Amazing Spider-Man #558: "Brand New Day" ("Freak the Third")

** (two of five stars)

Favorite Quote:  "YESSS!" -- Aunt May, on learning Peter is moving into the city

Summary

Peter tells Aunt May he's gong to try to move to a new place in the city; he feels bad that he's leaving her while she quietly exclaims, "YESSSS!" in the dining room.  Dr. Connors and Spidey devise a plan to make sure that Freak doesn't emerge from his chrysalis now that the blizzard has passed...once they discover where his cocoon has been taken.  While Peter is photographing mayoral candidate (and Lily's father) Hollister at a campaign event at the homeless shelter where Aunt May works (for Mr. Negative, in his secret identity), Menace attacks, threatening Hollister if he doesn't withdraw from the race.  The NYPD essentially chases off Menace and Spidey, who intervened when Menace attacked.  Spidey then goes to meet Dr. Connors at the site where Freak's been relocated.  Spidey battles Freak, who's eventually forced into chrysalis mode once more.  His cocoon is loaded into a truck called "NYPD Hazmat Unit," but a worker removes the sign, revealing an "Oscorp Enterprises" sign.

The Review

This issue -- as evidenced by the cover even -- wraps up some loose threads from the four story arcs we've seen in "Brand New Day."  Menace returns (briefly) and Freak gets iced.  Other story arcs remain hanging:  we don't know the identity of Jackpot or the "Tracer Killer" and we're starting to get some hints that Harry is hiding something.  It wasn't a great issue, but it more or less did what it was supposed to do, segue us into the next series of story arcs.

The Good

I like the new Aunt May.  I mean, as I've said before, I still feel it's intellectually dishonest the way they've de-aged the characters, given that Mephisto's deal didn't affect time.  Aunt May is acting probably a good ten -- if not 20 -- years younger than she's possibly ever been portrayed.  But, she's fun, so I'm learning not to mind.

The Bad

1) I'm still not a huge fan of the Menace storyline, for reasons similar to why I'm not sold on the Jackpot storyline:  we're clearly supposed to believe they're Harry and Mary Jane, respectively, and in all likelihood they're not.

2) Are Vin and his partner the only cops in New York?

3) Pet Peeve #1:  Jackpot appears on the cover, but doesn't appear in the book...unless she does in her secret identity that we don't yet know.  Maybe she's Aunt May!  Blue Shield also appears on the cover, but not in the book.

4) Where exactly does Spidey keep his cell phone?