#mark allan

David Bowie Photoshoot - Glasgow, 1995

Beck performing on Top of the Pops in England, November 1999

Photo by Mark Allan

Like there isn’t really a big switch moment it just happens thanks to a series of circumstances and before you know it they genuinely like each other, and you can buy Peter thinking of them to find strength against the symbiote. It’s the sort of thing where you look back and are like, Huh Yeah we really did change. Really sells that they aren’t just shallow bullies, in fact they’re all dumb kids who get in over their heads but mean well and are trying to get through in life. I would genuinely vibe with a compilation of just the high school antics because I find them underrated; Just the mundanity of people trying to live life, and how this extends to the other civilian plots with the Daily Bugle and whatnot.

It also makes me mourn that we never got a resolution with Mark Allan because lbr, they were gonna go a comic route and have him finally wizen up by asking Spider-Man for help. He has the setup to make another bad deal with the villains but finally conquers his gambling addiction by avoiding the risk and just taking the L to sincerely ask another person for help.

And it’s fascinating because Mark has so much potential as a parallel to Peter. He’s introduced initially as a member of Peter’s life, as another one of the kids, he’s Liz’s brother and a friend to MJ. He’s another moment of Peter and Spidey’s lives intersecting, but unlike Eddie he’s ultimately a well-meaning victim of circumstance. I can’t help but feel like Mark is someone who Peter could’ve talked to, who could understand, who has also walked both worlds; The civilian and super ones. The world of superpowers taking away from the world with his friends. Mark knows what it’s like dealing with the supervillain crowd but they also started as high school friends.

Realistically I’m not sure Mark could’ve gone back to school after becoming Molten Man, but it makes me wonder as to how the writers would’ve handled him post-turnaround. Since his powers are controlled by the actual villains, it’s a pretty easy excuse for why the supervillain can’t help Spidey now; His powers are no longer in reach, maybe the remote is destroyed and that means Mark can return to a normal life, albeit in hiding mayhaps.

22 January 1988 - Lee Starkey is photographed hanging out at the London Hard Rock with singer Tiffany in front of a poster of a signed photo John Lennon dedicated to the London Cafe in the 70s. The place had just re-opened after a small kitchen fire closed things down for a few days but didn't damage any of the music memorabilia.

Photo: Mark Allan. Published on the January 25 1988 issue of the "Daily Mirror".

“Now this is an avengers level threat”