"HOMETOWN BOY"

Date: September, 1984

Writer: Tony Isabella
Pencils: Greg LaRocque
Inker: Mike Esposito

Feature Characters: Spider-Man, Iron Man (Jim Rhodes not Tony Stark), Blacklash (formerly Whiplash)

Favorite Quote: "I love New York.....So why am I going to Cleveland?" -Spider-Man

The Story: Blacklash, recently reformed after a battle with Iron Man, returns to his home town looking for a job at a big science convention. He is turned down everywhere because of his rep as a "mad scientist". To add insult to injury, Iron Man is at the fair promoting Stark Industries. Blacklash, not looking for a fight, leaves before his is recognized, and heads home to his parents. After his mom tell's him they have no son anymore, Blacklash heads to a bar to go get drunk with a buddy. The local's at the bar recognize him as the home town lunatic and proceed to hassle him (are people really this stupid?). Well, of course, that's the last straw. Blacklash dons his cape and wig, and demolishes the bar. He then decides if he takes out Iron Man the Maggia will give him his old job back, so he heads back to the science convention to do a little damage. Iron Man and him fight, and as usual Blacklash is smakin' Iron Man around, until Peter Parker (covering the convention for the Daily Bugle) enters the picture. In a good fight, much better than #72, Iron Man, and Spider-Man eventually triumph.

The Grade: A