Marvel Comics is known for its incredible characters and sprawling universe, but sometimes, you stumble upon a story that’s just delightfully bizarre. As a content creator at pets.edu.vn, and a self-proclaimed expert on… well, let’s say “amazing creatures” of all kinds (even the fictional ones!), I recently unearthed a gem featuring Spider-Man, J. Jonah Jameson, and, crucially, Peter Parker And Gwen Stacy, in one of Marvel’s most outlandish locales: the Savage Land.
For the uninitiated, the Savage Land is a prehistoric jungle inexplicably located in Antarctica. Yes, you read that right: dinosaurs and lush vegetation amidst the frozen wasteland. It’s the kind of wonderfully absurd concept that makes reading Marvel comics so entertaining, where even amidst the serious superheroics of Captain America and Iron Man, you have characters like Ka-Zar, a loincloth-clad Tarzan analogue, battling dinosaurs in the Antarctic. Previously, I explored another Savage Land story involving Stegron the Dinosaur Man, but this time, we’re diving into a tale that truly showcases the Savage Land’s wildness, all while throwing Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy into the mix with the ever-bombastic J. Jonah Jameson. Get ready for dinosaurs, cavemen, a touch of King Kong, and classic Spider-Man romantic angst – comic book craziness at its finest!
The story picks up shortly after Peter Parker’s less-than-ideal adventure with extra arms and a vampire incident. Thankfully back to his usual two-armed self, Peter is swinging through New York City, grappling with the usual petty criminals and, more importantly, his relationship with Gwen Stacy. His recent multi-limbed escapade forced him to disappear for a while, and he’s understandably worried about Gwen’s reaction. However, romantic woes are quickly sidelined by the entrance of the real scene-stealer: J. Jonah Jameson.
Jameson, in full journalistic panic mode, is holding an emergency meeting at the Daily Bugle. Circulation is plummeting, and he blames television for its speed and efficiency in news delivery. Desperate for a sensational story to boost readership, fate (or convenient comic book plotting) intervenes. A television interview airs, featuring an explorer named Calkin recounting tales of a monstrous creature in the Savage Land. Jameson’s eyes light up – monster hunt in a dinosaur-filled jungle it is!
Naturally, Jameson decides he himself must lead this expedition, and who better to bring along as a photographer than the ever-reliable (and underpaid) Peter Parker? Robbie Robertson, the voice of reason, points out the inherent danger and lack of benefits for a freelancer like Peter, but Jameson, blinded by the scent of a front-page scoop, dismisses these concerns. He instructs Robbie to summon Peter to the Bugle immediately.
This, of course, throws a wrench into Peter’s plans. He’s just arrived home to a waiting Gwen Stacy, trying to concoct a believable (and non-vampire, non-extra-arm-related) excuse for his recent absence. Just as he seems to be smoothing things over with Gwen, Robbie’s call comes through. Initially, Peter is intrigued by the adventure, seeing it as a way to earn money, perhaps even enough for an engagement ring for Gwen. However, Gwen is less than thrilled about Peter rushing off to a dangerous, dinosaur-infested jungle. In a move that is either incredibly sweet or slightly misguided, Peter decides to bring Gwen to the Bugle office so she can witness him declining Jameson’s outlandish proposition. Romantic? Perhaps. Effective? Not so much.
Upon arriving at the Bugle, intending to refuse Jameson’s dangerous assignment, Peter and Gwen Stacy find themselves in the midst of classic Jameson manipulation. Within minutes, Jameson, with his unmatched persuasive (or perhaps just overwhelming) personality, convinces them that not only should Peter go to the Savage Land, but Gwen should accompany him! Jameson’s reasoning? “Sex appeal” for the photos, naturally. Yes, J. Jonah Jameson, newspaper magnate, is also a master of questionable business tactics. And in a truly astonishing turn of events, it works! Gwen and Peter, somehow swayed by Jameson’s logic (or perhaps the sheer absurdity of it all), agree to join the expedition to the Antarctic dinosaur haven.
While Peter and Gwen enjoy some pre-Savage Land couple time, perhaps catching a show like Jesus Christ Superstar (a very 1970s detail!), Jameson is busy making the expedition a reality. He ropes in the explorer Calkin, charters a ship to Antarctica, and arranges a helicopter to take them into the heart of the Savage Land. Two days later, the unlikely trio, plus Calkin, sets off. Arriving in Antarctica, they meet a somewhat apprehensive Calkin, who gives them one last warning about the perils of the Savage Land. Jameson, ever confident, brushes off the concerns, and they fly into the jungle. Incredibly quickly, the frozen landscape transforms into a humid jungle, ready for monster hunting. But first, in another move that only J. Jonah Jameson could orchestrate, there’s time for Gwen to change into a bikini. Priorities, after all, when you are running a respectable newspaper. With that crucial task completed, they begin their exploration and immediately stumble upon something unsettling.
In the middle of this supposedly uninhabited jungle sits a giant sacrificial altar. If that wasn’t creepy enough, Calkin reveals that Gog, the monster they are hunting, is even larger than this imposing structure. Jameson, never one for patience, decides to take matters into his own hands and starts banging on a giant gong near the altar. Predictably, this attracts attention. A group of furry, proto-human cavemen emerge from the jungle, rushing towards the group. The cavemen, however, seem terrified of the altar itself, halting their advance when they reach it, keeping a respectful distance from Peter, Gwen, and Jameson. As Jameson, in his typical fashion, starts pontificating about the cavemen’s ways, a mighty roar echoes through the jungle. The cavemen scatter in terror, and from the brush emerges Gog, a massive, tusked creature wearing a rather stylish tunic, and clearly not pleased by the gong-ringing disturbance. Before anyone can react, Gog grabs Gwen and strides off into the jungle. Peter, naturally, is not about to let that stand. He gives chase, trying to remain inconspicuous and avoid revealing his Spider-Man identity. This turns out to be a tactical error, as Gog casually flicks Peter away like an insect, sending him tumbling off a cliff.
Peter survives the fall, albeit in rough shape. Now alone and away from Jameson and Calkin, he decides secret identities are secondary to Gwen’s safety. It’s Spider-Man time. He briefly considers the implausibility of Spider-Man independently being in the Savage Land, but Gwen’s well-being outweighs the risk of revealing his secret. Donning his costume, Spider-Man swings into action, determined to rescue Gwen Stacy from the clutches of Gog.
While Spider-Man is in pursuit, Jameson and Calkin are debating whether to cut their losses and abandon the rescue attempt. Jameson, surprisingly, shows a flicker of remorse for potentially getting Peter and Gwen killed, though he’s equally concerned about the lack of sensational photos. Just as Jameson is lamenting their predicament, Ka-Zar, the lord of the Savage Land, arrives, drawn by the commotion. It turns out Jameson and Ka-Zar have a history, having met during a previous New York adventure. Jameson explains the situation, and Ka-Zar, ever the noble jungle protector, agrees to help track down Gog and rescue Gwen. However, they soon discover that Gog isn’t acting alone. He’s taking orders from his master: Kraven the Hunter.
In a surprising revelation, this story marks the first time Kraven the Hunter has appeared in this retrospective series. Sergei Kravinoff, the world’s greatest hunter, having conquered every beast on Earth, sought a new challenge. He found it in the Savage Land, aiming to dethrone Ka-Zar and, apparently, find a queen. Thanks to Gog’s kidnapping efforts, he believes he has found her in Gwen.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man is navigating the jungle, battling giant snakes in his relentless pursuit of Gog. He eventually spots Gog, sans Gwen, crossing a river. Realizing Gog will lead him to Gwen, Spider-Man decides to follow, requiring a river crossing of his own. Spotting a small tree, he uses it to catapult himself across the river. Unfortunately, Peter Parker’s luck strikes again. He overshoots his landing and plunges directly into a pit of quicksand.
Panic sets in as Spider-Man struggles in the quicksand. He attempts to use his web-shooters to anchor himself, but in classic Peter Parker fashion, the branch he webs onto snaps off. To make matters worse, his web-shooters jam, seemingly sealing his muddy fate. Just as Spider-Man is about to succumb, salvation arrives in the form of Ka-Zar, who has also been tracking Gog. Ka-Zar pulls Spider-Man from the quicksand, and they quickly join forces. Ka-Zar explains the situation with Kraven, vowing to help Spider-Man rescue Gwen.
Back at Kraven’s lair, Gwen is subjected to Kraven’s villainous monologue. Kraven explains he grew bored with hunting mundane animals. Hearing of the Savage Land, he traveled there to conquer it and challenge Ka-Zar. He stumbled upon a downed spaceship and, inside, discovered a pen containing a baby Gog. Taking the pants-wearing infant alien as a sign of intelligence, Kraven freed Gog and raised him as his son. Gog, it turns out, grows exponentially, becoming the giant he is today, and Kraven has used him to subjugate the local cavemen, forcing them to build the altar to Gog.
As Kraven finishes his exposition dump, Spider-Man and Ka-Zar arrive, observing from the trees. Peter, still concerned about maintaining his secret identity in front of Gwen, proposes a plan: he’ll distract Gog while Ka-Zar rescues Gwen and deals with Kraven. Spider-Man swings down, punches Gog, and lures the giant alien away into the jungle, giving Ka-Zar his opening. Ka-Zar confronts Kraven, fulfilling Kraven’s desire for a battle. The two engage in a brutal fight, filled with jungle-themed combat and villainous trickery.
The fight between Ka-Zar and Kraven is a savage affair, filled with jungle law pronouncements and honorable (and dishonorable) combat tactics. Kraven eventually gains the upper hand, attempting to strangle Ka-Zar with a noose. However, Ka-Zar manages to kick Kraven off a cliff and into a deep crevasse. With Kraven seemingly defeated, Ka-Zar rushes to Gwen’s side, assuring her safety, and begins leading her back to Jameson and Calkin.
Meanwhile, Spider-Man is leading Gog on a merry chase through the jungle. Eventually, he loses Gog and tries to find his way back to the others. Unfortunately, he stumbles upon an angry Tyrannosaurus Rex. Before a dino-Spider-Man showdown can occur, Gog bursts through the trees and attacks the T-Rex, enhancing the King Kong parallels. Gog defeats the dinosaur and resumes his pursuit of Spider-Man. However, Spider-Man has now maneuvered Gog to his intended location: the quicksand pit. Gog blunders into the quicksand, and Spider-Man, with a surprising lack of remorse, watches as the alien creature suffocates. With Gog dispatched, Peter removes his costume and returns to camp as Peter Parker, much to the shock of Jameson and Gwen. Reunited and safe, the group bids farewell to Ka-Zar and heads back to New York, vowing to leave the Savage Land and its dinosaurs far behind.
This Savage Land adventure featuring Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy is pure comic book gold. The sheer absurdity of J. Jonah Jameson leading an expedition to the Savage Land for newspaper sales is brilliant. Bringing Peter and Gwen along, with Gwen as “sex appeal,” is peak Jameson insanity. But the real genius is Kraven the Hunter as a Savage Land overlord, raising an alien son to conquer cavemen. It’s wonderfully, delightfully bonkers, and a perfect example of the kind of crazy creativity that makes Silver Age Marvel comics so endlessly entertaining. It’s no wonder Kraven later went on to such extreme measures against Spider-Man; losing his giant alien son in a quicksand pit is bound to leave a mark.
The Amazing Spider-Man #103 & 104, a true testament to Silver Age madness, were brought to life by the creative team of Roy Thomas, Gil Kane, Frank Giacoia, Artie Simeck, and Stan Lee in 1971.
Perhaps this tale of fatherhood (of a sort) would have been perfect for Father’s Day!
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Categories: Marvel Madness
Tagged as: 1971, J Jonah Jameson, Ka-Zar, Kraven the Hunter, Marvel Madness, Savage Land, Spider-man, the Amazing Spider-Man
