#13,675: Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #74
"If This Be Bedlam!"
Title: Amazing Spider-Man (v001)
Editor-in-Chief:
Stan Lee
Editor:
Stan Lee
Writer:
Stan Lee
Artist:
John Romita Sr.
Inker:
Jim Mooney
Letterer:
Sam Rosen
Cover Date: July 1969
Release Date: April 1969
Pages: 20
Cover Price: $0.12
Story Arc:
Secret of the Petrified Tablet
(2 of 3)
Times Read: 1,438
Times Rated: 739
Universe:
Earth-616
![Silver Surfer (1968) #6 [B Story]](/images/sites/cmro/covers/silver_surfer/v1/006b.jpg)
Issue Blurb
Spider-Man finds Cisero's office and tries to get answers, but fails to do so, leaving him without any hints as to where to find the Petrified Tablet and a family of hostages well known to Spider-Man.
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33 Comments
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brooke
Mar 29, 2026
on one hand, i really never like facial hair. maybe because i don't like men. harry's always had kind of a weird look going on with the wave and the bigass widow's peak, so this is the first time it's felt like he's going in any aesthetic direction with it, and it does kind of work to make him seem like a type of guy. i don't know, i guess i don't hate it.
Mar 13, 2026
7/10 - HARRY "Fu-Manchu Moustache" OSBORN
It's a very good follow-up story, but it has its flaws. I wasn't fully convinced by the Tablet secret; there are some inconsistencies regarding Connors son's age. Also, there's no explanation for why Connors may turn into the wizard due to stress, when until now it hasn't been this way.
Apart from that, the story kept me hooked with perfect pacing, solid action panels, and Spidey's strong presence over New York. I like the emotive relationship that Spidey has with Connors and his family, and also the Maggia characters, especially Silvermane's interactions, were awesome.
It's a very good follow-up story, but it has its flaws. I wasn't fully convinced by the Tablet secret; there are some inconsistencies regarding Connors son's age. Also, there's no explanation for why Connors may turn into the wizard due to stress, when until now it hasn't been this way.
Apart from that, the story kept me hooked with perfect pacing, solid action panels, and Spidey's strong presence over New York. I like the emotive relationship that Spidey has with Connors and his family, and also the Maggia characters, especially Silvermane's interactions, were awesome.
Aug 5, 2025
We've known the tablet for at least 10 issues and the secret is actually worth it so cool
Peter Palmer
+1
Jan 12, 2025
"Parker just ignored me. Then Flash Thompson must be right!" Dude, just chill!
Jul 6, 2024
That mustache needs to jump off Harrys face and become a new Spidey villain for a new horror arc.
4Lost
+1
Oct 4, 2023
Poor Harry. He spent the last few weeks hiding from his roommate so he could show off a few wispy whiskers, but Pete doesn't care. Now 55 years later, no one is paying any attention to Spider-Man because they're too busy laughing at Harry. This is how supervillains get started.
Jul 15, 2023
Silvermane is still old. Well, until the last page. I generally liked this, but the whole idea that the tablet really had the secret written in biological formulae instead of hieroglyphics strikes me just as a really big stretch, designed solely for the purpose of getting Connors into the story. And Harry...just no. Though I understand why he's been hiding for weeks, looking like that. Four stars.
I know Peter heard last issue that Connors had been taken by some men, but thinking when he heard the name at Cicero's that it immediately meant Connors' wife and kid is a big stretch. There's nobody else named Connors? And he didn't even know they were in New York! These are again more machinations just to get The Lizard into a story he doesn't really belong in.
The ending is telegraphed pretty heavily from the beginning. How exactly is Wilson helpful? He doesn't appear to know anything. How does the public all know The Maggia members? Silvermane seems to be aging by the panel. Not sure I buy Connors being able to fight off the change like that. Page 16, panel 6, is the most disturbing thing I've seen in a comic in a long time. Harry just admitted that he's been hiding for some period of time, but Peter's the bad friend? Aunt May needs some of that serum, pronto!
I know Peter heard last issue that Connors had been taken by some men, but thinking when he heard the name at Cicero's that it immediately meant Connors' wife and kid is a big stretch. There's nobody else named Connors? And he didn't even know they were in New York! These are again more machinations just to get The Lizard into a story he doesn't really belong in.
The ending is telegraphed pretty heavily from the beginning. How exactly is Wilson helpful? He doesn't appear to know anything. How does the public all know The Maggia members? Silvermane seems to be aging by the panel. Not sure I buy Connors being able to fight off the change like that. Page 16, panel 6, is the most disturbing thing I've seen in a comic in a long time. Harry just admitted that he's been hiding for some period of time, but Peter's the bad friend? Aunt May needs some of that serum, pronto!
Feb 22, 2023
I miss when this book had actual sub-plots
BaronBytes
+3
Apr 24, 2022
I want to read a Hulk/Lizard book where they go about trying to suppress becoming green.
BlackNess
+2
Feb 2, 2022
Harry's moustache! I'm dead.
Sockamagee
+4
Oct 19, 2021
The only thing better in this issue than the excellent splash page is the shocking last page. Reading this as a kid, I didn't see that coming, despite Silvermane's hints. That tablet finally plays into the plotline more than a MacGuffin that everyone is chasing. Maybe that's why they needed a "dime-a-dozen research scientist from the everglades" instead just a local chemist? (eh @benmason486) The Marvel tapestry of characters is so rich now that even the kidnapped scientist has he own terrible secret (as we were reminded in ASM 72) which keeps up the tension as Connors fears becoming the Lizard again. It's not easy avoiding being green! Maybe Curt should have slipped Silvermane some of his own right-arm-restorer formula instead of the tablet's brew, that would have made an interesting plot twist.
Harry's Fu-Manchu is probably a reaction to MJ's recent hairdo. At least Harry's living up to his name. And just where is MJ lately? Last we saw of her was the end of Spectacular Spidey; she's been MIA ever since. Maybe she's hiding out until Harry is clean shaven once more?
In the letters page, Stan claims back issues of ASM 1 are selling for as much as $15. My oh my how the times have changed...
Harry's Fu-Manchu is probably a reaction to MJ's recent hairdo. At least Harry's living up to his name. And just where is MJ lately? Last we saw of her was the end of Spectacular Spidey; she's been MIA ever since. Maybe she's hiding out until Harry is clean shaven once more?
In the letters page, Stan claims back issues of ASM 1 are selling for as much as $15. My oh my how the times have changed...
Jul 8, 2021
That stash has got to go. And silvermane is no where as interesting as he was in the 90s cartoon. Can't wait to get to the lizard.
Apr 25, 2021
Oh, Harry, no bby.
Superladkid
+1
Sep 7, 2020
Ok, maybe Gwen and Harry’s criticisms of Peter aren’t unwarranted. Would it have been so difficult for Peter to mutter a “nice ‘satche†or something? Surely May taught him some social skills. Anyway, the secret of the tablet is actually pretty satisfying for a 60s comic book. I’m impressed and am looking forward to the conclusion.
Fenrirmoon
+1
May 19, 2020
Harry is rocking a five star 'stache! Awesome! I tried the same when I was in my early twenties with similar results...
Exnihil
+7
Jan 22, 2020
I've been reading comic books for nigh on 35 years and thought there was nothing left in the four-color world that could ever shock me.
That'll do, Harry's mustache... that'll do.
That'll do, Harry's mustache... that'll do.
GroovyGolem
+5
Mar 27, 2019
I actually love how fierce but frail Silvermane is in this one... “Silence! <THWAP!> oh, the strain... so tired...†That’s so awesome.
And in this issue, Harry gives new meaning to the phrase “porn ‘stache†(hehe... did you see what I did there?) Maybe his stage name could be The Green Gobbler. Hmm... did I just take that too far? Maybe.
Regardless, this one had good action, while still fitting in the ol’ Parker angst. Plus, one thing I really like about the combination of Romita/Mooney artwork is that they do great hands!, and this issue is a great example of that! So expressive... not just a bunch of mitts.
Nice to see the return of the Spidey signal too! Been a while...
And in this issue, Harry gives new meaning to the phrase “porn ‘stache†(hehe... did you see what I did there?) Maybe his stage name could be The Green Gobbler. Hmm... did I just take that too far? Maybe.
Regardless, this one had good action, while still fitting in the ol’ Parker angst. Plus, one thing I really like about the combination of Romita/Mooney artwork is that they do great hands!, and this issue is a great example of that! So expressive... not just a bunch of mitts.
Nice to see the return of the Spidey signal too! Been a while...
Russ
+1
Mar 28, 2019
"Been awhile is right" Welcome back, O Golem of the Groovies!
paflad
+1
Mar 18, 2019
The fountain of youth you say? OK, Stan, you got me, I wasn't expecting that.
I mean, I should have been, given Silvermane's behaviour, but I just assumed it was going to be one of those 'whomsoever knows the secret shall be a God' deals
I mean, I should have been, given Silvermane's behaviour, but I just assumed it was going to be one of those 'whomsoever knows the secret shall be a God' deals
philvt101
+9
Oct 28, 2018
One thing I don't get is why does everybody actually need the tablet to decipher it? Aren't there any photographs of the tablet that could be used to decode the hieroglyphs? I mean, it has been on public display before.
May 22, 2018
This issue kinda fell apart for me. Really enjoyed the artwork but I'm trying to not think too much about the plot.
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