Daydream Believers: a Spider-Man one-of-a-kind offbeat issue

“The Daydreamers”

A person’s daydreams would provide intense insight into a person’s self-concept, and I wrap this up with the single issue you could really call experimental in form, as it’s the only one of its kind in Amazing Spider-Man! I mean, they’re trying some O.P.O. (Other People’s Opposition), but the stories themselves are not experimental, but solidly reliable Spider-work. Here is the one chance they took creating an issue some folks might hate on the principle that nothing really “happens,” betting it’d be what most readers would truly appreciate, as we are hitting a phase at Marvel where “down time” is being honored and welcomed, at least in the letters pages.

We’re early in the day I planned to write on “Daydreamers,” and first thing I have to say, as my wife lies dreaming a few feet away, is Roger and John really turn the camera around to catch you on this one! They know that, not only the reading experience, but the quality of daydreams the characters inspire, are the measure of influence and enjoyment. They know comics make you daydream. Here, for once, each scene will share one. Such a personal way to get to know these four characters, while mostly celebrating who they are by nature and not slaving away for the movement of a plot. There’s one nigh-revelation here about a sister whose family haunts Mary Jane: that one moment adds such realism to how we can now see MJ, partying and staying too upbeat to feel the sadness follow. She’s barely thought of anyone in her family outside Aunt Anna since we’ve known her, but we peep into an unexpected twist of her guilty conscience beneath the too-earnest pursuit of the good times. She’s enjoying the most absurd manifestation of perfect success as an actress, behaving in silly ways, when this downer of a vision comes crashing through via word association when she’s told she’s ‘standing in the sister’s way,’ that is, a Catholic nun she didn’t even see, for the burning intensity of her inner world’s drama. That makes her a bit like all of us equipped to so internalize things in story. I like how that single page adds more depth to MJ than she’s experienced since Gerry Conway’s tenure. AS you could see when she reflected on how this break-in news might impact Harry and Liz, Stern’s bringing her back with more peeks beneath her facade of carefree ease: it’s a lot of work, having fun. The endings of MJ’s and Black Cat’s daydreams actually contain an idea each that will prove relevant in the continuing development of both ladies.

Peter’s turns out very similar and ends jarringly, but in time for him to stand up for a bullied kid. Even in a happy daydream, he’s reminded of the under-confidence and desperation that has undermined him so many times since. Lately, that’s seemed long ago. Could be the burglar getting away to become part of the Hobgoblin genesis has those days on Pete’s mind again. But some days, even the glistening shield of Captain America, on his best day as a superhero peer after his most absurd success, he still sees the skinny kid! And who should put so much in the hands of someone when “he’s just some skinny kid!” He inspires a nice daydream, himself, in his parting wake.

Black Cat and JJJ have seemingly hilariously positive daydreams that don’t end on a horrible personal note, very fun ones. One thing about Felicia Hardy’s daydream, however: does underscore how, underneath the mask of her beloved Spider, there’s a face of a man she doesn’t know at all. As for JJJ, your love of the JJJ/ Spidey rivalry may have some bearing on how memorably funny his daydream is. But if this was the first place you ever read about these two rivals, the delightful illustrations would tell all you need to know about its latent juvenalia. But never can I remember a more fun embodiment of how JJJ and Spidey feel about having each other as such irreverent presences. If you could only read a single ASM under this team, here’s the most rewarding pick. I think having this issue where “nothing happens” on the other side of that two-parter bespeaks a lot of confidence from the team and faith in their readership.

Structure notes on The Daydreamers: it uses, again, four different plots, delineated cleanly in the four daydreamers. What I admire about this “off-beat issue” as they liked to say is how it’s relevant to what’s going on in Spidey’s ongoing story. I forgot to mention the gym bag/ JJJ fitness kick as an excellent detail added to tease those who’ve longed to see JJJ go all villain-y again, who think this time, he’s the Hobgoblin. I really think that’s why it’s depicted and even referenced here in Pete’s daydream! Looking back, it’s obviously Marla’s influence on Jolly Jonah trying to live healthier.

If it wasn’t kinetic enough a thrill for some readers, maybe it whet their appetite for more Hobgoblin saga. More than likely, if you were just a kid who occasionally reads these, by the time you’ve taken at least a simple flip through, you’d think it’s hilarious. It’s a wonder “Daydreamers” wasn’t the Assistant Editor’s Month entry, you know?