Major Spoilers
    Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Twitch Discord RSS
    Major Spoilers
    • Home
    • Reviews
      • Random Access Memory
      • Retro Review
      • So You Want to Read Comics
    • Podcasts
      • Critical Hit
        • Critical Hit House Rules
        • Critical Hit World Building
      • Dueling Review
      • Finally Friday
      • Geek History Lesson
      • The Legion Clubhouse
      • Major Spoilers Podcast
        • MSP TPB for 2019
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2013
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2012
        • On the Next Major Spoilers Podcast – 2011
      • Munchkin Land
      • Top Five
      • Wayne’s Comics
      • Zach on Film
    • Features
      • Casual 60
      • Comic Casting Couch
      • Comics Portal
      • Did You Hear?
      • Editorials
      • Features
      • Gamer’s Corner
      • Hero Histories
      • Let’s Get Nerdy
      • Major Spoilers Adventures
      • Random Access Memory
      • So You Want to Read Comics
    • Movies
      • Did You Hear
      • Movies
      • Television
    • Comic Previews
    • Patreon
      • Patreon
      • Store
    Major Spoilers
    Spider-Man #75 Retro Review
    Retro Review

    Retro Review: Peter Parker: Spider-Man #75 (December 1996)

    Matthew PetersonBy Matthew PetersonDecember 11, 2022Updated:December 11, 20222 Comments4 Mins Read

    Hey… Hey, Spoilerite! Ya wanna hear about a comic book that’s just plain ol’ TERRIBLE? I got your back. Your Major Spoilers Retro Review of Peter Parker: Spider-Man #75 awaits!

    PETER PARKER: SPIDER-MAN #75

    Writer: Howard Mackie
    Penciler: John Romita Jr.
    Inker: Scott Hanna
    Colorist: Kevin Tinsley
    Letterer: Richard Starkings/Liz Agarphiotis/Comicraft
    Editor: Ralph Macchio
    Publisher: Marvel Comics
    Cover Price: $2.95
    Current Near-Mint Pricing: $3.00
    Release Date: October 16, 1996

    Previously in Spider-Man: The decision to marry Peter Parker to Mary Jane Watson in 1987 was among the last big decisions involving Jim Shooter as Marvel Comics Editor-In-Chief, and almost immediately, there was regret among Marvel’s editorial staff. A plan was hatched involving a decade-old story wherein Spider-Man had been cloned by his college professor, with twists and turns and nonsensical back-and-forth battles between various writers ending up with married Peter being revealed to have been the clone all along. As for the REAL Peter, he had spent “five years” wandering the Earth calling himself Ben Reilly, finally returning to New York and taking up his mask once again to allow Peter and MJ to retire and take care of the baby they had been expecting. Peter returned to the city around the time of the Onslaught crisis, while a mysterious manipulator in the shadows began bedeviling Spider-Ben.

    Who could this strange being be?
    Little Normie, son of Harry and Liz Osborn, knows at first sight, even though his Grampa was dead LONG before he was ever born: It’s Norman freaking Osborn! Back from the dead after an astonishing 23 years in the grave, Norman is ready to torture his son’s best friend anew, starting by capturing and drugging Peter when he arrives at the hospital to help his wife give birth. He awakens in his Spider-Man costume once more, confronted by the man he believes long dead, allowed to perish so that Peter could avenge his lady love Gwen. Peter can’t believe it’s the real Green Goblin, but Norman reveals his terrible impalement scars, swearing to destroy his old foe.
    I have to admit, I do like the pencils of John Romita Jr., but in pairing him with Scott Hanna, this issue emphasizes their blockiness in unpleasant ways. What’s worse, the coloring is a garish mess of lighting effects and gradients, with full-bleed background colors going all the way to the edge of each page. It’s a muddy cacophony that is only exacerbated by having the action take place mostly in the dark. While he tortures Peter (and reveals himself to have already tortured Ben) Norman has also gathered Peter’s nearest and dearest, locking them in the offices of the Daily Bugle, intending to take everything from the man whom he reveals to be the TRUE Spider-Man after all.
    The explanation is a series of retcons, revealing that he was manipulating The Jackal when he created the clones, manipulating the expert who identified Peter as the clone in the first place, and basically being the man behind everything bad in Peter’s life since 1973. Much of it is done with a handwave, ignoring the stories as they were presented in favor of a soft reboot of Spider-Man history. Ben awakens to warn Peter that Osborn has rigged the Bugle building with bombs, and both web slingers leap into action once more, with Ben defusing the bombs and Peter engaging the enraged Green Goblin.
    Ben Reilly arrives on the battlefield just in time for Norman to get in one last bit of poetic revenge, impaling the man who thought he was Spider-Man on a Goblin Glider, just as he himself had been impaled years before. Peter barely manages to throw the bag of Pumpkin Bombs at Osborn/Green Goblin, causing an explosion that seemingly immolates the villain. Peter tends to his injured “cousin,” with Ben declaring that Peter is once again the one, true Spidey.

    And then, the strangest thing happens.
    To hammer home the point that he was the clone all along, Ben Reilly’s fatally injured body breaks down into dust and blows away through “clone degeneration,” despite the fact that this sort of cellular breakdown had never been seen before when Jackal clones had died. Still, this editorially mandated “There can be only one!” moment isn’t the worst plot problem with Spider-Man #75, an issue that has some inspired art failed by nearly every other aspect of the production, including the ambiguous death of Peter and Mary Jane’s baby, earning 1.5 out of 5 stars overall. It is, admittedly, better than much of what had come immediately before, but a better definition of the word “damning with faint praise” may not exist.


    Dear Spoilerite,

    At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.

    PETER PARKER: SPIDER-MAN #75

    30%
    30%
    The Epitome of '90s Nonsense

    Welding a plot full of inconsistencies and shortcuts to an ill-paired penciler/inker team and featuring some of the most garish coloring and production I've seen in any comic book, this one is just a mess across the board.

    • Writing
      1
    • Art
      6
    • Coloring
      2
    • User Ratings (1 Votes)
      7
    Ben Reilly clone saga Comicraft howard mackie John Romita Jr Kevin Tinsley Liz Agarphiotis marvel comics Peter Parker Spider-Man ralph macchio Retro Review Review Richard Starkings scarlet spider Scott Hanna Spider-Man
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleHeart Eyes #4 Review
    Next Article My Little Pony #7 Review
    Matthew Peterson
    • Website
    • Twitter

    Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.

    Related Posts

    The Thing Clobbers the Marvel Universe with Ryan North and Ed McGuinness

    Read More

    Marvel shows off Fantastic Four variant covers

    Read More

    One World Under Doom #4 Review

    Read More

    2 Comments

    1. J Michael T on December 11, 2022 9:37 pm

      Crazy story! But I “love” how much work went into reversing an eventually unpopular character story decision. Makes me wonder if the same happens to Superman/Lois Lane at some point.

      Reply
    2. Jarmo on December 12, 2022 4:08 am

      Its hard to decide which one or the digital coloring trends was worse: This garish gradient onevery si gle background thing or early 2000’s “realistic” muddy, you can’t see anything, because your greys and browns on newsprint paper makes it unreadable.

      Reply

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    AMAZON AFFILIATE

    Support this site by making a purchase through our Amazon affiliate links

    Reviews
    6.0
    May 15, 2025

    One World Under Doom #4 Review

    6.7
    May 13, 2025

    Absolute Green Lantern #2 Review

    8.0
    May 11, 2025

    Storm #8 Review

    6.3
    May 11, 2025

    Retro Review: Daredevil #131 (March 1976)

    6.0
    May 9, 2025

    Blood and Thunder #1 Review

    Patreon Support
    Major Spoilers Store
    Recent Comments
    • Luis Dantas on Storm #8 Review
    • Michael Kenchington on PREVIEW: Giant-Size Wacky Races #1
    • derrigable on COMICS PORTAL: To (Almost) Everything, There Is a Season!
    • wiley on COMICS PORTAL: ‘Mouse Guard’ Is Back!
    • Elfo_oscuro on So You Want To Read Comics: Alternate History Edition
    Subscribe to the Major Spoilers E-Mail List
    Sponsor

    ComiXology Home Page

    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • Twitch
    Major Spoilers Patreon
    • About
      • Major Spoilers Terms of Use
      • Major Spoilers Frequently Asked Questions
      • Major Spoilers Privacy Policy Statement
      • Major Spoilers Podcast Gear
    • Contact
    • Cookie Policy (EU)
    Major Spoilers is copyright 2006-2025 by Major Spoilers Entertainment, LLC

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    SAVE & ACCEPT