Web of Spider-Man #10 – Review

The Extremist, Part 3 by: Fred van Lente (writer), Nick Dragotta (art), Brad Simpson (colors) & Clayton Cowles (letters)

Negative Reinforcement by: Marc Guggenheim (writer), Sana Takeda (artist) & Dave Sharpe (letters)

The Story: Spider-Man wraps up his conflict with the Extremist and Jackpot gets into a bind with Mr. Negative.

What’s Good: I’ve quite enjoyed this Extremist story over the last 3 issues of Web of Spider-Man.  It isn’t the best Spider-Man story ever and the ending here isn’t quite as good as the beginning of this story, but its still an above average Spider-tale.  Throughout it has played on the theme of the dual nature of Peter Parker who is both kinda wussy and spineless, yet incredibly brave once he puts on his mask.

The art is also quite good on both portions of this issue.  Dragotta is doing more of a classic Spider-Man look whereas Takeda is doing something more photo-referency with the Jackpot tale, but I don’t have any complaints with how this issue looks.

Amazing Spider-Man #620 – Review

by Dan Slott (writer), Marcos Martin & Javier Pulido (art), Javier Rodriguez (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Mysterio’s plot comes to its explosive conclusion.

What’s Good: Thus far, I’ve been somewhat underwhelmed by Dan Slott’s “Mysterioso” arc, but this final issue is probably the best of the lot.

One of the chief reasons for this is that Slott suddenly remembers to bring the silliness and sense of humor that has marked out much of his writing, particularly on ASM.  Most of these comedic moments come thanks to Mysterio himself, who really is a fun read.  His fight with Spidey in particular was absolutely hilarious, as was his eventual fate at issue’s end.

Slott really makes Mysterio into an almost unconsciously self-deprecating character.  For all his pomp and ornamentation, Quentin Beck’s just a petty criminal at heart and this juxtaposition between costume and man leads to some pretty humorous moments.  At times,  you also get that “retro-villain” feeling of Mysterio’s setting himself up for failure, which only makes the character more enjoyable.  Certainly, seeing his very self-aware “performances” is also quite the laugh, especially as he gesticulates wildly and speaks with gusto in his portrayal of Silvermane.

Meanwhile, the art on this arc continues to be generally enjoyable, furthering that retro, pulpy feel that the Gauntlet seems to be aspiring towards.  Certainly, it lends itself well to Spider-Man himself and the always ridiculous-looking Mysterio.  Martin’s work really brings out the old school flavor inherent in these colorful characters, bringing out their core, campy essences.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day – Extra!! #1 – Review

By Joe Kelly, Zeb Wells and Marc Guggenheim (writers), Chris Bachalo, Pat Olliffe, and Marcos Martin (pencils/colors/art), Tim Townsend and Serge LaPointe (inks), Antonio Fabela, Rain Beredo, Javier Rodriguez (colors)

This feels like an annual more than anything – but with longer stories. Spider-Man: Brand New Day – Extra!! is essentially a packed, double-sized issue consisting of three stories that revolve around Brand New Day related characters or plots. Maybe Spidey’s “brain trust” of writers finally realized that some of the under-developed subplots needed more attention. If that’s the case, then they’re correct. It’s quite silly how a near weekly title can lag so badly on its multiple subplots but it has. And while these stories aren’t resolved in this issue, they certainly serve as a nice primer of what’s to come down the line.

Story #1: Hammerhead
One of the sillier Spider-Man villains, Hammerhead, finally gets his past unwrapped by Joe Kelly with Chris Bachalo on art chores. As usual, Bachalo’s art is beautiful and his storytelling awful. The monochromatic choice of colors also works against the story. I understand why the choice was made (there’s lots of blood spilled), but the gray tones hamper the story due to the fact that (at many times) it’s hard to distinguish who’s who. Still, while the fleshing out of Hammerhead’s character is an odd choice, it’s well presented. The way Mr. Negative enters the scene and changes everything reminds me of Frank Miller’s Robocop 2. Anyone else feel that way?

Story #2: Harry Osborn’s Birthday
Let’s face it. Ever since Harry Osborn’s returned to Peter Parker’s world he’s been nothing short of a douche. I prefer the older Harry, but whatever, we’re stuck with this one. The story starts off a little hammy, and if you look closely, you might even catch an (almost) sexual joke regarding Peter getting some gunk in his hair. As you can expect, things start off with Harry in usual douche mode, but by the end he surprisingly redeems himself. Zeb Wells does a good job turning this story around and displaying the comradery between Peter and Harry. Pat Olliffe is the perfect vehicle for this pedestrian tale and it really makes me miss the fun work he did on Spider-Girl.

Story #3: Spider-Man on Trial
Finally! Spider-Man goes to trial for the Spider-Tracer killing! And who better to represent him than Matt Murdock. Marc Guggenheim goes into Eli Stone mode with this story, throwing out laws, codes, and legal jargon that’ll either have you interested or bored out of your mind. This story is completely dialogue driven and Marcos Martin does a wonderful job keeping the story rolling and fresh. I didn’t like how things were overcolored at times (let’s face it, Martin’s art looks better with flat colors), but we can’t win ’em all. The story is actually not predictable, and the way it concludes has left me wanting more. Can’t wait to see what happens next.

At $3.99, this book’s worth every penny especially when you compare it to similarly priced books from the Marvel line (Spider-Man: With Great Power, anyone?) – no silly cardstock covers or gimmicks – just good stories. Check this book out, and don’t let the awful Greg Land cover deter you. (Grade: A-)

– J. Montes

Amazing Spider-Man: Swing Shift #1 (Director’s Cut)

By: Dan Slott (Writer), Phil Jimenez (Pencils)

Okay a bit of a complaint here. When this story first debuted last May, it was a free comic (it was Marvel’s offering for Free Comic Book Day 2007). So, I find it a little ironic that this book’s cover price not for the normal $2.99 but $3.99! Talk about pricey! Okay, so what do we get out of this Director’s Cut? Well, we get some lines of dialogue that are in tune with Brand New Day’s status quo and an appearance by Mr. Negative. Story’s virtually the same as the FCBD issue, so no complaints there; it’s a fantastic read.

What drives up the cover price of this book is all material thrown in at the end of the book. First we get Tom Breevort’s original manifesto that he devised for Spider-Man’s Brand New Day revamp. It’s goes into all the details of the changes we’ve now seen. Next is what looks like a Power Point Presentation that acts as a dossier on Spider-Man’s new cast. It goes into the details of each new villain and supporting character and actually answers a lot of questions readers currently have. Also, from the looks of it, this dossier seems to confirm that Jackpot is most likely NOT Mary Jane.

There’s also some other characters in the dossier that will make you go back through the Swing Shift’s story for another glance. Slott cleverly inserted more new cast members into this issue’s story than we originally thought. This is all going to make Spider-Man very interesting over the next year. For people following Brand New Day, this is something you should probably pick up – even if you already own the original issue. (Grade: A-)

– J. Montes

Amazing Spider-Man #548 – Review

By: Dan Slott (Writer), Steve McNiven (Pencils)

Brand New Day Part 1 featured Peter Parker kissing a beautiful girl on the splash page. Part 2 had Peter giving J. Jonah Jameson mouth to mouth on the splash page. Part 3? Well, I’m not gonna spoil it for you. Let’s just say Dan Slott’s having a lot of fun with his three issue run and we’re all winners because of it.

Like last issue, this one’s loaded with humor and fun. And while I have noted that it seemed like there was a bit too much going on with all the sub-plots, Slott has somehow managed to tie-up all the loose ends within 24 pages. It’s really well done, too – no “Awww come on, this is BS” moments! I’ve been paying pretty close attention to this storyline (as non-serious as it is), and I’ve got to say, I haven’t been this engrossed by Spider-Man in years. The way Slott throws a twist on Mr. Negative’s alter ego completely caught me off-guard! Why does he look like Chow Yun Fat anyway?

Steve McNiven’s art? This guy doesn’t need anymore accolades. You know what you’re gonna get from him: the good stuff.

I’ll always hate Joe Quesada for taking MJ away from Peter and ruining continuity with poor storytelling, but I’ll be the first to admit that this new stuff is fun. Whether the next creative team will be able to build upon what Dan Slott has masterfully (and almost effortlessly) created, is something we’ll find out soon. Very soon. (Grade: A)

-J. Montes

Amazing Spider-Man #547 – Review

By: Dan Slott (Writer), Steve McNiven (Pencils)

Brand New Day continues with Dan Slott’s second issue with old web head. What’s interesting here is his use of continuity. Mr. Negative now has an interesting tie with Spider-Man’s 2007 Free Comic Book Day issue and also an early story from Amazing Spider-Man from the late 1960s. The story still feels a bit crammed with so many sub-plots going on (Jameson’s heart attack, the fate of the Bugle, Harry Osborn and company, Mr. Negative, and the thief posing as Spider-Man – whew!). There’s one instance when Spidey gets in a fight with a bunch of thugs and what seems to be a page later, he’s saved the day with no bad guys around.

Other than this minor qualm, the story is interesting, not to mention wildly entertaining. What really got me is the last page where Spidey seems to meet his doom. I’m not going to spoil it for you, but I will say it made me laugh out loud (for all the right reasons). I may have hated One More Day, but I’m really digging Brand New Day and the weekly format. It just feels right – especially with the frantic pace of Dan Slott’s storytelling. Not as strong as last issue, but a good read nonetheless.
Steve McNiven’s art is a godsend to this title and it’s a pity we’re only going to see him for three issues. I could say the same for Dan Slott, but word is he’ll eventually be back for another story arc this year. (Grade: B+)

-J. Montes