**** (four of five stars)
Favorite Quote: “No harm in celebrating a little.” “He can’t dear. Tell him why.” “Aunt May…” “Say it again. Just for me.” “I can’t. I’ve got work tomorrow.” -- JJJ, Sr., Aunt May, and Pete, living out May’s best dream
Summary
Favorite Quote: “No harm in celebrating a little.” “He can’t dear. Tell him why.” “Aunt May…” “Say it again. Just for me.” “I can’t. I’ve got work tomorrow.” -- JJJ, Sr., Aunt May, and Pete, living out May’s best dream
Summary
Hobby appears on the roof of the Fisk Building, demanding an audience with the Kingpin. He tells the Kingpin about Spidey and the Black Cat’s plan to steal back the reverbium, telling him they’re already in the building. The Hand attempts to stop Spidey and the Black Cat, but Spidey – fully clad in his invisible-and-sonic-proof costume – easily dismisses them. Hobby soon comes after him, setting off the alarm. The Cat uses the distraction to ditch Spidey and head to Fisk’s penthouse to help herself to some items. Spidey fends off the Hand in the basement of the Fisk Building – where the reverbium is stored – but gets a pounding from the Hobgoblin’s now higher-pitched laugh (which gets around Spidey's sonic-proof safeguards). Meanwhile, the Cat is caught mid-nab by the Kingpin. Spidey switches to the all-sonic mode, meaning that he’s now visible but he’s protected from all sound, which also means that he can’t hear the Black Cat’s cries for help over their communications system. Spidey uses an anti-metal Spider-Tracer to melt the Hobgoblin’s plasma sword, and Hobby ramps up the sonics. (Not too bright, Phil.) The noise sets off the reverbium; Hobby flees, and Spidey turns off his all-sonic mode to call for help from the tech guy. The tech guy decides to flee, however, and Spidey now hears the Cat’s call for help, so he douses the reverbium with the anti-metal Spider-Tracers and makes his way upstairs as the building collapses. He rescues the Cat and Hobby rescues the Kingpin (but not his right-hand man, Montana). The Kingpin divests himself of any semblance of being legit (which the building had given him) and tells the Hobgoblin that he’s his. Phil Urich sells his photos to the “Bugle” to pay the Tinker to fix some of his weapons (like the super-cool plasma sword). The science behind Pete’s suit helped in developing noise-canceling headphones for Horizon Labs, and he moves all his Spidey stuff into his vault. Finally, Pete buys his own apartment (!) and takes Carlie, JJJ, Sr., and Aunt May to dinner.
In the secondary feature, we see Mac Gargan awaken and being asked questions by the disembodied voice of Alistair Smythe. Smythe has a drone fire on him, and Gargan -- now in his Scorpion uniform -- destroys the drone. Smythe informs Gargan he now has a Scorpion-Sense and runs him through a series of tests. Gargan threatens to kill Smythe for putting him back in the Scorpion suit, but Smythe informs him that the suit -- and accompanying cyborg upgrades -- are the only thing keeping him alive. Smythe also informs Scorpion that he intends to kill everyone close to JJJ, Jr., so he can know the pain of losing loved ones. Gargan deduces that it's Smythe behind the voice, and he thus appears in full costume, telling Scorpion that they'll finally have their vengeance on JJJ, Jr. When Gargan expresses some doubt, Smythe opens a door to reveal his "Insect Army."
The Review
In the secondary feature, we see Mac Gargan awaken and being asked questions by the disembodied voice of Alistair Smythe. Smythe has a drone fire on him, and Gargan -- now in his Scorpion uniform -- destroys the drone. Smythe informs Gargan he now has a Scorpion-Sense and runs him through a series of tests. Gargan threatens to kill Smythe for putting him back in the Scorpion suit, but Smythe informs him that the suit -- and accompanying cyborg upgrades -- are the only thing keeping him alive. Smythe also informs Scorpion that he intends to kill everyone close to JJJ, Jr., so he can know the pain of losing loved ones. Gargan deduces that it's Smythe behind the voice, and he thus appears in full costume, telling Scorpion that they'll finally have their vengeance on JJJ, Jr. When Gargan expresses some doubt, Smythe opens a door to reveal his "Insect Army."
The Review
Before we get into the good and bad here, I have to say that the new Hobgoblin is just about the best villain – actually, I’m going all the way here – IS the best villain I’ve seen since I resumed reading “Amazing Spider-Man” at issue #544. Amazing. He’s creepy, lethal, funny, and insane, all in one. He’s possibly even better than Norman. The fact that he’s basically the anti-Peter – taking photos of his exploits to sell to the “Bugle” to fund his super-villain toys – is just genius.
Slott skimps over some details here (see "The Bad"), but overall this Hobgoblin arc really has included the most fun Spidey issues I've read in ages. Some of the more recent classics, like the Rhino and Lizard arcs, have been horribly sad. Here, we saw a new, revamped classic villain (the m.o. of "The Gauntlet"), but we still had some fun along the way. I know Slott isn't perfect, but the energy and enthusiasm evident in this book really made me forgive a lot of sins. (See, I'm a much less cranky reviewer if the writer at least expresses the sense that he ENJOYS writing the comic.)
The Good
Slott skimps over some details here (see "The Bad"), but overall this Hobgoblin arc really has included the most fun Spidey issues I've read in ages. Some of the more recent classics, like the Rhino and Lizard arcs, have been horribly sad. Here, we saw a new, revamped classic villain (the m.o. of "The Gauntlet"), but we still had some fun along the way. I know Slott isn't perfect, but the energy and enthusiasm evident in this book really made me forgive a lot of sins. (See, I'm a much less cranky reviewer if the writer at least expresses the sense that he ENJOYS writing the comic.)
The Good
1) I’m glad that Montana (the Kingpin’s consigliere, if you will) commented on the fact that the Hobgoblin probably tipped off Spidey and the Black Cat about the reverbium just to defeat them and get in the Kingpin’s good graces. It’s that sort of grace note that makes Slott run so far so enjoyable. Most writers would just have everyone not notice that some unknown super-villain suddenly has a network; it would just be presented as a fact and, truthfully, you suspend your disbelief so often in comics, I think we as readers probably would’ve just gone with it. But, Slott goes the extra mile here, letting Montana put two-and-two together. The most clever part about it is that it doesn’t change the ending: the Kingpin isn’t the type to let that sort of, shall we say, initiative bother him. So, Phil gets the job AND offs Montana. Pretty good for a scheming lunatic.
2) So, Tiberius Stone is, if I’m guessing, the guy who “left” Horizon and created the space for Peter. Ooo, I smell neo-Tinkerer arch-nemesis in the making!
3) I loved Felicia making the comment about the Tron costume. As Peter said, “Cute.” But, that costume is freaking awesome. I hope we get a whole bunch of them in the future!
4) I also like how Slott has Felicia ditch Webs to go loot the Kingpin’s private apartment while he’s distracted. A too-good Felicia would’ve been unbelievable.
5) The empty thought-balloons representing the fact that no one could hear Peter and vice versa when his suit was activated was a nice touch and really visually interesting. It made a fairly de rigueur fight sequence pop.
6) The anti-metal Spider-Tracers were awesome. Is Spidey going to get Spiderangs? I’m all for that!
7) Peter Park owns an apartment. Awesome!
8) I am very much looking forward to the “Return of the Spider-Slayers” arc!
The Bad
2) So, Tiberius Stone is, if I’m guessing, the guy who “left” Horizon and created the space for Peter. Ooo, I smell neo-Tinkerer arch-nemesis in the making!
3) I loved Felicia making the comment about the Tron costume. As Peter said, “Cute.” But, that costume is freaking awesome. I hope we get a whole bunch of them in the future!
4) I also like how Slott has Felicia ditch Webs to go loot the Kingpin’s private apartment while he’s distracted. A too-good Felicia would’ve been unbelievable.
5) The empty thought-balloons representing the fact that no one could hear Peter and vice versa when his suit was activated was a nice touch and really visually interesting. It made a fairly de rigueur fight sequence pop.
6) The anti-metal Spider-Tracers were awesome. Is Spidey going to get Spiderangs? I’m all for that!
7) Peter Park owns an apartment. Awesome!
8) I am very much looking forward to the “Return of the Spider-Slayers” arc!
The Bad
1) I’m not sure how Phil knew to use a higher frequency against Spider-Man. I mean, last I checked, Phil isn’t a scientific genius like Peter is, so how did he deduce that Spidey had a new sound-and-light-bending costume and know which frequency Spidey was using to communicate with Felicia? Was it just a lucky guess?
2) Speaking of the sonics, although it's cute, would Peter Parker really forget that no one can hear him because his suit is still activated? Really?
3) Also, does Peter really not have his Spider-Man costume at his apartment? It's all at Horizon Labs? If something happens, he's going to have to ask the villain to, you know, cool his jets, so he can hoof it to the lab, change costumes, and then hoof it back. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the Peter Parker vault as his own personal Batcave, but the Batcave is under Stately Wayne Manor for a reason.
2) Speaking of the sonics, although it's cute, would Peter Parker really forget that no one can hear him because his suit is still activated? Really?
3) Also, does Peter really not have his Spider-Man costume at his apartment? It's all at Horizon Labs? If something happens, he's going to have to ask the villain to, you know, cool his jets, so he can hoof it to the lab, change costumes, and then hoof it back. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love the Peter Parker vault as his own personal Batcave, but the Batcave is under Stately Wayne Manor for a reason.
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