
Background:
This Night covers the events of the comic whose cover is listed above, The Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1 125, which obviously stars Spider-Man and is a continuation of the story of the events that started in The Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1 124, which were covered in Night 58. While Gerry Conway remains on the scripting duties, Gil Kane has been replaced by Ross Andru on the art side of things. To give a brief recap, Triple J – otherwise known as the son of John Jonah Jameson Jr – has transformed into a werewolf. He wound up coming into conflict with Spider-Man after he nearly murdered his father and the previous issue ended with him hunting down the wall crawler.
Now, the Man-Wolf eventually wound up in his own stories and those will be covered in the Nights. Hence, it was important to cover these two Spider-Man stories to give his origin. This is exactly what happened with Michael Morbius. In this way, we can consider the Man-Wolf a parallel to Morbius. One is a vampire with a science-based origin and the other is a werewolf. However, just as in the original stories that showcased the conflict between Morbius and Spider-Man, covered from Nights 5-9, expect a definitive ending here. By that, I mean, I fully believe that at the end of this issue, the Man-Wolf conflict will be resolved but in a way that it could be continued if the character proves popular enough through fan engagement or sales. Like, in Night 7, the issue ended with the apparent death of Morbius but in a vague enough way that if he proved popular, they could bring him back. Then again in Night 9, the issue ended with the X-Men holding Morbius prisoner, a state in which he could have remained if the fan reception wasn’t as high as it was. So, expect the Man-Wolf to be defeated in a way where if this was the last time we ever saw him, it would make sense for that to be the case.
Beyond that, I want to talk about Morbius a little bit more, particularly because we haven’t seen him for a long time. The last time we saw him was Night 28, where I covered the start of his solo adventures in Vampire Tales. Because I wanted to keep things in line with Morbius’ continuity, I had to stop things there because he would take over the Fear magazine and also have stories there. At the time of Night 28, though, Fear was featuring stories about the Man-Thing – so I had to do those first. Vampire Tales was set to Satana, the sister of the Son of Satan, so I had to do the the Ghost Rider stories in which he was introduced first. Finally, I know that Morbius is set to meet the Man-Wolf as well, so I had to do these stories first. Soon, I will finally be able to get back to covering the adventures of Michael Morbius, the Living Vampire, and do it in a way that respects the continuity of the character. So, expect us to stay in the sci-fi horror section of the Marvel Universe for a little while longer.
And so, read directly ahead for the Summary or head further down for my Analysis done in real-time as I read the issue.
Summary:
(note: dating is arbitrary and chosen based on year of release, nothing else)
- On March 1st 1967:
- Colonel John Jameson III participates in a NASA lunar landing mission which is kept secret.
- Colonel John Jameson III realizes how the lunar flight is unscheduled to keep it all a secret.
- Colonel John Jameson III lands on the Moon and he notes the lunar mission is just ordinary.
- Colonel John Jameson III discovers the Godstone on the surface of the Moon after landing.
- On March 2nd 1967:
- Colonel John Jameson III returns to Earth and gives the Godstone up in the quarantine zone.
- Colonel John Jameson III convinces a scientist friend to secretly give up the Godstone to him.
- Colonel John Jameson III assumes nobody will miss the Godstone as they have many rocks.
- Colonel John Jameson III has the Godstone fashioned into a Moonstone Pendant to wear it.
- Colonel John Jameson III begins wearing the Moonstone Pendant and he puts it on his neck.
- On March 22nd 1967:
- Colonel John Jameson III sees the Moon while driving and it affects his Moonstone Pendant.
- Colonel John Jameson III is transformed into the Man-Wolf due to the Moonstone Pendant.
- The Man-Wolf winds up driving his car off the road and he also causes a semitruck to crash.
- The Man-Wolf nearly murders a driver who goes to check on him before going into a forest.
- On July 31st 1967:
- Colonel John Jameson III proposes marriage to Kristine Saunders and she accepts.
- Colonel John Jameson III finds the Moonstone Pendant grafting itself to his skin.
- Colonel John Jameson III has a special suit designed to stop his transformations.
- On June 28th 1973:
- The Man-Wolf stalks the rooftops and senses Spider-Man nearby and opts to attack.
- The Man-Wolf decides that Spider-Man must die for having dared to attack him first.
- Spider-Man notes how fighting the Man-Wolf managed to rid him of all of his anger.
- Spider-Man notes how his anger at John Jonah Jameson Jr has practically dissipated.
- Spider-Man senses the Man-Wolf nearby but the werewolf ducks to avoid being seen.
- The Man-Wolf leaps at Spider-Man to attack him just as the hero turns away from him.
- Spider-Man narrowly dodges the Man-Wolf after he senses the werewolf leaping at him.
- Spider-Man realizes that the Man-Wolf is a legitimate menace with the way he is fighting.
- Spider-Man swings up to a rooftop right when he and the Man-Wolf make it to the ground.
- Spider-Man finds his heart not in the fight while he goes back down to battle the Man-Wolf.
- Spider-Man attacks the Man-Wolf, realizing that he is apathetic with Gwen Stacy now dead.
- Spider-Man sees the pendant on the Man-Wolf’s neck and then notes he has seen it before.
- The Man-Wolf pushes Spider-Man away from him as he analyzes the Moonstone Pendant.
- Spider-Man points out to the Man-Wolf that the Moon is setting and he must soon revert.
- Spider-Man chases after the Man-Wolf as the beast retreats but he collapses due to a cut.
- The Man-Wolf gets to his apartment where he reverts into Colonel John Jameson III again.
- Spider-Man becomes Peter Parker and returns to his apartment to recover from the fight.
- Peter Parker quickly realizes that Harry Osborn has still not come back to their apartment.
- Peter Parker notes that he sympathizes with Harry Osborn choosing to cut everybody off.
- Peter Parker bandages his cut and notes he is lucky he did not pass out due to blood loss.
- Peter Parker falls asleep all while attempting to figure out the mystery of the Man-Wolf.
- Flash Thompson, Randy Robertson and Mary Jane Watson all go off to breakfast together.
- Mary Jane Watson fakes a smile for Flash Thompson and blames her mood on Peter Parker.
- Randy Robertson notes Harry Osborn arriving at the diner and points him out to his friends.
- Mary Jane Watson finds Harry Osborn to be completely ignoring her and Flash Thompson.
- Mary Jane Watson rushes to speak to Harry Osborn after Flash Thompson notes his mood.
- Harry Osborn angrily dismisses Mary Jane Watson and he rants to her about Peter Parker.
- Mary Jane Watson has a breakdown due to Harry Osborn and runs out of the diner crying.
- John Jonah Jameson Jr heads to Colonel John Jameson III’s apartment to speak to his son.
- John Jonah Jameson Jr finds the collapsed Colonel John Jameson III sleeping on the sofa.
- John Jonah Jameson Jr notes by Colonel John Jameson III’s garb he truly is the Man-Wolf.
- John Jonah Jameson Jr wakes up Colonel John Jameson III and asks answers from his son.
- Colonel John Jameson III despairs about his situation to his father and claims it is helpless.
- Colonel John Jameson III informs John Jonah Jameson Jr on how he became the Man-Wolf.
- Colonel John Jameson III informs John Jonah Jameson Jr that he cannot take off his pendant.
- Colonel John Jameson III sadly notes the Moonstone Pendant has grafted itself unto his skin.
- John Jonah Jameson Jr fears that Spider-Man will keep on chasing Colonel John Jameson III.
- John Jonah Jameson Jr has the NYPD go to the Daily Bugle office to wait out for Spider-Man.
- Peter Parker becomes Spider-Man after resting up and then goes to the Daily Bugle office.
- Spider-Man notes he will have to take it lightly because his wound is still causing him pain.
- Spider-Man decides to make the most of the day all because he is feeling like himself again.
- Spider-Man enters Joe Robertson’s office so they can speak about the Moonstone Pendant.
- John Jonah Jameson Jr rushes into Joe Robertson’s office alongside the NYPD officers there.
- Spider-Man is forced out of the Daily Bugle office after the officers unload tear gas on him.
- Spider-Man winds up falling from a building and into some garbage because of the tear gas.
- Joe Robertson argues with John Jonah Jameson Jr on why he brought the NYPD officers in.
- John Jonah Jameson Jr rants to Joe Robertson to try and justify why he loathes Spider-Man.
- Spider-Man becomes Peter Parker and returns to his apartment to attempt to heal up again.
- Mary Jane Watson goes to Peter Parker’s apartment and is surprised to find him so weak.
- Mary Jane Watson expresses frustration until she realizes Peter Parker is actually in pain.
- Mary Jane Watson leaves Peter Parker alone after recalling how Harry Osborn treated her.
- Peter Parker becomes Spider-Man and heads out to the streets to go locate the Man-Wolf.
- Spider-Man notes that Mary Jane Watson was right about how just how glum he has been.
- Spider-Man notes that he cannot be happy that he wound up seeing Gwen Stacy get killed.
- Spider-Man realizes that he has been self-centered, but he has every right to feel that way.
- Spider-Man notes that his life has also been terrible with him having to face the Man-Wolf.
- Spider-Man suddenly realizes that the Man-Wolf was wearing clothes fit for an astronaut.
- Spider-Man deduces that the Man-Wolf must be none other than Colonel John Jameson III.
- Spider-Man learns where Colonel John Jameson III lives and then rushes to his apartment.
- John Jameson Jr heads to Colonel John Jameson III’s apartment to try and help out his son.
- Kristine Saunders drives to Colonel John Jameson III’s apartment so they can go on a date.
- Kristine Saunders is surprised when Colonel John Jameson III refuses to answer her rings.
- Kristine Saunders sees Colonel John Jameson III in his window and is upset by his actions.
- Kristine Saunders angrily decides to leave due to how Colonel John Jameson III is acting.
- Colonel John Jameson III demands John Jonah Jameson Jr leave him before he changes.
- Colonel John Jameson III points out that he cannot stand to hurt everyone that he loves.
- John Jonah Jameson Jr tries to reason with Colonel John Jameson III to remain with him.
- Colonel John Jameson III fails to resist the transformation and he becomes the Man-Wolf.
- The Man-Wolf angrily strikes down John Jonah Jameson Jr and then escapes his apartment.
- The Man-Wolf leaps into a nearby alleyway and he beats down a mugger that he sees there.
- The Man-Wolf nearly kills the mugger until he sees Kristine Saunders about to drive away.
- The Man-Wolf chases after Kristine Saunders as she attempts to drive away to escape him.
- Spider-Man gets to the apartment and sees the Man-Wolf chasing after Kristine Saunders.
- Spider-Man attacks the Man-Wolf and notes the Moonstone Pendant makes him change.
- Spider-Man attempts to web up the Moonstone Pendant but the Man-Wolf just tears it off.
- Spider-Man finds himself now forced to battle the Man-Wolf to keep Kristine Saunders safe.
- Spider-Man tears off the Man-Wolf’s Moonstone Pendant after the werewolf kicks him hard.
- Spider-Man is shocked to find the Moonstone Pendant was grafted into the Man-Wolf’s skin.
- The Man-Wolf reverts back into Colonel John Jameson III with the Moonstone Pendant gone.
- John Jonah Jameson Jr rushes to Colonel John Jameson III’s side to see if he has recovered.
- Spider-Man tells John Jonah Jameson Jr to take Colonel John Jameson III to see a doctor.
- Spider-Man throws the Moonstone Pendant into the Hudson River so it can be forgotten.
- Spider-Man chastises John Jonah Jameson Jr for how he wound up neglecting his own son.
- Spider-Man leaves John Jonah Jameson Jr and Kristine Saunders to handle everything alone.
Analysis:
The story begins with us getting right into the action, with the Man-Wolf leaping at Spider-Man, whose spider sense alerts him to the danger in the nick of time. Although Spider-Man evades the Man-Wolf, the werewolf still manages to shove him off the building they are on. This makes Spider-Man realize just how serious the threat of his new werewolf playmate is, but even then, his heart is no longer in the fight, having had exhausted his anger the previous issue.
So, with his grief having made him apathetic, Spider-Man keeps on fighting the Man-Wolf in a reckless fashion, not really caring if the werewolf tears him to shreds or not. However, when he sees the Moonstone Pendant that the Man-Wolf wears, he knows that he has seen it before. There’s no time for him to figure out the mystery, though, since the Moon is setting as the Sun rising, forcing the werewolf to flee before he reverts to human before Spidey. While our hero tries to chase after him, he fails to do so because of a cut that the beast inflicted on him hours earlier during their first fight. I will note, that although we see a full moon in this issue, it that is impossible given that this takes place only nine/ten days after the death of Gwen Stacy. We have to assume it was done as a stylistic choice because it would break the Marvel Universe’s chronology if it didn’t. But, weirder things have done just that so, who knows. As he rants about the wound he got, though, Conway narrates that Spider-Man is finally overcoming his inner turmoil and regaining his former enthusiasm. Wow, all it took was getting scratched by a werewolf? Either way, Spidey returns to his apartment and it doesn’t take long before he collapses due to the cut.
We take a brief reprieve to see Peter Parker’s supporting cast, namely MJ Watson, Randy Robertson and Flash Thompson. There isn’t anything romantic going on between them as there was in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man film, but they’re having breakfast regarding the turmoil that Peter and Harry Osborn are going through. Unfortunately for them, Harry Osborn arrives and things dovetail into an argument between him and MJ regarding Peter. It’s not really relevant to the situation with the Man-Wolf, but it is one of Conway’s ongoing threads that gets resolved later on.
Back to the matter at hand, Jolly Jonah has made it to his son’s apartment, where we see that the Man-Wolf really did become Triple J again. Seeing the outfit that Triple J has on, Jolly Jonah realizes that his son is the werewolf that nearly gutted him and then wakes him up to learn why. However, since the cat is out of the bag, Triple J begins explaining to his father exactly what is going on.
As it turns out, half a year prior, Triple J participated in an unscheduled, top secret lunar mission – likely something to do with spying on Soviets or the Chinese military. However, there, he found a mysterious rock – which the wiki tells me is the Godstone. Once back on Earth, he used his connections to fashion the Godstone into a Moonstone Pendant, which he begins wearing around his neck. That was a whole lot of stupid from Triple J, so I’m assuming that the Godstone had some real Ring of Mordor properties where when you see it, you need it. Unfortunately for Triple J, one night, he saw the Moon and found he couldn’t help but turn into a silvery wolf with a thirst for blood. Since then, he transforms at least once a month and even his radiation suit can’t stop it. To make matters worse, the Pendant grafted itself onto his skin so Triple J isn’t getting out of this mess.
After resting up, Spider-Man goes to the Daily Bugle office to ask Mr. Robertson questions about the pendant, but a paranoid Jolly Jonah has the NYPD ambush him there and quickly force him out with tear gas. The gas takes its toll and Spider-Man quickly falls off of a building, with some garbage below breaking its fall. So yeah, even though our hero is a bit past his depressive streak, he’s in major agony and may not be able to handle the Man-Wolf in a one-on-one fight. While Jameson continues to rant about Spider-Man, thinly alluding to his son’s agony, Spider-Man becomes Peter Parker and returns to his apartment to recuperate. That doesn’t go well for Petey as MJ Watson checks in, but only winds up more heartbroken due to how unresponsive he is due to the pain.
We then go back to the main office as night falls once again, with Kristine Saunders going to visit her fiancée Triple J. However, he refuses to allow her entry into his apartment and she decides to leave, upset that he doesn’t want to see her even though he’s home. Inside the apartment, Triple J is arguing wit his father, demanding that he leave before the transformation occurs. However, Jolly Jonah is too stubborn and doesn’t leave when he can. Triple J transforms into the Man-Wolf and proceeds to bitch slap his dad into the next page. Escaping onto the streets, the Man-Wolf nearly murders a mugger but is distracted when he sees Kristine Saunders driving nearby. She attains his full focus and he quickly chases after her to try and murder her.
We then shift back about ten minutes and see Petey became Spider-Man to patrol the streets once more. He considers MJ’s words and notes that while he has been down, it’s only been about ten days since Gwen’s funeral and he has every right to act the way he does, especially with the fact that he has to stop the Man-Wolf too. As he thinks about the Man-Wolf’s clothes, he suddenly realizes that his target is none other than Triple J and rushes to the man’s apartment.
We synch back up with the issue’s present time and show Spider-Man arriving before the Man-Wolf is able to grab a hold of Kristine Saunders. He tries to settle things peacefully by webbing up the Man-Wolf’s pendant, but that obviously fails. So, after a brief battle, Spidey gets pissed and just tears the pendant off the Man-Wolf. Given that it was grafted into his neck, he shreds the werewolf’s neck doing that and when he changes into Triple J, he’s knocked unconscious cause that must have hurt. Jolly Jonah arrives and Spider-Man chastises him for not getting his son help before leaving. Spidey also throws the Moonstone Pendant into the river, giving us a very similar to definitive ending to Morbius. But, things are fished out the river all the time, or stranger things have happened – it’s definitive, but can be moved past.
And that is the origin of the Man-Wolf. As I discussed in the Background, the next Nights will be shifting us back into Morbius the Living Vampire. The final speedbump on the way to him? Ghost Rider.