Every week, I will spotlight strange but ultimately endearing comic stories (basically, we're talking lots and lots of Silver Age comic books). Here is the archive of all the installments of this feature. Feel free to e-mail me at bcronin@comicbookresources.com if you have a suggestion for a future installment!
Today (in the debut of this feature's new Sunday timeslot) we look at the three-peat storyline that I like to call "The Razorback Trilogy," from Spectacular Spider-Man #13-15, which introduced Spider-Man's greatest ally, the CB-talking superhero Razorback!
First off, I just love how much info is being dumped on us in the first page of Spectacular Spider-Man #13...
Wow, that's a lot of info.
By the way, Flash Thompson coming back from fighting in the Vietnam War with a Vietnamese girlfriend? Totally fine idea. Very realistic. Flash Thompson coming back from fighting in the Vietnam War with a Vietnamese girlfriend who turned out to be part of some super-powered cult? That's dumb.
Anyhow, forget that for a moment because you're about to meet Razorback!!
I bet you were thinking wow, Razorback is awesome. But you ain't seen nuthin' yet! Wait until you see his ride!!
More superheroes should pop wheelies. Why does Batman never pop wheelies in the Batmobile?
Anyhow, here we learn why Razorback is after the cult and what, exactly, is his super secret origin?
Yep, as you figured, just some dude.
The big reveal in #13 is that the cult is actually led by the Hate-Monger!!
So Flash, Spidey and Razorback are captured and chained up in a dungeon by the end of the issue. The next issue is called, awesomely enough, "Killing Me Softly...With His Hate!" Oh man alive, that is a great title.
Check out how they escape...
I don't know if that makes any kind of sense, but it is still fan-freaking-tastic.
The issue ends with a big twist. The Hate-Monger is not actually the Hate-Monger, but the Man-Beast!!
Sadly, at no point in #15 (the finale) did Man-Beast tear off a furry mask and reveal that he was secretly a THIRD villain. It was just a typical resolution (Although interestingly enough, Razorback's sister still wants to be apart from her family, which was an actually pretty cool ending to that story).
Because Mantlo missed out on the opportunity, I am now leaving it to you folks - what would be the most awesome villain for Man-Beast to tear off his mask and reveal that he secretly was at some point in #15?