working against the Red Skull. "My parents died as heroes! And now, I'm gonna prove it!" Spider-Man declares. He goes back to the Red Skull's lair to confront the villain and force him to reveal the truth. They battle to an inconclusive finish before a fire engulf the room. Just then, Spider-Man pulls out his dad's ID card. It was singed by the flame and inside, he finds a second card, indicating that his father worked for the U.S. "That's why he was murdered! He'd been fighting the enemies of our country, fighting Nazis and fascists, as a secret double agent!" he says. Again, no idea why a secret agent needs an ID card. "I've finally vindicated the father and mother whom I've never known! And no one but Spider-Man could've done it!"

Where to begin? First of all, Aunt May and Uncle Ben were, for all intensive purposes, Peter's parents. The idea that Peter would have spent his whole life wondering about his birth parents seems to cheapen his relationships with Aunt May and Uncle Ben, which, after all, is a cornerstone of the Spider-Man legend. It just doesn't fit the character we've come to know.

What's more, it makes no sense to have Richard and Mary Parker be revealed as some sort of double agents. A big part of the appeal of Spider-Man has always been that he was a normal, although somewhat nerdy, kid who gained amazing powers through a freak accident. Regular kids don't have parents who are spies.

So it's no surprise that Amazing Spider-Man Annual #5 has almost been completely ignored since its publication. Even Stan Lee, the author of this tale, never referenced it again. And that's for the best -- better to pretend this story never happen than to acknowledge or attempt to explain it. It's a rare misfire for Lee. Given that he wrote roughly half a billion great comics, I think we can cut him some slack for his one.

However, this comic does give us a fantastic cover from John Romita. The interior art was provided by Larry Lieber, a Marvel regular in the '60s who just so happens to be Stan Lee's real-life brother. Lee and Lieber went on to do the Spider-Man newspaper comic strip for years. Although he Lieber wasn't a regular Spider-Man artist, he does a good, solid job here.

This issue also features a few pin-ups and a humorous back-up story of Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and John Romita working on Spider-Man plots.

(Eric): Also of interest, please see Untold Tales Of Spider-Man #-1 (Flashback Issue).

Reviewed by Bruce Buchanan.

"A Day At The Daily Bugle" - 1 Page

"Peter Parker, The Super Sports Star!" - 2 Pages

"Where It's At!" - 1 Page

"This Is Spidey As We Know Him, But.." - 2 Pages

"Here We Go-A-Plotting!" - 3 Pages

1994 Second Printing Same front cover but note the above different back cover.

Reprinted In:
Marvel Tales #264 (Part 1)
Marvel Tales #265 (Part 2)