Amazing Spider-Man #648

After the sub-par offerings of Brand New Day, I was pretty skeptical when Marvel announced a new direction for ASM. The title will now be published twice per month and super-sized. Every issue will be written by Dan Slott, which at least deals with some of the problems created by having a rotating creative team every month.

I'll get right to the point: issue 648 is the best Spider-Man story in years. It shows Spider-Man at his best and funniest and Slott and Ramos treat us to a action packed page-turner. The issue nicely explains Spidey's status as an avenger, shows the reader his supporting cast, and re-introduces the Sinister Six, The Enforcers, The Kingpin, and the Hobgoblin.

Truly a great place for new readers to start enjoying the arachnid's tales and a new must read for any Spidey fan.

Tale of the Tape

Cost: $4

Length: 20 minutes

Is it worth it?: A resounding yes. Issues like this are why I enjoy comic books. 

Spidey's New Threads

Why do companies feel that they way to fix a book is to invent a new, crappy costume? This monstrosity is a cross between the black costume, the 2099 costume, and the Spider-Man Unlimited television show.

Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.

Amazing Spider-Man #637, Grim Hunt Part 4

And so another potentially good story ends on a lackluster note. Warning: there will be spoilers.

So apparently the death of Kaine and Mattie Franklin drive Spider-Man to the point where he is ready to kill. He even rips off a woman's face. You read that right, Spider-Man uses his sticky fingers to pull the skin off of Mrs. Kraven's face. He doesn't kill her though. He does almost kill Kraven, but the new Madame Web (previously Spider-Woman II) talks him out of it.

Yes. Having the Kingpin order a hit that almost kills Aunt May doesn't cause Spidey to kill, but seeing his evil clone die sends him into a psychotic rage. On occasion I wonder if the writers have ever read another Spider-Man book before.

The art is inconsistent, as the regular artists needed an assist (again the problem of having a book out almost every week).

This is a great example of how the story could have really built up over the last 4 months. Instead we got it in a single month. I would only pick up this book if you have already invested in the first 3 parts.

Tale of the Tape

Cost: $4

Length: 20 minutes.

Is it worth it?: Um. Sort of? Unless you bought parts 1-3 just read the wikipedia entry. 

Amazing Spider-Man #636: Grim Hunt Part 3

A great Spider-Man story continues on, but the stress of producing a book 3 times a month is starting to show. Joe Kelly gets some help from Zeb Wells on the writing duties, and the art team is different for pages 1-18 and pages 19-22. This does nothing to help the flow of the story. Is it too much to ask that the same artist does all parts of a 4 part story?

Anyway, Kraven has returned and we see a fantastic twist with Kaine. I am looking forward to the final chapter, but I feel that this would have been more suspenseful if I had to wait 4 months until the end (instead of 6 weeks or whatever).

Tale of the Tape

Cost: $4

Length: 20 minutes.

Is it worth it?: Still yes, although the change in artist is disappointing. 

Amazing Spider-Man #635: Grim Hunt Part 2

Joe Kelly and the artist duo of Michael Lark and Stefano Gaudiano give us another solid page turner in the second installment of the Grim Hunt. Spider-Man and the rest of the "spiders" (those with spider-powers) continue their fight against the family of Kraven the Hunter.

I won't reveal too much, but I will say that this is the best Kaine issue ever made. Great to see Mysterio involved as well, but Diablo is mysteriously missing. It makes me wonder if Mysterio was supposed to be in the first part of this story.

Some okay back-up material as well, but I am not sure how well Stan Lee's 2 page per issue story is working. You don't really get a sense of what is going on with only 2 pages.

All that being said this is Spider-Man how it should be, but with the thrice monthly publishing it will be over before you know it.

Tale of the Tape

Cost: $4

Length: 20 minutes. 

Is it worth it?: Yes. This was a great comic book story. A bit dark for Spider-Man but then again so was Kraven's Last Hunt. 

Amazing Spider-Man #634, Grim Hunt Part 1

My readers are well aware that I am unhappy with the state of ASM lately, and so it is with cautious optimism that I approach the Grim Hunt storyline.

Basically Kraven's family have put Spider-Man through a Gauntlet of challenges to weaken him so they can kill him and the other spiders (those who have spider-based powers) to resurrect Kraven himself.

The Gauntlet was hit or miss, a miss-mash of great and crappy stories. Hopefully Grim Hunt will be more consistent. Correction: hopefully Grim Hunt will be consistently awesome.

The issue was a very intriguing and exciting start to what I assume is one of those stories where "nothing will ever be the same". The art by Michael Lark and Stephano Gaudiano is much darker than we would normally see in a Spidey tale, and it fits the Grim Hunt perfectly.

Joe Kelly can write some great stuff, and he is off to a good start, but he does require a certain amount of Spider-Man knowledge from the reader. Madame Web, Kaine, Spider-Woman II, Ezekiel,  and Spider-Woman III, along with a bunch of Kravens all make appearances without much explanation who they are. This issue is great, but not a good jumping on point for new readers. I loved it, but I feel that someone picking up a Spidey comic for the first time would be totally confused.

There are a couple of back-up stories that add to the fun (including a 2 pager written by Stan Lee) and make the overall product well worth the price of admission.

Tale of the Tape

Cost: $4

Length: 30 minutes

Is it worth it?: Yes, if you already are a Spider-Man fan. All others should read some older issues first and then come back to this one.  

Spider-Man: Fever #1

Due to the utter odious and sub-par storylines that are coming out of ASM lately, I am always pleased to find a solid and interesting Spider-Man story, especially one as eclectic and unique as Fever.

The story is a homage to 1960's Spider-Man and Dr. Strange stories and fans of that era will be pleased with the dialogue and visuals. I do have one minor quibble: the editor should have noted that this story takes place before Dr. Strange loses his mantle of Sorcerer Supreme. Currently in the Marvel Universe Dr. S has lost his ability to conjure and was forced to give up the magical title. I know that not every fanboy follows Dr. Strange so closely, but the result is jarring for anyone in the know.

Tale of the Tape

Length: 20 minutes. 

Cost: $4

Is it worth it?: A definite yes. This is the best Spider-Man story in a while (and the best Dr. Strange story in a long while) and I am looking forward to the next issue. However, it is a sad state of affairs when a random mini-series has a better story than a character's flagship title. 

Amazing Spider-Man #626

I have mentioned this before, but it merits further repetition: thrice-monthly publication is not improving the quality of this book. Stories are never consistent in their quality and it become increasingly apparent that a large number of filler issues have been commissioned to meet such a heavy publishing burden.

ASM #626 reads like a filler issue, but it shouldn’t. It is part of the ongoing Gauntlet storyline (destined to be remembered as one of Spidey’s worst) and whatever happens should engage the reader. What the reader gets instead is a mediocre gang-war type story with the Red Hood selling the Scorpion’s original costume. Spidey teams-up with a new Lady Scorpion to take down the bad guys, and the conclusion of the issue shows the Lady Scorpion selling the costume to Kraven’s daughter. There. I just saved you $3. I will be writing a letter to Joe Quesada soon about the awful editorial decision to publish the book so often.

Tale of the Tape

Length: 20 minutes

Cost: $3

Is it worth it?: No. ASM is getting worse and worse. 

Amazing Spider-Man #625

The creative team has done some excellent character development with the Rhino, really shifting from his one-dimensional smash everything role. However, the story is painfully predictable and the overall issue is a lesson in mediocrity.  The saving grace is the Rhino VS Rhino brawl that ends up being worth the price of admission.

Tale of the Tape

Cost: $3

Length: 20 minutes

Is it worth it?: Yes, but just barely. Hopefully someone from Marvel reads this blog and changes ASM back to a monthly title. Remember when issue numbers ending in multiples of 25 meant something?

Amazing Spider-Man #623 & #624

The new vulture is a pretty lackluster villain. I can't say that I have been really drawn into any story with him as the antagonist, and this issue continues with a tradition of lackluster appearances. The issue does feature a great finish that results in total upheaval in Peter Parker's professional life, but the super-hero action is uninteresting.

Tale of the Tape

Cost: $6 ($3 per issue)

Length: 40 minutes

Is it worth it?: No. For $9 per hour you can get much better entertainment than a humdrum Spider-Man story. Dear Marvel, please go back to publishing this title once per month. 

Amazing Spider-Man #618-620

Mysterio joins The Gauntlet in what is probably the best Spider-Man story in years. Mr. Negative and the Maggia have a gang war and both sides are being manipulated by the villainous master of illusion.

The art is top notch, the storytelling is tight, and the overall presentation make this three-issue run a must have for any Spidey-fan.

The only down-side is that the next issue or three will be completed by a different creative team, which will result in the issues being boring, filler, or total garbage.

Marvel needs to put ASM back to a once-monthly schedule.

Amazing Spider-Man #617

Excellent issue with a great use of the Rhino. Along with the "Flowers for Rhino" story from Tangled Web and that Hulk story where the Rhino pretends to be Santa Claus this is probably the best use of the villain. I must admit, however, that despite being pretty well versed in Spider-lore I did not know that the Rhino was Russian. Retcon?

Web of Spider-Man #3: Micro Review

Three strikes and you are out Marvel. Stay away from this one unless you are a huge Spider-Girl fan. I will be dropping this title. 

Amazing Spider-Man #613: Mini Review

A bit better. Some good Electro stuff, but we still don't have a sense of why we should care about this Gauntlet storyline. The art still doesn't work. This issue continues to highlight is the problem of having rotating creative teams; there is no sense of continuity on the book. 

Amazing Spider-Man #612: Mini Review

So the big Spidey event The Gauntlet starts off with... a yawn. Not a lot happened; Electro is back and a victim of a Bernie Madoff like scheme. He speaks out for the little guy at a series of demonstrations while secretly working with the Mad Thinker on removing his powers (that are killing him or something). What really is needed is a bit more about the mysterious force behind the Gauntlet (which we only really know about thanks to the text synopsis at the front of the issue), and a different artist. The art is fine, but doesn't fit Spider-Man and would be more suited to edgier stuff like Daredevil or Punisher. I'll stick with it to see where it is going, but it is not off to a good start. Great cover though. 

Web of Spider-Man #2: Micro Review

Strike two Marvel. Avoid unless you have read every issue of Spider-Girl.

Amazing Spider-Man #611: Micro-Review

A nice bridge issue with lots of humour. Fans of Deadpool will not be disappointed and should add this to their collection. The frenetic art style really suits the story but the inking could have been a lot tighter (several panels look unfinished). This issue provides an interesting lead in to "The Gauntlet" storyline. 

Amazing Spider-Man #610: Micro Review

An awful end to a z-grade storyline. I wish that they would return to publishing this book once a month.

Micro-Review: Web of Spider-man #1

Just awful. The Kaine storyline is too long and unnecessary and the Spider-Girl story is incoherent for new readers. The only decent part was the Frog-man story, but it was the shorter joke story at the end of the book. I will give this new Web a bit more of a chance, but you should avoid.

Mini Review: Amazing Spider-man #609

Making ASM a thrice monthly publication has done nothing but ensure inconsistency in Marvel’s flagship title. Some storylines are great, some mediocre, and some downright horrible. This month’s issue falls into the middle category; the art and writing are fine, but the overall story is lacklustre.

Also, why are we talking about Kaine and Ben Reilly again? When you have run out of ideas and you need to reach into the mid-90’s for sub-par characters there is a real problem.

I also have to wonder why Kaine knows Spider-man’s secret identity? Spidey simply states that “it makes sense” that his clone knows who he is. No, it doesn’t. Mephisto changed reality so Aunt May would be alive and no one knows who Spider-man really is. This deal with Mephisto was a ridiculous plot fix and Marvel will forever be cleaning up the mess.

If you are a Spidey collector this will find a place in your comic box, but others should just wait until an actual storyline comes along.