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Author:
Title: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 50
Place Published:
Publisher:Marvel [Indicia: Non-Pareil Publishing Group]
Date Published: August, 1967
Description:

CGC certified: Fine- (5.5). White pages. Not cleaned and pressed. Cover: John Romita pencils, possible Mike Esposito inks, Stan Goldberg colors. Story: Stan Lee and John Romita. Pencils: John Romita. Inks: Mike Esposito (credited as Mickey Dimeo). Lettering: Sam Rosen. First appearance: The Kingpin. GPAnalysis: A 5.5 sold for $1200 in 8/22.

Classic cover: "SPIDER-MAN NO MORE!" John Romita has finally abandoned his attempt to draw à la Ditko and has fully embraced his own style, delivering one of the most celebrated covers in Spidey history. As Peter Parker bids Spidey farewell (if only for one ish), Romita does the same to the legacy of Ditko. As a final tribute to his predecessor, Romita's cover pays homage to Ditko's closing panel to ASM #11, with its "giant Spidey turns his back on tiny sad Peter Parker" motif. Oh yeah, and the Kingpin of crime makes his portly debut.

Speaking of Ditko, how was his comics career progressing as Stan Lee and John Romita rocketed to ever-greater Spidey sales? Well, in 1967, Ditko was producing capable work for Charlton's Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, Ghostly Tales, and The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves (although Charlton's crappy lettering wasn't doing him any favors – where's Artie Simek when you need him?). He produced some nice stuff for Tower's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents (though his pencils tended to be dominated by Wood's inks), and some truly fine horror art for Warren's Creepy and Eerie (with outstanding use of grey wash). But Ditko's most significant creation in '67 was also his lowest-selling property of the year: the debut of his ideological alter-ego Mr. A in Wally Wood's Witzend #3.

Mr. A was Ditko's intellectual property in every sense. Unburdened by collaborators and corporate concerns, the artist was free to handle the strip exactly as he saw fit. What emerged was one of the most idiosyncratic and unmarketable comic book creations of all time. Writer Steve Skeates described Mr. A as a "strict violent humorless proselytizing right-wing Ayn Rand-influenced so-called do-gooder" (see Skeates's "Who's Better?" in Charlton Spotlight #3, 2004).

Mr. A debuted half a year before ASM #50 hit the stands. Was Stan Lee aware of Mr. A? Could be. There's a scene in ASM #50 where crooks rob a welfare office, causing Pete's liberal guilt to flare up: "If that money isn't RECOVERED, what happens to RELIEF payments this month? Handicapped people – old people – helpless infants – will be sufferers!" Was this blurb Stan's attempt to purge Peter Parker of the toxic taint of Ditko's dogma? If so, the effort fell flat, as Pete quickly remembered his retirement from do-gooding, sat down with a nice fat book (Atlas Shrugged?), and left the widows and orphans to fend for themselves.

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