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Marvel Database

Appearing in "The Birth Of...The Gibbon!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Amazing Spider-Man #110

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Synopsis for "The Birth Of...The Gibbon!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Amazing Spider-Man #110
Spider-Man is upset that Flash Thompson may be a rival for Gwen's affections now that he's a civilian once more. What's worse, he forgot to set his camera to take pictures of the fight he had against the Monks of the Light. In a fit of rage, he throws the camera off the roof top realizing too late that he can't afford to buy a new one, but it is saved by an acrobatic man named Martin Blank. Blank calls himself a freak, but Spider-Man tells him that he's not a freak and he should embrace his abilities and not be a harsh judge of his physical appearance.

Returning to the boarding house where he's staying, Martin reflects on his past and how his love of the Gibbon and the taunts of his classmates led him to join the circus as the human Gibbon. Eventually, he couldn't take the laughter of the audience and ran away from the circus and took refuge in the city hoping to start a new life where nobody would laugh at him. He finally decides that after meeting Spider-Man he should do what he's been planning to do.

Meanwhile, Peter returns home and changes back to his civilian identity. There he finds Gwen and Aunt May waiting for him. When May suddenly changes her tone when she catches herself fussing over Peter, Gwen tells Peter how she and May had an argument about how she is too coddling over Peter. Peter, too tired to do anything passes out in Gwen's arm and she puts him to rest on the couch. When Flash arrives to tell everyone he's okay, Harry asks him to walk Gwen home. Peter wakes up only in time to see Gwen and Flash leave the apartment and assumes the worst before dropping back to sleep.

After a nightmare, Peter is woken up by Flash, and instantly calls his Aunt May. When there is no answer, he decides to rush out as Spider-Man to see if she's all right. Along the way, he's stopped by Martin Blank, who is wearing an ape-inspired costume and calling himself the Gibbon. When Blank tells Spider-Man he's come in hopes that he can become the wall-crawler's partner, this causes Spider-Man to burst out in laughter. This proves to be a mistake because the laughing is the straw which breaks the camel's back for the Gibbon, who lashes out at Spider-Man.

The Gibbon's attack is short lived, when Spider-Man decides that the Gibbon is misguided and not worth fighting, leaving a dejected Gibbon behind to blame himself once more for his failure. Neither are aware that Kraven the Hunter has been watching the battle, and hopes to use the Gibbon as a tool for revenge against Spider-Man.

Appearing in "To Stalk A Spider!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Amazing Spider-Man #111

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Synopsis for "To Stalk A Spider!"

Reprint of the 1st story from
Amazing Spider-Man #111
Kraven the Hunter, who is still recovering from injuries following his battle against Spider-Man and Ka-Zar in the Savage Land, recruits the Gibbon to battle Spider-Man on his behalf. The Gibbon agrees to do his bidding, as Kraven appeals to the rejects desire to get back at everyone who's ever laughed at him.

Web-slinging to Aunt May's, Peter finds a note there from her saying that she's gone away for a while. Spidey leaves when the police arrive, and soon Spider-Man is blamed for kidnapping May Parker. Spider-Man quickly quashes this accusation when he goes to Joe Robertson and turns over the note to him, which Joe convinces Jameson to publish when he confronts Jameson over his ethics as a news reporter.

While at Kraven's lair, the hunter gives the Gibbon a potion that brings out his killer instinct and sends him out on orders to kill Spider-Man. Peter meanwhile has returned home and tells Gwen that Aunt May has left, but tells her not to be hard on herself because her harsh words to Aunt May were long coming. Deciding to search for his Aunt May, he instead crosses paths with the now savage Gibbon. He battles Spider-Man, however, when pressed to make the killing blow, the Gibbon is unable to do so and fights off the effects of the potion and passes out. Spider-Man saves him from a nasty fall and decides to take him to get medical help. Back at Kraven's lair, aware of the Gibbons defeat, Kraven stews over the fact that Spider-Man was once again able to best him in battle.es

Appearing in "The Final Chapter!"

Reprint of the 2nd story from
Amazing Spider-Man Family #1

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Synopsis for "The Final Chapter!"

Reprint of the 2nd story from
Amazing Spider-Man Family #1
  • Synopsis not yet written

Solicit Synopsis

He's the newest Marvel superstar, as seen in the pages of the smash-hit MARVEL APES miniseries! Now, experience the birth of the GIbbon in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #110-111 (1972) - also featuring the often-imitated, never-duplicated Kraven the Hunter! Plus: the Sensational Spider-Monkey stars in a story from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #1` - and a gallery of all your favorite MARVEL APES variant covers!

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