(writer) Dan Slott
(artists) Humberto Ramos (pencils) Victor Olazaba (inks)
(colorist) Edgar Delgado
Last month's relaunch of The Amazing Spider-Man, which featured the return of Peter Parker to his own body after a year of Doctor Octopus running the show, was surprisingly muted in terms of story, but at least things picks up a bit this month when Spidey throws down with one of his classic villains and current cinematic nemesis, Max Dillon a.k.a. Electro. Spidey's one-time flame Black Cat makes a brief appearance, foreshadowing their impending showdown in issue #3, Peter comes clean with Anna Marconi, the "little person" with whom Doctor Octopus entered a relationship while occupying Peter's body, and Peter has a little talk with the Avengers which lays to rest any theories that Ock's tenure in his body would permanently erode his relationship with them.
This issue is considerably livelier than the one that came before it, and without all of the back-up features packed into the first issue, I suppose it has to be, but it still has a long way to go before it can quite match the taut, how-will-Doc-Ock-screw-up-Peter's-life-next suspense of Superior Spider-Man.
That was what I was reading that book for, after all. I always knew Spider-Ock was not a long term deal, even without Marvel saying a word. I just wanted to see how deep a hole Marvel could dig for Spidey before dropping him into it. Heck, even comic geek-site Newsarama wrote an op-ed piece on it; The Amazing Spider-Man should be spent with Peter trying to fix what Otto broke. Frustratingly, that's not quite the case.
So far, he's already mended fences with the closest members of his supporting cast, he's cleared the air with the "late" Doc Ock's girlfriend, and has, as of this issue, been able to explain himself to the Avengers, and it's only been two issues so far. Well, that didn't last very long at all.
The good news is that Electro, who was also one of Spider-Ock's victims during Spidey's Superior days, having been experimented on by him, is royally pissed and, interestingly enough, Peter finds himself momentarily hobbled by his guilt over something that wasn't even his fault. This is a little story quirk that is good for more than a few interesting stories, and I hope Slott is able to milk it for a while yet. Slott's saved another ace for next issue, namely a spurned, and similarly vengeful Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. the Black Cat, who makes a brief appearance, along with her bad luck powers.
I understand that the stink left behind by Otto's...different brand of justice won't last forever, but really, it strikes me that Slott's in too much of a hurry to set things right with Peter's world. We, the readers, all know that Peter is a good guy and that he wasn't responsible for the excessive, or sometimes downright awful things that Ock did, but the world at large doesn't know yet, and really, there isn't any reason for them to know so soon.
Still, there are other interesting tidbits, like seeing Peter grapple with running the company that Otto left behind, the fact that Peter has already sworn off helping Spider-Man to Aunt May, and a little bit of lingering awkwardness between Peter and Anna Maria now that he's disclosed what actually happened. This could be the groundwork for some interesting future developments, particularly the fate of Spider-Ock's company and Peter's distinctly disingenuous promise to stop helping himself out to the most important person in his life.
Humberto Ramos' work is still holding steady in his slightly improved standard of quality, but the seams are showing, more than they were last issue. Anyway, I'm still glad he's on board for at least the remainder of this inaugural arc.
Come on Slott; you managed to tell interesting, if slightly flawed Spidey stories for over thirty issues without Peter. Surely you can keep things interesting now that Peter is back.
7/10
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Friday, May 23, 2014
Everyone Has an Off-Day: A Review of Daredevil #3
(writer) Mark Waid
(artist) Chris Samnee
(colorist) Javier Rodriguez
Since I started reading the work of the creative team of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee on Marvel's Daredevil title I have had nothing but praise for them. All things must come to an end, though, I suppose, and to my mind their pitch perfect run, with colorist Javier Rodriguez, has, for me, hit its first speed bump.
After last issue's cliffhanger in which Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil is about to face off with vigilante-apparently-turned-aspiring-crimelord Max Coleride, a.k.a. the Shroud, Matt (predictably) triumphs, they resolve their difference and in short order are off to double team the rising new crime lord in San Francisco, Matt's old enemy the Owl. What Matt doesn't know, however, is that apparently the Owl, according to the research of his new "sidekick" and law partner Kirsten MacDuffie, is quite a bit more formidable than he used to be, something Daredevil is about to find out the hard way.
It's hard to discuss the problems I had with the issue without spoiling plot points, but suffice it to say the errors in judgment that Matt makes in this issue are really rather unbelievable for someone as smart as he is. Sure, Matt is only human, and this was emphasized in the storylines involving both Bullseye and the Serpent Society in the previous incarnation of this series. He makes mistakes and often has his back against the wall, but the one thing he isn't is reckless, but considering that he has teamed up with a guy he barely knows to take on one of his oldest enemies, that is practically the only way to describe him in this issue. I suppose it's part of Waid's grand plan for the next issue, but to my mind, he has committed the cardinal sin of moving the story forward by having the lead character do something unnecessarily (and in this case uncharacteristically) stupid.
Samnee and Rodriguez do not disappoint, though, and it's a treat to see their take on the Owl. Waid's script said he's supposed to look more bestial, but I suppose they're saving his "altered" appearance for a big throwdown next issue.
I suppose Waid's a victim of his own success here; after over three years of turning in some of the best stories that have ever featured this character he was bound to slip up at some point. This certainly hasn't turned me off to the book in general, but it is quite the disappointment. I'm confident Waid will get his stride back next issue.
6.5/10
(artist) Chris Samnee
(colorist) Javier Rodriguez
Since I started reading the work of the creative team of Mark Waid and Chris Samnee on Marvel's Daredevil title I have had nothing but praise for them. All things must come to an end, though, I suppose, and to my mind their pitch perfect run, with colorist Javier Rodriguez, has, for me, hit its first speed bump.
After last issue's cliffhanger in which Matt Murdock, a.k.a. Daredevil is about to face off with vigilante-apparently-turned-aspiring-crimelord Max Coleride, a.k.a. the Shroud, Matt (predictably) triumphs, they resolve their difference and in short order are off to double team the rising new crime lord in San Francisco, Matt's old enemy the Owl. What Matt doesn't know, however, is that apparently the Owl, according to the research of his new "sidekick" and law partner Kirsten MacDuffie, is quite a bit more formidable than he used to be, something Daredevil is about to find out the hard way.
It's hard to discuss the problems I had with the issue without spoiling plot points, but suffice it to say the errors in judgment that Matt makes in this issue are really rather unbelievable for someone as smart as he is. Sure, Matt is only human, and this was emphasized in the storylines involving both Bullseye and the Serpent Society in the previous incarnation of this series. He makes mistakes and often has his back against the wall, but the one thing he isn't is reckless, but considering that he has teamed up with a guy he barely knows to take on one of his oldest enemies, that is practically the only way to describe him in this issue. I suppose it's part of Waid's grand plan for the next issue, but to my mind, he has committed the cardinal sin of moving the story forward by having the lead character do something unnecessarily (and in this case uncharacteristically) stupid.
Samnee and Rodriguez do not disappoint, though, and it's a treat to see their take on the Owl. Waid's script said he's supposed to look more bestial, but I suppose they're saving his "altered" appearance for a big throwdown next issue.
I suppose Waid's a victim of his own success here; after over three years of turning in some of the best stories that have ever featured this character he was bound to slip up at some point. This certainly hasn't turned me off to the book in general, but it is quite the disappointment. I'm confident Waid will get his stride back next issue.
6.5/10
A Disappointing Anti-Climax: A Review Black Widow #6
(writer) Nathan Edmonson
(artist) Phil Noto
When Marvel Comics included the entire Black Widow #1 as a bonus feature to Superior Spider-Man #31, my curiosity was piqued, both by the dynamic action and Phil Noto's stylized art.
Six issues later, though, I find myself disillusioned with a non-ending basically designed to hook me into the rest of the series.
Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. the Black Widow has found the principal behind the Mad Monk, the religious fanatic/assassin who has been giving her a headache for the last two issues or so, an it happens to be an old enemy of hers, Damon Dran a.k.a. the Indestructible Man. As it turns out, he is extremely paranoid (which is, in fact, the title of the issue) due to the fact that he has discovered that he is not quite indestructible after all. Events that unfold in the issue actually bear out this fear.
For the few people who may read this issue, I will not spoil any plot points, but suffice it to say that the series' first major story arc's supposed final issue is poorly paced and, more surprisingly, poorly drawn.
It was quite a bit of a letdown, considering the excellent first three issues, and perhaps I will revisit the series in collected form, depending on how they recover from this, but for now, considering my limited budget (nobody is paying me to review these comics, after all), I'll have to take this off my list. Sorry, Natasha.
6/10
(artist) Phil Noto
When Marvel Comics included the entire Black Widow #1 as a bonus feature to Superior Spider-Man #31, my curiosity was piqued, both by the dynamic action and Phil Noto's stylized art.
Six issues later, though, I find myself disillusioned with a non-ending basically designed to hook me into the rest of the series.
Natasha Romanoff a.k.a. the Black Widow has found the principal behind the Mad Monk, the religious fanatic/assassin who has been giving her a headache for the last two issues or so, an it happens to be an old enemy of hers, Damon Dran a.k.a. the Indestructible Man. As it turns out, he is extremely paranoid (which is, in fact, the title of the issue) due to the fact that he has discovered that he is not quite indestructible after all. Events that unfold in the issue actually bear out this fear.
For the few people who may read this issue, I will not spoil any plot points, but suffice it to say that the series' first major story arc's supposed final issue is poorly paced and, more surprisingly, poorly drawn.
It was quite a bit of a letdown, considering the excellent first three issues, and perhaps I will revisit the series in collected form, depending on how they recover from this, but for now, considering my limited budget (nobody is paying me to review these comics, after all), I'll have to take this off my list. Sorry, Natasha.
6/10
Friday, May 9, 2014
Well THAT was Unexpected: A Review of Miles Morales: Ultimate Spider-Man #1
(writer) Brian Michael Bendis
(artist) David Marquez
(colorist) Justin Ponsor
In this issue, Miles Morales, the ultimate universe version of Spider-Man, grapples with the fact that his father has basically abandoned him after learning his secret identity during the invasion of Galactus which nearly resulted in the extinction of all humankind. He contemplates telling his girlfriend, Katie Bishop, his secret. In the meantime, significant characters long thought dead make an appearance.
I had originally conceived of this post as spoiler-heavy, but even though I have no idea how many of my readers actually follow "Ultimate Spider-Man," this issue has two major surprises for anyone who knows what has been going on, both of which, to my mind, are worth preserving.
Having skipped "Cataclysm" I was saddened but not necessarily surprised to learn that Jefferson Davis had skipped out on his son Miles; Bendis had put his cards on the table fairly early in the series by having Davis declare his feelings about superheroes, mutant or otherwise, in no uncertain terms, so I suppose it was an inevitability, especially after the death of Miles' mom sometime ago. I am disappointed that Bendis didn't stretch the tension out a little further but I suppose he has his creative reasons. Bendis' scripting here is solid, and the interaction between Miles and MJ on the question of whether or not he should come out to Katie is some of the best dialogue I have seen from him in a while.
For me, however, the star of this book is David Marquez, whose artwork seems to get better every time I see it. I realize now that I missed a whole chunk of his tenure on Miles Morales' adventures by skipping out on the "Cataclysm" miniseries (which I will most likely get in trade paperback someday) and I have to say his work, which I already admired, has improved immensely since last I saw it in a full comic book, as opposed to the interstitial nature of his art in Ultimate Spider-Man #200.
It's hard to really discuss this issue without risking spoiling things, so I'll stop there, but suffice it to say that this new iteration of the long-running "Ultimate Spider-Man" title is off to a hell of a good start.
8.5/10
(artist) David Marquez
(colorist) Justin Ponsor
In this issue, Miles Morales, the ultimate universe version of Spider-Man, grapples with the fact that his father has basically abandoned him after learning his secret identity during the invasion of Galactus which nearly resulted in the extinction of all humankind. He contemplates telling his girlfriend, Katie Bishop, his secret. In the meantime, significant characters long thought dead make an appearance.
I had originally conceived of this post as spoiler-heavy, but even though I have no idea how many of my readers actually follow "Ultimate Spider-Man," this issue has two major surprises for anyone who knows what has been going on, both of which, to my mind, are worth preserving.
Having skipped "Cataclysm" I was saddened but not necessarily surprised to learn that Jefferson Davis had skipped out on his son Miles; Bendis had put his cards on the table fairly early in the series by having Davis declare his feelings about superheroes, mutant or otherwise, in no uncertain terms, so I suppose it was an inevitability, especially after the death of Miles' mom sometime ago. I am disappointed that Bendis didn't stretch the tension out a little further but I suppose he has his creative reasons. Bendis' scripting here is solid, and the interaction between Miles and MJ on the question of whether or not he should come out to Katie is some of the best dialogue I have seen from him in a while.
For me, however, the star of this book is David Marquez, whose artwork seems to get better every time I see it. I realize now that I missed a whole chunk of his tenure on Miles Morales' adventures by skipping out on the "Cataclysm" miniseries (which I will most likely get in trade paperback someday) and I have to say his work, which I already admired, has improved immensely since last I saw it in a full comic book, as opposed to the interstitial nature of his art in Ultimate Spider-Man #200.
It's hard to really discuss this issue without risking spoiling things, so I'll stop there, but suffice it to say that this new iteration of the long-running "Ultimate Spider-Man" title is off to a hell of a good start.
8.5/10
Back to the Beginning: A Review of The Amazing Spider-Man #1.1 a.k.a. "Learning to Crawl"
(writer) Dan Slott
(artist) Ramon Perez
(colorist) Ian Herring
Last week Spider-Man writer Dan Slott kind of took me by surprise with his rather underwhelming story for the "Amazing Spider-Man" relaunch, which marked the return of Peter Parker to his body and life as Spider-Man after a year of one of his worst nemeses, Doctor Octopus, running around in his body. I understood the choice to go low-key, but I expected a much splashier first issue.
Fortunately, this week Slott, this time joined by artist Ramon Perez, more than makes up for that disappointing first issue with the first issue of his much-hyped flashback miniseries "Learning to Crawl" which is actually numbered as The Amazing Spider-Man #1.1 to 1.5. As far as I understand it, as far as Marvel chronology goes, this story takes place between the events of Amazing Fantasy #15 and The Amazing Spider-Man #1, or something like that.
In this story, Uncle Ben has just died, and Peter Parker has learned more than one important lesson about power and responsibility, as he has officially become the man of the house, having become the family breadwinner, a role he fulfills by continuing to appear on television, an occupation which, he comes to realize, become progressively difficult. What Peter doesn't know is that he has an admirer in the home-schooled prodigy/loner Clayton Cole, an admiration he takes very seriously, as revealed in the very last panel.
Marvel's done quite a few of these retcon/flashback miniseries before, but apart from, and arguably because of the first issue of John Byrne's Spider-Man: Chapter One back in 1998, which was supposed to do for Spider-Man what Byrne's Man of Steel miniseries did for Superman back in 1986 I haven't picked up any of them, because to be honest I am no fan of the whole concept of retroactive continuity, even though I will admit it has been done well from time to time. What hooked me here was Ramon Perez's art, which recalls not only Steve Ditko but Tim Sale, and the snippets of Slott's script which, really are vintage Peter Parker. For all of his shortcomings, Slott well and truly gets the character. Those two aspects of this issue alone make it a highly satisfying read.
I have to be honest, though; I wasn't quite sold on the rather anachronistic tone Slott set by choosing to transplant Spider-Man's 1962 origin story to the present day. For one thing, Peter and his supporting cast look pretty much as they did back then, with the hairdos and clothes to match, even though theirs are obviously not "hip, happening threads." Perhaps more glaring is the thought that, with live streaming and every other kid owning a hand-held media device, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for Liz Allen to invite Peter over to her house to watch Spider-Man's live performance her her gang on television, even if it is a flat screen. While Pete and his gang still feel very much like 1960s kids, Clayton Cowl, with his smartphone and hipster-cool aloofness, is very much a child of the 21st century, and while I get the impression that the contrast between old and new was intentional, and a little trippy at that, it's still a little jarring at some points. Still this is a minor quibble; this is a very enjoyable story, and considering the disappointment I felt after reading Peter's comeback in The Amazing Spider-Man #1, one I welcomed enthusiastically into my collection.
8.5/10
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Softer Than Expected: A Review of The Amazing Spider Man #1
(writers) Dan Slott, Christos Gage, Peter David and various
(artists) Humberto Ramos, Javier Rodriguez, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Will Sliney and various
It's already been reported that The Amazing Spider-Man #1, which marks Peter Parker's "official" return to Spider-Man duties (his actual return having occurred at the tail-end of Superior Spider-Man #30) has sold well over half a million copies. I got my copy last Wednesday, expecting fireworks, and was a little surprised by what I saw.
The book is divided into five stories, the 20-page main story by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos and several back-up stories by Slott and Christos Gage artists like Javier Rodriguez and Giuseppe Camuncoli. There are brief stories which are essentially plugs for other books like the Peter David/Will Sliney story hawking the upcoming Spider-Man 2099, and the Christopher Yost/David Baldeon blurb for The New Warriors, which happens to star the Scarlet Spider, or the former villain known as Kaine. Notably, there's a preview for the "Learn to Crawl" miniseries by Dan Slott and Ramon Perez, easily the most interesting looking tease of the lot.
The main story, however, is surprisingly...tame for a title that has endured much tumult for the last year and a half. Basically it's more of Peter Parker settling back into his old life as Spider-Man, and trying to get used to the new things, like the company he owns, the doctorate he now has, and the girlfriend to whom he, or Doctor Octopus, was about to propose. He fights a bunch of throwaway bad guys, one of whom has the fairly interesting power of manipulating fabric, which results in him being buck naked, but other than that, nothing of note truly happens, although there is some foreshadowing of things to come.
Speaking of foreshadowing, it's the five-page back-up stories featuring Electro and the Black Cat that portend things to come for Spidey in the next few issues, and in particular I am interested to see how things will unfold with Peter's one-time lover Felicia Hardy, who for the first time in her shared history with Spider-Man has experienced what it's like when he has no interest in her other than putting her behind bars, thanks to Spider-Ock. Thus does Slott continue what he started with Superior Spider-Man, and by keeping the character in uncharted territory like that he may well keep readers interested even after their euphoria over Peter's return has long worn off. I know Marvel has an event planned starting issue #9, but I, for one am more interested to see how the fallout from the tenure of Superior Spider-Man plays out, and judging by the way Slott is keeping his cards close to his chest this time around, it seems like he plans to milk this for all it's worth. I certainly hope that's the case. I mean, I honestly hope that Peter's impending collision with Felicia isn't all neatly tied up in an issue or two.
The artwork of the issue is pretty impressive, for the most part. Humberto Ramos surprises here; he hasn't exactly metamorphosed into Jim Lee all of a sudden, but his work seems a lot more coherent here than his usual fare, and I think it is to his credit that he handles the quiet moments rather well here. Notably, his Spider-Man has received some visual tweaks, most notably in the eye department, and it's a welcome development. I was also struck by his genuine effort to make Anna Maria Marconi look like an actual "little person" and not a child. He really has come a long, long way from Peter Parker: Spider-Man #44. Javier Rodriguez, whose backup work on Daredevil usually impresses, turns in some solid work on the backup story, though to my mind not his best work. The biggest surprise for me, though, was Giuseppe Camuncoli, who drew the Black Cat story and who has turned in some of the best work I have seen from him so far.
The teaser for the "Learning to Crawl" miniseries is topnotch stuff, thanks not only to Slott's script but to Ramon Perez's wonderfully lively, retro-flavored art style which calls to mind the work of not only Steve Ditko but of other artists who deftly mix past and present, like Darwyn Cooke, Tim Sale, and my personal favorite, Chris Samnee. I've already added the miniseries to my pull list.
All things considered, as a main attraction, the actual story isn't all that much of a page-turner this time around, but Iunderstand why Slott and his fellow storytellers told the story this way. After everything they've put him through, the creators of the book have seen fit to give Peter a bit of a breather, for at least one issue. This is sort of like the calm before the storm.
I, for one, am eagerly preparing my umbrella.
7.5/10 (main story)
8/10 (overall score for the issue)
(artists) Humberto Ramos, Javier Rodriguez, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Will Sliney and various
It's already been reported that The Amazing Spider-Man #1, which marks Peter Parker's "official" return to Spider-Man duties (his actual return having occurred at the tail-end of Superior Spider-Man #30) has sold well over half a million copies. I got my copy last Wednesday, expecting fireworks, and was a little surprised by what I saw.
The book is divided into five stories, the 20-page main story by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos and several back-up stories by Slott and Christos Gage artists like Javier Rodriguez and Giuseppe Camuncoli. There are brief stories which are essentially plugs for other books like the Peter David/Will Sliney story hawking the upcoming Spider-Man 2099, and the Christopher Yost/David Baldeon blurb for The New Warriors, which happens to star the Scarlet Spider, or the former villain known as Kaine. Notably, there's a preview for the "Learn to Crawl" miniseries by Dan Slott and Ramon Perez, easily the most interesting looking tease of the lot.
The main story, however, is surprisingly...tame for a title that has endured much tumult for the last year and a half. Basically it's more of Peter Parker settling back into his old life as Spider-Man, and trying to get used to the new things, like the company he owns, the doctorate he now has, and the girlfriend to whom he, or Doctor Octopus, was about to propose. He fights a bunch of throwaway bad guys, one of whom has the fairly interesting power of manipulating fabric, which results in him being buck naked, but other than that, nothing of note truly happens, although there is some foreshadowing of things to come.
Speaking of foreshadowing, it's the five-page back-up stories featuring Electro and the Black Cat that portend things to come for Spidey in the next few issues, and in particular I am interested to see how things will unfold with Peter's one-time lover Felicia Hardy, who for the first time in her shared history with Spider-Man has experienced what it's like when he has no interest in her other than putting her behind bars, thanks to Spider-Ock. Thus does Slott continue what he started with Superior Spider-Man, and by keeping the character in uncharted territory like that he may well keep readers interested even after their euphoria over Peter's return has long worn off. I know Marvel has an event planned starting issue #9, but I, for one am more interested to see how the fallout from the tenure of Superior Spider-Man plays out, and judging by the way Slott is keeping his cards close to his chest this time around, it seems like he plans to milk this for all it's worth. I certainly hope that's the case. I mean, I honestly hope that Peter's impending collision with Felicia isn't all neatly tied up in an issue or two.
The artwork of the issue is pretty impressive, for the most part. Humberto Ramos surprises here; he hasn't exactly metamorphosed into Jim Lee all of a sudden, but his work seems a lot more coherent here than his usual fare, and I think it is to his credit that he handles the quiet moments rather well here. Notably, his Spider-Man has received some visual tweaks, most notably in the eye department, and it's a welcome development. I was also struck by his genuine effort to make Anna Maria Marconi look like an actual "little person" and not a child. He really has come a long, long way from Peter Parker: Spider-Man #44. Javier Rodriguez, whose backup work on Daredevil usually impresses, turns in some solid work on the backup story, though to my mind not his best work. The biggest surprise for me, though, was Giuseppe Camuncoli, who drew the Black Cat story and who has turned in some of the best work I have seen from him so far.
The teaser for the "Learning to Crawl" miniseries is topnotch stuff, thanks not only to Slott's script but to Ramon Perez's wonderfully lively, retro-flavored art style which calls to mind the work of not only Steve Ditko but of other artists who deftly mix past and present, like Darwyn Cooke, Tim Sale, and my personal favorite, Chris Samnee. I've already added the miniseries to my pull list.
All things considered, as a main attraction, the actual story isn't all that much of a page-turner this time around, but Iunderstand why Slott and his fellow storytellers told the story this way. After everything they've put him through, the creators of the book have seen fit to give Peter a bit of a breather, for at least one issue. This is sort of like the calm before the storm.
I, for one, am eagerly preparing my umbrella.
7.5/10 (main story)
8/10 (overall score for the issue)
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