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I seem to recall a one-off Spider-Man comic book issue or series that came out when I was much younger. This would have been between 1990 and 1992. I believe that it was actually a set of two issues, but I'm not certain.

I also seem to recall that I got the first issue for free with a pack of Jell-O chocolate pudding pots.

enter image description here

I recall being frustrated that the issue had left off on some sort of cliffhanger, which is why I think there must have been at least one other issue — although if there was, I hadn't been able to find it.

I seem to recall that there was some "moral message", perhaps anti-drug related, to the plot line which is perhaps why the first issue was being given away freely with chocolate pudding.

What was the title of this issue or series? Was it published by Marvel or was another company permitted to use Spider-Man for the purposes of this special issue / series?

Unfortunately, searches involving Spider-Man, anti-drug, and/or Jell-O do not yield what I'm looking for. Spidey seems to have featured in a number of anti-drug comics, such as the 1971 Amazing Spider-Man issue "Green Goblin Reborn!", but they are not the one I am thinking of. I'm hoping someone remembers.

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    Were you in Canada in the early 90s? If so, it might be Skating on Thin Ice (bonus: cover by Todd McFarlane). Incidentally, they did a whole TPB of Spidey v. Drugz
    – Jason Baker
    Aug 12, 2015 at 23:31
  • I was! My mother is Canadian, and we spent a year there in the early 90s, and I did get the pudding there. (It's not a UK brand.) In any case, I think that's it! I had forgotten that there were regional aspects to the comic. If I were you, I'd go ahead and post that as an answer! :-)
    – Praxis
    Aug 12, 2015 at 23:42

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Since you were in Canada at the time, it very well could be Skating on Thin Ice, the first of a five-issue series of PSA comics sponsored by Health and Welfare Canada (featuring a cover by Todd McFarlane):

enter image description here

The "plot" of the series involves Spider-man busting Electro's plot to smuggle (possibly prescription) drugs into Canada1. The first issue has Spidey giving a young Winnipeg boy a "Ghost-of-Christmas-Present" tour of drug culture, and the other issues dealt with similar moral controversies, including drunk driving and bicycle safety.

ComicVine has a brief wiki summary on the series, but in general information is ahrd to come by.

Atop the Fourth Wall, a comic book critic2 video-blogger, does a "hilarious" review of the first issue that discusses the comic in more detail.

I'm not sure about the pudding cup connection; as far as I can tell this comic was handed out at elementary schools, but then there's not a great abundance of information about it online.

1 The first time I've ever heard of people smuggling prescription drugs into Canada

2 Who I think took a few too many cues from Yahtzee Croshaw, but that's just me

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    That is the biggest hypodermic needle I have ever seen. Is it for a junkie elephant?
    – Wad Cheber
    Aug 13, 2015 at 0:13
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    @WadCheber Well you know, once you start you just need more and more and more
    – Jason Baker
    Aug 13, 2015 at 0:14
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    @JasonBaker : This is definitely it. I can finally finish the story after 25 years, thanks to you. (Something tells me it might not be quite as riveting as the younger me thought it was, but oh well...)
    – Praxis
    Aug 13, 2015 at 0:21
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    @Praxis Always happy to help. Best of luck finishing it; just watching that review has given me an urgent need for a <s>drink</s> healthsome, non-alcoholic beverage
    – Jason Baker
    Aug 13, 2015 at 0:24
  • @Praxis Maybe the elementary school handed out cups of pudding with it. Or maybe you just happened to have a cup of pudding that day while you were reading it at lunch.
    – jpmc26
    Aug 13, 2015 at 6:15

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