Here's a fairly simple story which still goes to show why Spidey is one of my favorite non-Bat related superheroes. He's known for his snappy zingers, his great powers and responsibilities, and in this ish, compassion for his enemies.
There are quite a few plot lines running through this issue, no doubt from the other Amazing, Spectacular, Stupendous, Scrumptious etc. Spider-titles. In Cliffs Notes fashion, Thomas Firehart, aka The Puma has taken over the Daily Bugle from J. Jonah Jameson, Mary Jane has taken custody of her Cousin Kristy, and Robbie Robertson, presumed dead, is not dead.
The main event of this story, titled "Rematch" concerns down on his luck ex-wrestler 'Crazy' Max Markham. Max spends his days at a bar in Manhattan with his scrapbook, reliving his glory days in the ring, and that one time he almost beat Spider-Man. You see, Max also used to dress in a big, mechanical fuzzy Bear suit and call himself The Grizzly. He has enough of the local wino's endless mocking, and decides to make something of himself again by finally defeating Spider-Man.
Markham heads to the Tinkerer in his dusty old Fixit Shop storefront, to repair his old suit. It costs him almost everything his has (since Tinkerer was keeping tabs on his bank account, the cagey ol' bastard), but he knows it'll be worth it for his big rematch.
Peter Parker is on his way to catch a train to meet Robertson in Philadelphia, and just misses running into Grizzly. Coincidentally Peter took the photos of he and Spider-Man during their last tussle and he wants him to document their next fight as well. His Spidey sense goes off as his taxi speeds away, and was apparently unaware of the big guy in the bear suit previously standing a few yards away.
Parker's Spidey sense doesn't alert him, however, to the big fuzzy galoot hitching a ride on the top of their moving train, and he goes to investigate. Grizzly gets the drop on Peter and demands he arranges a rematch between him and Spidey since they're such good pals. Peter begins justifiably ridiculing the Grizzly, who commences to fly into one of his trademark rages and starts to demolish the train. For the safety of his friends and passengers on the train, Peter fakes a fall off of the train to change into his web slinging alter-ego.
Spidey shows up on the scene and Grizzly is thrilled to finally get his rematch. They trade blows on the top of the moving train, but when Spidey deduces all he really wants is not to be considered a joke anymore and regain his self-esteem, he realizes the only way to resolve this battle is to throw the match. He feigns defeat and allows Grizzly to toss him off the train into the water below. Satisfied in his "victory" Grizzly disappears into the night and Spidey chalks it up to "they both won". Later, Markham is seen at his local watering hole with a new lease on life. Although he was aware that Spidey threw the fight, he was happy he got his one last shot saying "I know I'm good. What anybody else thinks just don't matter." Until next time, catch you by the spinner rack!
Addendum: As I write this in early April of 2020, the world is in the middle of a global pandemic. Times are scary, and comics have also become more violent and dour for my tastes lately (when they ship again, that is). To see an optimistic hero like Spidey actually help a foe regain his self esteem and end his violent ways is refreshing. Back in 2001, a comic was released showing how Spider-Man would have reacted to and helped his city of New York during the 9/11 attacks. Currently, NYC is the hardest hit city in the US during this outbreak, and when this is over, it would be nice to think that heroes like Spider-Man would also have been trying to help those in his home city currently in need as well.
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