A re-telling of Spider-Man's "
blue period" written by Jeph Loep and illustrated by Tim Sale, who did it as part of a series which also included
Hulk: Gray,
Daredevil: Yellow, and
Captain America: White, and are better known for collaborating on the
Batman comics
The Long Halloween,
Dark Victory, and
Haunted Knight. The mini-series focuses specifically on Peter Parker's relationship with Gwen Stacy prior to her death.
Tropes Include:
- Animal Motifs: Kraven summarizes Spidey's rogues this way.
- Betty and Veronica: Often lauded as the peak of Spider-Man's career, where he has to choose between Gwen (the Betty) and Mary Jane (the Veronica).
- Card Board Prison: Blackie Drago gets out of prison by smuggling himself in the dirty laundry cart.
- Character Development: Spidey saving Flash is what motivates him to join the army, and treat Peter a bit more kindly.
- Continuity Snarl: The mini-series has several continuity errors that can be picked up on by avid readers. These include;
- Robbie Robertson working at the Daily Bugle, despite not being introduced at that poitn in the original comics.
- The circumstances of the Green Goblin losing his memory are different.
- In this comic, Peter comes from a fight with the Rhino to meet Mary Jane Watson and take her to a fight with the Lizard. In the original comic, it was the Rhino he took MJ to meet.
- The fight with Blackie Drago, the second Vulture, is completely different from its original incarnation, taking place in the wrong time and under the wrong circumstances.
- Furthermore, Drago's fight with the original Vulture was supposed to be over before Spider-Man got there.
- The original story featured a subplot with Peter spraining his arm, passing out from the pain, and getting captured by the police, which is entirely cut.
- It was originally Kraven's intention to attack Harry Osborn; he was not confused in his search for Spider-Man by Harry wearing Peter's aftershave.
- Conveniently Timed Attack From Behind
- Da Editor: Good old JJJ.
- Dangerously Short Skirt: Both Gwen and Mary-Jane end up in one at one point in the story.
- Dynamic Entry: HERE'S KRAVEN
- Easy Amnesia: The original Green Goblin.
- Egomaniac Hunter
- Friends Rent Control: Justified in that Harry's dad, Norman, owns the apartment. (And himself is conveniently in a coma).
- Grave Marking Scene: The top of the bridge, once a year, on Valentines Day, a single red rose.
- Great White Hunter / Egomaniac Hunter
- Hidden Villain: Who is that Great White Hunter in the shadows!?
- Honor Before Reason: Kraven is hunting Spider-Man because Green Goblin had hired him. Despite everybody thinking he is dead, he didn't care, and had to honor the contract.
- Hunting the Most Dangerous Game
- Ironic Nursery Tune: Rhino is beating Peter to death to the tune of "Itsy Bitsy Spider".
- Legacy Character: Blackie Drago dons the costume of the Vulture.
- Little Black Dress: What Gwen wears to Valentine's. And wow.
- Loves My Alter Ego: In a platonic way, Flash to Spider-Man.
- Most Common Super Power: Both Mary Jane and Gwen have this in spades.
- My Greatest Failure: I Let Gwen Stacey Die.
- Mythology Gag: When the two Vultures are fighting, Spidey has to save Flash Thompson. The way the two end up against the panorama is identical to the first Amazing Fantasy cover.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Peter goes to seek help from Curt Conners, in order to help defeat the Rhino. This exposes the good doctor to certain chemicals that trigger his transformation into the Lizard.
- Retcon: This mini suggests Kraven has had a hand in earlier Spider-Man foes' clashes with him, probably to stake out his enemy.
- Rogues Gallery Showcase: All six issues feature a different cast member of Spidey's Rogues Gallery, a theme Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale had in their Batman series The Long Halloween and Dark Victory as well.
- Science Hero: Aside from Green Goblin, Spidey has to use his smarts to take down his foes, because overall they outclass him.
- Sinister Subway: Spidey faces off against the Lizard in one.
- Sssssnake Talk: The Lizard, which isssss par for the courssssse.
- Something Blues
- Talking to the Dead: The Framing Device of the book, Peter's recording tapes for Gwen, serving for a Whole Series Flashback.
- Title Drop: Not of the book itself, but of the book Spidey originated from, Amazing Fantasy.
- The Tragic Rose
- Whole Series Flashback
- Worf Had The Flu: Peter's sick for a portion of the book.
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