Superior Spider-Man #26 – Review

by Dan Slott (Writer), Humberto Ramos, Javier Rodriguez, Marcos Martin, Victor Olazaba (Artists), Edgar Delgado (Colorist)

The Story: As the war against goblins rages on, the Avengers starts to question just what exactly is Spider-Man doing.

The Review: Receiving an even experience is always something that readers are looking for. A stable issue in terms of quality can certainly be appreciated more than one that delivers good and bad in rather visible and obvious ways. It makes for more memorable issues in terms of general appreciation, but it can certainly be enjoyable to have an issue where everything is good. Not necessarily excellent, but good.

Thankfully, while it has one or two minor problems, this issue of Superior Spider-Man does deliver such an issue, with a lot of elements moving forward. Delivering a rather fast-paced and well-divided issue, Dan Slott does some pretty good thing with this issue in the saga of this title.

The first element handled, perhaps one of the less-interesting though decidedly not boring one, is the conflict against the Hobgoblin and the Goblin King. The stakes between the two and their goons is big, making for something rather interesting, yet it’s not the action that makes this interesting. As non-descriptive and rather secondary as the battle feel between the two, it’s really how the characters interacts and what they say that makes this a rather huge advance to the story. The way they bicker, they argument and they guess exactly who and what the other is makes for a rather neat scene.

The second one, perhaps better in terms of characterization and general impact is the one actually featuring Otto Octavius. Presenting how he deals with things, Slott presents another take on one of the more infamous scene in the series, with the Avengers starting to question just why he did some of his previous actions and why he’s starting to act so differently. It’s a rather good scene, one that showcase the logical, but prideful attitude of Otto, cementing his take on the character and how he envisions the Avengers. It’s not the focus of this issue, yet it does allow for the seeds of Otto’s downfall to be set up effectively.

Superior Spider-Man #25 – Review

by Dan Slott, Christos Gage (Writers), Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba (Artists), Edgar Delgado (Colorist)

The Story: It’s the Avengers against the Superior Venom as chaos erupts in the city.

The Review: There’s always something rather nice in longer issues. While the normal 20 pages structures can be generally used well by most writers, there’s something satisfying in knowing that publishers aren’t against the idea to print larger book in order to tell bigger stories. They come as a bit more costly most of the time, but they are worth it more often than not.

However, I cannot say that the higher page count was used in the most efficient of ways in the big conclusion to Darkest Hour, the Venom story which pitted Otto as infected by the symbiote. There is plenty of nice ideas and a general sense of action that is rather entertaining, yet there are several problems that makes this large issue not the best it could very well be.

The most obvious problem is the number of plots and subplots the book tries to handle at the same time. The war against the Goblin King and Hobgoblin, the transformation of Carlie Cooper, the fate of Flash Thompson, how citizens reacts and many more such events are thrown at the readers, with not all of them receiving the buildup or enough space to have the impact it should have. It does get exciting at times, but most of these scenes ends way too soon for them to be satisfying.

Superior Spider-Man #24 – Review

by Dan Slott, Christos Gage (Writers), Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba (Artists), Edgar Delgado (Colorist)

The Story: Make place for the Superior Venom as Otto tries to prove that he can control the symbiote, a creature that renders people more arrogant and violent than they were before.

The Review: There are tons of characters that are mostly popular due to their concepts and their looks more than anything else. Characters like Ghost Rider, Venom and countless others are perfect examples of this, as they had been mostly used due to their designs more than anything else. Sure, we may have gotten good stuff like Rick Remender’s run on Venom and Jason Aaron on his stint with Ghost Rider, but those are more exceptions rather than proof of concepts, with nothing much else being done with the characters that warrant any actual quality associated with them. Things are changing, of course, but this was the sad reality of many characters like these two for a while.

However, I have to say that both Dan Slott and Christos Gage makes for a great use of the Venom symbiote in this issue, bringing the newer status quo of the character up with a touch of nostalgia. Connecting a multitude of eras in order to bring something new on the table, both writers manage to write a thoroughly enjoyable issue as Otto’s antics are getting even bigger and more chaotic than usual.

What this issue really does right, in a way, is in how it represents the symbiote almost as a character on its own in a subtle way. The way it acts with Otto in this issue is very reminiscent of the original symbiote arc, which is actually very different from the manner it has been presented with Flash Thompson in recent series featuring him. The rising need for violent behaviour, the aggressive tendencies with loved one and the lack of complete control is well shown here, leading to some rather delightful and excessive scenes.

Superior Spider-Man #16 – Review

Dan Slott (Writer), Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba (Artists), Edgar Delgado (Colorists)

The Story: Phil Urich really gets what’s coming to him as Otto manage to manipulate a situation to his advantage.

The Review: For critics, it’s always easier to talk about great or horrible comics. When it’s in one of those two extremes, it’s surprisingly easy to say what works well and what truly doesn’t. The point is to be objective, of course, yet there will always be a touch of subjectivity when anyone talk about a cultural product, whether they want to or not. What’s harder, though, are the average comics, those that are competent, yet did not really leave a huge impact on the critic himself. When dealing with a middle-tier comic in terms of quality, it becomes a bit tougher to balance the good with the bad in a coherent manner.

This issue is a pretty good example of this, as it moves along nicely, shows some scenes that are well done, yet doesn’t go out of its way to really bring any ”wow” factor. Here, Slott conclude his Hobgoblin story competently, putting some pieces in place for the future of his title, yet a lot of what happens here just isn’t that impressive.

There are some good parts here, starting with the way Otto is written as a mastermind, featuring his villainous methods as being rather entertaining. He is manipulative, arrogant and this comes as fun as his interaction with Robertson, the Avengers and the general public shows just how cunning he can be in terms of how he appears to everyone.

Superior Spider-Man #15 – Review

Dan Slott (Writer), Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba (Artists), Edgar Delgado (Colorist)

The Story: Phil Urich’s life seems a bit more difficult now that the Kingpin is gone. Who knew?

The Review: Long-term writing can be messy sometime. As a writer can plan ahead in order to provide many major moments and development for his title, there will always be some times when things will be a bit duller. With moments of transitions between the larger events in a title, there are seeds to be planted in order for the readers to have moments to enjoy, like an unending cycle of payoff and setup that make comics come to life. Putting some tease and hints of certain plot points, however, really isn’t on the same level of possible satisfaction as the eventual payoff that may come out of it.

Knowing that, it does not come as a shock that considering the latest issue of Superior Spider-Man, one filled with many surprises and twist, this issue comes as a bit less exciting. It is hard to top Spider-Ock leading an assault on a Japanese pagoda in Hell’s Kitchen, of course, but the follow-up is perhaps a tad disappointing considering how they continue such a massive act from the previous issue.

It is a smart decision in some manners to see how several people react to such a big event in New York City, yet Slott never really commit to this angle along the issue as we are treated to a continuation of several plot points, with not all of them being connected organically. We see how the cops react to Otto’s new army and his storming of the Kingpin fortress, how some of the people close to Peter see the fact that he is spending much more time as Spider-Man as we see how he might put aside his life in order to dedicate himself to the role of Spider-Man. It’s a nice touch to see Otto struggling with multiple tasks at the same time, seeing things in a different light as he compares himself to Peter Parker, yet it’s so lightly covered that it’s kind of a shame.

Superior Spider-Man #14 – Review

Dan Slott (Writer), Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba (Artists), Edgar Delgado (Colorist)

The Review: Spider-Ock takes care of Shadowland and Wilson Fisk, not with an eviction notice, but rather with an army and some surprises.

The Story: How does Otto actually differ in the way he does things when compared to Peter Parker? This question, it seemed, was the main point for a long time, as the role of Spider-Man had been taken from our heroic villain (or perhaps villainous hero?), to the ire of many. Dealing with many of the plot points and with some of the characters from the previous Amazing Spider-Man run, the series was entertaining as it showed the position about the super-heroic life both men had taken, yet it seemed always to be a bit restrained by such a vision. In a way, Slott had to take it very slowly, since Peter Parker, a character that is absolutely beloved by many, had been killed in a rather quick and unceremonious way. Ever since that big issue, the series took its time in presenting us with how things would be done from now on as we got to know a bit more about Otto, his methods and his goals.

In this issue, we see just how big the character was thinking, as he does something that perhaps a lot of readers of the Marvel universe were waiting for: the destruction of Shadowland, the big pagoda in the middle of New York that served as the headquarter of Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin. While this was something that seemed terrific on paper, it did not particularly made a lot of sense that none ever dealt with it in a permanent manner, considering the Marvel universe has people like the Avengers to deal with such problems. Not only that, as there are more superheroes in the Big Apple than one can count, which went a bit far in my suspension of disbelief.

Avenging Spider-Man #22 – Review

By: Christopher Yost (Writer), David Lopez (Artist), Rachelle Rosenberg (Colorist)

The Story: Mysterio is loose in New York as he has gathered the attention of both Spider-Ock and the Punisher. Yet, is everything all that it seems?

The Review: Avenging Spider-Man is a dead title, as it will soon be replaced by another one, called Superior Spider-Man Team-Up (a book I shall review). As the title concludes, Christopher Yost gives us what he did best on this title: single issues story that had a beginning, middle and a conclusion. Here, we see Spider-Ock dealing with a new Mysterio, as per the whole ‘’Sinister Six’’ deal his story had while he also deals with Frank Castle. However, does this single story make for a good ending point toward the renumbering and the newer title this series will get?

The short answer would be no, as the story itself does not really deal clearly with a new status quo or even with new methods until the last page and it’s not exactly something naturally added to the story. However, this does not make this issue bad in any way, as the story itself is still fairly enjoyable with some twists and turns and some good interactions from Spider-Ock with other characters from the Marvel universe.

Amazing Spider-Man #697 – Review

By: Dan Slott & Christos Gage (writers), Giuseppe Camuncoli (pencils), Dan Green & John Dell (inks), Antonio Fabela (colors), Chris Eliopoulos (letters), Ellie Pyle (assistant editor) & Stephen Wacker (editor)

The Story: Can the Hobgoblins stop fighting long enough to take out Peter and Max Modell.

Review: This is my definition of an average, Big 2 superhero comic.  I could lock it in a vault and get it out the next time I’m trying to decide if a comic is a “C” or a “C+”.  It is very nicely done and profession, but doesn’t have any of the zip that will make the story stick with you.  It’s disposable fun.

That may sound like a backhanded compliment and I mean it that way, in the truest sense of the term.  Basically, if you take two quality writers like Slott and Gage, a very competent artist like Camuncoli and then have a very sharp editor like Wacker overseeing the project, the output will never be “bad”; there’s just too much talent involved for the work to suck.  Even for readers like me who have mostly drifted away from the Big 2 titles it isn’t hard to see how the Big 2 persists: They got some damn talented people working on the stuff even if the concepts are tied and the publishing practices are annoying.  Talent can paper over a LOT of shortcomings.

Amazing Spider-Man #696 – Review

By: Dan Slott & Christos Gage (writers), Giuseppe Camuncoli (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Antonio Fabela (colors), Chris Eliopoulos (letters), Ellie Pyle (assistant editor) & Stephen Wacker (editor0

The Story: How in the world can SPIDER-MAN show up to deliver the ransom to save PETER PARKER?  That’s going to cause a problem.

Quick review: Sometimes an issue gets a quick review not because I’m pressed for time, but because there really isn’t much to say.  This isn’t a “terrible” comic book or even a “bad” issue; it is just “fine”–it is “competent”.

Last issue introduced the pretty fun concept of The Kingpin and the new Hobgoblin ramping up Peter’s spider-sense to 11 on the dial.  It was funny to watch Peter suddenly perceive danger from fat men eating burritos!  But, that crispness is not present in this issue.  Although this is a nicely written issue and the central conflict of The Kingpin holding Peter hostage and demanding that Spider-Man bring the ransom (problem!) is kinda clever, this issue suffers from a lack of spark.  Again, competence as opposed to brilliance.

Amazing Spider-Man #695 – Review

By: Dan Slott & Christos Gage (writers), Giuseppe Camuncoli (pencils), Dan Green (inks), Antonio Fabela (colors), Chris Eliopoulos (letters), Ellie Pyle (assistant editor) & Stephen Wacker (editor)

The Story: The Hobgoblin(s) are back, someone is messing with the Spider Sense & the secret identity is at risk.

A few things (with very minor SPOILERS): 1). Is Dan Slott putting the furniture back where he found it? – There has been a decent amount of speculation about whether Slott will still be writing this title after Marvel NOW happens.  One tell-tale sign could be that he seems to be putting things back where he found them.  I think it was Brian Bendis who said that you can actually change things a LOT when you’re writing a mainstream superhero, but you have to put everything back where you found it before the next writer shows up.  One of the first acts of Slott during his Big Time story arc (beginning with ASM #648) was having Phil Ulrich seemingly kill Roderick Kingsley and take the mantle of the Hobgoblin.  There was a lot of outcry from the fanbase that an upstart like Ulrich would take out a classic villain so easily, but now we’re seeing the initial glimpses of how Slott will put Kingsley back in the suit.  Seriously–will anyone be sad to see a punk like Ulrich get his just desserts?

Amazing Spider-Man #674 – Review

By: Dan Slott (writer), Giuseppe Camuncoli (pencils), Klaus Janson (inks), Frank D’Armata (colors), Joe Caramagna (letters), Ellie Pyle (assistant editor) & Stephen Wacker (editor)

The Story: Spider-Island is over and a certain winged foe of Spidey is back.

Five Things: 

1. Much better approach to the Vulture!  When ASM freshened up all of Spidey’s classic rogues during the Gauntlet storyline (ASM #612 – #633), most of the updated versions were pretty hot stuff.  The only one that didn’t quite work as well was the new Vulture who was this weird mutated, non-verbal mafia hit man who vomited acid and had a BAD underbite.  Marvel, recognizing that error, had Punisher kill that guy in the new Punisher series (at least I think he killed him….I dropped that series pretty fast).  This approach to the Vulture makes a lot more sense because it’s going to be the same basic character….just a little older and with a new approach to make up for his advancing age.  In a way it reminds me of the early story arc in the original Web of Spider-Man (around issue #3) where the Vulture gave wings to a group of fellow criminals and they ganged up to pound on Spidey.

2. Revisiting the Peter-Carlie relationship.  Not wanting to start another riot in the comments thread (since we all have strong feelings about who Peter should be dating), but it was nice to see that Slott isn’t dropping Carlie Cooper as a character.  I wasn’t happy about the dumping that happened during Spider-Island, but a few readers talked me off the ledge by saying that they were sure she’d still be around.  I like this new dynamic where they still have to work together as crime fighters and it’ll be interesting to see if there is still a chance for romance.

3. Pretty nice art.  It’s hard for me to review any ASM issues after I’ve gotten a steady diet of Humberto Ramos because Ramos is just one of my absolute favorites.  Camuncoli isn’t quite at Ramos’ level and he is less stylized in his approach, but this is still really nice art.

Amazing Spider-Man #666 – Review

by Dan Slott (writer), Stefano Caselli (art), Marte Gracia (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Life is good, and very busy, for Peter Parker, but unbeknownst to him, more and more people in New York City are gaining spider-powers.

What’s Good: Apparently, Dan Slott and the rest of the crew in the Spider-office take that $3.99 price-tag really seriously.  This is a lot of comic book.  It’s 30 pages of dense storytelling, packed with characterful dialogue and narration that’s entertaining, regardless of the exposition.  It’s also amazing quite how many bases Slott touches upon in these 30 pages.  Not only does Slott set the stage for Spider-Island in ever conceivable way, he also gives us an update on more or less every nook and cranny of Peter Parker’s world.  As a result, the number of characters in this book is pretty damned massive, but because Slott keeps it, for the most part, tightly focused on Peter, Spider-readers won’t get lost.

What’s even more remarkable is what a firm grasp Slott has on this immense cast.  Obviously, his Peter Parker is great, but everyone elses’ dialogue is fun and energetic and every character has his or her own distinct voice.  With so many characters on hand, here, that’s pretty impressive.

All in all, this is just a really big, well-rounded package.  It sets up the state for Spider-Island quite well and will leave you ready and willing to dive in, but more than that, you get a little taste of literally everything and everyone relevant to Slott’s run on ASM thus far.  No stone is left unturned, and as a result, you get a Spidey comic that really feels like a Spidey comic.  With so much in this book, this is a pretty immersive experience, one that really brings you into Peter’s world.

Of course, Caselli’s art doesn’t hurt.  It’s as lively and energetic as ever and while Caselli often puts a lot on the page, in both content and panels, it’s never confused or claustrophobic.  Whether it’s a dialogue scene or an action scene, Caselli’s work always feels fast-paced.

Herc #2 – Review

By: Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente (writers), Neil Edwards & Scott Hanna (artists), Jesus Aburtov (colorist)

The Story: Step right up and have your drink shaken, not stirred by a living legend!  Seriously.

The Review: There are plenty of mythological figures running around in comics, two of the biggest being Thor and Wonder Woman (who isn’t really part of mythic canon, but whose roots are so deeply embedded in myth she might as well be).  What sets Hercules apart from these characters, and also what makes him so special, is his enthusiastic embracing of modern life and pop culture, things from which Thor and Diana still tend to keep their distance—and thereby us.

By comparison, Herc’s so much more relatable, even more so now that he’s been rendered mortal, with mortal concerns, such as trying to find a job and a place to live.  In spite of all this, he remains a hero to the core, and to be worth his salt, he needs a mission.  Since he can’t always depend on villains like Hobgoblin to pop up on a regular basis, Hercules makes up his own agenda to protect a New York City borough from the Ares-devoted mobsters, the Warhawks.

This perfectly balanced melding of mortal concerns infected with mythic influences has been a great trademark for Pak-Van Lente’s conception of Hercules and his stories.  Not only do they use Herc’s ancient origins largely to comic effect (“Who’s thy daddy, now?”), they also make some clever parallels between his famous exploits (the lifting of the world on his shoulders) and the current action (his inability to keep a building from collapsing on him).  These are fun details for mythology buffs, but they also highlight the uphill battles he’ll have to fight from now on.

Herc #1 – Review

By: Greg Pak & Fred Van Lente (writers), Neil Edwards (penciller), Scott Hanna (inker), Jesus Aburtov (colorist)

The Story: Uh-oh…does the incredible Hercules have a little boo-boo?

The Review: Despite being one of the most likable and collaborative heroes around, Hercules’ godlike powers don’t really allow him to mix up with his fellow Avengers and their usual foes too often.  But with his superhuman powers diminished and the title of his newest ongoing reduced simply to his nickname, Pak and Van Lente show that Herc’s going to have to rub shoulders with the rest of us mortals for a while.  There’s of course a lot of potential for that kind of storyline, and Pak-Van Lente have already begun mining it in this first issue.

Nothing starts the blood pumping for an action series like guns and fisticuffs on a speeding train.  Herc’s takes down the gang of Warhawks in neo-classical fashion, proving his power loss hasn’t affected his battle skills any.  Pak-Van Lente also smartly use the opportunity to give brief intros to his arsenal of weapons and demonstrate their surprising effectiveness against conventional arms (his arrow piercing through one thug’s Uzi into his shoulder is especially great).

There are plenty of other myth-based superheroes that don’t really figure their mythological roots into their stories except as a theme, so it’s really impressive how present Herc’s ancient Greek origins stay throughout the issue beyond his weapons.  The prayers of his worshippers seem to be guiding him toward a more Herculean challenge than disarming the Kingpin’s street mafia.  No doubt the two tie together somehow, but this issue remains determinedly vague on that front.

And Herc wouldn’t be the hero we love without his enthusiastic embrace of modern American culture.  His delight in liquor gives us a pretty good joke (seeing a can of beer offered at his altar: “Best.  Offering.  Ever.”) and gets him a temp job, which can only mean more hilarious beats to come.  And there are few heroes in either of the Big Two who are as sexually comfortable as Hercules—the cut from meeting Rhea to him sprawled naked in bed is possibly one of the best scene-jumps you’ll have read this year.

Amazing Spider-Man #651 – Review

By: Dan Slott (writer), Humberto Ramos (pencils), Carlos Cuevas & Joseph M. Damon (inks), Edgar Delgado (colors), Joe Caramanga (letters) & Stephen Wacker (editor)

Scorpion back-up by : Dan Slott (writer), Stefano Caselli (pencils), Delgado (colors), Caramanga (letters) & Wacker (editor)

The Story: The story arc wraps up as Spidey & Black Cat try to reclaim the reverbium from Kingpin.

What’s Good: Another issue, another really fun Spider-Man story.  The thing I like best about Dan Slott’s writing is the tempo.  These stories just move along as a healthy clip without feeling rushed.  In this initial story arc of his solo-tenure on ASM, Slott has covered a lot of ground: Peter Parker has a new job, new girlfriend, new Hobgoblin and new status quo for Kingpin.  All that in four issues.  Spider-Man is supposed to be a roller coaster, not a scenic tour and Slott gets that.

Another thing he gets is writing single-issue comics.  I am so sick of comics that are “written for the trade” where there is almost no reference to anything in the story that could allow you to place it in time or continuity.  Not Slott (or his editor Wacker).  He makes a very self-aware joke in this issue referencing the new Tron movie.  I can’t tell you how much I love that because thing great thing about Marvel comics is that they aren’t taking place on Earth-4b in fictional cities like Metropolis….they take place in New York City and they should feel like they’re going on right now.  Bravo to you guys!  So what if it seems dated for the trade readers.  I can’t imagine a trade of a title like ASM is that evergreen anyway (meaning I doubt it continues to sell well year after year like Fables or The Walking Dead).

In terms of major plot developments, we have those too.  Interesting new status quo for Kingpin, eh?  I was pretty surprised to see this development happen here and not in the pages of a Daredevil comic.  I also like the new Hobgoblin.  He’s well fleshed out and a lot of fun to read (being a complete smart ass).

Ramos’ art continues to be a great fit for this series.  As much as I enjoy our more realistic artists, I think this exaggerated cartoon style is my favorite for Spider-Man (especially if Black Cat is going to be around).  Ramos’ characters are just so alive!  Every character in every panel feels like they are in motion.  Great stuff.

Amazing Spider-Man #650 – Review

By: Dan Slott (writer), Humberto Ramos (pencils), Carlos Cuevas, Nikki Damon & Victor Olazaba (inks), Edgar Delgado (colors), Joe Caramanga (letters) & Stephen Wacker (editor)

Marc Gargan back-up: Slott (writer), Neil Edwards (pencils), Scott Hanna (inks), Morry Hollowell (colors) & Chris Eliopoulos (letters)

The Story: A new Spidey-suit makes its debut, as Peter Parker gets ready to take on the new Hobgoblin.

What’s Good: Slott and Ramos are off to such a strong start on their run on ASM.  The days of the rotating Spidey-creators produced a lot of good stories and looking through my notes, the “average grade” for those stories was ~B, but Slott/Ramos have just taken this to another level.  They should be glad that there is no “comic creators’ union” because they would be getting a harsh talking to for making other creators look bad.

The story itself is just fast, well-paced fun.  It starts out with a very well done action sequence with Spidey tangling with the new Hobgoblin, but the middle and latter part of the issue do great stuff with Peter’s supporting cast.  But, the stuff that really stands out to me are the scenes in Peter’s lab at his new job.  I love how Slott is making use of Peter’s science background and these scenes could consist of nothing but Peter spouting some techno-babble while working on some “stuff”.  But, Slott uses MJ and Carlie in a really clever scene that features Peter and Carlie talking WAY over the top of MJ’s head about science stuff.  This is way more effective that any jabbering about flux-capacitors could be.

Oh…and you might have heard…there is a new Spidey-costume.  You can see it on the cover art and if you’ve followed online teasers or message boards, you’ve probably already seen opinions about what/why this costume is here.  My favorite speculation was that it was for some sort of tie-in with the TRON movie.  Ha!  Turns out the costume has a very specific and sensible purpose, although I do wonder how Slott will make this costume go away because if I were Spidey, THIS would be my permanent costume forever.

I hate to say that Ramos is “killing it” on the art, because I think that is such an unimaginative thing to say, but it is really true in this case.  I love his exaggerated cartooning style because it allows him to be freed from the constraints of physics and anatomy in a way that a more realistic artist cannot.  When they draw a character with a leg that is too long it just looks screwed up, but when Ramos does it, it just screams that these characters are alive.  Ramos is truly one of the modern masters at this style (along with Chris Bachalo) and I think this run on ASM is as good as anything I’ve ever seen from him.   He draws a great Spidey, a great Peter Parker, a great Carlie Cooper, a great Black Cat. I kinda feel sorry for the artist on the next arc.  Why can’t Ramos and Bachalo just alternate arcs?

Amazing Spider-Man #649 – Review

By: Dan Slott (writer), Humberto Ramos (pencils), Carlos Cuevas (inks), Edgar Delgado (colors), Joe Caramanga (letters) & Tom Brennan (Associate Editor)

The Story: Hobgoblin is back, but is it the Hobgoblin we’ve been expecting.

What’s Good: This Thanksgiving I’m thankful for good Spider-Man comics.  My comic happiness meter is somewhat tied to the quality of the Spider-Man comics.  When they’re good, I’m happy and enjoy the hobby.  When they’re not so good, it really just bums me out.  So, we should all be very thankful for what Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos are feeding us right now.

A vital element of good Spidey stories is the emotional roller coaster.  The guy has a hectic life, so the story needs to keep moving like an overcaffinated jackal.  Slott does a great job with this as he rarely spends more than a page or two on any particular story element.  It is just a wonderful job of pacing that allows him to make great use of the 30-page format to tell a LOT of story. We cover a lot of ground: we learn who the Hobgoblin is, see Spidey & Black Cat save Norah from some bikers, touch on Peter’s love life, see Peter’s first day on the job at Horizon labs, Captain Steve needling Jonah, the saga of Mac Gargan and a great cliffhanger.  Through it all, it hits all the emotional notes that you want in a Spider-Man story.  There’s even a great emotional high for Aunt May in here.  So there!

Amazing Spider-Girl #18 – Review

By Tom DeFalco (writer), Ron Frenz (pencils), Sal Buscema (inks), Bruno Hang (colors)

After a somewhat disappointing issue last month, Spider-Girl gets back on track and wraps up the current story arc in fine fashion. I’m really impressed; it’s like Tom DeFalco read my complaints and addressed every one of them. Right from the get-go, we’re thrust into the middle of Crimelord’s auction of Kingpin’s “secret files”. With just about the whole crime community of New York ready to bid, Hobgoblin crashes the party with the intent of being the sole owner of the files.

Little does he know that Crimelord is prepared for him. After a sniper destroys the Hobgoblin’s glider, he’s surrounded by a mob of angry thugs. It’s here that he unleashes Mindworm to do his bidding. But Mindworm, finally showing a bit of intelligence, double crosses Hobgoblin and uses his powers to take control of everyone in the room (except Spider-Girl). In a desperate move, the Hobgoblin frees Spider-Girl. Together, butt-kicking ensues.

This issue does a nice job of addressing all the questions posed from this story arc. We learn the identity of Crimelord (it’s not who you think it is!), we get the results of Ben’s surgery, Spider-Girl finally kicks the crap out of Deadspot, and we learn the fate of Mindworm and the Hobgoblin. Perhaps the only thing missed was the whole reveal of who Deadspot is. She’ll be back, for sure.

It’s great to see the creative team back in good form. I was afraid they’d hit a creative wall after the dragging we were put through last issue. Great way to end an arc. Oh and that last page with Wes, May, and Gene. Wow… just wow! (Grade: B)

– J. Montes

Amazing Spider-Girl #17 – Review

By Tom Defalco (script), Ron Frenz (pencils), Sal Buscema (inks), Bruno Hang (colors)

I hate to say it, but this issue was pretty boring. The aspect I love the most about this series is May Parker, the person. We don’t get much of it this issue. Instead the villains take center stage and sadly, they are an uninteresting lot. Why? Because while there may be a big auction taking place among crime lords, none of them posses the viciousness, charisma, or cunning as someone like The Kingpin. What we’re given instead is a bunch of washed up thugs vying for Kingpin’s scraps. It’s just not very compelling.

Wait a sec! I’m not done yet.

This story with Hobgoblin and Mindworm needs to be finished… soon. May needs to expose Detective Drasco as the Crimelord. And she needs to lay the smack down on Deadspot. I mean, for a villain who was so prominent last issue, she (Deadspot) sure is given the shaft this issue as she’s relegated to a brief cameo appearance. At least she has May somewhat concerned for her well-being, too. That’s the kind of villain I want to see in my Spider-Girl books, not these lowlifes who want to be a third string Kingpin!

The stuff I do like is fleeting at best. Gene Thompson has been trying to reconcile with May for months and once again we’re given one page where nothing is addressed. The Parkers finally receive news that Ben’s hearing can be restored with an operation. That’s good progression. What bothers me, however, is Peter nor May seem to be scoffing at the fact that the hospital will need blood samples from them. This has always been a serious issue in the past – why isn’t it now?

Ron Frenz delivers solid art, as always. Tom DeFalco, however, has dropped the ball with this story line. Hopefully, he can wrap this up by next issue and we can move on to better things. (Grade: D+)

– J. Montes