Web of Spider-Man Annual #4

History

Steve Gerber — the writer who created Man-Thing in the early 1970s — was brought back into the Spider-Man orbit for this annual, an unusual pairing since, as contemporary readers noted, Gerber had not previously written Spider-Man for Marvel. His presence was likely a deliberate editorial choice, allowing him to reconnect with the Man-Thing and the Nexus of All Realities in a story that required both characters. The 'Evolutionary War' backbone was overseen by editor-in-chief Tom DeFalco and coordinated by writer-editor Mark Gruenwald, who scripted the running High Evolutionary backup serial (art by Ron Lim and Tony DeZuniga) that wove through all eleven participant annuals. Jim Salicrup edited the individual issue; Cynthia Martin penciled and inked the lead story while Alex Saviuk handled the Poison origin backup, and John Romita Sr. contributed to the cover alongside Saviuk.

Trivia · 7 facts

• First appearance of Poison (Cecilia Cardinale) and the extra-dimensional entity Ylandris, both created by Steve Gerber and Cynthia Martin, in the lead story 'Sweet Poison!'
• Poison's origin — a Cuban exile who survives a fatal illness by merging with the alien warrior Ylandris, whose name translates to 'poison' in English — is immediately expanded in the second backup story 'Night Stalking!', also written by Gerber with art by Alex Saviuk.
• The issue is Part 8 of 'The Evolutionary War,' the first Marvel crossover event conducted entirely through annuals, spanning eleven 1988 annuals from X-Factor Annual #3 through Avengers Annual #17.
• The third backup, 'All My Children,' written by Mark Gruenwald with art by Ron Lim and Tony DeZuniga, covers key elements of the origin of Quicksilver (Pietro Maximoff) and the Scarlet Witch (Wanda Maximoff) as part of the running High Evolutionary history serial, with appearances by Bova, Jonathan Drew, Jessica Drew (in her youth), Robert Frank, and other Wundagore-connected characters.
• A 'Spider-Man: The Year in Review' pin-up feature recaps major events from the Spider-books of the preceding year, including the alien costume saga and the Kraven's Last Hunt storyline.
• The cover date is October 1988; the actual release date recorded in the Grand Comics Database is June 21, 1988; the cover was produced by Alex Saviuk and John Romita Sr., with Tom DeFalco as editor-in-chief.
• Poison subsequently starred in an eight-part Steve Gerber–written serial in Marvel Comics Presents #60–67 (1990), again illustrated by Cynthia Martin, before falling into extended disuse and resurfacing years later in Spider-Man #64.

Cast · 25 characters

Full credits

Key issues in Web of Spider-Man Annual

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#9 1st appearance — Vortex

Variants (1)