Fun to be working with Howard, of course. I'd originally come aboard with the understanding that I would be writing and drawing AMAZING, and Howard and I would concentrate on different aspects of Parker's life, so the parallel series would each have their own "voice." At very nearly the last minute, editor Ralph Macchio called to tell me they'd decided they wanted the books to be as much ALIKE as possible, so same writer, same inker.

I was okay with this, but I did ask that we keep the "different aspects" angle. I was worried that the books might morph into essentially a biweekly, and I'd end up drawing a lot of Part Ones. Unfortunately, that's exactly what did happen. Looking back, it's hard to imagine otherwise, whoever the writer might have been.

But, like I said, it was fun working with Howard -- altho I am sure he still delights in telling tales of the anguished phone calls he would get from me after I read the latest plot and saw the "impossible" things he was asking me to draw!

The real downside in all of it, tho, was the more moronic levels of fandom electing ME as the villain of the piece. I had, after all, made it conditional to my doing the book that Aunt May be brought back, and baby May be killed. (Neither of those were true.). I also demanded that CHAPTER ONE become the official Spider-Man continuity. (Again, not true.)

In the end, I gave up on the uphill battle and left quite a bit sooner than I expected, with my departure from Marvel altogether not far behind.