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.

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

Amazing Spider-Man #552 – Review

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

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

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

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

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

– J. Montes

Amazing Spider-Man #550 – Review

By Marc Guggenheim (writer), Salvador Larroca (art), Stephane Peru (colors)

Last issue, Spider-Man was poking around Menace’s backyard along with Jackpot when she double crossed him. Her “back up” arrives in the form of The Blue Shield – a completely irrelevant and forgotten character from the early 1980s. Spidey does exactly what any normal person would do, he laughs and pokes fun of The Blue Shield’s name. Very funny stuff.

Eventually, the Menace shows up, riling enough distraction for Spidey to escape his would be capturers. Spidey pursues Menace and the dialogue that follows is laugh out loud funny. Marc Guggenheim is completely in his element when he writes Spidey, making it all seem so natural and effortless. However, when Peter’s not in the suit and we deal with the supporting cast and subplots, the writing quality lessens.

After Spider-Man’s initial confrontation with Menace the story slows down considerably. Peter meets with the new DB publisher who still can’t seem to get his last name right. It’s a running gag, I know, but it’s no longer funny. Next we cut to the construction worker who Spider-Man saved last issue. The worker claims Spidey knocked him off the building and draws up plans with his lawyer to sue Spider-Man! Finally, we go back to Spider-Man meeting with the cops about the spider tracer killing, which turns out to be worse than expected; it’s not just one killing, but a series of killings over the past three months, each of the victims having been planted with Spidey’s old model of the tracer? Spider-Man has no answer, and neither do the cops. But they do want to question him. Meanwhile, Menace attacks the mayoral debates in Harlem. Spidey’s up to his ears in trouble as usual – and he still doesn’t have a job!

So how was the issue? Uneven. The story doesn’t flow well – it jumps around way too much for my liking. It’s weird too, because both Marc Guggenheim and Salvador Larroca are fantastic when Spidey’s doing his super hero thing. But when it comes to everything else in this issue, they falter. Larroca’s civilians look off (especially Peter) and his storytelling stumbles (especially when Menace attacks the theatre). The same goes for Guggenheim. His dialogue isn’t as entertaining and the pacing languishes. We do learn Jackpot’s real now, though! (Grade: C+)

– J. Montes