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Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963 series) #68

Stan Lee | John Romita

Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963 series) #68 cover

Story Name:

Crisis on the Campus!


Synopsis

Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963 series) #68 synopsis by Anthony Silvestro
Rating: 4.5 stars
Image from Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963 series) #68

The Kingpin is made aware of a priceless clay tablet that’s being exhibited at ESU. Many men over the decades have died for it, as it possibly contains valuable secrets, and Kingpin decides he must have it! Kingpin then has his daily workout, effortlessly defeating six of his best men. He fires them for not giving him enough of a challenge, and promises that once he’s acquired the clay tablet, that he and Spider-Man will have their final reckoning! Speaking of Spidey, he swings home after his fight with Mysterio the previous issue, only to find that Harry apparently locked his window! Luckily, Pete is able to sneak in through Harry’s window, as he hasn’t gotten home yet.

The next day, at ESU, Randy Robertson introduces himself to Peter, having been told of Pete by his father. They’re then approached by another student named Josh who makes Pete aware of an issue that’s bugging a lot of the students. After the clay tablet exhibit, the hall is being turned into a private dorm for visiting alumni, even though it was supposed to be a low-rent dorm for needy current students, understandably angering Josh and many others. Over at the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson is blowing a gasket over not getting any coverage of Spider-Man’s recent battle with Mysterio, while Joe Robertson is preoccupied worrying about what’s bugging Randy. Meanwhile, Pete and Gwen pay a visit to Aunt May and May realizes just how serious Peter and Gwen are getting. She gives the two her approval, while also not letting on just poorly she’s feeling.

The next morning, Peter arrives at campus to find the students preparing for a full-on protest! Josh and Randy explain that they’re going to close down the hall with their protest until the administration listens to them. Pete wants to know the dean’s side of the story, and leaves in a huff after feeling like he’s being pushed into protesting with the others. He admits that he agrees with them but that he lost his temper, as the protestors move to storm the hall! At the Bugle, Robbie sees the news of the protest in progress and plans to head down to cover the story himself. The Kingpin also sees the news of the protest and decides he can use it to his advantage in order to steal the clay tablet. At the hall, Josh has the idea of getting ahold of the clay tablet, thinking that it will force the administration to listen to them. Tensions rise as one of the cops guarding the tablet actually pulls his gun, forcing the crowd back! Peter thinks that it’ll be a miracle if no one gets hurt and decides he might as well get some photos in the meantime.

Just then, the Kingpin arrives and sets off an explosion to sneak in, planning that everyone will think the protestors were responsible. Kingpin makes his way through the hall and pushes past Peter, who afterwards changes to Spider-Man to tackle him. Kingpin uses gas to incapacitate the cops, when Spidey intervenes. The two fight a bit, when Randy sneaks up behind the Kingpin, trying to help. Kingpin bats him away causing Spider-Man to savagely lay into the Kingpin, bringing him to his knees. Spidey checks on Randy, but Kingpin fires his cane beam, knocking the wall down on Spidey and Randy! Kingpin escapes with the tablet while Spidey digs himself and Randy out of the rubble. Spidey heads outside, where Randy, Josh, and the other protestors are being arrested. From the crowd, Robbie promises he’ll get them the best legal aid possible, as Spidey swings off in pursuit of the Kingpin! To be continued!


Characters
Good (or All)
ANNAWAT
GSTACY
JJJAMESON
AUNTMAY
ROBBIEROBERTSON
SPIDERMAN
Plus: Randy Robertson.

Enemies
KINGPIN

> Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963 series) comic book info and issue index



This comic is in the following collection:
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Collecting AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #68-85 and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL (1964) #5.
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Main/1st Story Full Credits

John Romita
Jim Mooney
Unknown
John Romita (Cover Penciler)
John Romita (Cover Inker)
Marie Severin (Cover Colorist)
Additional Credits
Letterer: Sam Rosen.



Review / Commentaries


Amazing Spider-Man, The (1963 series) #68 Review by (January 22, 2025)

Review: Spidey gets involved with a college protest, while the Kingpin aims to acquire a priceless clay tablet being shown off at the college. This issue aims to show Spidey tackling more social issues that were very topical at the time. A bunch of the ESU students are protesting the exhibition hall being loaned out for visiting alumni while it was supposed to be a low-rent dorm for needy students. Though this matter is obviously much less severe, it very much feels like it’s trying to evoke the college student protests of Vietnam that were prevalent during this period. It certainly makes Peter feel a little more attuned to what other college students were going through, as he often misses a lot of that stuff due to being Spider-Man. Pete doesn’t actually join in the protest himself, his temper flares up when he feels like he’s being pushed into it, even though he agrees with them, but the attempt to indicate what the youth of the time were participating in still hits.

There’s a particularly tense moment, when the protestors talk about grabbing the clay tablet MacGuffin, to force themselves to be heard. One of the cops guarding it pulls his gun on the protesters, which feels even more wince-inducing given today’s social climate. It causes tensions to flare all around, making the possibility that someone could be hurt, in more than a comic-booky way, feel very real. Kingpin also arrives to steal the aforementioned MacGuffin because something, something, priceless secrets. Honestly, the realistic protest stuff is more interesting than the Kingpin stuff (though the tablet will continue to be important in upcoming issues, making it a bit more than a throwaway plot device). The protestors even get arrested, for a bit more realism, and Spidey has to chase the Kingpin, who escaped with the tablet. This is actually the beginning of the third three-part Kingpin story within 20 issues; Stan and John must have really liked him! That’s a lot of Kingpin in a relatively short period of time!

Comments: Aunt May is accidentally called “Anna” in one panel, by Anna Watson no less!





Thor

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