Christmas Countdown: Amazing Spider-Man #166
Spider-Man is tracking down the reptile-man Stegron in this Christmas tale from Len Wein and Ross Andru.
Stegron was once Vincent Stegron, lab assistant to Dr. Curt Connors. But, ironically given his surname, he’s transformed into a dinosaur-man after injecting himself with dinosaur DNA. He manages to re-form dinosaurs from skeletons in a museum using a ray he’s invented. He can then command these dinosaurs to battle Spider-Man. (These are some out-there powers.)
When Spidey goes to Dr. Curt Connors for help, it turns out that Stegron has already been there – and triggered Curt Connors’ transformation into the Spidey foe the Lizard.
Spider-Man must stop Stegron’s plans, rescue Curt’s son, and stop the Lizard without hurting Connors. He can’t do it without putting a crimp in Peter Parker’s Christmas plans, however.
With reconstituted dinosaurs, a Manhattan snowstorm and a wedding proposal, “Amazing Spider-Man” #166 is pretty out there, but a fun holiday issue nonetheless, especially for those with 1970s Marvel nostalgia. (I guess a wedding proposal and a snowstorm aren’t that odd for the Christmas season. But the reconstituted dinosaurs, definitely unusual.)
