Web Of Spider-Man #28: Torch Bearing

Writer: Bob Layton
Penciler: Steve Geiger

Not a lot of people know that Herschel Shmoikel Pinchas Yerucham Krustofski played the evil 'Clownface' in the 1960s Batman TV series.


Even fewer know that he also portrayed the villain in issue #28 of Marvel's Web Of Spider-Man.


The plot concerns Spider-Man webbing his civilian clothes to the giant torch held by the Statue of Liberty, shortly before Hersh steals it in a team-up with Optimus Prime.


Basically the famous children's klown / TV show presenter had turned to crime because of his enormous financial debts, as explained by Peter Parker, who narrates this episode in flashback.


Herschel gets a number of good lines in this, as well as apparently narrating the bubble gum spot in the break between pages 16 and 17.


Alas, I don't think he was ever invited back onto the show again. Something to do with his hairstyle taking too long to fix in make-up...