Amazing Reads: Amazing Spider-Man #6

Welcome! This episode...can I call these this? Whatever. This Episode, we look at the first appearance of the Lizard! Villainous star of The Amazing Spider-Man. Making only the Green Goblin the only villain not to appear into the comics that we have seen in the films. (In this series, of course he has appeared in the comics). Well, him and Venom (That wasn't Venom!) and Harry Osborne as the Green Goblin, but...that doesn't matter. That was Spider-Man 3, that movie doesn't exist.

Right. Onto Amazing Spider-Man #6.

Hey, I saw this movie!

And so we begin in the Everglades of Florida. Hey, I live down there. Sweet, if I was over twice my age, I'd have been old enough to care. Maybe. And so we get hunters chasing down A lizard man, in a white trench coat. Yes, a trench coat, not a lab coat. It is important. News reaches up to New York, where Spidey steals a newspaper. Well, he pays a quarter, I think, it may be a nickle.

WHY! Why would you do that J.J.?

Well, of course not one to let the chance of fame and fortune slip through his fingers, Spider-Man swings off to change back into Peter Parker. So Peter asks J.J. if he can go and cover the Lizard story. Now, I may not know much, but Peter is a teenager, he is a freelancer, and most importantly a photographer. Why can he just walk in and demand to go to Florida to cover this for the Bugle. But that is neither here nor there, because despite his arrogance, J.J. says No. Of course, Miss Brant says it was a good idea. Miss Brant may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer.

The next day, Peter goes to the Natural History Museum, to learn about lizards. Why the museum, because the library would be boring, and the internet is a few decades away from existing. Also, for some reason Liz Allen and Flash Thompson are there. Because we need someone calling Parker names.

Oh look, mysterious thugs. I am so surprised.

Peter sneaks off to change, you know, because his Spider-Sense can tell they're evil. Who knew spider's had this power. A guard confronts the goons. Goon #1 grabs Liz Allen to use her as a shield. Spider-Man hangs on the ceiling waiting for his moment to strike. He leaps down knocking Liz aside and giving the two thugs a good clean clock, at once! Also, he saves Liz

And thus, Pete's infamous double dating began

Spider-Man swings off, leaving Flash to deal with a love struck Liz Allen. Pete makes a sly comment, and laughs to himself. We get a break in the love triangle with the interruption by PCN, radio division. It seems the nation wonders why Spider-Man hasn't attacked the Lizard. Because, you know, they're both animals, kind of. I don't know. Why is no one upset that Iron Man hasn't gone down there and clocked him. Why is it Spider-Man's responsibility. But Peter is an ego driven prick, so he goes to confront Jameson as Spider-Man.

Spider-Man arrives at J.J. office and webs him to the ceiling, so they can have a heart to heart talk. Spider-Man basically calls Jameson an asshole, and says he'll go down and face the Lizard. That Jameson should send down a photographer to make sure he gets good pictures. He then leaves.

I think he said F*ck.

And so Peter returns to the Bugle and starts to hit on Miss Brant. This is the same issue where he was hitting on Liz Allen. Does he not think that this will back fire on him? I mean, really? Moving on. J.J. calls him in because Peter asks Brant out. Jameson will send Pete down to Florida, and that he's coming with. And so Pete goes to his Aunt May is dismayed to find out he is going to Florida. Because the Lizard is running around down there. But, the idea of J. Jonah going with him, is perfectly acceptable, and sways the dear old woman.

Well, he's also looking for your retirement home, May.

And so J.J. and Parker leave on a jet plane. All the way down Peter is reading about the Lizard, and maps of the Everglades. And about plot important Doctor Curtis Connors. I wonder if he'll be important. And we arrive in Florida, where Peter immediately ditches J.J. to go find 'supplies.' J.J. admonishes him. Several minutes later, Spidey retorts in his head after a costume change. Spider-Man finds a police blockade where recent sights of the Lizard have occurred. He slips by unnoticed by the police, but not our reptilian foe. The Lizard hides in the watery swamp, and as our hero moves by, he lunges and pulls him under.

Really? I thought it was an alligator.

A panel long struggle ensues. Spider-Man escapes the water, and so does the Lizard. The Lizard swings swings his tail at Spidey. Our hero grabs the tail, and is whipped high into the trees. He sees a house, which must be Doc Connors place. Because you know, it's convenient. So he arrives to see a woman crying.

Hi Mrs. Connors!

And so the origin of Curt Connors, the Lizard is revealed. And I shall retread it here! See, our good Doctor doesn't have an arm, his right arm to be exact, and he wants to combine lizard DNA to allow humans to regrow limbs. He succeeds in allowing a rabbit to regrow a limb. I assume he cut it off first. And once this works, what is the first thing he does...well, this...

Human testing, you do it after one success!

The serum works. and his arm returns. And then he turns into the Lizard. He then runs away, as the Mr. Hyde he has become. He tries to create a new serum, but fails, his mind is becoming to lizard-ish, I guess. He kind of moves between being a monster, and being sane. So you know.

Which is why she stayed.

Billy is then attacked, maybe, by the Lizard. A snake stands in Billy's way of escape. Spider-Man swings in and saves the little bow, leaving him up in a tree.We get another fight for a few panels between Spider-Man and the Lizard. The Lizard's skin is to thick and armored. Martha Connors appears, calling for Billy, and the Lizard runs into the swamp. 

Everybody gets one, Billy.

And then our hero goes off to look at the notes of the Lizard. Because Peter is a science major he knows what to do with the notes. That makes little sense, very...very little sense. After hours of work, Spider-Man finds a cure. Which is...good? Will it work? For five issues, let's move on.

The eyes! The eyes!

The Lizard bursts in, and will destroy Spider-Man because he isn't afraid. Lizard attacks. Spider-Man hands off the vial, and is then buried underneath rubble. Lizard leaves him for dead. Martha Connors says he will infect other giant lizards with the serum, so he can control them. He must get the Lizard to drink the antidote. And off he goes!

How does he make those water tight?

He finds an abandoned Spanish fort in the Everglades, which must be the hideout. His Spider-Sense tells him so. He finds the Lizard surrounded by alligators. It seems that his plan includes all reptiles, not just lizards. Because alligators aren't lizards, in case you were curious. In this moment Spider-Man takes photos. Then as the Lizard enters the fort, Spider-Man attacks. Our fight ensues. We get a lot of bouncing around alligators and the Lizard.

My comebacks. They are failing me!

The Lizard is beating up the Spider-Man pretty good. Spidey gets the Lizard in a head lock, and forces the antidote down the Lizards throat. As he completes this, he is thrown aside, and left helpless. As he lies at the feet of the Lizard, we see the horror of this reptilian foe moving close ready to kill our neighborhood hero. But then!

My body, it jumps to the left.

Spider-Man comforts our Dr. Jekyll. He returns the Doc to his home, and they thank the Spider-Man for all his help. Doc Connors burns his notes, so he shall never be the Lizard again. Until, of course, next week. Peter returns to J.J. with photos of the Lizard, he lies claiming some Indian guide gave it to him.

Who knew J.J. had such principals.

So they return to New York. Aunt May tells Peter that she has chores for him in a panel of filler, where Pete then decides to call Liz Allen. She yells at him, because she knows Spider-Man will call. Because he knows her number, apparently. So Pete wonders how he could be playing second fiddle to himself. We end with Spider-Man sending a lovely poem to our J.J. "Roses are red, violets are blue...I'm still at large, so phoeey to you!" And thus our story ends.

The vulture isn't that great! Give me Doc Ock!

And so we wind down to our final thoughts on this issue. It's...okay. Just okay. It's not the worst, nor is it the best. It's fun, and the Lizard looks stupid. It introduces a good villain who will be better later on. In the end, it's worth the read amongst the trade, but I wouldn't recommend going out and spending the thousands of dollars for the original issue.