Spider-Man and Hulk Weekly #448
☆ Be the first to review + Add to your collection — Join freeSpider-Man and Hulk Weekly #448 delivered to British readers their first encounter with one of the most significant single-issue debuts in Bronze Age Marvel: the story 'You Get What You Need!' from Incredible Hulk #265 (November 1981), which simultaneously introduced Firebird (Bonita Juárez) and Shooting Star (Victoria Star) — two new female characters — and assembled the southwestern superhero team the Rangers for the first time. Firebird in particular would go on to become one of Marvel's most critically noted Latina characters, a distinction that gives this reprint real cultural weight beyond its UK-weekly context. For UK readers in 1981, this black-and-white weekly was often the sole practical access point to new Marvel content, as American issues arrived late and inconsistently; issue #448 therefore marks the moment this landmark ensemble debut crossed the Atlantic in a widely distributed format. The Rangers concept — a regionally grounded, culturally diverse team rooted in the American Southwest — was genuinely novel for mainstream superhero comics of the era.
In "I Want Spider-Man!", the Gibbon—still bitter over past defeats—sees a film crew's pursuit of Spider-Man as a chance to strike again, while the Beetle has his own agenda for taking down the web-slinger. With both villains closing in, Spider-Man finds himself caught in a dangerous game of rivalry and ambush. Written by Roger Stern and illustrated by Jim Shooter with art by Jim Mooney, this 1981 Marvel UK weekly delivers a tense, action-packed showdown, all under a cover by Bob Wiacek.
In "I Want Spider-Man!", Martin Blank, a filmmaker chasing footage of Spider-Man in action, sees a chance to settle old scores as the Gibbon—while the Beetle, too, has his own agenda, plotting to finally defeat the web-slinger. As both villains close in, the city's most elusive hero finds himself caught in a dangerous game of ambush and rivalry.
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We Buy Collections ▸History
Spider-Man and Hulk Weekly was a Marvel UK anthology title that ran from issue #376 (May 1980) to #449 (October 1981), formed when the cancelled Hulk Comic was merged into the existing Spider-Man weekly. By issue #418 (March 1981) it had also absorbed the Marvel Team-Up UK title, becoming a triple-branded anthology before settling back to its Spider-Man and Hulk Weekly identity. Like all Marvel UK weeklies of the period, it published US material in black and white at a faster-than-original rate, meaning British readers consumed the story reprinted in #448 only weeks or months after its November 1981 US publication date. Issue #448 would have been one of the last few issues before the title rebranded yet again — as Super Spider-Man TV Comic — with #450.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First UK appearance of Firebird (Bonita Juárez), created by writer Bill Mantlo and artist Sal Buscema, who debuted in Incredible Hulk #265 (November 1981) — her first appearance in any publication.
- First UK appearance of Shooting Star (Victoria Star), also created by Mantlo and Buscema in the same issue; along with Firebird, she was one of two brand-new female characters introduced in the story.
- First UK appearance of the Rangers as a team: the five Southwestern heroes — Firebird, Shooting Star, Texas Twister (Drew Daniels), Night Rider (Hamilton Slade), and Red Wolf (William Talltrees) — band together after answering a distress call meant for the Avengers.
- The story's central threat is the Corruptor, who has placed the Hulk under his influence; Rick Jones is held captive and the Rangers must neutralize the Hulk to rescue him.
- Night Rider (Hamilton Slade), whose first-ever appearance was in Ghost Rider #56 (February/May 1981, written by Michael Fleisher, art by Don Perlin), appears here in his second substantial storyline — though this UK issue is not his debut.
- The source US issue, Incredible Hulk #265, was plotted by Sal Buscema and scripted by Bill Mantlo, with inks and pencils both by Buscema, coloring by Bob Sharen, and editing by Al Milgrom.
- Spider-Man and Hulk Weekly ran from issue #376 (May 1980) through #449 (October 1981); issue #448 was among the final issues before the title transformed into Super Spider-Man TV Comic with #450.
- Marvel UK published these weeklies in black and white as part of its model of reprinting US back-catalogue for the British newsagent market, where original American comics were often unavailable or arrived months late.
Cast · 14 characters
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Reprints
↩ Reprints The Spectacular Spider-Man #59 (1981), The Incredible Hulk #265 (1981)
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