Superior Spider-Man Team-Up #2 – Review

Christopher Yost (Writer), Marco Checchetto (Artist), Rachelle Rosenberg (Colorist)

The Story: Kaine goes to visit his friend Peter, only to discover that he has turned into a colossal jerk. Cue Spider-Ock and his arrogant shenanigans.

The Review: Crossovers aren’t always handled quite well. Sometimes, they are simply single issues where another character or team guest-star in another title, showing just who they are in order to boost their appearances. Other times, they are handled in multiple issues where both writers and titles share their characters in a multiple-part story. Both can be done right, yet they each have their weaknesses and strengths.

This issue is part of the latter and unfortunately show very well one of the main weakness of this type of crossover: the fact that it is not a complete story. Of course, most issues these days are part of a whole considering how many writers are writing for the trade paperbacks these days, yet this one does not accomplish much on its own.

The story here is that Kaine visits Peter, being unaware of the switch-up that made Superior Spider-Man a controversial series to begin with, as Otto reacts very violently to his presence and the fact that Kaine is a clone of the body he inhabits. The confrontation itself is precipitated perhaps a bit too fast, as Otto goes on and tries to kill Kaine almost as soon as he shows up, getting to the action scene rapidly after the introduction to Otto and his life.

This prompt the issue to go toward territory that aren’t particularly pleasant, as a lot of the characters become unlikeable and the plot make way for a lot of action without giving the readers much to latch onto in order to enjoy it. The reasons for Otto’s reaction are believable, yet they are not delved very far as we get some text, a panel and that’s it. It is a bit fast in terms of contextualisation for readers to invest themselves in the conflict show here.

Avengers #17 – Review

Jonathan Hickman, Nick Spencer (Writers), Stefano Caselli, Marco Rudy, Marco Checchetto (Artists), Frank Martin (Colorist)

*Spoilers alert*

The Story: The Avengers realize that they have to get even bigger and soon as they make concessions for the greater good.

The Review: Payoffs are nice. Readers crave them, cherishing the situations that escalates to a climax as a resolution or conclusion to a particular problem arrive and lead the story or a character to new areas ripe for development or surprises. Payoffs are what nourish the whole industry and pretty much every stories since the beginning of carefully-written fiction.

Well, it seems like both Hickman and Spencer have a rather tenuous grasp on the concept, as this story does not do much in term of satisfying conclusion to an arc or as a prelude to the upcoming event.* In many ways, the story does use a lot of what has been introduced in the multiple stories by Hickman, yet it does not feel particularly satisfying after what has been basically 17 issues of teasing and hinting at bigger things.

The recruitment of Ex Nihilo and Abyss, two characters that are genuinely interesting and full of potential for further storylines and moral conundrums for the team, it feels a bit hollow in terms of payoff. It makes sense if it’s seen as a series of slow development, yet as far as building up to Infinity and as the conclusion to a good chunk of teasing concerning the fact that the team will have to get bigger and that the universe is still broken. The addition of Starbrand and Nightmask also seems logical and build up naturally to their new role, yet there’s no surprise or twist that makes it fun or merely entertaining. It just happens.

What is perhaps infuriating, or at least annoying down the line, is the fact that despite the fact that several plot points have been handled in this issue, close to none are close to an actual resolution. Worse, Hickman and Spencer continues seeding new subplots and giving us hints that things are coming, something that comes as just annoying now considering that it’s what the title solely did since the beginning of the new volume.

Avenging Spider-Man #21 – Review

By: Christopher Yost (Writer), Marco Checchetto (Artist), Rachelle Rosenberg (Colorist)

The Story: Spider-Ock fights some Russians to save the Chameleon in the midst of a battle on a S.H.I.E.L.D helicarrier.

The Review: With this story about Chameleon and the Secret Avengers being the first two-parter that Chris Yost has written on his tenure on this title, I had no idea just what to expect. As he had usually done done-in-one issues with a clear beginning, middle and end, I wasn’t sure if he’d still be able to pull it off in the same way he did those tight stories. Now, with the second and final part of this story being here, does Yost uses all the setup he had built up in the previous issue in an effective way?

Avenging Spider-Man #20 – Review

By: Christopher Yost (Writer), Marco Checchetto (Artist), Rachelle Rosenberg (Colorist)

The Story: Spider-Ock gets on a S.H.I.E.L.D helicarrier in order to free the Chameleon from their prison, just as the Russian are getting ready to do the same. What are the odds?

The Review: I do have to say it’s a strange time to be a fan of Spider-Man. It’s even a stranger time to begin reading Spider-Man, like I did, just as a big controversial change had been put in the series. While the change from Peter Parker to Otto Octavius has been a rather weird one for a lot of people, it can’t be said that it hasn’t given us some quality stories in both the main title, Superior Spider-Man and its sister title Avenging Spider-Man. While it has been fun to see just how Otto acclimates to the life of being a webhead, it has been a blast to see just how he interacts with the larger Marvel universe as well. Having seen him with the X-Men, the FF and Thor, it has been fun to read how he sees them all and it has given us some surprisingly fun stories to boot.

Avenging Spider-Man #19 – Review

By: Christopher Yost (Writer), Marco Checchetto (Artist), Rachelle Rosenberg (Colorist)

The Story: Spider-Ock is stuck in his head for a nightmarish introspection. Sounds like a cue for an obscure character team-up!

The Review: Well, this is quite a jump in partner. First starting with the X-Men, then the Future Foundation, with Thor next, it seems that this title wanted to be a little bit more experimental with the choice of guest-star.

This time, Yost chose a much more obscure character called Sleepwalker, one that I’ve actually never heard of, which is oddly a very smart choice. By putting such a smaller character with the marketing beast that is Spider-Man (even the Spider-Ock version), it can makes for unpredictable stories with lesser-known character, putting the spotlight on them to allow us readers to see their potential. Of course, it works rather well on paper, but it is not quite the same in the execution here.

Avenging Spider-Man #18 – Review

By: Christopher Yost (Writer), Marco Checchetto (Artist), Rachelle Rosenberg (Colorist)

The Story: Spider-Ock and Thor battles Electro as he is back to Earth after being sent away by the god of thunder.

The Review: With the last issue being a whole shenanigan of craziness with time-travelling agencies, genius kids, Death-Head yet with a somewhat disappointing payoff, what could possibly come after a team-up with the Future Foundation? How about a team-up with the god of thunder himself: Thor?

Continuing the tradition of this title, Spider-Ock teams here with the son of Odin, dealing with something that had happened prior in the spider-corner of the Marvel universe, back in Ends of the Earth when Thor shot out Electro in space. With Electro now back to exact revenge on Asgard own favorite son, the issue shows just how far Electro is willing to go to do just that, as we see the strength of his resolve and see some more of his character as a result.

The Punisher #16 – Review

By: Greg Rucka (writer), Marco Checchetto (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story:  Rachel reaches the end of her journey.

The Review:  Once in a while you get an issue where you can only marvel at the craftsmanship behind it.  This is one of those issues, with Rucka and Checchetto proving themselves both to be master storytellers.

Rucka, even in this final issue of the ongoing series, adds more wrinkles and more nuance to his take on Frank Castle.  We see a really surprisingly human turn by Castle this month that was almost touching.  It’s a compassionate side to Frank that actually makes sense and feel natural to the character.  Not only does it make us like Frank and see him as a human being, and a good one (which is no small feat on Rucka’s part), but this side of Castle is exhibited in a very “Frank Castle” sort of way.  Ultimately, Castle’s act of compassion this month is done through busting heads in typical Punisher wetworks fashion.  It’s not just kind words that Frank gives; rather, like so much else about Rucka’s Punisher, Frank shows who he is through his actions, not through his words.  That being said, while Frank speaks through his actions, when he does speak, his words hit like a hammer, every one of them mattering.  Nowhere is this clearer than one very simple line that Frank says to Rachel, which is hugely impactful and basically sums up the entirety of Rachel’s journey – in one sentence.  That’s amazing stuff.

Daredevil #11 – Review

By: Mark Waid (writer), Marco Checchetto (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Daredevil tries to recapture the Omega Drive from Cole (Alves?).

The Review:  The Omega Effect has been a really nice little crossover.  It’s small, contained, and went across titles that worked well with each other.  If you enjoyed the previous two issues, you’ll enjoy most of what’s offered here.  Seeing Daredevil, Spider-Man, and Punisher kick Megacrime ass together is about as entertaining as you’d expect.

The real heart of the comic, however, is in Daredevil’s interactions with Rachel Alves (why does everyone, including Marvel, keep calling her Cole when the character explicitly calls herself Alves?).  There’s great chemistry between the two, highlighting the very high, very dangerous precipice that Alves finds herself at.  Naturally, this lets Matt really shine as well; in attempting to “save” her, we see all the personal characteristics that have defined Matt: his sense of responsibility, his heroism, his empathy, his passion, and, of course, his constant sense of guilt and his desire to atone for past wrongs.  In this case, in appealing to Rachel, he’s also trying to make up for what he sees as his failure in reforming Frank.  It makes for a strong, compelling read that says as much about Matt as it does Rachel.

The Punisher #5 – Review

by Greg Rucka (writer), Marco Checchetto (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: It’s a somber Thanksgiving for Frank and friends, as if there’d be any other sort.

1.  A good supporting cast goes a long way

In making the Punisher a silent force of nature, Rucka has had to create a strong supporting cast to do the heavy lifting and this is the first issue where we get a big picture view of that cast as a whole.  Put simply, it’s fantastic and gives this book the realism and the kind of pure heart that pulls you into a narrative.  Each of these characters is distinct and brings their own unique dynamic to Frank but more than that, each of them also feels truly human.  All are fully realized, with their own personalities, lives, and relationships and all are unique and engaging while also coming across as real people.  It’s fantastic character-work that makes for a comic that feels all the more likable and intimate, things not usually associated with a Punisher comic.

2.  The Punisher is kid-friendly?

Rucka seems to add another member to this supporting cast this month, a young boy who unwittingly runs into Frank and starts visiting him regularly.   The dichotomy is amazing and the result is a character dynamic that is so emotionally genuine and sincere.  As polar opposites, the dynamic between the human horror that is Frank and the innocence of the kid is such a treat to read.  This is highlighted by the kid’s chattiness and Frank’s very few words.  While Frank’s words speak volumes, it’s as though he is buoyed by the waves of the kid’s happy chatter and the juxtaposition between Frank’s guarded silence and the kid’s completely trusting disclosure is striking.  Better still is the end of the issue, which shows again the difference between Frank the man and the legend of the Punisher: one the kid likes, the other alienates him.  Again, this highlights the burden that the Punisher mantle places on Frank as a human being and how it stops him from developing much of anything as a person.

3.  Marco Checchetto is amazing.

We’ve seen Marco do cityscapes…..now we see him execute a snowy, windswept rural landscape.  The result a continual atmosphere of sadness and melancholy, a feeling of isolation.  In other words, it’s absolutely perfect and truly an emotionally evocative experience.

Checchetto also does fantastic work illustrating the wounded Frank.  He looks more vulnerable and more…human.  Furthermore, Checchetto’s work on Frank is so subtle as well; while he says little, he looks more tender, if not nicer, when around the kid.  Unlike previous issues, he’s just a man here, and a very lonely one at that.

The Punisher #3 – Review

by Greg Rucka (writing), Marco Checchetto (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Frank grapples with the Vulture in a fight to the death over the skies of New York City.

The Review:  Given how much of this issue is consumed by a sprawling action scene, it seems fitting to start out with a discussion of Marco Checchetto’s artwork.  Simply put, it’s really, really good and it’s becoming increasingly surprising how Checchetto has flown under the radar for so long.  Once again, Checchetto draws a dark, gritty, and mysterious New York City, but it’s the action that he shines at this month.

A long, aerial grappling session is no easy feat in comics and could have easily been disastrous.  I was fearing that we’d get an incomprehensible jumble of bodies and storytelling gone out the window, but somehow, Rucka and Checchetto manage to make it all completely understandable and, in fact, they even manage to make it beautiful, creating a fight scene that, while primal, tells a story in its own right.  It’s intense, elegant, and an experience that’s unique to the medium.

The fight’s ending also shows some serious balls on Rucka’s part and should go a long way in answering the complaints of those who question how Frank Castle can operate in the Marvel U.  Rucka shows that he has no qualms about having Frank run amok in New York and making sizable impacts.  I can’t go any further without major spoilers, unfortunately, but let’s just say that this fight doesn’t end how most superhero/villain fights end and that the conclusion is very appropriate for Frank.  There’s no equivocation here.

But it’s not only in the villain-fighting that Rucka’s Punisher impacts the Marvel Universe.  Rucka seems to want to establish Norah Winters as a major supporting character for this series, which is fine by me.  Norah is a brilliant addition to the cast, as I could not imagine a more polar opposite to Frank Castle.  I’ve always loved the character, who’s unfortunately often been thrown to the periphery due to Spider-Man’s massive cast.  Seeing her in this dark and very different context is wonderful and her mouthy, energetic character is a fantastic counterpoint.

The Punisher #2 – Review

by Greg Rucka (writer), Marco Checchetto (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: The Punisher has marked his prey, tracking a poor, hapless goon back to his masters while Bolt and Clemons are left to pick up the bodies.

What’s Good:  For the second issue in a row, the Punisher doesn’t utter a word, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  This silent Frank Castle is as fresh as the first issue and his silence makes him all the more monstrous and inhuman, if not mythical.  In many ways, Frank’s silence actually opens opportunities for Rucka to make him even scarier, particularly in one scene, where Rucka perfectly illustrates the Punisher’s uncompromising mercilessness.  The Punisher has never been more predatory.

The result is a comic where Frank hunts this thug and follows him, always just in the corner of the poor guy’s eye, haunting him like a vengeful spirit.   The Punisher plays the hunter through and through, the thug in question the hapless deer.  Franks silence and the way he manipulates his unwitting prey to run from safehouse to safehouse, allowing the Punisher to rack up the bodies, is utterly brilliant and makes Frank appear to, on some primitive level, possess an awareness, calm, and intellect that his prey lacks.  He leads the guy, tracks him, nudges him, all without saying a word.  Frank is so menacing and so coolly calculating that in many ways, as this unrelatable hunter of people, we come to experience “the Punisher” legend just as the criminal underworld does.

The Punisher #1 – Review

by Greg Rucka (writer), Marco Checchetto (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Two detectives begin their investigation of a mass shooting at a wedding, as does Frank, in his own unique way.

What’s Good: Writing a fresh, unique Punisher story is pretty difficult, all the moreso when it’s the Marvel Universe Frank Castle book.  There seems to be set template, usually involving lots of narration by Frank and unending hordes of bland thugs and unrecognizable Z-list bad guys.

Leave it to Greg Rucka to break the mold, and to do so in a way that still feels true to the spirit of the Punisher.

Rucka makes an incredibly bold decision this month: Frank Castle does not speak one word, neither in dialogue nor in narration.  This alone completely revitalizes the comic and makes for a really fresh take on the character.  Indeed, Frank is no longer a character at all, nor is he really even the human “Frank Castle” any longer.  Instead, he’s just a presence, a force of nature, and even a ghost.  He constantly lingers around the corners of the comic, influencing its characters and its world.  When he strikes, it’s brutal and swift, from the shadows, with Frank being silent and almost invisible, leaving a pile of bodies behind.  More than anything, this is about “the Punisher,” as we see him from the eyes of others.  This is a book about the Punisher myth, not Frank Castle the man.  The result is possibly the scariest Frank Castle we’ve ever gotten, a silent, avenging, phantom that lights up the page with fear and excitement without a word.

This take on the Punisher also leads to Rucka letting Marco Checchetto do much of the heavy lifting, which is just fine.  Checchetto’s art is absolutely beautiful, moody and detailed and with both European and American noir influences.  The Punisher is as scary as Rucka wants him and more than that, Checchetto paints a very different NYC from what we normally see.  The Punisher’s NYC is dark, dangerous, and is so moody and atmospheric that it almost carries hints of magical realism.

Daredevil #512 – Review

by Andy Diggle and Antony Johnston (writers), Marco Checchetto (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Daredevil’s friends deal with the fallout of Shadowland as Matt is nowhere to be found in the city.

What’s Good: I really do enjoy Checchetto and Hollingsworth’s art.  The art has often been the best part of Diggle’s run, and even a more laid-back, conversation based issue like this one, the work really shines.  It’s moody and perfectly Daredevil and as such, it has its own look.  Wherever the Daredevil franchise goes after this, I hope Checchetto, Hollingsworth, and De La Torre have a major role.

Other than that, this is an issue that focuses on examining the emotional toll Shadowland has on series mainstays Dakota, Foggy, Becky, and Kurtz.  I thought that the place Kurtz ends up in is an intriguing one that could be quite fun in the future.  It’s something you could see coming, so I guess it’s not the most imaginative turn of events, but that doesn’t change it from being a good one.  Foggy meanwhile gets some solid characterization as well.  His unflappable dedication to Matt is exactly the sort of thing that makes the character fun to read.

Daredevil #510 – Review

by Andy Diggle & Antony Johnston (writers), Marco Checchetto (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Foggy and Dakota find themselves hunted by the Hand while Iron Fist and Luke Cage find themselves swayed by the Kingpin.

What’s Good: One of the things that’s made the last couple of issues of Shadowland, or the last couple of issues of Daredevil for that matter, somewhat underwhelming has been that they’ve tried to focus on too many things at once, winding up feeling insubstantial and mediocre throughout.  Daredevil #510 goes against this trend and is a significant improvement throughout.

Instead of even attempting any half-assed gestures towards focusing on Matt and his shift in character and internal struggles, Daredevil becomes a book focusing on Daredevil’s friends, particularly Dakota and Foggy, a wise choice given that these two are integral to the Daredevil franchise who we don’t get to see in any other book.  This makes this issue feel more meaningful and more necessary.  While I would, of course, rather that Daredevil be devoted to shedding light on Matt’s character, Diggle and Johnston’s decision to focus on Dakota and Foggy at least gives the book a strong direction and a unique one.

It’s ultimately a good choice if only because Dakota and Foggy are naturally sympathetic characters.  Not possessing any superpowers or martial arts prowess, it’s easy to root for them amidst the madness of Shadowland.  When they’re assaulted by a horde of ninjas, the threat feels a lot more real and the danger much more substantial; this isn’t a case of Luke Cage busting the faces of a horde of faceless goons, but rather, this is two people fighting for their lives in a dingy apartment hideout.  Honestly, Dakota and Foggy felt more heroic this month than any other characters have in the entirety of Shadowland.

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.

Daredevil #507 – Review

by Andy Diggle & Antony Johnston (writers), Marco Checchetto (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Matt’s conflict with Bakuto comes to a head while the Hand continues to pull the strings.

What’s Good: I’ve really come to love Marco Checchetto’s artwork, particularly as it works in tandem with Hollingsworth’s colors.  The book looks unique in Marvel’s line, equal turns gritty and polished.  I especially enjoyed Daredevil’s fight with hand ninja in the snow; it’s always interesting to see a darker style forced to work with a mostly white palette.  Seeing Daredevil’s red stand out against a white background and a horde of white adversaries works out great and is something different from the usual red on black.  The snowy, feudal Japanese landscape has been a nice change from Hell’s Kitchen and it has made the story feel fresh as a result.

Diggle and Johnston use this vibe to work their way towards telling another story where Matt finds himself in an impossible situation, only faintly aware of the danger surrounding him, manipulated on all sides.  Great Daredevil writers have often found success in putting Matt under tremendous strain and Diggle and Johnston are certainly moving in that direction.  We’re just heading into Shadowland, so it’s just yet a full-on pressure cooker, but already it’s beginning to feel suffocating.  Partially because of his being on alien, unfriendly territory and even moreso because of White Tiger’s betrayal, which he’s still unaware of, Matt Murdock seems completely isolated.

This is especially the case because Diggle and Johnston seem intent on delivering a clear message with this issue:  the most crippling, dangerous, and threatening enemies are those you can only ever, at best, suspect.  Even if they have yet to make their move, their planning and bad intentions alone make for something of a crushing narrative.  At issue’s end, there’s no doubt that the headfirst animosity of Bakuto is nothing compared the greater machinations of his peers.  Hell, Bakuto’s such a lesser evil that he’s almost a sympathetic character by comparison.

Daredevil #506 – Review

by Andy Diggle & Antony Johnston (writers), Marco Checchetto (art), Matt Hollingsworth (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Matt tries to gain Bakuto’s trust, but he doesn’t realize the traitor in his midst.

What’s Good: With every passing issue, Diggle carves out Daredevil as his own, continuing to distinguish his take on the title from those who came before.  This month, that becomes all the more clear.  This is a far cry from the noir tinged brawling in Hell’s Kitchen that we’re used to.  Instead, this is a straight up ninja story in an environment that is essentially a pocket of feudal Japan in the  modern Marvel Universe.

This time, Diggle expands this further by re-introducing Hand magic.  There are exploding bodies a-plenty here.  All told, it’s a good amount of fun, if only because it’s different from what we’ve become used to in Daredevil, setting the book even further apart from the rest of Marvel’s offerings.  Diggle has crammed more or less every variety of ninja related awesomeness he can into this book, while distancing it from the gritty realism of his predecessors’ work on the title.

Amazing Spider-Man #608 – Review

By Marc Guggenheim (writer), Marco Checchetto, Luke Ross, Rick Magyar (art), and Fabio D’Auria (colors)

The Story: The aftermath of the Clone Saga continues to haunt Peter as a deadly enemy of Ben Reiley’s, attacks Peter and his family. We learn more of the life of Ben Reiley and the circumstances of his enemy’s origin story.

What’s Good: Marc Guggehein’s ASM is off to a great start, as this issue is chock full of intrigue and surprise. I have to give credit to the brain trust here with the new villain Raptor, as he could be the most interesting new villain, post-brand new day. Guggehein keeps the story moving while returning to Raptor’s origins in relation to Ben Reiley. Granted, Raptor’s genesis is both cliche’ (scientific genetic mutations) and ridiculous (humanity is evolved from dinosaurs), but his nothing-to-loose, vicious, and go-for-broke attitude makes up for his lame origins. Also, the fact that Raptor isn’t really a villain, just a guy out for revenge, helps make him engaging and relatable.

Between Marco Checchetto handling the art in the present and Luke Ross/Rick Magyar handling the flashbacks, this issue is great aesthetically. I was really impressed with Checchetto’s grainy style, as all the characters looked just right. The feel of this book reminds me of Lark’s recent run on Daredevil, but more clear and detailed. Overall, this could be my favorite visual presentation of Spidey in the past year or so.

To me the best part of this issue (and arc for that matter) is that its a departure from all the MJ and social stuff that has been under the spotlight since #600. I’m not complaining about that angle as its been pretty good, but it’s nice to see Spidey dealing with issues outside his immediate circle. Using the best parts of the Clone Saga as a way to bring something new, yet steeped in Spidey mythos, is a good move for this series. Plus, the surprise ending adds even more depth to this situation.

I also have to praise the funny editorial boxes that take place between Guggehein and Wacker. Guggehein begins the issue by taking a shot at Wacker and the snideness crescendos appropriately, and then disappears at the right time. Good stuff.

What’s Not So Good: I really don’t have much to gripe about. The flash back moments had some defects as some of the dialogue and art didn’t really distinguish who was who in the beginning. The two characters just look too much alike. Also, the dinner scene where Reiley goes to meet Raptor’s family was awkward and confusing. The characters seemed out of, um, character and the dialogue was forced. Why would anyone tell someone’s wife and kids, as a joke, that their father/husband was “doing” co-eds after work?

Conclusion: A great issue in the ASM torrent. A nice turn of serious story after the light Black Cat arc last week. It’s a good time to be a web-head, especially when Web Of Spider-Man launches next week. That will be a sister series and a fill-in for missing details of ASM. I haven’t been the biggest fan of Guggehein’s previous efforts on ASM (especially Character Assassination) but he is at his, and Spidey’s, best on this issue.

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.

X-Men: Legacy #215 – Capsule Review

By Mike Carey (Writer), Scot Eaton (Pencils), Andrew Hennessey (Inker), and Frank D’Armata (Colorist), Marco Checchetto (Pencils and Inks) and Jean-Francois Beaulieu (Colorist)

I’m writing this review capsule-style not because this one isn’t worth talking about, but because saying too much would ruin all the great things waiting for X-Men fans.

First off, a round of applause to Mike Carey for successfully managing to fit three distinct, intertwining storylines into a single issue without sacrificing the quality of any of them. While the bulk of X-Men: Legacy concerns a tense (long due) confrontation between Professor Xavier and Cyclops, Carey also manages to make great strides with the Hellfire Club plot and the return of Rogue. My only concern is that the stories being developed will be rushed through or tossed aside to make way for the Wolverine: Origins and X-Men: Legacy crossover due to begin fairly soon.

Secondly, hats off to the art teams for some absolutely gorgeous visuals. Eaton’s team has never been stronger and the Rogue sections offer a different, but appropriately distinct style that works perfectly for the story being developed.

If you haven’t noticed by now, I really enjoyed the latest book and consider it to be the strongest one yet. X-Men fans, consider it a must read. (Grade: A)

-Kyle Posluszny