US Shipping Date: October 1963

Previous Issue: Amazing Spider-Man #7

Synopsis
The Terrible Threat Of The Living Brain!
At the start of a science demonstration, Flash knocks Peter’s glasses off him and causes them to break. Peter has had enough and challenges Flash to a fight after school!

The lesson begins and the visiting scientist introduces The Living Brain! This green flashing robot is the most powerful on the planet and it actually has the capability to think for itself. In the background two men eye up the robot as an opportunity to get rich!

Meanwhile Peter and Flash end up bickering again and their teacher (Professor Warren) decides that their feud has to be decided in a boxing ring!

The two don their kit and begin to spar as the two men try to steal the robot. The Living Brain short-circuits as they move it and it starts to go haywire, running rampage through the school!

Peter accidentally knocks Flash out when he is distracted by the robot but he does not have time to worry about what people think about him. Within seconds he is in his Spider-Man costume and is desperately trying to stop the rampaging robot!

Every attempt to stop the robot is countered by its amazing thinking power and Spider-man is given a run for his money through the corridors of his school! The battle is long and hard with Spidey fading fast but, just in time, he is able to deactivate it by accessing the controls on its chest panel.

In the changing rooms Flash regains consciousness and accidentally trips up the two men who tries to steal the robot and knocks them out.

Spider-Man Tackles The Torch!
Spider-man wants some positive public attention so goes to show off to the Human Torch’s girlfriend Doris. He riles Torch with some webbing and soon the two are showing off as much as they can and competing with each other for one-upmanship!

The rest of The Fantastic Four soon show up and Spidey tries to tackle all of them too! He manages for a while but The Invisible Girl puts a stop to his childish antics. As Spidey takes off, he webs a heart for her on the ground…!

Positive
- Again the power of the problem is put into perspective really well. The Living Brain is a relentless foe and the fast moving panels visualise this with exceptional skill.
- Peter’s fight with Flash is a pure gem
- The countless thought bubbles that put the reader in direct contact with the character and makes the issue full (instead of the potential long fight scene with a robot it could have been)
- The second story draws out more of a rivalry between Torch and Spidey, more so than #1 did, even though they are very similar.
- The fact that Spidey doesn’t tackle a villain with motive is good and that he ends up having to use his brain instead of his smarts – a common theme in these early issues which sets him apart. It is often Peter Parker with spider-powered help that saves the day.
- Good choice of setting for the issue, keeping the backgrounds clear and concise for the action to take centre stage.
- Use of supporting cast once again

Negative
- The Living Brain is soooooooooo dated!
- I don’t think teaching strategies would ever have allowed bullies and the bullied to fight in a boxing ring to solve their problems. (Comments on a postcard if you disagree!)
- The secondary story is entertaining but does not need the massive disproportionate representation on the cover. Still it seems that the Stan Lee is of the belief that The Fantastic Four sells Spider-Man comics.
- Not sure about the showing-off element of Spidey against Torch.

Rating
Cover –
Overall –

Firsts
• Non-human threat
• Physical altercation with Flash
• Fight in school
• Time Spidey saves his classmates (not counting Flash in #5)
• Interesting teaching practice
• Sign of Peter liking The Invisible Girl!
• Spidey uses his webbing to create a bat! (don’t believe me, go back and read the second story!)
• and a glider….
• and as sandbags…
• and as two hand-held parachutes!
• Appearance of Professor Warren

Reviewed by Adam Rivett

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Previous Issue: Amazing Spider-Man #7