Holy crap, true believers, this issue rocked!
I complained in my review for last issue that "Scarlet Spider" seemed to have started to loose its way a little. I wasn't really a fan of "Minimum Carnage" and the last two issues have been excessively talky, showing Kaine cursing himself for his past over and over again. But, with this issue, Yost returns to where he was before "Minimum Carnage" and this series kicks into high gear again.
First and foremost, I like that Yost has Kaine deal with the darkness that he encounters here with a little more focus than he has lately. He knows that he's not really getting anywhere in moving against the human traffickers, because he's never going to be able to dismantle their networks. It's an interesting commentary, actually, because it raises the issue that rears its head in superhero comics every once in a while, namely why superheroes spend so much time battling super-villains and not everyday villains. Why does Spider-Man spend so much time trying to take down Doc Ock (OK, bad example right now) when he could be taking down the corner pusher? Here, Yost reminds us that Spidey's chance of success in doing some good is actually higher with Doc Ock. He can put him in prison for a few months, preventing him from doing any harm. But, the corner pusher? He'll be replaced the next day by a new guy. It's not a satisfying answer, but it's a realistic one, and I like that Yost has Kaine come to that conclusion so quickly in his superhero career. Plus, I also like that it doesn't stop Kaine from trying. It's here where Yost moves Kaine past wondering why he keeps trying to help and just has him help. It's a welcome move and a sign that Kaine (and this series) is starting to mature.
But, Yost also has Kaine handle not just the world around him in a more straight-forward way, but he also approaches his murderous past a little less hysterically in this issue than he has in previous ones. Here, Kaine's impulse to kill, and the concomitant decision not to do so, is presented more as a tactical problem than anything else. He's now committed not to be a monster and he has to find a way to do that, particularly when confronting monsters. It's this dilemma that I find interesting, not him constantly wringing his hands over his past. I mean, yes, definitely, a little introspection is good every once in a while. But, it's a better comic when Kaine is actively trying to rise to the challenge of finding a new way to fight and, thus, a way to become a better person than it is when he's moping around a hotel room. I loved Dan Slott having Spidey learn "Spider-Fun" and I feel like Yost is mining a similar vein here.
Moreover, Yost has us finally get into the mystery of Aracely. The wolf siblings are pretty freaking bad-ass, I have to say. I mean, how many times have you read a comic that ends with the superhero getting eaten by the super-villains? Plus, Yost does a good job with the mythology here. It's inaccessible at the moment, but it's also inaccessible to the characters. Unlike Hickman in "Avengers," who just seems to be obtuse for obtuseness' sake, Yost is being vague because Aracely can't remember what she needs to remember. She recognizes the threat abstractly, though, at some point, she's going to remember and we're going to get a lot more information. Right now, though, this ignorance feels totally organic and gives the issue the tension that it needs. Plus, with Kaine's review of all the wolf-related events that we've seen over the course of this series, Yost also makes it clear that it's all been brewing since the first issue.
If you can't tell, I loved this issue. I'm excited to get our surly and not mopey Kaine back and I'm really excited that Khoi Pham has returned. I had started to lose faith there, but I'm happy to say that my faith is restored.
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