I: Feature Story: "Kraven, the Hunter!"

Pages: 22

Script: Stan Lee
Pencils: Steve Ditko
Inks: Steve Ditko
Letters: Artie Simek

First Appearance: Kraven, the Hunter; Rocky, Nails & Pee Wee; Mrs. Watson

Villain: Kraven, the Hunter, the Chameleon, Rocky, Nails, Pee Wee

Guest Appearance: J. Jonah Jameson, Betty Brant, Liz Allan, Flash Thompson, Aunt May

Cameo Appearance: Mrs. Watson, Mr. Warren

Marvel Milestones: First mention of Mary Jane Watson

Gadgets & Technology: Kraven Cuffs

Synopsis: Spider-Man busts up a collection of two-bit hoods, but unbeknownst to him, one of them happens to be his old foe the Chameleon! Returned from the exile of deportation after his last crime was aborted by Spider-Man, the Chameleon was trying to put together a gang of hoods to help him build up his own crime wave. After this recent experience with Spider-Man, he is more determined that ever to eliminate him as a threat! To do so, he decides to enlist the aid of Kraven, the Hunter.

When word gets out that Kraven has arrived by ship at the docks, Jameson calls on Betty and Peter to accompany him to get the scoop. As they arrive, Liz Allan, Flash and the gang from school are also there to dig the big scene. Liz flirts with Peter, which drives Betty up the wall! As the crowd gawks at the dashing Kraven, some gorillas and cobras escape from their housings. Peter rushes to change into Spider-Man, but before he can return, Kraven has already deftly corralled the rampaging beasts. When the dust settles, Kraven tells Jameson he is here to hunt down a human target - Spider-Man!

Kraven meets up with his employer, the Chameleon, and they discuss their plans to defeat Spider-Man. Later that night, Spidey is out on patrol and comes across a gang of thugs committing a robbery. He swoops down on them and uses his spider-skills to defeat them, but little does he know this is all a set up by the Chameleon, who arranged for these thugs to be there. Kraven watches from on high, studying Spider-Man's every move, so as to better defeat him later. After Spidey has delivered the thugs to the police, Kraven jumps upon him. Spidey tries to evade him, but the jungle hunter is extremely quick, and lands some debilitating punches. He also nicks him with a poison that gives Peter the shakes. Spider-Man decides to escape while the getting is good and heads home with a seriosu case of dizziness, with his arms and hands twitching.

The next morning, Peter wakes up and is as agile as ever, but he still has the shakes. During breakfast, Aunt May informs him that her neighbor, Mrs. Watson, has set him up with a blind date with her niece. Peter doesn't want to go through with it, but reluctantly agrees. When Peter enters the office at the Bugle, Betty is still giving him a hard time about Liz Allan. In Jameson's office is Kraven the Hunter, discussing his plans with the publisher. This worries Peter greatly, wondering what is up with Kraven, and later at school, he is still trembling so much that he is dropping test tubes in the science lab. This embarrassment combined with newspaper headlines that discuss Kraven's plan to defeat Spider-Man have Peter terribly worried.

That night, the Chameleon and Kraven hatch their last plot. They head to the park, and when Spidey's tingling spider-sense goes off, he knows he's near his quarry. He spots Kraven walking into the park, and sneaks up behind him. It's not Kraven, however - it's the Chameleon! The real Kraven sneaks up behind Spidey and captures him in a very strong net, but in a matter of seconds, Spider-Man has located the net's weak link and busted through it. Before he can get away, Kraven clamps a set of high-tech magnetic cuffs to Spidey's right arm and right ankle. A magnetic pull gets stronger and stronger, pulling the two magnets together. An intense act of strength and will are all Spider-Man can do to keep the cuffs on his wrist and ankle to connect with each other, but as he runs away, he uses his webbing to gum them up and stop the magnetic field. He leaps back into action and takes care of the Chameleon, then sets out to capture Kraven.

He uses his spider signal to intimidate Kraven, and make the hunter the hunted! With the tables turned, he puts Kraven on the run, until there is nowhere left but for the two to fight it out in final battle. Spider-Man proves too strong for Kraven, and Spidey captures him in a wall of webbing. The police come and arrest the diabolical duo, and deport them to South America. Peter takes some great pictures that Jameson buys, and Betty apologizes to Peter for being so rude to him about Liz. She suggests they could do something that night, but Peter begs off to make room for the blind date with Mrs. Watson's niece. Betty pouts about this, and Peter isn't too happy about it, either. When he gets home, Aunt May tells him that Mrs. Watson's niece is sick and can't go out. Peter tries to call Betty, but she hangs up on him. He calls Liz, but she's out on a date with Flash. Peter sulks through a night home alone.

--synopsis by Gormuu

Issues Reprinted
Spider-Man from
Amazing Spider-Man #11-19 and Annual #1

Click on cover image to learn more about each issue.