BAB Classic: The Comics Code Authority: Revised to Relax, Part 7

The Spectacular Spider-Man #2 (November 1968)
Stan Lee-John Romita

NOTE:  This post was originally published on September 18, 2009.

Doug: I think it's important to take a look at one more Spider-Man story before we head into the so-called "drug issues" that were released in Amazing Spider-Man #'s 96-98 from May-July, 1971. Once Marvel got out from under the terrible distribution deal that Martin Goodman had negotiated with National Periodical, that allowed Marvel to only release a small number of books each month, the company was able to aggressively target market shelf space not only for comics, but for magazines as well.

Doug: In 1968 a magazine-sized comic entitled The Spectacular Spider-Man was released. The first issue was written by Stan Lee with pencils/inks/wash by John Romita and featured Spidey against a corrupt politician who had built a giant monster to crush his foes. From the marvelmasterworks.com website:

Spectacular Spider-Man #1 is a rock solid, 64-page extravaganza, including a painted cover and 53-page feature story done in black and white tones by ace artist John Romita! The story pitted Spider-Man against a wicked candidate for high office, Richard Raleigh, who would stop at nothing to get total power! Normally, this would mean stuffing the ballot box or recruiting dead people to vote for you, but in Raleigh's case, it meant employing a mad scientist to create a giant, lumbering Frankenstein-like monster to destroy all his foes! (And if you think that Raleigh's foes will eventually include Spider-Man, no need to renew that MMMS membership card!!!).

This magazine, in particular, is a wonderful showcase of a different side of Jazzy John's repertoire. The black and white tones really add a sense of depth and moodiness that is rarely seen in the more sunny, bright color comics. His girls are still as gorgeous as ever, though, with some tremendous panels of Gwen and MJ included in the mix. This story was later refashioned into the regular continuity of Spider-Man in 1973's Amazing Spider-Man #116-118, with John's art colored for the first time and some story elements adapted by writer Gerry Conway. (Look for this story arc to show up in Spider-Man Masterworks 12-13 or thereabouts!).

Spectacular Spider-Man #2 was an even more amped up tale, and this time in full-color! An out-and-out classic, it is a pinnacle moment in the long history between Peter Parker, Norman Osborn and their super-powered alter egos! Many grace notes from the first Spider-Man movie have their origin in this story, including the time that Norman Osborn invites Peter and his friends over for dinner - not sure what the kids dined on that night, but Norman sure did serve up some weird suspense for desert! This issue is adorned with another gorgeous painted cover, and the comic concludes with a neat little bit of trivia: a next issue advertisement for a next issue that never came! (Above, from the review for Marvel Masterworks: Amazing Spider-Man, Volume 7).

Doug: The Spectacular Spider-Man experiment, although a sales figure failure at the time (it's funny how the 35c price tag now seems so small -- but at nearly three times the normal cost of a comic book I suppose it was outrageously expensive!), is significant more for the story that was told in the second issue. Why? Because of the use of psychedelic drugs.

Doug: The story kicks off with several familiar cast members at the New York Executive Club watching a slideshow conducted by Captain George Stacy (The Spectacular Spider-Man #2 takes place at the same time as the ASM #'s 66-67 Mysterio story that was in the spinner racks in Nov-Dec 1968). Stacy relates that the Goblin's identity, despite his apparent death at the hands of Spider-Man, remains a mystery. Norman Osborn, in attendance with his son Harry, begins to perspire, eventually bolting from the room in a frenzy. At this point in the story, Stan and Jazzy Johnny provide a lengthy recap of the events of ASM #'s 39-40. For those of you who have not seen this magazine (or who didn't even know it existed!), keep in mind that the Goblin didn't appear in ASM between that 40th issue and the "drug issues" that began with #96.

Karen: I read this from the reprint in Amazing Spider-Man Annual 9. Despite the fact that Spectacular Spider-Man 2 was published in color, I'd swear that the inking on this was done with the intent of it being published in black and white. The inks are heavy and there seems to be an emphasis on contrast not typically seen in color books. Maybe I'm just seeing things though!

Doug: Harry is obviously distraught, and Peter is concerned -- of course not only for Harry, but for what he now fears is inevitable: a renewed clash with the Green Goblin, who knows Peter is Spider-Man! After more recapping of ASM #40, we see Osborn in a hospital bed with visions of the Goblin and Spidey swirling about his head. Then suddenly, he sits bolt upright and exclaims, "I AM THE GOBLIN!" Osborn dresses himself and bursts past the portable screen around his bed, knocking Harry off a chair and brushing past his doctor. As he stalks out of the hospital, he mutters that his mind is clear, and he knows what he must do.

Doug: Osborn makes his way to one of his many hideouts around the city and once again dons the costume of the Green Goblin -- revenge, he says, is what Spider-Man can now look forward to!

Doug: The story then cuts away to Peter and his friends, notably the ever-beautiful Gwen Stacy. I'll tell you -- when I read Spider-Man stories from this era, I just feel good. While I recognize that what Stan Lee was doing with Jack Kirby over in the Fantastic Four is the pinnacle of Silver Age comics, the collaboration between Stan and John Romita within the Spidey-universe of characters and villains isn't far behind. Just to revisit this comic, which due to its condition I haven't had out of the bag in years (I would grade my copy as G-VG -- it was well-loved before I ever laid hands on it), is a treat. At any rate, obviously Gwen and her dad are still alive, and Mary Jane was still the happy-go-lucky party girl. Great times. Anyway, Peter is dismayed when Harry tells him that Mr. Osborn would like to have Harry and MJ and Gwen and Peter to a little dinner party at the Osborn residence, to celebrate Norman's "release" from the hospital. Uh oh...

Karen: I sort of see ASM in this time period as the flip side to the Lee/Kirby FF. The FF dealt with things on a cosmic scale, their identities were public knowledge (in fact they were celebrities) and with a couple of exceptions, they had plenty of money. Then we have Peter, whose problems are all very much centered around himself -even his enemies in many cases are more of a threat to him than the public at large. In this story he is terrified that Osborn will use his knowledge of Peter's secret identity to bring harm to him or his loved ones. It's not about the Goblin going on a rampage - it's about the Goblin ruining his life!

Doug: Pete swings by Gwen's place to pick her up and has a little conversation with Captain Stacy. I don't know how many people were shocked at the conclusion of ASM #90 when Stacy called Spidey "Peter", but Stan had certainly planted those seeds along the way. After leaving the Stacys', Pete and Gwen head over to the Osborns', where Harry greets them at the door. Romita gives us a great-looking MJ, although sans her long hair. The teens move into the dining room where Norman Osborn greets them. It's pretty much downhill from here for Peter! By the way, it was mentioned above that this scene was used in the first Spider-Man film -- compare for yourself!

Karen: Boy this scene - heck, much of this story - really was incorporated into the first Spider-Man film. Of course, director Sam Raimi is a big fan of the Spidey comics from this era.

Doug: The tension begins to build as Osborn can't contain his madness. Pete excuses himself from the room and tosses a web ball into the fireplace, creating a smoky diversion. As everyone exits the house, Peter changes to Spider-Man and Osborn races to one of his hide-outs. As he leaves, Osborn calls back to Peter that he won't have to look for him -- he'll meet him at his aunt's house! Of course Spidey makes a bee-line out to Forest Hills and engages the Goblin -- who has a new gadget on his glider! They battle furiously (how did this not wake the neighbors??) until Spidey unseats the Goblin from his glider. When he has the opportunity to finish him, of course Peter pulls back. He flees instead, hoping to draw the Goblin after him.

Doug: Osborn follows Spidey, but this time he doesn't attack physically -- instead he launches a pumpkin bomb. He exclaims, "But, just to make certain that you don't accidentally evade me... My harmless-looking Psychedelic Pumpkin will root you to the spot!" And then the gas dispels, leaving Spidey indeed paralyzed and now subject to his worst nightmares.

Karen: The use of the 'psychedelic' bomb was probably the least interesting thing in this story to me, as it reminded me too much of the kind of tricks Mysterio had played on Spidey. But of course I'm reading this many years later - it was probably more novel at the time.

Doug: Spider-Man's spider-strength allows him to regain his sanity. But knowing that despite Osborn's increased strength he doesn't also possess Peter's amazing recuperative powers, he is able to jerk the Goblin again off the glider, pummel hm for a few minutes, lurch for the bag of tricks, and then unleash another psychedelic bomb right in Osborn's face. The hope was that Osborn would face his worst fears and that his mind would close to those ideas (including Peter's secret identity). Spidey's gamble pays off, and Osborn is subdued into a wimpering mass of mental instability.

Doug: After defeating Osborn, Spider-Man changes back to Peter Parker and assists Osborn to the hospital. He phones Aunt May, and alludes to the fact that he's out of danger. Of course, that terrifies her to think that Peter had been anywhere near danger; Pete is able to side-step the potential disaster, and he eventually meets up with Harry, MJ, and Gwen. Trouble averted, and a happy ending as Pete and the girls walk off into the sunset!

Doug: While this is a great story, how does it fit into our discussion of the Code, and how does it fit into the time that it saw publication -- 1968 -- fully three years before the revision of the Comics Code Authority? I think the main issue here is not only the drug use, but that Spider-Man intentionally chooses to subject another person to the mind-altering powers of psychedelic drugs. This is not drug use by a person acting as a free agent -- as we'll see from Harry Osborn, or as Roy Harper was shown to do in the pages of Green Lantern. No, to me this is different. There's no way Peter knew what the outcome of his actions would be. I wonder how much research Stan had done into LSD before writing this story? And what's the message here? Surely that drugs can mess a person up. But, in the whole scheme of things, are the issues raised here much different than Zatanna's mind-wiping of Dr. Light, as revealed in the DC mini-series Identity Crisis?

Karen: You know, I doubt that Stan even gave it a second thought. Sure, we can look at it objectively and say that Peter is committing an ethically troubling act. But if you put yourself in Peter's shoes - which I am sure Stan did -then what other options does he have? He doesn't want to kill Osborn, but on the other hand, the man is too much of a threat to let him go unchecked in some manner. I suppose it was the best option available to Peter, though as you say, he had no way of knowing what the gas would actually do to Osborn. I don't think there's any real message here - the gas was just a convenient way for Stan to put the Goblin in hibernate mode, as it were!

The Comics Code Authority: Revised to Relax, Part 10

Amazing Spider-Man #98 (July 1971)

“The Goblin’s Last Gasp!”

Stan Lee/Gil Kane-Frank Giacoia

Doug: Welcome back to another issue focusing on the Comics Code Authority – in fact, this is the last episode in our marathon examination of some of the do’s/don’ts that surrounded the Code in the early 1970’s. At the conclusion of this post, we’ll throw in our two cents toward an evaluation of this whole situation.

Doug: ASM #98 concludes the three-part Green Goblin storyline, subsequently known as the “drug issues”. Allegedly Stan Lee was contacted by the federal government and asked to write a story that would help to influence young Americans to stay away from drugs. Stan chose to publish ASM #’s 96-98 without the Comics Code seal on the covers of the comics. While I don’t have sales figures handy, nor do I know if these books were widely popular at the time, history has shown that they are among the Silver and Bronze Age issues of The Amazing Spider-Man that collectors seek out.

Karen: As I’ve said a million times now, ASM 98 was the first ASM I ever owned. Although I could read, the story went right over my head. I wasn’t interested in drugs – just Spidey! As a matter of fact, I never noticed that the Comics Code stamp was missing from the cover. I did however notice that Spidey’s red spider was missing from his back! Tsk tsk.

Doug: I complained at the beginning of our ASM #97 post that I felt Stan wrote Peter as somewhat of a doofus – “forgetting” how dangerous the Goblin was, etc. Well, he’s at it again. In this story’s third panel, AFTER the Goblin has called him “Parker”, the Goblin threatens to reveal Spider-Man’s secret identity – to which Peter thinks “I… I’d almost forgotten about that!” What the?!? Did Stan just think he needed a dialogue balloon there? How stupid.

Karen: I agree, I don’t really care for this exposition which makes the characters look stupid. But on the other hand, I suppose Stan felt he needed to provide some background for readers who might be new to the book. After all, in those days, the splash page wasn't a full recap of the last 6 issues!

Karen: What really drove me crazy with this issue was the weird punctuation! There were the typical exclamation points, but no punctuation at all at the end of sentences. Old pro Artie Simek is credited as letterer, so I’m a bit surprised about the sloppiness.

Doug: Peter is able to drive the Goblin away by showing him the passed out Harry – apparently Norman Osborn forgets his “civilian” life while do-badding. The shock of seeing Harry in Peter’s arms becomes too uncomfortable for Osborn, so he flees. Pete then calls an ambulance to take Harry to the hospital.

Karen: After Pete takes Harry to the hospital he reflects on Harry’s condition, noting that “he was just too weak”. I think it was acceptable back then to assume someone on drugs was ‘weak’ – that they had a character flaw. You’d never hear comments like that now. It seems as though society as a whole tries to excuse such behavior by blaming it on outside forces. I found that remark somewhat refreshing, to be honest.

Doug: There’s a bit of time spent on the feelings of Gwen and Peter since their break-up. It’s pretty typical soap opera drama, but good nonetheless. Stan had crafted a Spider-verse, and taking a page to deal with Gwen’s feelings was fine with me.

Karen: You know it’s scenes like these, which show how much these two kids cared for each other, that make me even more upset by the later revision with Gwen’s affair with Osborne! I realize that the writer’s original intent was that Gwen was pregnant with Peter’s kids, but how editorial could have thought it would ‘fix’ that by making it Osborne’s kids, I’ll never know! I think it’s just another sign that many of our current comics pros are clueless when it comes to the history of the characters they work on.

Doug: This issue’s drug focus was on the pusher who sold Harry the pills in the previous issue. The guy strikes up a conversation with Pete and makes light of the fact that he sold the drugs to Harry. Peter steps toward the pusher, and a couple of heavies emerge. Of course, Pete handles the three of them with ease. My exception to this scene, particularly in light of the fact that the pusher is packing heat, is that this sends the wrong message to children reading this story. My suggestion to my two sons would be to totally ignore thugs like this, and to get themselves into a crowd of people as soon as possible. I guess the parent in me would worry that kids might feel that because Pete stood up for himself and Harry that they should do likewise. That’s a potentially life-threatening course of action to anyone not imbued with spider-strength and spider-agility, and I don’t mean to be flip by saying that.

Karen: I can understand your concern. But since it’s a comic book, I’m sure Stan felt having Pete walk away wouldn’t be nearly dramatic enough! And Stan does have Peter think how he has to hold back, because his great strength might really hurt someone.

Doug: What did you make of the scene between Jonah and Robbie, concerning running a story about Harry’s hospitalization?

Karen: I thought that was more of Stan’s social conscience coming through. It was similar to the scene the issue before, where Joe’s son Robby made statements that drugs were not just a black problem. Stan was just hammering the point home. He also got to show that Jameson, despite his clownish exterior, was at heart a journalist.

Doug: Spidey takes to the rooftops in search of the Goblin. Amazingly, in a city the size of Manhattan, it doesn’t take long before they are fully engaged in battle. Osborn has concocted some new chemicals that erase Spider-Man’s ability to cling to walls. While Spidey retains his other powers, his fighting prowess is certainly modified. Couple that with empty web-shooters (whatever happened to the spare cartridges in his belt??), and the Goblin has the upper hand.

Karen: A bit contrived, to be sure, but I still thought the sequence, with Spidey running and jumping across the Manhattan rooftops, was pretty exciting. Kane sure knew how to tell a story! And of course, we get the happy ending, with Gwen and Peter reunited!

Doug: I’m curious about an ongoing plot device in Spidey comics of this era, and that is the constant holding back against his foes. First of all, it leads one to believe that Spidey’s as strong as Superman. Secondly, it negates the fact that Peter Parker is an incredibly bright person and makes him seemingly incapable of creativity in problem solving. Just in our examination of these Spider-Man books, he’s had to hold himself back against the Man-Wolf (Jameson’s son), the Lizard (aka Dr. Curt Connors, Spidey’s friend), and the Goblin (Harry’s father). Who in the world does he cut loose against then? I mean, you can’t fight the Scorpion every day!

Karen: As you point out, a number of his foes are also people he knows and/or cares about. So he has the dilemma of dealing with them without really harming them. The way I read it, it’s not necessarily because he’s so much more powerful than them (certainly not the case with the Lizard!) but his conscience won’t let him hurt them. I think that was a plot Stan felt was unique (at the time) and boy did he milk it!

Doug: So how would I assess this period in Marvel’s history, as it pushed the limits of the Comics Code, and then operated in its revisionist era? First off, I’d laud Stan for taking the chances he did with these drug issues, which had a lot more teeth to them than anything Marvel attempted to do with zombies, werewolves, or vampires after 1972. Secondly, I wonder if he wasn’t pushing the envelope a bit with The Spectacular Spider-Man #2, testing the waters with a “relevant” story about the effects of LSD-trips (albeit in the form of a pumpkin bomb). And third, I think most of the entire discussion of the Code was much ado about nothing. Other than the presence of Morbius or the Man-Wolf as formerly-banned types of characters, the stories they were in were not bloody or with any adult themes beyond what would have been printed if it was a story with the Porcupine as the baddie-of-the-day.

Karen: At the time, Marvel took a stand and it was commendable. However, today it seems fairly ridiculous that these books couldn’t go out with code approval. There’s certainly nothing here that glorifies drug use.

Karen: As we’ve discussed before the Marvel monsters were also non-issues. Other than being called vampires or zombies or werewolves, they had very little in common with the supernatural legends of the past. As a regular reader of Marvel comics in the 70s, I can say that there was very little to disturb or upset a youngster in those books.

Doug: However, I will say that the true fall-out of the Code wouldn’t be felt for another 5-6 years, as Wolverine and the Punisher began to be explored and pushed. Then a few years after that Frank Miller set the comics world on its ear with the publication of The Dark Knight Returns. Comic books, for better or worse, have never recovered the innocence that they had before 1985.

The Comics Code Authority: Revised to Relax, Part 8

Amazing Spider-Man #96 (May 1971)

“…and Now, the Goblin!”

Stan Lee/Gil Kane-John Romita

Doug: OK, Faithful Ones, after a few in-betweener posts on the Code and what was going on back in those frightful days of 1968-1971, it’s back to the comics! We kick off our last three posts (whew! Looks like it will be a total of 10 on this topic!) with an examination of Stan Lee’s decision to publish the so-called “drug issues” outside the parameters of the Comics Code Authority, before it was subsequently revised.

Doug: As we go through this, keep in mind that the last post in this series covered The Spectacular Spider-Man #2, published in November 1968 – 2 ½ years before ASM #96 hit the stands. And while we discussed how “psychedelic drugs” were used in the story, there was no conflict with the Code, as that comic was actually a magazine.

Doug: It’s funny – I got to page 9 of ASM #96, there’d been virtually no web-swinging, and I’d been loving this comic! What characterization! Stan Lee, despite his faults that are brought up in the numerous histories/biographies about him, was a fantastic writer. And let’s compliment the art team of Kane and Romita as well – the pacing of the story was perfect. We’ve discussed Gil Kane under the influence of different inkers in the past – suffice it to say that Jazzy Johnny gets my vote for Number One! Even Kane’s notorious nose up-shots are cured by Romita’s inks. It’s really a nice pairing of talents.

Karen: I agree with you about enjoying the story despite the absence of super-heroics early on. I think Spidey’s personal life was always a huge draw for readers. Peter had all the problems the rest of us did, likely more. He was a great Everyman with whom most people could readily sympathize.

Karen: I also enjoyed the art on this issue. My first issue of Spider-Man was #98, which we’ll be getting to shortly. But I was also reading Marvel Tales concurrently, and ever since those days, in my head when I see Spidey it’s always Romita’s version. With him providing the inks on Kane’s work, it was not jarring to go from the reprint to the regular title! But what was with that fringed vest Kane drew on Peter? Man, that looks so dated now!

Doug: Greg Brady, anyone??

Doug: Speaking of the aforementioned Spectacular Spider-Man, there is no mention of that story in ASM #96. The only references made to Norman Osborn’s having been the Green Goblin and having at one time known Spider-Man’s secret identity are from a page of flashbacks to ASM #40.

Doug: The first half of the book is about Peter Parker and his various dilemmas: no money, Gwen’s in London but he couldn’t see her because why would Peter and Spidey both be in London, Robbie Robertson may be on to Pete’s secret, Aunt May is trying to be “hep”, etc. It’s pretty standard angst from Stan’s typewriter, but you know what? I love it! I don’t read Spider-Man comics anymore, but I don’t much care for the goings-on I’ve heard about. THIS is my Spider-Man!

Doug: As the story progresses, Harry sets up an interview for Peter with Harry’s dad Norman. When Pete walks in, he overhears the end of Norman’s physical with a doctor. The doctor stresses to Norman over and over to not exert himself, to not get excited, and to not think about super-heroes or Spider-Man. Of course, you know how this is going to go!

Doug: But, the interview goes well, Pete garners a part-time job, and Norman offers to pay Pete’s way to the theatre later that evening where the gang will be watching Mary Jane’s off-Broadway debut. But before heading over, Pete decides to change into his Spidey suit and follow a couple of squad cars that are heading to a call.

Doug: Spidey comes upon a “stoned” young man wavering atop a highrise roof. The guy keeps mumbling how he can fly, he’s a lion, he’s an eagle, and then he loses what little balance he has and plummets toward the ground. Fortunately Spidey swoops down on a webline and saves the guy.

Karen: Even though Stan himself has admitted he did no research for this story (or any other, from what he says), the incident with the freaked out kid on the roof plays very seriously, even when Peter makes a little speech afterwards about the evils of drugs. I don’t know what sort of drug Stan thought would cause that kid to go up on a roof like that, but the fall could really be seen as a metaphor for the damage drugs can do to one’s life.

Doug: Once Pete gets to the theatre, housed in a building formerly owned by Norman Osborn, he groups up with Harry and MJ, as well as Norman. The group is waiting on Randy Robertson, who arrives shortly and gets really militant about the drug issues in society and how it’s not a “black” problem – it’s everyone’s problem. Then he gets up in Osborn’s grill about being a white rich guy, and why doesn’t he do something with his money and influence? Not good, as this begins to set Osborn off…

Karen: More social commentary from Stan, which might seem hokey now, but I’m sure it was surprising back then. I have always been impressed with the way Stan and the Bullpen made sure to work black characters into stories. When you open a Marvel comic from this era, you’ll see not only black supporting characters like Randy and Joe Robertson, but backgrounds with black cab drivers, policemen, firemen, etc. There was a real effort on Marvel’s part to show society in all its facets. With Randy, we see his frustration, but he doesn’t come across as a one-dimensional “angry young black man”.

Karen: This issue is also a harsh reminder of what Mary Jane was like in the early days: a flirt, even manipulative. She deliberately gloms on to Peter, apparently just to upset Harry. This was not the girl Peter was supposed to marry, at least not originally!

Doug: While in the theatre, the group meets backstage during intermission to congratulate MJ on what has thus far been a great show. But, Pete notices that Norman is sweating and uncomfortable. Pete also notices that Norman is standing close to an unmarked door, and then his Spider-sense begins to tingle. Could this be one of the Goblin’s secret hide-outs?

Doug: After the show is over and everyone’s saluted MJ’s efforts, Norman and Peter find excuses to head their separate ways. You can see where this is headed, and it ain’t good!

The Comics Code Authority: Revised to Relax, Part 6

Doug: In Part 6, Karen and I examine Stan's point of view toward social issues appearing in Marvel Comics. We're going to take a look at the so-called "drug issues" that ran in Amazing Spider-Man #'s 96-98, but before that we actually wanted to focus on reader reaction after the first installment was published, as well as one of Stan's Soapboxes that ran in ASM #96. Doug: In their biography of Stan Lee, Stan Lee and the Rise and Fall of the American Comic Book, authors Jordan Raphael and Tom Spurgeon discuss the "drug issues":

Lee wrote the most famous story of this period. In three issues of The Amazing Spider-Man (#'s 96-98, dated May-July 1971), Peter Parker's friend and roommate (and the boyfriend of the ironically named Mary Jane Watson) becomes addicted to tranquilizers. Pillhead Harry Osborn also happens to be the son of arch-villain the Green Goblin, which allows for a few fight scenes amid the domestic drama. The dialogue is sometimes less than convincing, such as Harry's testament to his bad habit in issue #97: "Here it is. This is all I'll need to make me feel on top of the world again." Gil Kane drew the issue with great aplomb and a seriousness that gave the blunt plot a measure of dignity. ...Yet, except for a final conflict where Spider-Man makes the Green Goblin quit fighting by forcing him to confront his hospitalized son, the story lacks the light-hearted self-awareness that originally sold Marvel to its fans. The real world worked much better as a way to undercut fantasy than fantasy worked as a way to shed light on real-world events. Still, all three special Spider-Man issues were a publicity-driven hit, and in the very next issue, Spider-Man was breaking up a prison riot.

Marvel published all three drug-story issues without the Comics Code Authority's stamp of approval, a calculated risk at the time. The CCA was clear that no depictions of drug use would appear in the comic books that received its approval. But Lee, who had been inspired to tackle the issue by a request from officials at the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, felt that he and Marvel could win against the code. The story was generally praised by fans and received a rash of positive press coverage. Lee and Marvel won their game of chicken with the CCA. A revised version of the Code, which somewhat better reflected the more media-savvy times of the early 1970's, was issued on the heels of the Spider-Man drug storyline. In September 1972, Lee received a letter from the President's Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention asking for help in coordinating other comic-book efforts in the growing antidrug campaign.

NOTE: The "drug story" that ran in Green Lantern #85, showing a young Roy Harper, aka Speedy (how's that for ironic naming?), using heroin right on the magazine's cover, was cover-dated August/September 1971.

Doug: It's interesting that after the liberalization of social mores in the late 1960's that the Code was forced to re-examine itself. It's even more interesting when we see how the alleged instigator of this censorship had changed his tune. Dr. Frederic Wertham, who most believed ushered in censorship in the comic book industry with the publication of his book Seduction of the Innocent in 1954, told the Miami Herald's Jay Maeder in a 1974 interview: " ...in psychological life, it isn't so that you can say one factor has a clear causal effect on anything. I never said, and I don't think so, that a child reads a comic book and then goes out and beats up his sister or commits a holdup." (quoted from Ron Goulart's Over 50 Years of American Comic Books). Perhaps Wertham's point of view at this time was influenced by the glut of positive press Marvel and DC were receiving in the mainstream American press?

Karen: Or possibly his reaction in the 50s was a product of the times, with all the witch-hunts going on. By 1974, it seems likely he would have mellowed.

Doug: So, was Stan a great innovator here, or a risk-taker? Was he going to do it for the social statement, to buck the system, or did he sniff out a slam-dunk sales increase and a national spotlight for this story? One can find several sources that say that while he certainly did go ahead and pull the trigger to run the story, that the national political climate had changed such that, with comic book stories beginning to emulate the new liberalism of the youth culture, it wasn't such a leap that drug-related stories were on the horizon anyway. But then, it was Stan who did it first...

Karen: After reading many interviews with Stan, I honestly believe that his primary motivation was to point out the perils of drug abuse. He has always come across as wanting his comics to send the right message to kids (back when kids actually read comics). Stan was not shy about tackling racial issues either. I'm thinking specifically about the Avengers issues with the Sons of the Serpent, although I think his effort to include African American characters in very positive ways in the books was also a way to subtly combat racism.

Karen: I would say it was more a happy accident that the issues got so much good press. I'm sure Stan was pleased by that, but I don't think his intentions were just about drumming up sales.

Doug: I hope you can read the partial scan of the Stan's Soapbox that ran in Amazing Spider-Man #96, the first of the drug issues. In it, Stan addresses an anonymous critic who, at the top of the column, was taking Marvel to task as a "brainwasher" -- that Marvel comics had begun to deal with social issues such as racism as a way to "pull the wool over our eyes" and "make a fast buck". Now, I was only a mere waif at the time, but I don't think that in the early 1970's showing heroes dealing with racism was trying to whitewash anything -- if nothing else, the Code prohibited comic books from showing the full effect of what was happening in America's schools and on her streets! Here's Stan's reaction, to your right --

Doug: I think one thing to remember is that during this time, Stan really did see a lot of the fan mail that came in. And it's well known that it was he who wrote most of the responses in Marvel's various letters columns. So if Stan comments on the pulse of Marveldom Assembled, it was probably not just more hot air from The Man but instead a measure of what their readership really felt about certain stories or issues of the day.

Karen: I recall reading in other interviews with him that they never wanted to alienate any reader, but there were certain things that he felt it was important to take a stance on.


Doug: In closing, let's take a look at how that readership responded to Marvel's decision to go to press without the Comics Code Authority stamp of approval. It is eye-opening to say the least. Now, we of course don't know the ratio of positive fan mail to negative, but I think we can assume that for the most part, in his huckster-ish way, Stan was honest with his readers. I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt that the letters that were printed on the letters page of Amazing Spider-Man #100 were indicative of the papers that crossed Stan's desk in the days of the fall-out from the publication of Amazing Spider-Man #96.