Guess Who’s Buried in Grant’s Tomb!

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PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN — Issue no. 23, July 1978

Book: Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man

Issue No.: 23

Published: July 25, 1978

Title: “Guess Who’s Buried in Grant’s Tomb!”

Cover Price: 35¢

Format: Original paper copy

This issue of Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man almost plays like an issue of Marvel Team-Up. Moon Knight (who at this point was kind of like Marvel’s Batman) is trying to track down the mysterious leader of the organized crime group known as the Maggia (which I am sure is not supposed to remind anybody of the Mafia). Both Moon Knight and the bad guys refer to that leader as “Big M.” Spider-Man is really just kind of along for the ride on Moon Knight’s mission.

But aside from the main Team-Up-type story, there are a few panels dedicated to some prominent Peter Parker supporting characters, including Hector Ayala (alter ego of the superhero White Tiger), Mary Jane Watson, and Betty Brant Leeds.

Spider-Man gets to visit Moon Knight’s lair. In the Batman tradition, it’s underground, beneath a mansion. I think this iteration of Moon Knight has multiple alter egos, and at least one of them is rich enough to have a mansion.

A panel from this issue showing Spider-Man and Moon Knight looking at a chart on a wall-sized computer screen. The chart lists several names and photos of bad guys. The title of the chart is “Hierarchy of International Criminal Activities / Maggia Infiltration Effective Overall.” Moon Knight says, “Your enemies are here... on my rogue’s board! Each one has an international reputation as head of a powerful criminal organization!”

After visiting the Mooncave, Moon Knight and Spider-Man bust up a Maggia meeting. But they don’t find “Big M” — they just defeat Cyclone and a bunch of minor Maggia goons. Cyclone had used his wind-controlling super powers to defeat Spidey and Moon Knight in their previous battle, but Moon Knight shows up at the rematch with a trick up his sleeve — a little Tony Stark-engineered grenade that basically flash freezes Cyclone. Cyclone gets so cold so fast that he loses control of his wind and blows himself into a wall and knocks himself unconscious.

Next time - Star-Lord and his space ship!

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