Part One – Amazing Spider-Man #139
The Original Clone Saga is a Spider-Man series that started in Amazing Spider-Man #139. The issue that starts the saga is written by Gerry Conway and drawn by Ross Andru. The comic released in December 1974. New villain The Grizzly debuts with surprising villain Jackal appearing at the comic’s end. The comic is a slow start of potential things to come.
The story shows us that Peter Parker’s civilian life has been struggling. He’s looking for a new apartment that’s cheap enough for his income. That’s a hard act to complete in a city such as New York. Conway does a great job of quickly connecting readers to Peter and his plight. It’s sad to see Peter, who has done so much for the city, not even be able to find an affordable home. It’s a reminder of the homeless that are wandering the streets of New York at night.
Grizzly is a formidable opponent in his debut. He will remind readers of the Rhino. However, he will become a forgettable villain as he’s just the muscle for the true villain. Peter Parker in the issue investigates a townhouse in New York. Grizzly and Jackal await inside. They capture Peter Parker, then attach a device to Peter’s wrist. The device is to help Jackal figure out who Spider-Man is. This sets up the next issue where Peter has to figure out how to remove the device.
This is a slow start to the saga without giving much info to lure in readers. The only hint is that Jackal is playing a part. The artwork is superb in the book. Ross Andru is fantastic so far. Conway does great with the several issues that Peter faces. He just doesn’t have readers hooked yet into what’s to come.
Overall rating: 2.5/5.
