Marvel Team-Up #100 (Marvel/1980)

Marvel Team-Up #100 (Marvel)

Chris Claremont (w) Frank Miller & Bob Wiacek (a)

Spider-Man is probably Marvels most popular superhero yet other than the first 36 issues by Lee & Ditko back at the beginning I have never been big on Spidey. However there was one title I did read and that was Marvel Team-Up because it featured all sorts of usually lesser known characters or weird story lines that were entertaining.

This the landmark one hundredth issue had Spider-Man team up with Marvels first family the Fantastic Four who were back then and remain today my favourite Marvel characters. I also recall that back in the day Peter Parker thought he could earn a living by joining the FF but that was never to be though he and Johnny Storm became friends. Indeed the first three issues of Marvel Team-Up featured Spidey and the Torch.

In this issue we are introduced to Karma. My local comic shop labelled this as her first appearance, so is obviously a continuing character of whom I know well, nothing. She (as we eventually find out) can control minds and takes over Spider-Man to confront a crooked old Vietnamese General.

There is an amusing sequence as she tries out Spidey's powers and relieved when she discovers his webs don't actually come out his body. Thought that would have been obvious since spider-silk comes out of err..the rear end. Never mind.

Her mission to rescue two children is interrupted by the Fantastic Four who are in attendance at a charity party hosted by General Ngoyen Ngoc Coy who just happens to employ  Karma's brother.

Enter a possessed Spider-Man and the battle commences but Reed Richards being the brainy one figure out Spidey's possessed and holds the team back until Peter finds himself coming round in the Baxter building.

This is actually quite a good story as the adventure plays itself out and well worth picking up if you come across a copy. It's double sized and has a reasonable back-up story with Black Panther and Storm who amidst the flames of battle take a liking to each other though only in time will they become an item and marry. An element missing from the recent Black Panther movie.

First & last issues: