Amazing Spider-Man #573 – Review

By Dan Slott, Mark Waid (writers), John Romita Jr., Patrick Olliffe (pencils), Klaus Janson, Serge LaPointe (inks), Dean White, Rain Beredo (colors)

The Story: Anti-Venom and Spidey have their showdown with Green Goblin and the Thunderbolts. When the fight kicks into high gear (within the confides of Oscorp no less), the layers begin to peel back and the connection between the Chinese immigrants (last seen in part 1 of this story arc) and the Osborn family is revealed. You get all this and a surprise back-up story by Mark Waid featuring Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central’s Colbert Report for $3.99.

What’s Good? Aunt May getting owned by Mr. Negative is ridiculously funny for all the wrong reasons. Besides, she should be dead anyway.

John Romita shows off his dazzling ability to show ferocity with battles taking place on two fronts. We get lots of big panels, lots of action lines, and tons of dynamic action. This is par for Romita, who excels at this kind of stuff, and it’s this effortless storytelling that makes this comic so good. Having Pat Olliffe return to draw a Spider-Man story is a nice touch, too.

Dan Slott writes fun and hammy dialogue and does his best to tie up loose ends while adding to the intrigue of Harry’s disappearance and his “other life”. The Thunderbolts may be wolves in sheeps’ clothing, but there’s a nice honorable moment here that shows that some of these guys aren’t beyond redemption.

What’s Not So Good? Dan Slott’s dialogue is a bit “too hammy” at times. Spidey saying, “You-you-you suck,” is straying into Ultimates 3 territory. There also seems to be more questions created from this arc than answers. It’s frustrating. Spider-Man completely owns the Green Goblin so easily is feels out of place. The guy barely put up a fight! Lily’s sudden feelings for Peter is way too forced.

I love Stephen Colbert, but the back up story isn’t as funny as it should be. It’s not that the story is bad – it’s silly and cheesy, that’s for sure – but completely unnecessary. I’d rather pay $2.99 and not have the back up story than pay a dollar extra for this. This story would be better served in an Amazing Spider-Man Annual than in a regular issue.  

Conclusion: At $3.99, this issue stings. The final chapter does a good job of delivering the goods, but the newer plot points introduced is making Brand New Day feel a bit too convoluted. We need answers before more plot is introduced.

Grade: B

– J. Montes

Amazing Spider-Man #572 – Review

By Dan Slott (writer), John Romita Jr. (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), and Dean White (colors)

If you haven’t been keeping up with “New Ways to Die,” now is not the time to follow behind the hearse. But for those fans who jumped on board from the start of Brand New Day, issue #572 is a treat. Dan Slott skillfully entangles new plot threads into the arc including some lovin’ and new takes on old villains.

So far, Spider-Man’s being hunted by old nemesis Norman Osborn and his hero-hunting Thunderbolts. While searching the city, Venom (Gargan) mistakes Eddie Brock for the wall-crawler. Recently cured of cancer by the miraculous powers of Martin Li (Mr. Negative), Brock transforms into the Anti-Venom and begins to suck the symbiont out of Gargan. Anti-Venom then tries curing Spider-Man of the symbiont in his blood, and decides to cure him of his irradiated blood, too. Spidey is saved, ironically, by the arrival of the Thunderbolts who take Gargan (and secretly Brock as well) back to base. Meanwhile, Osborn comes to face to face with the Menace, who reveals his plans of controlling New York City politics, which is being disrupted by Osborn presence in Manhattan.  Osborn is beaten, but discovers Spider-Man’s connection to Peter Parker: his Camera.

In this issue, Osborn sends the maniacal Bullseye to catch Spider-Man using the tracking technology in Peter’s camera while he devises a weapon to kill the Anti-Venom… and cure cancer! Beneath that grizzled, bare-knuckled old business man is a psychotic villain with no sense of decency! Spidey has his hands full, as usual, helping Aunt May rebuild the wrecked F.E.A.S.T. Center and trying to milk Harry for information on his dad.

The issue’s tone is a bit different from the previous as we see more of Peter’s life coming into play. Despite numerous baddies out to get him, Slott manages to slip in some sexual tension for Web-head. As Peter tries to figure out what Harry’s knows about Oscorp’s medical activities, he suddenly becomes the emotional crutch of Harry’s girlfriend, Lily Hollister. Possibly a combination of helplessness over her injured father and neglect by Harry, Lily confides in Peter and brings his hand to her lips. The dialogue doesn’t lend itself to a spur of the moment interest in Peter as he’s simply giving generic answers and busy trying to eavesdrop on Harry’s phone call with his dad. There has been something building over the past months between these two that has finally manifested itself when says: “I made a promise. That I’d never let something like that happen again… to anyone I love.” The out-pouring of sensitivity and control appealed to Lily and thus she is smitten. This revelation adds to the depth of their relationship, while emphasizing Peter’s natural attractiveness and his need to keep such feelings at a distance lest the other gets hurt.

We also get an new relationship between Eddie Brock and Spider-man. When Bullseye and his Osborn goons descend on Spider-Man in The Coffee Bean, Brock comes to the rescue. The two duo make an interesting team and its nice to see the hesitant loner side of Spider-Man again. His abrasive and reluctant acceptance of the new Brock makes the story genuinely convincing. “Fine, you wanna help? Take out the guns. Bullseye’s mine!” He’s willing to work with the Anti-Venom so far he does his job, and Spidey gets the big guys.

Lastly, the turn in Osborn also marks a defining point in this story arc.  The man who has been plotting and scheming for the past five issues goes goblin-$@#% crazy and suddenly the man with the plans is the most unpredictable guy in the room. Not to give any juicy bit away, but Romita Jr’s depiction of this change with a certain green and purple mask effectively transforms the cutthroat business man into the visual lunactic. The wide yellow eyes and permanent sadistic smile denotes the new threat to Spider-Man: his archnemesis is back!

With all this hitting the fan, how can you resist finding out “New Ways to Die”? (Grade: A)

-Steven M. Bari

Amazing Spider-Man #570 – Review

By Dan Slott (story), John Romita Jr. (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Dean White (colors)

You know, this title doesn’t need any of that “brain trust” nonsense. It doesn’t need multiple writers or multiple artists (though the artists featured so far with Brand New Day have been most welcomed). All this book needs is Dan Slott and John Romita Jr. And as much as I love this series coming out three times a month, it can go back to being monthly if only to accommodate Romita’s schedule – because ever since he and Slott have come together this title has been nothing but pure comic book fun.

If you’ve been following the last two issues, then your attention is going to be focused on Eddie Brock’s new lease on life. Will he revert back to being a bad guy or will he continue down the (overly) righteous path? Personally, I feel Brock was a decent guy who let greed take him down the wrong path. He wasn’t inherently bad or had a “dark side” to him as that stupid Venom: Dark Origins story might suggest. Here, he’s given a chance at redemption and even to maybe make amends with Spider-Man and surprisingly, he takes it! (He just takes it a little too far.) And this is where the story gets more interesting.

As for Menace, I’m a fan of the character. Sure, he/she’s another Goblin knockoff, but it looks like we’re finally going to get some answers as to who this person is and what his or her real agenda is all about. Per usual, Menace works to disrupt the Mayoral campaign with intimidation only to have his or her plans undone by exerting too much force. I’ll admit, it’s borderline ridiculous when Menace is ultimately chased off by two lowly police officers – one of them being Vin Gonzales – but only Dan Slott could get away with such silliness. Having our silly Goblin finally come face-to-face with Norman Osborn at the end of the issue is pure gold.

Romita’s art grabs the reader and doesn’t let go. He’s in fine form right from the opening panels (the second panel will induce flashbacks of the 1960s cartoon run). From Venom vesus Anti-Venom to Venoms versus Spider-Man, this issue’s just a total blast from cover to cover. Don’t miss out on this one. (Grade: A)

– J. Montes