Amazing Spider-Man #647 – Review

By: Fred Van Lente, Zeb Wells, Bob Gale, Joe Kelly, Mark Waid, Marc Guggenheim & Dan Slott (writers), Max Fiumara, Michael Del Mundo, Karl Kesel, J.M. Ken Niimura, Paul Azaceta, Graham Nolan, Mark Pennington & Adam Archer (art), Morry Hollowell & Antonio Fabela (colors) & J.M. Ken Niimura & Joe Caramanga (letters)

The Story: Brand New Day and the thrice monthly Amazing Spider-Man goes out with a bang and each of the writers (and many of the artists) who were part of BND get to play.

What’s Good: These oversized ASM issues are just gold.  In addition to the “main story” by Fred Van Lente, there are all sorts of short stories that will scratch just about every itch a Spidey-fan might have.  Of the short stories, the winner is probably the fun Norah Winters story by Joe Kelly with art by the very unique J.M. Ken Niimura.  But, there are all sorts of short stories in this issue and although they are all different, they all show just how central Spider-Man is to Marvel’s NYC and the people who live there.

But, the star of the issue is the main story by FVL.  Van Lente is one of the best writers that Marvel has, that doesn’t seem to be settled into one of the major titles.  The guy is so versatile and funny and never cranks out a stinker.  This story is focused squarely on the love life of Peter Parker and his inability to make a move on Carlie Cooper.  Peter’s love life is so central to the tale of Spider-Man and FVL does a great job of capturing the essence of Peter’s problem.  He has no luck with the ladies, but he never has any shortage of smart, attractive and available women hovering around his life.  If he could just get his act together, he could go far and that is the story of this issue.  FVL also gets bonus points for having Spidey fighting crime in a cheap Spider-Man Halloween costume.  Brilliant!

Amazing Spider-Man #600 – Review

By Dan Slott, Joe Kelly, Mark Waid, Zeb Well, Stan Lee, Bob Gale (writers) John Romina Jr, Marcos Martin, Mario Alberti, Derec Donavan, Max Fiu mara, Coleen Doran, Klaus Jansen (art)

The Story: It’s the comic book event of the decade as Aunt May gets married to JJ Sr.! Well, not really, but they finally tie the knot in this six centennial issue of Amazing Spider-Man. Behind the wedding is a extremely solid Spidey story that reintroduces Doctor Octopus and features a who’s-who of marvel heroes taking cameo roles. Additionally, there is several back-up stories that are all good, especially a tear-jerker by Mark Waid featuring Uncle Ben.

What’s Good: This isn’t a comic; its a novel. Seriously– its the size of a small town phone book. And here is a shocker: its worth the 5 bucks! Every story here is good and features great writing and artwork by a slew of creators. Plus, there is a fake cover gallery paying homage to different eras of ASM that was actually funny. But the best part is that there are no reprints of “memorable” past ASM issues.

Let’s start with the art. I wasn’t a big fan of John Romita Jr.’s last showing on ASM during the tepid Character Assassination arc, but here, in a 65-page story no less, he is spectacular. First of all, he draws the best Human Torch I’ve ever seen, which is an infamous and common character to botch. But that is just one gem in his outing here as everyone and everything looks stellar. Thought Doc Ock was lame, cheesy-looking villain? Not anymore.  JRJR has recreated him into a powerfully evocative villain.

Dan Slott crafts a great story here and you can tell he’s loving the extra pages afforded to him to tell this tale. There is a lot happening and the story develops at a great pace. He made Doc Ock into a truly menacing and dangerous villain that your heart will break for. There was one scene when he was watching Spidey and the Torch on a security camera as they were busting on him where I instantly started to root for him. I don’t want to give too much away, but he is a victim in a certain sense.

Last point on the Slott/JRJR tale is that the wedding scene was surprisingly very good. I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed so it’s not saying much, but I was genuinely surprised with the surprise arrival at the end of the story.

As for the other tales, the best of the lot was Mark Waid’s Uncle Ben story. Not often do I fill-up during a comic (read: I Kill Giants), but Waid pulled the tears out of me in this one. Stan Lee actually writes a decent story in the collection too. However, the one I found least satisfying was Joe Kelly’s. I know it was supposed to be a collage of what’s to come in ASM, but perhaps it was too mysterious. However, seeing him re-team with the great Max Fiumara was awesome. Also, Zebb Wells writes a really funny story that busts on all of Spidey’s campiness.

What’s Not So Good: Nothing of note. This is the way an over-sized, 5-buck special should be.

Conclusion: I came into this with high expectations and they were all surpassed. If you’re looking to get back into Spidey after the Brand New Day debacle, get in now. Creatively, everything seems right in the new ASM continuity and I’m looking forward to see what the “brain trust” is going to do with all this momentum.

Grade: A

-Rob G.

Amazing Spider-Man #564 – Review

By Dan Slott, Marc Guggenheim, Bob Gale (writers), Paulo Siquiera (pencils and inks), Amilton Santos (inks), Antonio Fabela (colors)

Whatever you do, do *not* buy this book. If there was ever a sense of duping your readership, this is it. Marvel and Spidey’s “Brain Trust”  of writers should be ashamed of themselves. Remember Dan Slott’s fun-filled “Free Comic Book Day” issue of Amazing Spider-Man titled, Swing Shift? Remember how fun it was and how it brought back a lot of the core elements that made Spider-Man such a fun book?

I remember it well. The art was spectacular, the dialogue was hilarious, and being a free comic in itself was the icing on the cake. Earlier this year, Marvel reprinted the same story but charged $3.99 for the comic. Granted, they threw in a lot of goodies, changed the dialogue, and added in nice supplemental material, but in the end, fans were paying $3.99 for a reprint. A REPRINT!

With Amazing Spider-Man #564 Marvel and its writers have done the unthinkable. They’ve basically retold the same exact story we saw in Swing Shift (again), but this time three times in the same issue. And yes, I understand they’re using a horrible gimmick (derived from Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon) of attempting to tell the story from three different perspectives, but it doesn’t matter. We’re still getting a retreaded story three times, and attention Spider-Man writers: It’s not funny anymore.

Todd McFarlane isn’t a great writer himself, but his Perceptions story arc in the adjectiveless Spider-Man was more entertaining and original than this turd. I really can’t believe the level of arrogance and/or ignorance I’ve seen from this editorial team. Avoid this issue like the plague and come back next week when (hopefully) we get “new” story. The only redeeming factor is Paulo Siquiera’s art. At least it’s pretty to look at.

Brand New Day, my ass. (Grade: F+)

A Second Opinion

I wrote the following review before reading Jason’s, and I’m not quite inclined to be as negative as he was. Though I should mention that I haven’t read Swing Shift nor seen Rashomon.

While there may not have been too much to complain about in this issue, it certainly wasn’t memorable either. Taking a page from the movie Vantage Point, the story within is told three times, each from a different point of view (namely Spider-Man, Vin Gonzales, and Overdrive). The entire story is really one long chase scene as Overdrive tries to escape Spider-Man, and Vin futilely tries to capture them both. We also see that Overdrive was attempting to steal something for Mr. Negative. If anything, the purpose of this issue was to serve as a reminder that Mr. Negative and Overdrive are still out there, and that we will get more stories from them eventually. If these were appealing characters, this knowledge might excite me, but seeing as how neither one interests me, I really don’t care whether or not we learn more about them.

The art isn’t exactly unforgettable either. Don’t get me wrong, Paulo Siquiera’s pencils are solid, his action and “spider-poses” are well conveyed, backgrounds are lush fill instead of being devoid of objects, and the facial expressions are lifelike for the most part. If anything, the only complaint I have about his work is that Peter looks somewhat childish. I know Marvel wants to convey Peter Parker as being young, but certainly not as young as he looks here. Still, this only consists of three panels, so therefore only a small flaw and forgivable. But despite an overall good job in art, it still isn’t spectacular, just average.

Looking back, this review sounds a bit negative, but I did not intend it to sound that way. There is certainly nothing majorly wrong with this issue, but it feels like an average read to me. Even Spidey’s humor, which is funny, isn’t anything that I’ll be remembering for a long time. So anyone who regularly reads Spider-Man will probably get this and get some run of the mill entertainment. But to those who choose not to pick this up, you won’t be missing out on anything. (Grade: C)

-M. Staples

Amazing Spider-Man #563 – Review

By Bob Gale (Writer), Mike McKone (Penciler), Marlo Alquiza (Inker), and Jeremy Cox & Antonio Fabela (Colorists)

Nothing’s better than picking up a Spider-Man comic written by Bob Gale and not wincing. He’s a funny guy, but he sometimes over does it with the funnies. Not here though. Everything resonates well and leaves you feeling good about the status quo of Amazing Spider-Man.

When Spider-man discovers online sensation/criminal Speedball impersonating him in an Off-Fight-Scene-Betting scam, ol’ Webhead follows the money to the “Bar with No Name” and comes face to face with 20 or so drunken, costumed goons. The scene that ensues is hilarious, as Spider-man quips like the smart-ass he is and beats the sauced squad with similar comedic effect.

Unlike the other Brand New Day writers Slott, Guggenheim, and Wells, Gale readily makes use of the editor’s caption as part of the narrative. This really works in this issue, as it did last issue when Gale tried to figure out in what issue Spider-Man fought the Basher (Answer: Spider-Man never fought the Basher). Gale utilizes the captions to conveniently segue into a side story of Aunt May at the soup kitchen without losing the momentum of the main narrative.

Also worth mentioning is artist Mike McKone, who does good job overall, capturing the main character’s body. Spider-Man’s physique should reflect his underdog persona. McKone depicts Spidey with a tight, but diminutive frame. The effect provides both youthful airs and vulnerability.

Gale also employs numerous side characters with distinct voices and crafts Spidey’s adventure around them. This gives the issue heft (because there is a lot of dialogue) and subsequently a larger scope, as Webhead’s world becomes bigger than just super-villains, Aunt May, and sexual frustration. It’s The Bookie and his gambling father, the sensible but sneaky bartender Deke, and the honest villain Ox, that makes the story more relevant and touching.

And honestly with a cover of Spider-Man being chased in a Coney Island bumper car, how can you resist? (Grade: A-)

-Steven M. Bari

A Second Opinion

This book is good… for a Bob Gale issue. Frankly, I was surprised at how he managed to turn things around within the first few pages of the book. I even laughed out loud at a couple of the jokes, too. But that doesn’t mean this story is without faults. Though it does it a lot less than normal, this book, once again jumps around. You know what I’m talking about – that weird one page detour to Aunt May’s soup kitchen. Any momentum that was built up was lost all because one page left me saying, “WTF!?” to myself.

The story is entertaining, there’s no qualms there, but I don’t like how easily Spidey takes down The Enforcers. If you’ve been reading the latest issues of Daredevil, Ox just by himself is a formidable opponent. Here, he and the rest of his team are relegated to loser status, and I don’t like it. We have enough losers in this book as it is (most of the villains in the bar and the “Bookie family”), why take one of the classic groups of bad guys and completely neuter them?

Mike McKone’s art is definitely the highlight of this book. His compositions are tight, clean, and just beautiful. He brings a lot of energy to Bob Gale’s script and allows the reader to skip through all the unneeded dialogue (not that I condone doing this) while preserving the story. As I said, this is a good issue for Bob Gale. Hopefully, he’ll continue to improve, because he’s not out of the woods yet. (Grade: C+)

– J. Montes

Amazing Spider-Man #562 – Review

By Bob Gale (Writer), Mike McKone (Pencils), Andy Lanning (Inks), and Jeromy Cox (Colors)

This should have been a good issue. It was written by Bob Gale, my favorite member of Spidey’s “Braintrust”. It featured the Bookie, a character who, up until now, I thoroughly enjoyed. And the mass advertising of it in other Marvel mags certainly made it seem like we would finally learn the mystery of the “Other Spider-Man” aka the Spider-Tracer Killer.

Not so.

I don’t want to spoil too much, but to be cryptic, the “Other Spidey” introduced in this issue is just that. Anyone likening to Brand New Day who has been looking forward to finally learning something about the mystery killer (that’s teased us over the last several months) will be severely disappointed. The Spider-Man featured here is a third Spider-Man created just to fool everyone into believing that they needed to pick up this book. Perhaps to add insult to injury, the true identity of this Spider-Man is an annoying character that I thought we had gotten rid of, only to return to further “grace” these pages with his/her/its presence.

This book wasn’t all bad. We get to see the complicated life of Peter Parker as he interacts with his supporting cast (which almost always provides for an entertaining read). Likewise, the interaction between the two “Spider-Men,” had plenty of classic Spidey quips that kept me chuckling. Perhaps the best part of the book was the visit to the home of the Bookie and the humor that bounced around between him and his family. Truthfully, I’m not sure if I feel sorry for the guy, but I could have read an entire issue of his family dilemmas because the dynamic that exists there is simply comical. Once again, attempting not to reveal anything, but we soon learn that the Bookie has done something that personally takes away my interest in the character.

The one saving point that runs throughout is the art. I wasn’t a fan of Mike McKone on Fantastic Four (his Sue looked just plain odd), but his art was flawless here. With the exception of Steve McNiven (who has no competition), McKone is perhaps the best artist to visit Brand New Day since Phil Jimenez. His characters never look cartoony, and he excels at illustrating the various “Spider-poses.” If we could get the art in Spidey to always revolve between McNiven, Jimenez, and McKone, I’d think I’d died and gone to comic heaven. Still, great art can’t save this issue from what it was: a cheat, a cop out, a con. Therefore, it gets a…  (Grade: C)

-M. Staples

A Second Opinion

Mister Staples has some interesting opinions regarding who he’d like to see on art. And while I agree that the three artists he mentions are all excellent, none will triumph more than the return of John Romita Jr. this summer. And how could he fail to mention Marcos Martin? Gah! Anyway, here’s what I thought about this issue…

I honestly didn’t feel cheated, but then again, it’s been so long since the Spider-Tracer Killer’s been touched upon (he’s always mentioned in passing like a running gag and that’s about it), that I could honestly care less when he’s revealed. That said, I knew who the “imposter” was immediately and it was way too easy to predict. It’s also a character that I think is (or should be) universally hated. And is it me, or is there really a good chance that Menace may be female (and a red head *wink wink*). Check out the way he/she’s drawn in this issue. Very curious.

As for the story, it moves around quite a bit and is packed with a lot of dense dialogue. Bob Gale doesn’t seem to know when to shut his characters up because they all ramble more than Spider-Man. To his credit, the scenes we’re given of the Bookie’s home life are pathetic and hilarious at the same time. The plot movement we get with a now unemployed Peter Parker is also welcomed. All in all, it’s a decent story that’s hampered with too much throw away dialogue.

Mike McKone’s art is excellent, by the way. He’s given the task of drawing a wide range of characters and villains with this issue and does a fantastic job on all of them. His storytelling excels too, especially during the rooftop chase scene. The lineage of great Brand New Day artists continues and Bob Gale once again proves he’s the weakest link of Spidey’s “Braintrust”. (Grade: C+)

– J. Montes

Amazing Spider-Man #558 – Review

By Bob Gale (writer), Barry Kitson (pencils), Mark Farmer (inks), Avalon’s Hannin & Milla (colors)

Wow, talk about invoking mixed feelings. This issue of Amazing Spider-Man does just that in spades. After abandoning The Order (which I’m still bitter over), it’s nice to see Barry Kitson turn up with some outstanding pencil work. One of Kitson’s strengths is that he can draw all kinds of people, not just “the standard build” with a different face (which most artists are guilty of doing). And because this issue features tons of pedestrians, Kitson’s artistic talents are showcased at a high level. In fact, everything he draws in this issue is painstakingly detailed and beautiful.

Bob Gale’s script is harder to gauge. His use of word bubbles with Peter Parker harken back to the classic days of Spider-Man, but in this modern age, they feel out of place. Curt Connors’ self-pity is also Silver Age inspired, yet feels unrealistic (by today’s standards). The Freak, I’ll get into in a moment. And while the return of Menace almost feels annoying, the possible revelation behind his character may end up redeeming him as a villain. Because other than Mr. Negative (who has been keeping a low profile since the first Brand New Day story arc), and that crazy Mayan god, the new villains introduced thus far have been pretty weak.

Okay, so the Freak… Good concept, crappy character. He was created for one simple reason: To lose to Spider-Man in humiliating ways. Why do you think they gave this guy “unlimited lives”? Because he’s a stoner, and stoners are stupid. Nothing illustrates this point more than his death in this issue. I mean, come on – going for Spider-Man’s obvious headfake at the end? Are you serious?! No one in their right mind would fall for that. It’s like being in the middle of the fight and you saying to your opponent, “Hey, look over there,” and then sucker punching them. That’s what Spidey did this issue, and the whole scene was just stupid.

The rest of the issue (I know, it seems like I’ve covered it all, but I haven’t), is filled with some good moments. The crowd reactions to Spidey’s fight with Menace are entertaining, the scene with the snipers is spot on, and Aunt May has a glorious moment that actually made me laugh out loud. There’s also some silly narratives scattered about that come off as entertaining, but all in all, this issue just would have been better had it not dealt with The Freak. Please don’t bring this guy back. (Grade: C+)

– J. Montes

A Second Opinion

Funny, I seem to have the exact opposite opinion as Jay. In this issue, we finally get a satisfying ending to the story of Freak. Or do we?

Before that, we trudge through several problematic scenes with this Brand New Day storyline. First, we see that Peter is feeling guilty for wanting to move out and leave his poor old aunt all by herself. How many times has he moved out before? Don’t tell me they all got retconned away too. Likewise, I think he is more than old enough to live on his own. Later on in the story, we get another confrontation between Spidey and Menace, who I have yet to be convinced is not just another Goblin copycat. Making this scene worse, we are given some of the cheesiest mid-battle quips that Spidey has had in a while.

The last half of the issue is where Gale and Kitson finally deliver as Spider-Man once again faces The Freak, and his jokes become funny and smart. Likewise, Kitson is great at displaying the action in this scene as well as the humor (especially in the facial expressions). The Freak, is without a doubt, the best character to come out of Brand New Day. While is extreme addiction to drugs should be saddening and pity-worthy, Gale writes it so that it is humorous, while at the same time giveing another “Stay away from drugs” lesson without brow-beating the reader. So, to anyone not pleased with Brand New Day, the first half of this issue certainly won’t make you feel any better, but the second half definitely entertains. (Grade: C+)

-M. Staples

Amazing Spider-Man #554 – Review

By Bob Gale (writer), Phil Jimenez (pencils & inks), Andy Lanning & Danny Miki (inks), Jeremy Cox (colors)

Wow, this was a very unexpected issue. With the last two “Brand New Day” arcs, the stories lasted three issues. And while Bob Gale’s run is ending after three issues, the story isn’t over! Another thing that’s changed is the tone. There’s a few running gags still going, but overall, the humor has been toned down and with more attention going towards the plot(s).

Spidey’s bad luck (or the Parker luck, if you will), is the star of this episode. Already on the run from the law for not being registered and being accused of murder, Spidey’s now blamed for assaulting a mayoral candidate, murdering drug dealers, burning down a building, and well, you get the picture. Despite all this, Peter’s keeps his spirits high. He gets a nice check from the Daily Bugle, enjoys a night out with his friends, and even visits J. Jonah Jameson in the hospital (as Spider-Man), which leads to one hilarious scene.

As I said in my review of last issue, I’m not a big fan of The Freak. However, this issue goes into the concept and science behind him. Basically, every time The Freak is inflicted with a mortal wound, he goes into a cocoon like stasis. When he reemerges from it, he becomes immune to whatever might have killed him prior. So if he “dies” in a fire, he’ll be immune to fire when he comes back from his cocoon. It’s a fascinating concept that will most likely pay dividends down the line, story wise.

While the story line isn’t wrapped up this issue, it does a good job touching on all the underlying stories, while giving us a hint of things to come. Bob Gale is to be commended for working things out. I’m actually interested to see where this story with The Freak goes now. And Phil Jimenez wraps up his run with another issue of stunning visuals. (Grade: B+)

– J. Montes

Amazing Spider-Man #553 – Review

By Bob Gale (writer), Phil Jimenez (pencils), Andy Lanning (inks), Jeromy Cox (colors)

Bob Gale brings us another dense issue of Spider-Man! Like the previous issue, Gale packs the book with narrative and dialogue while Phil Jimenez fills each page with glorious panel work. You’re definitely getting your money’s worth, reading wise, but is the issue good? It’s a bit of a mixed bag.

I wouldn’t say the book’s boring or lacking on the humor front. I’m just not really sure if I like “The Freak” or not. He’s a pretty silly, ugly villain, and I find it hilarious that he’s got the dirtiest mouth in the Marvel Universe. But humor aside, he’s completely forgettable and not iconic in any sense. I mean, he’s basically this half human, platypus zombie looking thing – what’s so scary about that? And his powers? He can track Peter’s scent and he’s got super human strength and webbed hands. Webbed hands?! Who the heck thought of this concept?!

Now, if you can not be too distracted by this guy and just read the story for what it is, you’ll be plenty entertained. The opening panel will make you laugh out loud. Hell, the way the cops act throughout this book is pretty darn ridiculous. As soon as The Freak shows up on the scene, Officer O’Neil almost instantly shoots him in the head! What’s up with him not being suspended or put on leave while an investigation takes place?! Like I said, it’s ridiculous, and yet funny as hell.

There’s other plot points touched upon like Jameson finally getting a copy of the Daily Bugle, DB finally calling Peter by his proper name, and Carly’s father running for mayor, but most of this issue is centered around The Freak, his transformation, and his revenge against Spider-Man. I really can’t give anymore accolades to Phil Jimenez. He’s a stunning artist – perfect for Spider-Man. I don’t know if he designed The Freak or not, but I suppose Jimenez is drawing him as well as he can.

As the last page begs the hilarious question: Does Marvel hate politicians so much that they’re going to kill another? We’ll find out next, week! The book is still fun, no doubt about it. But it’s very hard to overlook the book’s one glaring flaw: The Freak. (Grade: B-)

– J. Montes

Amazing Spider-Man #552 – Review

By Bob Gale (writer), Phil Jimenez (pencils), Andy Lanning (inks), Jeremy Cox (colors)

It’s been nearly a year since Phil Jimenez’s glorious pencils have graced a Spider-Man book (last year’s Free Comic Book Day 2007), and that, my friends, is a year too long. Making his debut on Amazing Spider-Man, Jimenez’s pencils bring so much meticulous detail to each panel that you’ll find yourself stopping and just taking in the view. He not only knows how to draw oodles of people, but he also understands that New York, itself, is a character and brings it to life from the ground level. If you look closely, you’ll spot some funny cameos (which made me laugh).

So how was Bob Gale’s debut as writer? Well, he’s not as funny as Dan Slott (who’s still the Spider-Man writer to beat), or Marc Guggenheim, but that’s only because he doesn’t write too much humor into the issue. When he does, it’s pretty good, but for the most part, the Spidey that Gale writes is more of the rambling type. That said, there are a few moments that did make me laugh out loud, but those laughs came at the expense of silly cameos and easter eggs – and who knows if those were his idea or the editor or letterer’s.

What Gale does do is give us one heck of packed book – it’s completely loaded with dialogue. First we’re updated on Jonah’s situation; he still has no clue that the Bugle’s not his. Then we’re shown how crazy things have gotten at the Bugle with sensationalism completely taking over. Next, we’re introduced to The Freak, a common druggie / thug who gives Spidey a lot more trouble than usual. It’s really too early to tell if this new villain will be worthy of Spidey’s rogue gallery. Something about him seems “off” (no pun intended).

Feeling more like a double-sized issue, this book goes touches on just about every subplot that’s part of the Brand New Day storyline. Peter’s supporting cast is back in full force and it’s great to see him interacting with his circle of friends. I’m really interested to see where this whole thing with Carly goes! This issue’s not as funny, but it’s a good read. Gale and Jimenez have created a dense book that’ll keep your eyes occupied for a long time. (Grade: B+)

– J. Montes