I read a lot of comic books as a kid. This series of posts is about the comics I read, and, occasionally, the comics that I should have read.

Let’s be real about it. The holidays can be a trying time. That’s true for those with less demanding jobs. It’s doubly true for those who have great power and a commensurate level of responsibility. Whatever irritating family dynamics might crop up for some, they likely don’t have to endure spending their Christmas season in the middle of a battle between two humans who were transformed into reptilian brawlers by acts of scientific hubris. That’s the ol’ Parker luck in action.

The Amazing Spider-Man #166, written by Len Wein and drawn by Ross Andru, finds the wily wall-crawler of the title in precisely that precarious position. He’s already been tangling with Stegron, a villainous figure who’s essentially part man and part Stegosaurus, and matters get worse when his friend and mentor Dr. Curt Connors is stressed out enough to transform into his vicious alter ego, the Lizard. Spider-Man has his hands full, up to and including tidying up the Connors’ household Christmas decorations.

This is extremely comprehensive superheroing. There’s a reason he can accurately call himself the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

Of course, with such a weighty load of duties, Spider-Man must make some sacrifices. It’s hard to maintain a proper social life when web-slinging around Manhattan in pursuit of blustering baddies.

His regretful RSVP delivered, Spider-Man is off to find his fearsome foes. Luckily, when two extremely strong, scaly brutes go romping through a snowy city, they’re not exactly stealthy about it. Before too long, our web-headed hero is able to use his sleuthing skills to track down Stegron and the Lizard while they are trading blows. Spectacularly, he rushes right in to join in the fisticuffs.

A dedicated deliverer of justice, Spider-Man bests the beasties. The Lizard is returned to the benevolent form of Dr. Curt Connors, and Stegron flees, only to succumb to the freezing cold. He sinks into a Central Park waterway, presumably to never be seen again. (He would be seen again.)

Maybe Spider-Man didn’t save Christmas, but he did manage to make it a little better for at least one New York family. That surely cements his place on the Nice List.

Kirby bless us, everyone.

Previous entries in this series (and there are a LOT of them) can be found by clicking on the “My Misspent Youth” tag.