After reading "Avenging Spider-Man" #2, I realized that it lends itself more to a short-form review than the long-form review I used for issue #1. I use the longer review for "Amazing Spider-Man" mostly because it involves mainstream Spider-Man continuity, and I spend a lot of time discussing how the current issue fits within the context of past storylines and what I think it tells us about future ones. This series seems like it's going to be a pretty continuity-light enterprise, so I think these shorter reviews will suffice. We now have three Spidey books other than "Amazing Spider-Man" ("Avenging Spider-Man," "Scarlet Spider," and "Venom"), so I'll try to review them all in the same post. Anyway, enough shop talk. Onto the issue!
Avenging Spider-Man #2: So far, so great for this title. To my mind, Wells is on the same level as Slott in terms of banter, and we see some really excellent moments of it here. I love how Spidey keeps essentially treating Rulk as his abusive boyfriend. (The "I've heard I'm a cute sleeper" line made me LOL.) I also thought his interaction with JJJ, Jr. was great. ("What were you going to say?" "Never mind!" "That you knew I had something to do with a subterranean civil war? Is that what you were going to say?" "I stopped myself--just drop it!") But, it's not all fun and games. Wells and JMad successfully tugged at my heart strings by showing the devastation that the Molans had caused to the Moloid village. Wells also manages to work the details of the Molans' grab for power into the story seamlessly, so we don't have to suffer any long expository sequences. Plus, the fight between Rulk and the Molan General was spectacular. I love that we suddenly find ourselves in some sort of epic "sword and sandals" arena fight. JMad is as good here as I hoped he'd be. Spidey's web snapping? Wells and JMad work together to make you feel Spidey's desperation as he tries to save Rulk, just as they did to convey the tragedy at the village. The fact that he fails, and we end the issue with Rulk stabbed, was definitely not something I was expecting. (I know he's not going to die, but I'm still intrigued where Wells will go with it.) Plentiful witty banter, tugged heart strings, seamless plot exposition, and great action sequences: this title is rocking and rolling.
Venom #10: I noted last issue that I felt that Remender had been forced over the last few issues to engage in some plotting gymnastics to avoid Flash being discovered as bad Venom by his military superiors. Remender returns us to the military setting in this issue, but we don't really get any clarity into the military's views on Flash's recent activities. I'm honestly not sure where we stand on some of the original tenets of Flash's use of the Venom symbiote. Originally, if I'm not mistaken, Flash could only go on 20 missions and could only be in the suit for 24 hours. But, we seem not to be as focused as that. We saw in issue #4 that General Dodge decided to let Flash live, despite the fact that he knew that the symbiote was infecting Flash. Although he hasn't explicitly shown it yet, I think Remender is implying that we're seeing mission-creep on both sides -- Flash and the military. I'd like to return to that story, eventually. However, first, Remender decides to return to the Crime-Master sub-plot, and I can't say it's a bad decision. I liked the addition of a second person (besides General Dodge) pulling Flash's strings, because it really underscores the desperate situation in which Flash finds himself. (The fight with Captain America in this issue just seems to underscore that.) We're certainly building to something, both in the short- and long-term. Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to be good news for Flash.
Venom #11: You know a comic is dark when the bad guy tells a story about turning a house cat into a nail bomb...and it isn't the darkest part of the issue. Srsly. Remender continues to tighten the noose around Flash's neck as he finds himself on the road trip from Hell (more or less literally) with Jack O'Lantern. In last issue and this one, Flash keeps repeating to himself his plan to get all his enemies in the same room in order to kill them. But, you can start to tell that Flash knows it's not going to happen, raising the question why he's cooperating with them. Sure, Crime-Master is threatening Betty and his mom, but, like he says, he could just go to Captain America or Spider-Man and ask for help. Instead, Remender is making it pretty clear that Flash is addicted to the costume, and we all know that isn't going to end well. Another spectacular (if a little grim) issue.
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