Haunt #23 – Review

By: Joe Casey (writer), Nathan Fox (artist), Ivan Plascencia (colors), Comicraft (letters)

The Story: You thought that the guy in Haunt was a Catholic priest???

Review [with SPOILERS]:  How funny was that?  When this comic debuted, everyone made fun of how the protagonist in Haunt was a cigarette-smoking, prostitute-visiting Catholic priest.  It just seemed a little too cliche, ya know?  Daniel Kilgore’s priestly ways ended up not having much to do with the story of Haunt as that story element was rapidly dropped, but that story element had some effect on this title having a hard time finding it’s feet as there was a lot of message board chatter about how “dumb” the priest angle was.

Flash forward a couple of years and we see a creative change on Haunt, with Joe Kelly and Nathan Fox coming aboard.  They immediately introduced this weird church we saw this weird church storyline introduced.  The weird church seemingly had nothing to do with the previous story as Kirkman and Capullo had mostly used Haunt as a “secret agent”.  Thus, it was a hard to reconcile the mystical aspects of the weird church with the bad guys of the first ~20 issues who were more drug-kingpin/gun-runner types.

Well, now is all makes sense.  The creators never said that Daniel Kilgore was a Catholic priest.  We just kinda assumed “Catholic” when we saw the clerical collar.  But, with a neat twist, we’ve now learned that Danny perhaps thought he was a priest in the Catholic church, but was really working for the weird-church!  Ha!  It makes pre-Haunt Daniel Kilgore even more pathetic: Not only was he screwing hookers, he didn’t even know that HIS church was doing all this secret, apocalyptic stuff.  Clearly, this weird church is going to have something to do with Haunt and the connection with the afterlife.  Perhaps they knew that Daniel was a likely medium for a Haunt-construct and kept him around for that reason?

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 #637 – Review

The Grim Hunt by: Joe Kelly (writer), Michael Lark, Marco Checchetto, Stefano Gaudiano, Matt Southworth & Brian Thies (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors) and Joe Caramanga (letters)

Hunting the Hunter by: J.M. Dematteis (writer), Max Fiumara (art), Fabio D’Auria (colors) & Joe Caramanga (letters)

Spider Sundays by Stan Lee & Marcos Martin

The Story: Spider-Man becomes the hunter!  Enraged by the death of Kaine and others from the Spider-family, our webslinger goes after the Kravinoffs with a vengeance (or as much vengeance as Marvel editors will let him have).

What’s Good: This is a mostly satisfactory conclusion to the much anticipated Grim Hunt story line.  I have a number of quibbles with this issue, but I don’t want their sheer volume to make people think I didn’t like the issue.  It is more that this could have been epic and it just wasn’t.

One thing that I loved in this issue was getting to see Spider-Man kick ass.  We’re so used to seeing him getting beat up and having weird relationships with his roommate, that it’s easy to forget that when Spidey really applies himself, he is pretty much hell on wheels.  Parts of this issue almost had the feel of a Wolverine comic (without the claws) as Spidey ambushes the Kravinoffs from the shadows while wearing the black suit.

Oh yes… He is back in the black suit.  Partly that is out of necessity since we know that Kaine stripped him naked (which causes a weird mental image, now that I think of it), but part of it was to emphasize that Spidey “is out for blood”.  Frankly, the way this story arc had been unafraid to kill people, I thought we might see something interesting so seeing the black costume built my anticipation for a dramatic ending.

You also really get your money’s worth with this comic.  It should almost be priced by the pound.  The main story is 35 pages long and there are 12 pages of back-up material.  This book actually has some heft to it although I was tired enough by the time I read the main story that I only skimmed the back-ups.

Amazing Spider-Man #636 – Review

The Grim Hunt, Part 3 by: Joe Kelly with Zeb Wells (writers), Marco Checchetto, Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors) & Joe Caramanga (letters)

Hunting the Hunter by: J.M. Dematteis (writer), Emma Rios with Max Fiumara (art), Fabio D’Auria (colors) & Joe Caramanga (letters)

Spidey Sundays by: Stan Lee & Marcos Martin

The Story: Surprise!  Peter Parker isn’t really dead, but that doesn’t mean that someone didn’t die as part of the sacrifice to bring back Kraven the Hunter.  However, if the Kravinoff’s didn’t sacrifice the real Spider-Man, isn’t the reincarnation going to be kinda screwed up?

What’s Good: I’ve never been a big fan of all the clone garbage polluting the Spider-Man universe, so I was genuinely surprised to see that the death of Kaine touched an emotional chord in me.  It really wasn’t that big of a surprise that he was dead.  I didn’t see it immediately when I read/reviewed ASM #635 (blame reading it and immediately reviewing it), but in hindsight it was pretty obvious that it was going to be Kaine who died in the Kravinoff’s sacrifice.  But, seeing the poor guy looking really quite dead hit me (and there is NO doubt that dude is dead).  It was kind of like seeing and ignoring a panhandler on the same street corner every day.  You know the poor dude has it rough, but he’s annoying, smelly and in your way.  Then one day you learn that he died and you feel like crap because you were never nice to him.  That’s who Kaine was for me: the smelly bum who I just wanted to leave me alone.

The rest of this issue unfolded in pretty average super-hero fashion: Peter Parker wakes up, shakes off the cobwebs (pun intended) and has to go off chasing the Kravinoffs.  That’s a nice bit of role reversal and I like how the creative team handled it.

Amazing Spider-Man #635 – Review

The Grim Hunt, Part II by: Joe Kelly (writer), Michael Lark, Stefano Gaudiano & Matt Southworth (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors) & Joe Caramanga (letters)

Hunting the Hunter back-up story by: J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Max Fiumara (art), Fabio D’Auria (colors) & Caramanga (letters) and additional untitled back-up by Stan Lee and Marcos Martin

The Story: The Kravinoff’s continue their quest to catch Spiders, believing that sacrificing them on the altar of Kraven the Hunter will bring their patriarch back to life.

What’s Good: I’ll ask that you please run out and read this issue before reading this review.   This is the type of issue that deserves to be unspoiled for true fans.

That warning out of the way…  Holy crap!  I didn’t see that coming!  This issue kept me off balance from start to finish!  The Grim Hunt has really evolved at a break-neck pace since getting started in the last issue and I give a lot of credit to Joe Kelly for covering a lot of ground efficiently.  This issue had it all…  Fights, big-time villains, damsels in distress, a major bit of plot misdirection and a very shocking ending that builds for about 3-4 brutal pages.  As comic book fans, we’re trained to see our heroes get into dire circumstances but escape in the nick of time.  In a way, those miraculous escapes make us understand what it must be like to be a superhero: You can just wade into danger and somehow, someway…the good guys will escape.  But, this issue ramps that danger up just a little beyond the comfort zone and leaves us with a big payoff.

There…. Hopefully I’ve extolled this issue enough without spoiling it. Go read it twice!

Of course, you cannot have a spectacular issue without some really sharp art.  The overall style is a bit on the muddy side (which isn’t my favorite), but you cannot beat the storytelling and the expressive faces and body language.

Amazing Spider-Man Presents: Black Cat #1 – Review

By: Jen van Meter (writer), Javier Pulido (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), Joe Caramanga (letters); Grim Hunt Prologue: Joe Kelly (writer), Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors) & Joe Caramanga (letters)

The Story: Someone is stealing priceless Russian artifacts and trying to frame Black Cat.  But why?

What’s good: This issue has an unadvertised back up story that is a prologue to The Grim Hunt (ASM #634).  I really wish I’d known that before reading #634 and I don’t understand why Marvel didn’t put a note on the cover hyping this prologue because it is really good.  By the same creative team as #634, it really sets the stage well for The Grim Hunt.

I bought this issue mostly because Javier Pulido was handling the artistic duties and although the art was a mixed bag (more on that below), there are some great pages and panels (especially a page where Black Cat surprises the impostor-thief and goes looping down the impostor’s zip cord).  In fact, a few odd panels aside, the art is very good in this issue.

The story is serviceable.  This is really a tie-in of sorts to The Grim Hunt as the Kravinoffs are involved in the theft of these Russian artifacts.  So far this story promises to be “okay”, but nothing special.

What’s Not So Good: There really isn’t much weight to this story.  Here’s a funny thing: I probably wouldn’t have bought this if it were pitched as a “Grim Hunt” tie-in.  But, that is really what we’re dealing with: this is a tie-in to a 4-issue story arc in Amazing Spider-Man.  That’s what we’ve fallen to folks: a comic that comes out 3-4 times every month has a tie-in miniseries.

Amazing Spider-Man #634 – Review

By: The Grim Hunt, Joe Kelly (writer), Michael Lark & Stefano Gaudiano (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors) & Joe Caramanga (letters)

Hunting the Hunter, Part One (backup story), J.M. DeMatteis (writer), Max Fiumara (art), Fabio D’Auria (colors), Joe Caramanga (letters)

Back-up Number Two, Stan Lee (writer) & Marcos Martin (art)

The Story: The Grim Hunt finally gets off the ground after ~30 issues of build-up and countless in-comic teases.  The Kravinoffs have a sinister plan in mind for the webslinger and his colleagues!

What’s good: I LOVE comic stories that have lots of build-up.  Sure….many of those stories don’t turn out to be anything hot, but cracking open the first issue of a story that has been building for a long time is a little like Christmas morning: It’s finally here!!!

In this case, the Spider-Man team has been building this story since issue #600 last summer.  When we saw Madame Web get abducted by the Kravinoffs.  Then, the Kravinoffs kept showing up throughout the Gauntlet story line (including hiring Deadpool to distract Spidey so they could kidnap Mattie Franklin).  They weren’t around all the time, but they were around enough to make it clear that they were pulling some of the strings behind this stream of baddies who were giving Spidey such a hard time.  Before getting into this issue, let’s give an editorial tip of the cap to the Spider-Man team.  It can’t be easy to keep a story tight across 30 plus issue and multiple creative teams.  Bravo!

Amazing Spider-Man #612 – Review

Lead story by Mark Waid (writer), Paul Azaceta (artist), Dave Stewart (colorist)

Backup story by Joe Kelly (writer), JM Ken Niimura (artist, colorist and letterer)

The Story: Power to the People, Part I: Spider-Man and Max Dillon both discover a new Electro, one transformed and redefined by the melting economy and his own decaying health.  We are also treated to a backup story featuring Spider-Man and Black Cat.

What’s Good: I dumped on Waid’s work on Strange #1 earlier this month, but pointed out that Waid does a lot of good books.  This is one of them.  The entry-point of the book is a neutral, newspaper text that brings us up to speed.  But then, right away, we’re into some really creepy monologue in the head of Max Dillon (Electro).  I love how Waid has shown Electro and his problems in this issue.  Dillon’s got himself some real and unconventional problems and some half-justifiable chips on his shoulder that Waid takes in a direction that was unexpected to me and to Spider-Man.  Most importantly, while Dillon is still a schmuck in a rubber coat, Waid gives us enough of his side to make him sympathetic.  Never thought I’d appreciate this loser, so good work by the writer.

On the art side, Azaceta makes New York, Electro and the Thinker gritty and dirty, Spider-Man heroic and clean, and Peter Parker and his friends authentic and likable.  That’s quite a range and I want to point out that not a lot of artists seem to be able to make their characters’ faces look different, but Azaceta really succeeds.  Jameson, Peter, Dexter, Michelle, Dillon and Betty all have different types of faces that you could tell apart even without context.  The action is dynamic (check out Spider-man trying to grab Electro at the Stock Exchange) and clear the gritty style works for this book.  Azaceta is the right artist to tell this story.

What’s Not So Good: No real complaints about the lead story.   On the backup story, the writing was fine, but for some reason, when the art doesn’t fit, it ruins the whole experience for me.  Niimura is obviously a competent artist with an interesting style, but as I noted with Strange #1, an anime-style doesn’t really suit a lot of Marvel stories, so this story detracted from the book as a whole.

Conclusion: Waid and Azeceta effectively launched the new Gauntlet arc.  They’ve hit the right tone, put the menace in place, have some secret plan hatching and it’s all going south for Spidey.  The editors unfortunately inserted a backup story that artistically doesn’t fit the mood of the main book and the gear-shift didn’t work for me.  I’ll still tune in for the next issue, though.

Grade: B (A- for the lead story, D+ for the backup story)

–DS Arsenault

 

Amazing Spider-Man #611 – Review

By Joe Kelly (writer), Eric Canete (art)

The Story: Everyone’s favorite merc with a mouth, Deadpool, is hired to whack our Friendly Neighborhood wallcrawler.  Hijinks ensue as the wisecracking masked men kick and punch each other around NYC, culminating in the inevitable “Yo’ Momma” insult showdown between the two.  Meanwhile, Kraven the Hunter’s teenage daughter and her mom (who appear to be the same age and evidently enjoy Eskimo kissing) prepare for next month’s Gauntlet event by plotting against other spider-themed characters while Spidey’s distracted.

What’s Good: Skottie Young’s cover to this issue is one of the funniest sight gags I’ve seen in a while.  Admittedly, some knowledge of the excess prevalent during the 1990’s age of comics is necessary to get the joke. However, if you have even the slightest acquaintance with that era, this cover is guaranteed to at least elicit a smirk from you.  Sadly, it’s the only humorous thing about this comic book.

What’s Not So Good: “Trying too hard” is a phrase that I use often.  It inevitably comes to mind when I notice that someone or something has gone overboard in attempting to “be” something that they’re obviously not.  Women older than 40 shopping at Forever 21 while wearing UGGs?  Trying too hard.  Flash-Forward aping the structure and tone of Lost?  Trying too hard.  Anyone driving a Hummer?  Trying too hard.  Amazing Spider-Man #611 doing it’s best to be irreverently funny?  Trying.  Too.  Hard.

To be fair, Joe Kelly and Eric Canete gave me exactly what I expected when I picked up this issue.  Whenever Deadpool shows up in a comic, starring or guest-starring (I believe this is appearance #62,658 this Fall), it’s to be expected that the creators will do their best rendition of a wacky, slapstick routine that happens to involve people in tights.  The fact that this issue is written by the writer who is in someways synonymous with Deadpool only serves to cement that expectation. Unfortunately, too many ingredients  have been thrown into the “wacky pot”; from farcical editorial interjections to the fumetti-styled recap page to the “worst day ever” direction of the plot.  It doesn’t help matters much when on top of everything crammed into this package,  a fairly serious side-story that leads into next month’s Gauntlet story-arc is thrown in too.  Not only does ASM #611 try to be chock-full of funny and fall far off the mark, but it also attempts to be a prologue to another story.  There’s biting off more than you can chew, and then there’s biting off more than you can chew.  Kelly’s script falls into the latter category for me, regrettably.

While Canete’s artwork is far from bad, it does add to the unfortunate over-the-top approach prevalent throughout the issue.  A perfect example is his double-page splash depicting Spidey battling Lady Stilt-Man (okay, that name is sort of funny, I’ll admit) over the streets of Manhattan.  Spidey’s anatomy is, in a word, distorted.  Lady Stilt-Man is (I can only assume) supposed to be standing upright on stilts that seem to be flapping around weightlessly.  The entire piece has the feel of being reflected in some sort of funhouse mirror.  I’m sure the exaggerated approach to the visuals was intentional, and it certainly fits with Kelly’s equally excessive plot, but it only serves to confuse in an already overburdened piece of work.

Conclusion: While I appreciated the raw energy apparent in the work, this issue of Amazing Spider-Man never rises above being the equivalent of someone explaining the punch line of a joke, and then asking, “Get it?  Get it?”  I got it.  I just didn’t like it very much.

Grade: D

– Joe Lopez

Deadpool #900 – Review

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Deadpool stories by some of my favorite writers?! Needless to say, I have some pretty high expectations for Deadpool #900.

“Close Encounters of the F*cked-up Kind”

By Jason Aaron (Writer), Chris Staggs (Pencils), Juan Vlasco (Inks), and Marte Gracia (Colors)

The Story: Aliens abduct Deadpool. You probably know what happens next.

The Good And The Bad: “Close Encounters of the F*cked-up Kind” is a basic, predictable “aliens abduct someone they can’t handle” story. Regardless though, it still manages to be pretty fun. Chris Staggs’s pencil work, while a bit rough, is mostly impressive and compares favorably to Paco Medina’s work on the ongoing series. Jason Aaron’s dialogue is humorously immature at times, but it works well enough and fits the story.

Grade: C+

“Silent but Deadly”

By Fred Van Lente (Writer) and Dalibor Talajic (Artist)

The Story: Deadpool fights a trio of mimes.

The Good And The Bad: While there isn’t a whole lot of dialogue, Fred Van Lente’s story about mimes that have the power to make their miming actions a reality is one of the best things about Deadpool #900. Artist Dalibor Talajic does almost all of the hard work and definitely does Van Lente’s script justice. Talajic’s art tells the story extremely well, though a few panels are a bit hard to follow because of how the powers being used work. A sword fight without swords cannot be an easy thing to draw, so I give all the credit in the world to Talajic for making the scene work far better than it has any right to.

Grade: B

“Shrunken Master”

By Mike Benson (Writer), Damion Scott (Artist), and Lee Loughridge (Colors)

The Story: Deadpool sees a shrink in order to work through some issues.

The Good And The Bad: Mike Benson’s Deadpool story is definitely the oddest one of the bunch. It’s dark, surprisingly serious, a bit psychological, and somewhere between gritty and surreal (not to mention very “indie”) visually. Personally, I think it’s compelling and very well executed. That said, there’s no question it seems a bit out of place among the lighter stuff in Deadpool #900. One thing’s for sure though: Damion Scott and Lee Loughridge make a great team.

Grade: B+

“Pinky Swear”

By Joe Kelly (Writer) and Rob Liefeld (Artist)

The Story: Deadpool looks to cash in on a bet.

The Good And The Bad: I’m not going to bother with the debate about Rob Liefeld’s art style. Why? Because his work for “Pinky Swear” sure as hell isn’t going to change any minds. As for the story, Joe Kelly does a nice job of delaying the whole point of the story for comedic effect. Had the story been even a page longer though, I probably would have lost my patience with the whole thing. Kelly’s dialogue is funny, but the story drags on for longer than it should.

Grade: C

“What Happens in Vegas…”

By Duane Swierczynski (Writer), Shawn Crystal (Artist), and Lee Loughridge (Colors)

The Story: A crime scene investigation… Deadpool style.

The Good And The Bad: In order to get the most out of Duane Swierczynski’s Deadpool story, you have to have some familiarity with the whole crime scene T.V. show fad. If you do, you’ll probably find Swierczynski’s script to be pretty damned funny. Stereotypical investigators, talk of sex crimes, a bloody crime scene…it’s all there. It wouldn’t work nearly as well if Shawn Crystal’s artwork didn’t capture the vibe of Swierczynski’s script, but, thankfully, it does in every way.

Grade: C+

“Great Balls of Thunder on the Deep Blue Sea”

By Victor Gischler (Writer), Sanford Greene (Pencils), Nathan Massengill (Inks), and Dave McCaig (Colors)

The Story: Deadpool goes on a cruise and disrupts Dr. Octopus.

The Good And The Bad: While the bright and colorful artwork by Sanford Green and his team is a bit jarring, it’s certainly not bad in any way. It gets the job done and helps make “Great Balls of Thunder on the Deep Blue Sea” one of the more enjoyable reads in Deadpool #900. Victor Gischler’s script is nothing special, but it definitely makes good use of the Doc’s arms.

Grade: C+

“One Down”

By Charlie Houston (Writer) and Kyle Baker (Artist)

The Story: A “meta” Deadpool story in which the character wonders about his life.

The Good And The Bad: “One Down” is a pretty trippy story all around. From Kyle Baker’s bizarre visuals (Deadpool Vs. a pirate Fin Fang Foom anyone?) to Charlie Houston’s “meta” script, nearly everything about “One Down” is strange. It works, but the story certainly isn’t for everyone.

Grade: B-

“Deadpool & Widdle Wade: Turning Japanese”

By James Felder (Writer), Pete Woods (Pencils), Walden Wong (Inks), and Shannon Blanchard (Colors)

The Story: A reprint of an older Deadpool story, “Deadpool & Widdle Wade” is the largest story in Deadpool #900. It’s about Deadpool dealing with a Japanese mobsters Deadpool clone.

The Good And The Bad: I’m a bit torn about “Deadpool & Widdle Wade.” On one hand, it’s creatively decent and pretty fun all around. On the other, it’s a reprint that’s taking up space that could have been used on other new Deadpool stories.

Grade: C

Conclusion: Deadpool #900 is a great value, but none of the stories in the book fall under the “must read” category. Pick it up if you are a fan of the character.

Overall Grade: C+

-Kyle Posluszny

Amazing Spider-Man #606/ Amazing Spider-Man #607 – Double Review

#606 – By Joe Kelly (Writer), Mike McKone (Pencils), Andy Lanning (Inks), Chris Chuckry (Colors)

#607 – By Joe Kelly (Writer), Mike McKone & Adriana Melo (Pencils), McKone, Lanning, Justice, Smith, & Benes (Inks), and Chris Chuckry & Jeremy Cox (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Since Amazing Spider-Man #606 slipped through the cracks last week, I figured it might be worth reviewing both of Joe Kelly’s newest Spider-Man books in one review.

The Story: Peter Parker’s got girl problems. And just when it seems like things couldn’t get much worse, the Black Cat finds her way back into Spider-Man’s life. A flame is quickly re-ignited as the two must work together to solve a bizarre murder and bring down the villain known as Diablo.

What’s Good and What’s Not So Good: Let me start off by saying that Joe Kelly absolutely knocks the Black Cat stuff completely out of the park. In both #606 and #607, the funny, entertaining dialogue that goes back and forth between the conflicted Spider-Man and the flirtatious Black Cat is loaded with personality. Simply put, it’s an absolutely blast to read. Spider-Man’s inner dialogue proves to be equally impressive and really gets across the conflicted, frustrated feelings that Peter’s been wrestling with recently. It’s also funny as hell at times. Also, props to Kelly for allowing Peter to let loose and enjoy himself a bit throughout both issues. Even though what Spidey does isn’t necessarily the “right” thing, it’s certainly a good thing for the character as a whole.

So the character work is great, but what about the storyline that takes place around all of it? Thankfully, that’s pretty good as well. While the unique villain Diablo is a bit goofy for my taste, the murder mystery plot is solid all around and constructed in a way that allows the relationship of Black Cat and Spider-Man to take front and center at nearly all times. That’s a good thing because it not only keeps the interplay between the characters going but also puts Black Cat’s “bad luck” powers to use in clever, funny ways throughout the story.

The highlight of the artwork by Mike McKone in Amazing Spider-Man #606 has to be the character work. McKone’s characters convey the personality of the script and, for the most part, flow through the crazy action scenes with ease (though there is an awkward pose here and there). One noticeable negative about the character work is that Spider-Man looks a bit like a child in a Spider-Man costume in a few panels, either due to the small panel size or the way the scene is put together. It’s nothing more than a minor annoyance, but it does look a bit odd. As for the Black Cat, McKone makes sure she oozes sexuality and personality in nearly every panel. She’s a bit too “posey” at times, but I think that was sort of the point since she’s got a thing for Spidey.

The artwork in Spider-Man #607 is something of a mess. The phrase “Too many cooks in the kitchen” comes to mind. While the pencil work by McKone and Adriana Melo is well done (McKone stays on par while Melo ups the sexuality of things a bit), there’s an inconsistency from page to page that simply cannot be ignored. One page near the end looks particularly rough and, in truth, very rushed. Hard to believe it make it into the book as it is.

Conclusion: Amazing Spider-Man #606 and #607 are extremely fun comics that should please pretty much anyone. While the art problems are worth noting, they don’t bring down the overall quality of the creative package all that much.

Grades:

#606 : B+

#607: B

-Kyle Posluszny

Rob G’s Top Ten Number #1’s

The following list is my picks for the best first issues, based on comics that have been released during by tenure as a hobbyist, i.e the past twenty years. They are from series that were or are ongoing series, not minis. The only factor in choosing these books was simple: Greatness.

1. Y The Last Man

Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra

Unmatched storytelling and utterly masterful writing. So many plot threads perfectly bundled up in perhaps the best example of non-linear storytelling.

2. Four Eyes

Joe Kelly and Max Fiumara

An incredibly unique story, told perfectly with outstanding art. Whips you up and takes you to a place that is both familiar and fantastic.

3. Preacher

Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon

Like Y The Last Man, an expertly crafted story, with brilliant pacing and perfect dialogue. Plus, insanely novel concepts and characters.

4. The Walking Dead

Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore

A regular paged issue that seems like a novella. Haunting, engaging, fun and most importantly, Rick is a character you want to travel with.

5. Batman and Robin

Grant Morrison and Frank Quietley

Morrison and Quietly. Usually that says it all, but this was something unexpected with its new take on the dynamic duo, creating a new mythos rather than perfecting an old one– like they do in All Star Superman.

6. Planetary

Warren Ellis and John Cassady

Mind-bending and genre-jarring. Ellis scoops you up while Cassaday blows you away. For Sci-Fi, there is Firefly for TV and Planetary for Comics.

7. All Star Superman

Grant Morrison and Frank Quietley

Everything Superman should be  in both character  and appearance. Also, perhaps the best colored comic in the past 15 years.

8. The Ultimates

Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch

The Avengers you want and a team of characters that make sense. Story hits you as the art wows.

9. Ultimate Spider-Man

Brian Bendis and Mark Bagely

The best Spider-Man ever. Period. Perhaps the most endearing comic character ever created. Instant love.

10. The Unwritten/Invincible

Mike Carey and Peter Gross/Robert Kirkman and Corey Walker

Both these issues set up addicting stories and characters. Like the other comics in this list, greatness was evident from the get-go.

Be sure to weigh-in in the comment section!

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 #599 – Review

By Joe Kelly (writer), Stephen Segovia, Marco Checcheto, Paulo Siqeira and Amilton Santos (pencils, inks) Cris Chuckry and Jeremy Cox (colors)

The Story: Joe Kelly’s American Son arc concludes with the final showdown between Norman and Harry Osborn, as Spidey tries to recover from injuries sustained while he was tortured by the Dark Avengers.

What’s Good: Truthfully, there isn’t a whole lot that happens in this issue, since it is basically one long fight scene. With that said, the first five pages were awesome. The art was killer and the flashback scene between Peter and Harry was masterful. It showed the depth of their relationship and a lot of the motivations of each character. I also really like the whole Norman/Menace relationship. It had a lot of potential and the whole family dynamic seemed set to make a big impact on Spidey’s world.

Kelly told a complete story. All the dynamics were in play that he began with, i.e. Peter’s man-love for Harry, Aunt May’s wedding, and Wolverine’s advice. Perhaps, it came off as overly formulaic and almost text-book like, but it was still satisfying that all the pieces of the story were there.

What’s Not So Good: For some reason, there were three different art teams on this issue and it mostly didn’t look consistent. Also, the last art team seemed to have forgotten that Menace was pregnant. So why the hell did she have six-pack abs and a lean figure in some scenes. Also, remember when she looked like a devil who was so intensely ugly and monstrous that the reader couldn’t even tell her gender (hence the suprise that she was a girl! and Lilly! and pregnant!)? Well, not anymore. In this issue she was a Goblin-Babe with green skin and red-lipstick.

And another thing, I was really getting tired of Spider-Man always fighting past the point of exhaustion and physical durability, where at any moment he was going to pass out or die. Every major ASM arc has featured him in this state and it is getting really, really old. Also, his non-stop trips to the emergency room at the end of stories are getting way too formulaic.

Conclusion: As far as this arc goes, it was a bit of a downer to see everything, minus Menace bearing Norman’s child. I was hoping Harry would evolve into something other than a thirty-something still dealing with his Daddy issues. It would’ve have made this story infinitely better if it was clear that he knew that Spidey was Peter. Don’t get me wrong: this is the best written and plotted ASM arc of ’09. But, this finale was a little lack luster, consisting largely of two pseudo Iron-Mans duking it out during a dysfunctional family therapy session.

Grade: B

-Rob G.

Amazing Spider-Man #598 (American Son Chapter 4) – Review

By Joe Kelly (Writer), Paulo Siqueira & Marco Chachetto (Pencils & Inks), Amilton Santos (Inks), and Jeremy Cox & Chris Chuckry (Colors)

The Story: As Peter tries to endure being tortured by Bullseye and Norman Osborn, he learns the true extent of Osborn’s plan for the American Son project. Harry, meanwhile, finds the cure for Lily and his baby; but he soon learns a horrible truth.

What’s Good: When Joe Kelly focuses on Peter’s situation (Bullseye is just the right character for Peter to interact with) and the relationship between Harry and his father, the fourth chapter of “American Son” borders on great. Why? Because Kelly’s character moments are top notch. They take full advantage of key dynamics whenever they are in play (between hero and villain or father and son, for instance). In addition, Kelly does a fine job of keeping the twists and turns coming at a pace that feels just right for a story that’s been succeeding largely because of the balance that he’s found between storytelling and character work.

What’s Not So Good: I have two complaints about Kelly’s work in Amazing Spider-Man #598. The first complaint is that it seems as though he has completely abandoned the smaller parts of the “American Son” story. There’s no mention of Aunt May (what’s with the robots?) and there’s not a whole lot of, well anything really, that doesn’t have to do with Peter or Harry. I realize they are the focus of the story, but why bother with the other stuff so much in the first two chapters then?

My second complaint is that some of the dialogue comes off as far too melodramatic. It’s especially noticeable when Harry and Lily interact, though some of the stuff between Harry and Norman is also worthy of a roll of the eyes or two.

The artwork by Paulo Siquiera and Marco Chachetto is fairly solid all around, but it earns a spot in the “Not So Good” section for two reasons: ridiculous facial expressions (seriously…what’s with Harry?!) and poorly executed action. I can handle the weird expressions, but the action is really frustrating to look at. There’s just something obviously off about it.

Conclusion: While it’s got some flaws, the penultimate chapter of “American Son” is still worth checking out. Kelly’s been on a roll lately and for the most part, “American Son” keeps that roll…uh…rolling.

Grade: B –

-Kyle Posluszny

Amazing Spider-Man #597 (American Son Chapter 3) – Review

By Joe Kelly (Writer), Marco Chachetto (Art), and Chris Chuckry (Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: Since Joe Kelly’s been on a roll lately (Four Eyes), picking up his “American Son” story was something of a no-brainer for me. I enjoyed the first two issues quite a bit (Rob’s reviews are pretty much dead on) and I looked forward to seeing where Kelly takes the story next. One thing though…what’s the deal with having a different art team for each chapter?! It’s absolutely killing me…

The Story: The “American Son” project is revealed as Spidey infiltrates the Dark Avengers by disguising himself as Venom/Mac Gargan/Spider-Man. Harry, meanwhile, thinks of a plan that can eliminate Menace, save his child, and save his lover.

What’s Good: Joe Kelly continues to weave one hell of a Spider-Man tale that takes full advantage of the Dark Reign concept. Watching Spidey take the offensive against Norman and his Avengers is a lot of fun thanks to Kelly’s sharp, surprising dialogue (love Peter’s “Venom” talk) and compelling plot twists. And while chapter three of “American Son” puts most of the politics on hold in favor of some action, the story still manages to move forward at a nice -though slightly fast- pace, especially in regards to the titular American Son.

The moody color work by Chris Chuckry is definitely the highlight of the art package, which is something of a mixed-bag. That said, Marco Chachetto’s work proves to be a good fit for the story. His character designs are strong, his panel layouts are unique, and a few of his action panels are extremely well done.

What’s Not So Good: One complaint I have about The Amazing Spider-Man #597 is that it lacks the depth found in the first two “American Son” chapters. Most of Spidey’s cast is put on the back-burner in favor of action, as a result, I found myself a bit let down by the latest part of Kelly’s Dark Reign tie-in. And the worst part? The action I’m talking about isn’t executed all that well. A few scenes look very good, but Marco Chachetto litters some pages with so many panels that it becomes a chore to try and sort out the correct flow of action. Though I suppose that one could make a case that the panel layout is supposed to reflect Spider-Man’s confusion…

Conclusion: A strong ending keeps the third chapter of “American Son” on par with the rest of the arc. It’s not perfect, but it’s definitely worth reading.

Grade: B-

-Kyle Posluszny

I Kill Giants TPB – Review

By Joe Kelly (writer) Jm Ken Nimura (art)

The Story: Eccentric and troubled 5th grader Barbara Thorson kills giants. Or does she? That’s the question you’ll be asking yourself throughout this trade as you experience a few weeks in Barbara’s incredible and difficult life.

What’s Good: There are so many exceptional things about this tpb, but to me the most novel and unique thing is that this whole trade could be cut up and published as a serialized comic strip– an incredible comic strip. The way the story is written and executed,with something memorable – whether it be funny, touching, confusing, or shocking- happening every few panels, along with the flowing  and characteristic art, reminded me of the best of Calvin and Hobbes.  There are truly hundreds of memorable moments, and it’s the kind of read that you can flip to any page and find something that will capture your interest.

Barbara is probably the most lovable and touching anti-hero I can recall. Her character is so dynamic and deep, yet she operates  so uncharismatically and frustratingly. She’s like the stereotypical ugly duck that the reader comes to love, except she is a duck with fangs and an altitude.

This is an insanely touching story that has the potential to capture a large audience. Besides Pride of Baghdad, this is the only other story I could convince my wife to read and as with the Pride, she was moved and awestruck by the comic medium and its potential. This is one of those stories that has a feel-good, universal truth to take from it, but it is told through a girl that murders Giants, so its obviously not cliche. I predict Kelly will be selling the movie rights to I kill Giants very soon, if he hasn’t already.

What’s Not So Good: I wish some of the scenes from this tale were toned down a bit and not so non-PG. This would make a great book for kids and it could serve as a part of a school reading list, and really appeal to the mainstream youth market if it weren’t for some of the language and the gratuitous name-calling. I’m not saying that this stuff was over the top, it wasn’t, and I’m not saying it didn’t work, it did, I’m just saying that the mature language removes it from the audience that could benefit from this powerful story the most.

As for the art, I was really impressed, but some of panels were hard to make sense of. I had to go back and try to figure out what had transpired and sort out the sequence of events. Nimura’s style lends itself to charming chaos, but some mayhem was just murky.

Conclusion: This is a must have trade for your bookshelf. When I was done reading I Kill Giants, I was quickly thinking about who to send a copy to and who would appreciate this trade. It was a pretty big list and included many people who would never touch a graphic novel without coaxing. As I stated, my biggest complaint  is that this list couldn’t include my younger relatives because of some of the content. But, that’s art and I respect Kelly’s discretion, or lack thereof, as he pulled off a complete winner with this series. Highly recommended!

Grade: A

-Rob G.

Amazing Spider-Man #596 – Review

By Joe Kelly (writer), Paulo Siqueira (pencils), Amilton Santos (inks), Jeremy Cox (colors)

The Story: As Harry Osborn makes his move to the “Dark Side,” by accepting a job with his father, Norman and his Dark Avengers, Peter decides to proactively protect Harry while scoring some revenge points against Norman. Meanwhile, Norah infiltrates Avengers Tower while trying to uncover a story that will out Norman and his corrupt ways, while the older JJ further ingratiates himself to the Parker family through bonding with Peter.

What’s Good: The American Son arc keeps its momentum in this second installment. Kelly has a clear direction for this arc and some of the developments are quite interesting and daring. There have been many false promises through solicitations and editorial interviews that Spidey’s world would be affected substantially in previous installments of ASM, but I have a hunch that this arc will prove to be transformative.

I really like Kelly’s take on Peter as a bold yet thoughtful hero, rather than an perpetually whimpering and wise cracking protagonist. In this issue, Spidey goes full onto a dangerous situation with out a shred of fear. You can’t help but root for him and believe in his character.

Additionally, Kelly nails the bad guys here as well. Norman has become so overused in the Marvel U as of late, but Kelly utilizes the principle that “less is more” when writing him. There are no lengthy diatribes or overt actions that show Norman’s hand, Kelly simply relies on quick dialogue and precise revelations to portray Norman and his motivations.

What’s Not So Good: What is it with switching art teams so soon in this arc? The whole tone and flow of this book is thrown off with Phil Jimenez disappearing and Paulo Siqueira arriving to draw this book. Their styles are nothing alike and it doesn’t seem that Siqueira even attempted to keep the feel from the previous book. Also, there are these weird energy rays that are illustrated whenever someone does something dramatic with their hands that I found to be irritating and odd. However, it should be said that the Venom scenes were executed very well.

My other complaint is that this comic gets off to a slow start. I mean it is a yawner for half of the book and I found myself checking to see how many more pages I had to read. This is the comic book equivalent of checking your watch; which is never a good sign. Sure, the end of this read is exciting and surprising, but not enough to retroactively brighten the beginning.

Conclusion: One of those frustrating reads that has some great content built upon a flow of forgettable narrative. Nevertheless, this is a issue that retains the high-interest inherent in this arc. Kelly possibly pulled-off the impossible for me in the fact that I’m thoroughly enjoying Spidey’s supporting cast. I am really interested in how this arc will progress and what will transpire in the coming pages. However, Phil Jimenez’s absence thoroughly tempers this excitement.

Grade: B-

-Rob G.

Amazing Spider-Man # 595 – Review

By Joe Kelly (writer), Phil Jimenez (pencils), Andy Lanning (inks), Chris Chuckry (colors)

The Story: The living specter of the Green Goblin bears down into Pete’s life as Norman Osborn tries to play father-of-the-year by offering a job to Harry. Speaking of screwed up family issues, Peter and JJ, soon-to-be brothers, attend the celebration of Aunt May’s and JJ Sr.’s engagement at the mayor’s mansion.  Peter decides to take a hands-on approach to Norman and during his smack-down, he receives disturbing news as his worst fears are realized.

What’s Good: This issue effectively sets up what the arc American Son, will be dealing with. While this issue isn’t groundbreaking or outrageously good, I’m excited for this 5 issue run by Joe Kelly. The characters are in place, the momentum is laid down, and the many plot threads are in the loom.

I am thrilled to report that Peter’s supporting cast actually helps this story along, rather than bring it into the mud, like in the past issues when you were getting mere attempts of injecting the rag-tag team of Brand New Day associates into this series. Joe Kelly does a great job of making Peter’s friends, family, and associates seem important and interesting. The soap-opera angle of ASM is starting to click, finally. Also, Kelly has a natural take on Peter that works very well, as the character stays consistent and entertaining.

Phil Jimenez is handling pencils on this arc, and minus a few action scenes that take place in a vacuum of setting and form, this comic is drawn great. I appreciate his character designs that stay true to form while still retaining some subtle difference that make the same old characters unique and fresh. There is no doubt that Jimenez was the right man for the job, as his work — specifically the characters’ facial expressions, were  more telling than the text.

What’s Not So Good: I have a personal message for comic book creators: Barack Obama won the election—months ago! I got it, your guy won, America might be better for it, congrats! Can we not move on? Seriously, the scene with Wolverine and Spidey dissing Bush and then fist-bumping as if we are in the middle of an election (or Obama even ran against Bush) was probably the most irritating and corny thing I’ve read this year. Not to mention the fact that  Wolverine strikes me as a Republican, no? Unlike Kelly, I’m not trying to make a political point here about who is good or who is bad, I’m just saying, its time to move on. Anyway, aren’t comics supposed to challenge the status quo, no matter who is in office, rather than playing cheerleader to any political party?

As far as the story itself, without giving too much away, Harry’s change of heart seemed to be a little contrived. The thing he was so emotional about is something that he has and has been through before already with Liz (hint, hint). So, why is he all mushy now? Additionally, some of the dialogue was a bit too terse and quick, and I had to reread certain panels a couple of times to really get what was being said.

Conclusion: A nice start to an interesting and exciting arc that is poised to make substantial changes to Spidey’s world. I recommend to anyone who is waiting to jump into this series to make the plunge now. I expect good things from the creative team, as I’m already looking forward to seeing how things play out.

Grade: B

-Rob G

Four Eyes #3 – Review

By Joe Kelly (writer) Max Fiumara (pencils, inks), and Nestor Pereyra (colors)

The Story: Our protagonist Enrico, full of pure innocence and unbridled optimism, goes on his first dragon egg hunt with a pack of unseemly and desperate characters. While working out his pervasive sense of loss over the death of his father, he meets other members of Boccini’s crew, as he travels into a dead-end, dragon-infested cave; where he meets this comic’s name sake.

What’s Good: Alright, I’m gonna try not to gush like a fanboy and keep some objective editorialism (yeah, I know, I made that last word  up), but really, this comic is magnificent. As much as I am in awe of Joe Kelly’s scripting and plotting, it’s Max Fiumara who gets to put a star on his refrigerator for this issue.  I wouldn’t believe he could top the dragon designs in the past couple issues, but he did. In fact, he destroyed them. The pandemonium in the cave, “when dragons attack,” was gloriously drawn. The scenes were emotive in the sense that I could feel the terror the humans were experiencing as the dragon tore into them. All the action in each panel was clear and the unique style that characterizes Fiumuara’s pencils remained in tact. Characters were expressive and natural. Setting, depth, and perspective were all precise.

Now, onto Kelly. This whole project works on so many levels and this issue exemplifies them all. First off, like any good story, it all hinges on the characters that comprise the story. From Fawkes, the tough as nails foreman with a soft heart, to Enrico’s caring mother, the whole cast is great. Obviously, Enrico is the motor of the whole story and he is an easy character to fall in love with. The way he handles his father’s death, specifically his near-euphoria in following in his footsteps even though it is clearly an almost certain death sentence, is very powerful and a depiction true to human nature.

The overall story here is classic and formulaic, especially the ending, and many aspects of the tale feel familiar. But perhaps ironically,  this doesn’t detract from the novelty of this tale. I mean we are talking about dragons and the great depression here–not exactly a common concept. Also, the fact that this is told masterfully, even the predictable events are highly enjoyable to read.

What’s Not So Good: With this comic as it stands on its own? Not a thing. However, the release dates and stability of this series is a real issue. But, let’s save that for the….

Conclusion: Obviously, the lateness of this issue’s release and the uncertainty of when the next issue is coming is frustrating. Very frustrating, in fact. I applaud Joe Kelly for owning up to this problem and formulating a plan to get back on track. But the reality is is that this stability is over half a year away, which is really disappointing from a customer’s perspective. Ultimately, the strength of this series will overcome the disastrous logistical end of it. Yet this is still a major gripe.

All that aside, this is my favorite comic on the stands right now, as it even ranks up there with my all-time favorites. I cannot remember being as sold on a series so early on as I am with Four Eyes. I am psyched about the ability of this series to appeal to a wide and diverse audience and I hope it catches on. This is a series that is good for the whole comic medium and its advancement.

Grade: A

-Rob G.

Amazing Spider-Man #576 – Review

By Joe Kelly (writer), Chris Bachalo (art), Mendoza, Tim Townsend and Al Vey (inks), Antonio Fabela (colors)

The Story: It’s Spidey versus Hammerhead, Round 2 – but not before Spider-Man takes a major beating and gets mugged by the two kids he’s been trying to save. Taking just hours to recover, Peter takes it upon himself to find the elusive kids and stop Hammerhead’s rampage before more people are killed.

What’s Good? There’s an ironic twist of fate that takes place later in the story with the kids, and it’s quite frankly, surprising! While Hammerhead may now be amped up as a supervillain, he’s still not a top tier adversary and his intelligence proves it. He’s a brute and brutes are not a match for a scientist under a spider suit. Joe Kelly deserves credit for at making him a formidable opponent until Peter can regroup.

The way Spider-Man finally deals with Hammerhead is all centered around the Peter’s smarts and the end result is a laugh out loud moment. Great stuff!

What’s Not So Good: Chris Bachalo’s storytelling is still a mess. Many times I had to scrutinize panels and pages – doing double takes – just to make sense of it all. And that’s never a good thing. The guy can draw some pretty pictures, but the expense the reader pays is a hefty one.

Conclusion: I’m a bit fatigued with Spider-Man dealing with inner-city children, but this little arc is actually fun and quite satisfying.

Grade: B+

– J. Montes

Amazing Spider-Man #575 – Review

By Joe Kelly (writer), Chris Bachalo (pencils), Tim Townsend (inks), Antonio Fabela & Chris Bachalo (colors)

The Story: Enter the new Hammerhead! After having his skeleton completely rebuilt by Mr. Negative, Hammerhead sets out to rout a local gang of thugs while gaining more turf for his new boss. Caught in the middle is Spider-Man who gets involved with one of the adolescent gangsters and his little brother.

The Good? The story’s got a good amount of entertainment value and gags that work. Joe Kelly is having a lot of fun putting words into Spider-Man’s mouth and it’s obvious by the loads of panels that feature Spidey carrying on in silly conversation.

And Hammerhead becoming a brutal villain? At first I didn’t buy it, but I’ve got to admit: Joe Kelly’s done a good update on the character.

The Not So Good? This feels like another retread of troubled youth – a theme that was played to death in J. Michael Straczynski’s Amazing Spider-Man run. Chris Bachalo’s art continues to be a brilliant mess. As beautiful as his artwork is there’s an inherent weakness in the storytelling. I know having all white borders is the “flavor of the month” with artists today, but it’s getting old. Also, Bachalo’s renditions of Peter Parker and Aunt May (to an extent) are truly some of the worst I’ve seen.  I mean seriously, what the hell was Peter wearing at that fair?

Lastly, the use of photo backgrounds is lame, lame, lame. And lazy.

Conclusion: Quite a fun issue if you don’t go in looking for something deep. I miss the Chris Bachalo who drew great stories like Death. I want that guy back.

Grade: B-

-J. Montes