I believe that I’m mentioned a time or 10 that I’ve been reading comics since the (very) early ‘60s. As you all already know, the character I’ve latched on to all those years ago is Spider-Man. So when I tell you that after 46 years that I can be moved to real emotion by a story (and by the plight of characters) that — for all intents and purposes — I have known all of my life (longer than I’ve known my wife), that is something of a big deal.

Personally I didn’t think that it could actually happen., sure sure I still enjoy reading Spider-Man stories (mostly), and I’m never going to get the character entirely out of my system (even during that brief period between the end of ‘95 to the beginning of ‘01 when I stopped collecting entirely, I wasn’t completely over him).

Amazing Spider-Man #574 I found myself becoming emotional as the story dealt, with not so much Spidey himself, but one of Spidey’s long-time supporting cast members, Eugene “Flash” Thompson. Spidey first met Flash in High School. Flash was always a typical dumb jock who picked on the hapless (brainy) Peter Parker. This lasted all the way through High School,a nd most of the way through College.

Eventually Flash enlisted and went off to war (back then it was Vietnam — these days Marvel tends to fudge that tid-bit as it would make the characters way too old for the audience). Anyway, eventually Flash grew up (mostly) and he and Peter became friendly (they even roomed together for a while). Needless to say, Flash is and always has been something of a jerk. Well in this story, for perhaps the very first time, we gain a real insight into who Flash is, and why he is the way he is.

All along, even though Flash bullied Peter, he had a serious man-crush on Spider-Man. It was always delt with a form of natural hero worship, and well, that was that. Only not so much. You see, there was more to Flash,and to his story that we had ever learned — until now. This story reveals all that. It tells a bit more about who Flash is, and why he is motivated to do the things he does.

And it has a surprise ending that I didn’t see coming.

It is deeply moving, and profoundly evocative. If you don’t read comics, you can pick up this particular comic and read it knowing whatever little you know about Spider-Man and his cast that you already know,and it will still be powerful, because while it so totally not about Spider-Man, it is obvious that Spidey is the heart and soul of this matter.

Why? Because what Stan Lee told us back in 1962 was the truth then, and is the truth now…

“With great power comes great responsibility.”

The Perfessor