Web of Spider-Man # 82 1991 VF+

Web of Spider-Man #82, published by Marvel in November 1991, features a standalone story titled "Pumping Up!". Written by Kurt Busiek with art by Ron Wilson, the issue is a "Copper Age" filler story that focuses on the physical and psychological toll of performance-enhancing drugs.

Plot Summary

The story follows the classic villain Man-Mountain Marko, a member of the Maggia crime family who has become increasingly unstable due to chronic steroid abuse.

• The Conflict: Marko rampages through a bar, inadvertently burying Spider-Man under a collapsing wall while trying to collect protection money.
• The Kidnapping: Reporter Ben Urich informs Spider-Man that Marko has kidnapped a young boy named Johnny. In reality, Johnny is a fan who joined Marko willingly, hoping to be trained by the "strongest man in the world".
• The Resolution: Spider-Man tracks Marko to a gym and eventually his home. Despite Marko's chemically-enhanced strength, Spider-Man uses his agility to outlast him until Marko eventually collapses from exhaustion.