First Year is Done: A Review of Strange Academy, Vol. 3

written by Skottie Young

drawn by Humberto Ramos

colored by Edgar Delgado

A thing I have found funny about comic books featuring kids is how weirdly elastic time can be. 

Strange Academy, a book which kicked off just before the COVID-19 pandemic, ended its first 18 issues earlier this year, and within the book, the kids' first school has just ended with a bit of a bang. Suffice it to say that Emily Bright and the vast majority of her classmates have had enough of the lies and manipulations perpetrated by the adults running the Strange Academy, led here by Jericho Drumm, aka Doctor Voodoo and have taken drastic action. Also, Doyle Dormammu confronts anew the terrible visions he's been shown of the future and comes to a frightening realization. Also, how will all of this play out given that Doctor Strange is dead?

As I was saying earlier, time is an oddly elastic thing in comic books. Peter Parker, for example, has been a twentysomething college graduate for forty years now. He stopped aging in real time sometime in the 1970s and even though he's progressed a bit over the years, every so often, every time he's been on the the cusp of some very adult breakthrough in terms of achievements or responsibility, an invisible temporal rubber band has snapped him back to that sweet spot of youth, when he's always on the verge of realizing his vast potential.

Oddly enough, though, Marvel doesn't give that treatment to all of their characters, especially those who exist in an academic setting. Many of the teachers of Strange Academy were quite notably once teen characters themselves, like the New Mutants' Magik or the Runaways' Sister Grimm, and an entire school year has just passed in more or less real time. This isn't so much as a complaint as it is an observation I make with some amusement.  The series ends (for now) on an intriguing cliffhanger with an actual academic year having passed in story time.

Young and Ramos have created some pretty engaging and, dare I say, memorable characters like Emily Bright, Doyle Dormammua and Calvin Morse, among others.  Emily in particular has the most potential because unlike many of her contemporaries in the Strange Academy she's not tied into any preexisting characters, whether it's the lord of the Dark Dimension or the Enchantress of Asgard of anything like that. There's a lot of potential to chart a unique path for her and I'm fairly confident that with the upcoming series reboot/continuation Young and Ramos, have more planned for her and the rest of the gang. 

I'm quite grateful for this book because it's really gotten my youngest kid, who spends too much of her spare time playing online games, to actually read something and I like how Young and Ramos have created characters that a young reader can connect with as she has done. 

I look forward to the next chapter. 

8.5/10  

Yearlong Hunt: A Review of Strange Academy Vol. 2

 written by Skottie Young

drawn by Humberto Ramos

colored by Edgar Delgado

It's hard to believe it's been over a year since I reviewed Volume I of Marvel's teen book Strange Academy, and indeed I had to double-check to make sure I hadn't made a mistake. It has, in fact, been over a year since I gave Strange Academy Vol I a glowing review, and in that year I've struggled to find Volume II. Oddly enough, I found and read Volume III first, before I finally was able to track down a copy of Volume II. It wouldn't feel right reviewing Volume III first so here I go with Volume II.

Following the cliffhanger at the end of Volume I, in which one of the students at the Strange Academy dies, it's resolved pretty quickly. Spoiler alert: the student in question gets better.  After that there are quite a few traditional school activities, like a Family Day in which some parents prove to be competitive than others, and a field trip during which one of the students discovers another's dark secret. The volume ends with a two-parter in which the secret behind of the students' magic is discovered, and it is a frightening secret indeed. 

There's no overarching plot that ties the next six issues together, the way there was in the first volume, but now we get to know some of the kids in the class a bit better.  While one could argue that some of the archetypes play out in a predictable way, overall Skottie Young's storytelling still works, though I feel some other characters could've had their moment in the spotlight as well. As it was, well, the six issues contained in the volume still devote most of the story to the main characters like Emily Bright and Doyle Dormammu, with Iric Brorson of Asgard and Calvin Morse briefly getting the spotlight as well. I guess they had to focus a bit to make sure the story stayed coherent.

I wasn't as gobsmacked by this compilation as I was by the first volume, but it was an engaging read nonetheless. Young and artist Humberto Ramos maintain their storytelling mojo and really bring these characters to life, even as some get more attention than others. There's a cameo by a fan favorite character than plays out pretty darned well. 

It may have taken over a year to find this book, but it was worth the search.

8/10 

Celebrating 900 Issues in Style: A Review of The Amazing Spider-Man #900

written by Zeb Wells

penciled by Ed McGuinness

inked by Mark Morales, McGuinness, Wade von Grawbadger, Cliff Rathburn

colored by Marcio Menyz, Dijjo Lima, Erick Arciniega

To mark the occasion of the 900th issue of The Amazing Spider-Man title (give or take a few specials or one-shots) Marvel has given fans a super-sized issue featuring a doozy of a main story by writer Zeb Wells and artist extraordinaire Ed McGuinness.

It's Peter Parker's birthday, and in a true display of the infamous Parker luck, he manages to spoil his own surprise birthday party by showing up on time, while the grand architect of the surprise, J. Jonah Jameson, happens to be late. It turns out old flat-top's got good reason to be tardy: he's been kidnapped by four mechanical octopus arms belonging to a familiar foe of Spider-Man, and when Spidey swings to the rescue, the arms hammer out a single word on the wall: "HELP."  Upon following the arms to their master, Spider-Man finds himself facing a foe even he might not be able to defeat: a Super-Adaptoid with the combined powers of the Sinister Six, which was dispatched by the Living Brain as it searches for the answer to its ultimate life's question: Who is Spider-Man?

As landmark issues go, this one's a winner, with a done-in-one story by Zeb Wells that he teased at the end of the first issue of this series reboot, featuring the Living Brain, a character from the very earliest issues of the book.  This character was repurposed a little bit when Doctor Octopus took over Peter's body a few years back in the Superior Spider-Man days, but Wells restores him to his original status quo somewhat for this story. It's also a bit of a throwback to the older issues too, as Spider-Man gets a proper whupping from this genuinely formidable adversary, and later, from some more familiar foes as well, only to get help from the most unexpected of places.   It's not quite on par with Wells' five-issue arc with John Romita Jr., but it's still got a really nice Silver Age vibe to it that really cuts to the heart of what makes Spider-Man Marvel's most popular and enduring character. 

It really helps that Wells has a supremely capable collaborator in Ed McGuiness, an A-list artist who, for years, was near the top of my list of artists I wished would draw Spider-Man in a full-length story, alongside the likes of Jim Lee.  Sure, he drew the first few issues of the Spider-Man/Deadpool team-up book some years back, but this time Spidey's got Ed all to himself, in a mammoth 70-page story that's basically the same length as three and a half issues.  McGuiness definitely brings his A-game to an issue packed with fan-favorite supporting characters  like Black Cat, Flash Thompson, Bobbi Morse and classic villains like Doc Ock and a whole lot more. This is wish fulfillment at its finest. 

This is quite consistent with the way Wells has told his stories in this new iteration of the title. There's no reinventing of the wheel here, no shocking new status quo changes or new characters, just some engaging, entertaining storytelling by some of the best creators in the business. It's been so long since the book was this good that I can scarcely believe what I'm seeing here. Sure, I know some big status quo shakeup is just around the corner, but I am enjoying this while it lasts. Also, who knows? Maybe the status quo shakeup will actually be something meaningful this time, not some ephemeral death destined to be undone (sorry Dan Slott). 

There are also a few entertaining, very brief side-stories at the end by Daniel Kibblesmith and David Lopez, Jeff Loveness and Todd Nauck, and Dan Slott and Marcos Martin.  Notably, none of them teases some future story or leaves a dangling thread so the entire issue is self-contained.

9/10

  

A New Direction for an Old Favorite: A Review of Daredevil #1 (Mild Spoilers)

 written by Chip Zdarsky

drawn by Marco Checchetto (with Rafael dela Torre)

colored by Matt Wilson 

As Matt Murdock prepares to lead "the Fist" together with his longtime frenemy Elektra in a bid to take down the Hand once and for all, an adventure which will have him heading out to parts unknown, he embarks on a crime-fighting spree with longtime ally Spider-Man.  His first target is Butch Pharris, the illegitimate son of former Mayor of New York City Wilson Fisk, and the new Kingpin of Crime.  Also, while saying his goodbyes to the likes of Foggy Nelson, Matt discovers something unexpected about his old law school classmate Robert Goldman, the prosecutor who convinced him to serve time as Daredevil. Meanwhile, Elektra trades words (and blows) with her old mentor Stick as she firms up her own plans for her upcoming quest with Matt.

After Chip Zdarsky ended his first stint on Daredevil strongly with his "Devil's Reign" miniseries, I was genuinely optimistic for his upcoming series relaunch with Marco Checchetto, with whom he had previously relaunched the title in 2018 following Charles Soule's three-year tenure on the book. I disagreed with quite a few of Zdarsky's creative decisions, but he won back my trust with "Devil's Reign" and left me eager to see the next chapter of Matt Murdock's life. 

 

I guess it's a good thing that Zdarsky and Checchetto managed to set a pretty high bar for themselves but I have to admit that coming on the heels of "Devil's Reign" this series launch felt distinctly underwhelming, with very little happening by way of actual story progression, and with an unwelcome resort to the old "talking heads" story device that tends to rob a story of any real forward momentum. I also found it a bit illogical that Matt, while pretending to be his deceased brother Mike, basically outed himself as Daredevil to make some bizarre point.  I actually liked Checchetto's work here especially since Spider-Man, the guy with whom he started his Marvel career years ago, made an appearance, but the proliferation of panels kind of blunted his talent a little bit here.

Zdarsky and his collaborating artists have been setting up this "war" for well over a year now, so I would have thought that with this big relaunch he would have dived right into the adventure instead of treading water, which is basically what all of the characters spend this extra-sized issue doing. There's one big bang of a story twist near the end of the issue, but it didn't really make that much of an impression on me, especially considering how spoiled I've been by the sublime storytelling I've seen from Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr. over in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man. 

Zdarsky and Checchetto are off to a slow start, but I hope they pick up steam real soon.

6.5/10

THAT'S How You Tell Stories: A Review of The Amazing Spider-Man #5 (and a look back at the first five issues)

 written by Zeb Wells

art by John Romita Jr (p) and Scott Hanna (i)

colors by Marcio Menyz

In wrapping up their first-ever collaboration on the adventures of the amazing Spider-Man, writer Zeb Wells and artist John Romita, Jr. deliver a finale that has managed to both satisfy and leave me hankering for more.

After having learned to his chagrin that he was used by crime-boss Tombstone as a bludgeon against the resurgent Rose, Spider-Man licks his wounds, grabs a coffee, and then quietly plans to hit back at Tombstone. His solution is clever, if the tiniest bit cynical, and effective, too.  Mild spoiler, though, anyone expecting the big dust-up promised by the cover art is going to walk away from this issue disappointed. Also, this issue explains where the heck Digger, the gamma-powered patchwork of dead mobsters, was while Spider-Man was busy unwittingly dismantling the Rose's crew.

While this issue may seem anticlimactic to some, I, for one, really like it when Spider-Man uses his brains rather than his brawn to hit back at his enemies.  Also, it's hard to begrudge Wells a distinct shift from the high-octane action of the past couple of issues considering how good Romita Jr.'s art looks here. If I'm perfectly honest, his art on Spider-Man hasn't looked this good since his days of working with J. Michael Straczynski.  Scott Hanna is truly one of his better collaborators, and Marcio Menyz's rich palette of colors evokes the very best of Dan Kemp back in the day.  

This issue still leaves so many unanswered questions regarding Peter's new status quo, which is fine by me because I intend to keep following this run. It is so very satisfying to get a solid five issues from one creative team, especially with one art team firing on all cylinders like this one is.  This is what many of us readers have been missing for literally years, and it's gratifying to finally see Marvel getting the hint. 

My only gripe, if you can call it that, is the misleading cover. I know it's been a staple of comic books since forever, but it's no less annoying at I can't help but feel that it cheapens the story inside just a little bit. It's like Marvel's not giving its readers enough credit. 

All that said, thank you, Nick Lowe and the rest of the Spidey brain trust, for bringing this dream team together. They have well and truly delivered. 

I know JR, Jr. is taking a break from art chores for the landmark 900th issue in a couple of weeks, but considering it's Ed McGuinness stepping up to bat I'm hardly one to complain. 

8.5/10 

Racing Against Time: A Review of The Amazing Spider-Man #4

 written by Zeb Wells

penciled by John Romita Jr

inked by Scott Hanna

colored by Marcio Menyz

Having learned of Tombstone's shocking plan to frame Rose for a killing spree, Spider-Man frantically sets out to stop the bloodbath from taking place. He gets help from an unexpected source, and pulls out all the stops to prevent something truly terrible from taking place. Meanwhile, Peter's turn for the worse has gotten an old ally to check in on him, and Tombstone, the architect of Spider-Man's current misery, finally reveals his plans for Joe Robertson.

Though there's one issue left to go in this five-issue story marking the auspicious return of John Romita, Jr.'s art to the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man, it's honestly hard to imagine an issue stronger than this one turned out to be. In terms of pacing, dialogue and just overall storytelling it really is an extraordinary read, especially with JR Jr dialing the action up to 11. This may sound like hyperbole, but I can honestly say that I haven't seen this kind of kinetic power from his art since his Daredevil: The Man Without Fear miniseries with Frank Miller, the one that inspired the bone-crunching fight scenes from the Daredevil Netflix series.  I also give full credit to Wells for helping JR Jr. bring his A-game to this book.  

Thanks to writer and artist working in perfect sync, I really got into the urgency of the issue. This is really classic Spider-Man; pushing himself to the very limit to help people who need him. I also love how Wells pays off something that happened all the way back in the first issue which seemed, at the time at least, like a throwaway moment. This is the beauty of serialized storytelling, and long may it continue.

Though there's only one issue left in this inaugural arc, it's clear that Wells has got some pretty big plans for Tombstone moving forward, and I'm pretty sure I'll stick around for those, but for the meantime I really just want to take the time to applaud Wells and Romita Jr. for this exemplary story, which should really make a solid argument for a single creative team handling storytelling duties moving forward.

9.5/10 

Tombstone's Revenge: A Review of The Amazing Spider-Man #2 and #3

 written by Zeb Wells

drawn by John Romita Jr. (p) and Scott Hanna (i)

colored by Marcio Menyz

Spider-Man's effort to stop the gang war between Tombstone and the returning Rose kicks into high gear as Spidey chases after Tombstone, only to find that Tombstone is ready and waiting for him with a plan that is truly sinister. Meanwhile, the reasons behind Peter's separation from Mary Jane remain shrouded in mystery, but it looks pretty darn serious, with MJ's new beau even attempting to pay Peter a visit to tell him to get lost. In stark contrast, Randy Robertson and Janice Lincoln decide to take their own relationship to the next level as Janice asks Randy to marry her.  

As I said when I reviewed the first issue of this latest reboot of Marvel's flagship title, this is the kind of story I've missed for years, one written by a single writer and drawn by a single artist for a full five or six issues, and the team of Zeb Wells and John Romita, Jr. truly deliver the goods. It's kind of hard to believe that this actually their first-ever collaboration considering how long each of these guys has worked for Marvel, but hey, better late than never. 

I'm reviewing these issues together because I bought them together and read them in rapid succession, but also because they actually feel like a "mini" two-parter within Wells and JR, Jr.'s story arc focused entirely on Tombstone. The narrative is tight and quite rewarding, even as it ends on the inevitable cliffhanger given that there are two issues left in the five-part story to go. 

It's gratifying to see Wells picking up on threads started by other writers, continuing the return of the Rose storyline started by Nick Spencer a couple of years back and bringing back Digger, the gamma-powered mobster that J. Michael Stracynzki and Romita Jr. created over a decade ago.  Not everything has to be a status-quo shattering extravaganza. 

The strongest part about these two issues is how they put the spotlight on Tombstone, who has actually been pretty prominent in the last few years thanks to Nick Spencer's story. More than Spencer did, though, Wells really explores Tombstone as a character, providing a brief retelling of his origin while at the same time giving a bit of insight into just how wily he is, and what direction his character might be heading into, especially with his daughter about to take a big step into the unknown.  It's gratifying to see a longtime character get the respect he's been due for a while.   

Romita Jr. continues to deliver here, with some great money shots here; he always was such a consummate storyteller, and Wells brings out the best in him.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how these two wrap up their first arc.

8.5/10