Spider-Man is in a "glass half empty/glass half full" situation at the start of Amazing Spider-Man #107. On the plus side, he has cleverly foiled Spencer Smythe's attempts to uncover his secret identity. But then there's the bad news - he's been captured by Smythe and the scientist plans on killing the Web-Slinger!

This issue concludes a three-part storyline which started in Amazing Spider-Man #105, when the police asked Smythe, the creator of the Spider-Slayer robots, to design a network of rooftop cameras across New York City. However, Smythe planned to use the technology to commit crimes, not prevent them. His first step: Uncover Spider-Man's true identity. His cameras catch a glimpse of Spider-Man unmasking. But Spidey confuses Smythe and his underworld allies by creating a lifelike Peter Parker mask and waving it around town. The villains are left confused and uncertain as to what they've really seen. But Spider-Man's encounter with Smythe's new and improved Spider-Slayer doesn't go so smoothly. Using a numbing gas and steel cable-like webbing, the Spider-Slayer robot (the third incarnation) captures Spidey and, as this issue starts, Smythe moves in for the kill!

"You're helpless, wall-crawler -- drained of your power! And both of us know it!" Smythe brags. This time, he's controlling the Spider-Slayer from a cockpit on the robot's back, not via remote control as in the past. He takes the helpless Spider-Man to his lab, where he shows off his captive to the leaders of the New York organized crime scene. With Spider-Man out of the equation, Smythe and his allies plan on a crime spree using the rooftop cameras, starting with a bank robbery. "I've been in tougher spots than this before," Spider-Man thinks. "Thought I can't remember when!"

However, the heroic web-slinger escapes the Spider-Slayer's webbing and climbs into the cockpit of the Spider-Slayer. "The fool! He wasted time immobilizing my robot instead of tackling me!" Smythe says and tells Spider-Man, "Count yourself lucky to escape with your life! But don't start reading any continued stories! Once the money is mine, I'll return to finish you -- for keeps!" Harsh words! But they don't know that Spider-Man has called the police, letting them know about Smythe's plan. The police disable the rooftop cameras and without that eye in the sky, the crooks call off the bank robbery. That leaves them easy pickings for Spider-Man, who subdues the crooks in classic fashion. "When you tackle Spidey, you're out of the Little League!" he says, as he gives two of the bandits a kick to the jaw. After cleaning house on Smythe's accomplices, he goes after the head honcho himself. Smythe is back at the helm of the Spider-Slayer and he's not happy. "Your interference cost me millions -- millions!" He tells Spider-Man. "And for that you'll pay -- with your life!" However, before Smythe can act, the control panel self-destructs. You see, when Spider-Man climbed into the robot earlier in the issue, he made sure to sabotage the controls. The Spider-Slayer goes up in smoke and Spencer Smythe is tied up for the police.

The end of the story sets up the following storyline quite nicely. Earlier in the issue, Flash Thompson goes to Gwen Stacy and asks for her help, although he can't tell her what is bothering him. But he's clearly in some sort of trouble. Since returning from military duty in Vietnam, Flash hasn't been his usual upbeat, confident self, although we don't know why yet. At the end of the issue, Spider-Man sees Flash and Gwen together. At first, he thinks Gwen is cheating on him (you would think he would have a little more confidence in her by this point). But instead, a depressed Flash climbs into a military car, while Gwen (who wears a different style of headband than her normal look) cries as they drive off. The unspoken implication is that Flash is under arrest, although we don't know why. So we have us a mystery heading into the next issue.

This story is a nice way to wrap up the three-part Spider-Slayer storyline while leaving the readers with an intriguing cliffhanger heading into the next issue. This issue is heavy on the action, compared to the previous two issues, so there's not a whole lot of plot development by comparison. But the action is quite entertaining. The only thing that could've improved it would have been to give Smythe a reason for taking Spider-Man prisoner, rather than simply killing him or leaving him unconscious. It's not a huge plot point, but a line or two explaining his reasoning would've helped.

This three-part storyline also saw Spencer Smythe become a full-fledged criminal, as opposed to just an unethical scientist. Smythe and his Spider-Slayer first appeared back in Amazing Spider-Man #25, when J. Jonah Jameson hired Smythe to capture Spider-Man. After this storyline, Smythe became increasingly desperate and unhinged. He would only appear twice more in the pages of Spider-Man, the next time being in Amazing Spider-Man #150.

Next issue: Flash Thompson's secret revealed as Spider-Man faces "Vengeance from Vietnam!"

Reviewed by Bruce Buchanan.

Reprinted In:
Marvel Tales #86