Issue Description

Spider-Man's putting Bobby Drake on ice! Iceman attacks Angel and Spidey when Stuart Clarke is incapacitated. Will Spidey be able to cool down his friend? And more importantly, will Peter get his story for the Daily Bugle?

In the previous issue, Peter Parker travelled to Los Angeles to take some pictures of the Champions breaking up for the Daily Bugle, but events at the Champion's building led to him being caught in a fight with Angel against Iceman, who was hypnotised by Stuart Clarke, the former Rampage, into killing them both. As Angel and Spider-Man flee Iceman, Spider-Man says that he'll knock out Iceman, but Angel tells him not to, as the shock could unbalance him, and besides, he's his friend. Angel then manages to activate a security door, which was supposedly strong enough to stop Hercules temporarily. However, Iceman thinks that he's far from being the weakest Champion, and so starts freezing the door at a rapid rate.

Whilst they have a breather, Spider-Man asks Angel how Stuart Clarke was able to brainwash Iceman. Angel then explains that after the Champions disbanded, Iceman went to visit Clarke in hospital, feeling guilty about having caused him paralysis. This wasn't the first time he had visited, but it was the first time that Clarke was able to talk to him. Upon Iceman getting closer to Clarke, Clarke sprayed him with a gas he stole from the hospital dispensary, which caused a hypnotic effect on Iceman. From there, he was able to make Iceman wear his Rampage armour, and use him to get Angel in his power, bringing it full circle to the previous issue.

Iceman then breaks through the barrier, his ice having made it as brittle as glass, and sends a giant ball of ice down the corridor towards Spider-Man. Spider-Man manages to get out of its way, but the ball crashes through the window, risking killing innocent bystanders. Spider-Man manages to capture it with his webbing before it can do so, and returns to Iceman to find him freezing Angel to death. Spider-Man then tackles Iceman, but his momentum sends them through the window. Whilst those two are off fighting, a group of businessmen enter the building and approach Angel, saying that they represent the construction company that built the Champion's building, and that they have come to reach an understanding with Angel.

Spider-Man decides that it's time to get Iceman to normal, and so takes him to a car wash, of all places. His reasoning is that since it was a shock that merged Iceman's personality with Clarke's insane plans, another shock could restore him to normal, such as the hot steam of the car wash. Spider-Man's plan is successful, and he and Iceman return to the Champion's building, where they find Angel chasing out the lawyers, who admitted that their contractors conspired to destroy the Champion's building by using cheap materials. In the aftermath of the battle, Iceman decides to stop being a super hero, as he's tried it as both an X-Man and a Champion and not enjoyed it. Spide-Man also finds out that his camera was destroyed in the fight with Iceman.

Back in New York, Hector Ayala (the White Tiger) starts a relationship with Holly Gillis at the same time as Flash Thompson and Sha Shan renew theirs. As Peter Parker's plane passes a prison, there's a strange bolt of lightning from the ground. Inside the prison, the guards enter the cell the lightning came from to find it destroyed, the occupant seemingly destroyed.

The Spectacular Spider-Man (1976)

Publisher

Marvel

Volume Description

The second monthly Spider-Man series and the second most popular volume next to the Amazing Spider-Man that started back in the 1970's. The cover-title started out as "Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man", but the "Peter Parker" part was dropped with issue 134. The comic lasted until 1998 for a total of 263 issues. A second volume named Spectacular Spider-Man started in 2003.

Collected EditionsMarvel Masterworks: The Champions Volume 1 (#17-18)Moon Knight Epic Collection: Bad Moon Rising (#22-23)The Amazing Spider-Man: The Complete Alien Costume Saga Book 1 (#90-95)The Amazing Spider-Man: The Complete Alien Costume Saga Book 2 (#96-100)Daredevil: Typhoid's Kiss (#213-214)Spider-Man: The Gathering of Five (#262-263)

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Status: Not in Collection