Marvel Team-Up (1972) 85

Marvel Team-Up (1972) 85

Sep 1979

The Woman Who Never Was!

by Chris Claremont, Sal Buscema, Steve Leialoha, Clem Robins, Ben Sean, Allen Milgrom

Black Widow dives through the broken window after Spider-Man. She saves him but then needs saving herself when the Silver Samurai cuts the line securing her to the helicarrier. Spider-Man and Black Widow make it back into the helicarrier in time to rejoin the fight before Nick Fury and Shang-Chi are overcome by Viper, Silver Samurai, and the hypnotized agents of SHIELD.

Spider-Man goes after Silver Samurai. Black Widow pursues the Viper. Nick Fury and Shang-Chi try to regain control of the helicarrier which is set to crash into the US Capitol Building. President Carter is in the midst of giving a speech before a joint session of Congress at that very moment. The action in the helicarrier is interspersed with President Carter’s speech throughout the rest of the issue.

Black Widow regains her memories and her confidence in the midst of the fight. She remembers, as revealed in a flashback, what happened to her, how she was tortured by Viper, and the events that led to her being saved by Spider-Man in Marvel Team-Up 82.

Spider-Man helps Nick Fury to tear open a wall so that they can access the circuitry needed to regain control of the helicarrier. Black Widow and Viper wind up fighting atop one of the rotors that keeps the helicarrier in motion. The fight ends when the Viper is thrown from the helicarrier just as Fury and Spider-Man regain control of SHIELD’s flying headquarters.

Thoughts

This issue is all action but it is also very wordy. Chris Claremont’s dialogue and narration is overwhelming at times but works in the context of this story. It’s a little unclear how Viper and Black Widow wound up atop one of the rotors or for that matter how they managed to keep their footing.

The Viper is not dead. Her next appearance is in Spider-Woman 42 (Jul 1982). That story is also written by Chris Claremont. Steve Leialoha pencils that issue.

Stan’s Soapbox - addresses the issue of why TV shows based on Marvel Comics characters are different than the comic books.

Bullpen Bulletins

- editor Rick Marshall and his wife Nancy just had a baby

- the three part epic Marvel Super Special 11-13 Weirdworld: Warriors of the Shadow Realm will be on sale in Jun, Aug, Oct; this is a continuation of the story began in Marvel Premiere 38

- Thousands of fans turned up for the Spring Creation Conventions in New York City and Philadelphia

- Amazing Spider-Man 196 - Peter has to deal with the death of Aunt May

- Captain America 237 - Steve has to deal with the fact that Sharon Carter is dead

- Avengers 187 - Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver learn the secret of their true origin

- Marvel Two-in-One 55 introduces the new Giant Man; this issue is part of the Project Pegasus story.