This issue finishes off a three-part storyline involving one of Spider-Man’s deadliest and creepiest foes – Morbius the living vampire. Morbius reappeared at the end of Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #6 and battled Spider-Man in the following issue. But Morbius isn’t alone – he is possessed by the Empathoid, an alien android who feeds off of the emotions of others. The battle picks up at the start of this issue. Spider-Man gets Daily Bugle secretary Glory Grant to safety (Morbius had kidnapped her in the previous issue in an effort to locate Spider-Man). Spider-Man lands a good punch on the living vampire, but he realizes the fight isn’t through. “Morbius may have gotten his powers through science instead of the supernatural,” he thinks. “But he’s more dangerous than any monster Hammer Films ever sprung on the public!” Christopher Lee may take exception to that, Spidey, but I digress….However, the blow does stun Morbius, who has been weakened because he has not fed. But the Empathoid rises from the fallen Morbius and says he plans to take Spider-Man as a host instead! The Web-Slinger’s punch just goes right through the android. “I-it’s like fighting Silly Puddy!” he thinks. The Empathoid grabs Spider-Man in a bear hug and merges with the helpless hero. When he is possessed by the android, Spider-Man learns how the Empathoid found Morbius and came to Earth. Morbius was transported to an alien dimension back in Marvel Two-in-One #15. However, the dimension was barren, with no prey for him to feed upon. However, he awakens the dormant Empathoid, who needs emotions to feed on just as Morbius needs blood. He possessed Morbius and forced him to return to Earth.

With no way to fight the Empathoid, Peter Parker returns to his apartment and fixes his web shooters, which were damaged in the fight with Morbius. The Empathoid wants Peter to fight Morbius so he can feed off their emotions. Peter says he needs to rest first. "Lemme doze off over the sports section, here...and by evening, I'll be a fightin' fool," he says. The Empathoid is suspicious of Peter's true intentions - and he certainly should be. No way the spectacular Spider-Man is going to knuckle under to an alien parasite! That night, Spider-Man tracks down Morbius, but rather than fight him, he lures the living vampire into the suburbs. "The Empathoid will never free you, Wall-Crawler!" Morbius says. "Not until you're an emotionless, burnt-out husk...destroyed like every being of his world!" Morbius believes he must kill Spider-Man in order to destroy the Empathoid. But Spider-Man keeps on running away, rather than fight. That is, until he arrives at his destination - a college football game. The stadium is packed with cheering, emotionally charged fans. Spider-Man stands atop the stadium and allows the Empathoid to soak all of that emotion in. "I-it's like a wave striking...so much emotion!" the Empathoid says. "All of these emotions...i-it's overwhelming! More than I...than I can...." With that, the Empathoid screams and collapses out of Spider-Man's body. Spidey's gambit worked; "I gambled that if he could feed on emotions...he could also overdose on them!" The story ends with Morbius gliding away, saying any fight he has with Spider-Man can wait until another day.

We also get some more plot development in the ongoing story of Flash Thompson and Sha Shan, the girl who saved Flash's life in Vietnam. In recent issues, Flash has spotted her working at a restaurant, but she has refused to acknowledge her, perhaps because of her intimidating boss. Flash breaks into the apartment above the restaurant where he finds Sha-Shan. But she has some bad news about her boss for Mr. Thompson: "I am...married, Flash! This man -- Achmed -- is my...husband!" A dejected Flash leaves, planning to leave Sha-Shan and Achmed alone. However, the story doesn't end here - it is only beginning and will continue with the classic Brother Power/Sister Sun saga in Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #12.

Next issue: Marvel's newest superhero makes his debut - it's the coming of the White Tiger!

Reviewed by Bruce Buchanan.