Under the Influence: Amazing Spider-Man #230

I first read this issue when I was 10, and it hasn't left my mind since. The plot is simple: Juggernaut is trying to make his way across New York City, and Spidey is trying to stop him. Basic, right? Well you have no idea the abuse Spidey takes in this one. At a certain point, the Webslinger hops on Juggy's back and covers his eyeholes (it's impossible to remove his helmet, because Juggernaut laser welded it to the rest of his uniform). This only pisses off the big guy. Juggy tries to rip Spidey from his back like you might try to rip a burning t-shirt from your torso. That doesn't work. So then Juggy uses his big meaty fists to pound the living fuck out of Spider-Man—with Spidey waiting him out, taking the beating, because he sees that Juggernaut is walking right into a bed of fresh cement. Which does the trick... eventually. But until then, an crippling amount of punishment is dished out on poor old Spidey, making you wonder how his spine didn't crumble into breakfast cereal.

Everytime I write a scene where a character is enduring a serious beat-down (which, um, happens fairly often in my books), I think about this issue. It's the bar I try to beat. Is this a Spidey-like ass-whupping? I ask myself. If not, I try again.

(Under the Influence is an occasional look at the things that warped Swierczy's mind at a young age. You got something that warped your mind? Let Secret Dead Blog know!)