** (two of five stars)
Favorite Quote: "Well, there was, y'know...my Spider-Sense and...and the bank..and...yelling...and then Sandman hit me." -- Spidey getting all fan-boy upon meeting Cap
Summary
On his way to "The Bugle," Spidey encounters Sandman robbing a bank. Spidey is in need of some help...and Captain America delivers, with a shield to the back of Sandman's head. (Sandman had converted to granite to strangle Spidey.) Cap tells Spidey that he'd been looking for him to thank him for saving his life (in "Avengers" #11 -- the 1963 version, not the new one). Spidey gets all fan-boy flummoxed. Just as Cap and the cops slap a power-inhibiting collar on Sandman and bundle him into the paddy wagon, a group of "rogue scientists" teleport onto the scene, declaring they intend to kill Sandman to prevent him from killing 27 percent of the world's population. Cap tells them he won't allow it; in response, the leader (Darwin) attacks him while Kafka (yup) goes after Sandman. Spidey grabs Sandman and escapes with him. Curie irradiates plants on top of a building, which grab Sandman. Cap and Spidey free and hide Sandman and then engage the rogue scientists. During the battle, Curie's radition powers irradiate Sandman, causing him to grow. Sandman declares that, once his growing power overcomes his inhibitor collar, he'll kill 27 percent of the Earth. Spidey tells Tesla to soup up the collar so it can constrain him, which knocks out Sandman and returns him to normal. It's revealed that Darwin knew that this eventuality would happen and chose it (rather than one of the easier 17 ways) to impress Curie, which (sigh) works. The rogue scientists disappear and the next-day papers credit Cap with saving the city. Cap approaches Spidey about it, offering to hold a press conference to support him, but Spidey passes, knowing that it could drag down Cap and telling Cap that his opinion is the only one that matters. Cap realizes that, if he could work side-by-side with other misunderstood would-be heroes, he could rehabililitate their reputations, giving him the idea to offer Avengers membership to Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch.
The Review
OK, I'm not a super fan of the "untold tales" type of story, so I'm a bad audience for both the stories in this book. I only cover the main story here and, um, yeah, it wasn't my cup of tea. It's fine, in a goofy, annual type of way, but I think a story billing the first team-up involving Captain America and Spider-Man could probably have been centered around something other than a group of rogue scientists deciding to off Sandman so he doesn't kill 27 percent of the world's population. Sandman's never really been that homicidal, so it made no sense to me when, once irradiated, he announces he's going to fulfill the scientists' prediction. Plus, the ending -- of Cap getting the idea for including Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and the Scarlet Witch in the Avengers -- is exactly the type of reason I hate "untold tales" stories. Although it quite possibly could've been true that Cap was inspired by Spider-Man to do so, it seems unlikely, particularly since it's never been mentioned before. All in all, it's not that great of an issue, but I'll give it a two simply because it's not the worst annual story I've ever read. (How's that for a back-handed compliment?)
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