***** (five of five stars)
Summary
The two Spideys are trying to fend off the Spider-Slayers, with Miguel telling Otto to go for the joints, hitting them where they're weak. "Norman" tells them that he was trying to do that to Spidey by going after Lamaze, but, "just like these Spider-Slayers, Spidey's gotten tougher." He says that he has to do better and orders Menace to show a captive Anna Maria on the screen where the user's face is normally projected. Anna Maria warns Spidey that it's a trap, and an enraged Otto punches the screen. Miguel ponders why his controls aren't working, noting that he built them with tech from 2099, so no one could hack it. Otto says that the Goblin could, given that he hacked his tech, which he claims was "centuries ahead of its time." The Goblin ups the stakes, telling Otto that he'll lead him to Anna Maria if he leaves Miguel to fend off the Spider-Slayers on his own, a fight he couldn't win. Miguel tells Otto that the Goblin is tipping his hand, since he knows that they could defeat the Spider-Slayers together and Miguel could then help find Anna Maria, but Otto has already left. Miguel announces that it confirms that he's not the real Spidey as he's overwhelmed by the Spider-Slayers.
In Otto's Mindscape, Peter continues to relive Otto's memories, getting to the point where Otto transferred his consciousness into Peter's mind with the golden octobot.
In New York, Otto watches as the Spider-Slayers start attacking the authorities and reviews his failures: the city is racked with violence, the Goblin Army is on the rampage, his base is destroyed, his army is dispersed, Parker Industries is "in dire straits," the Mayor is after him, he alienated his allies, and Anna Maria is "in the hands of a madman." Otto accepts that it's his fault and "like so many times before" he has failed. On the street, cops try to fend off the Goblin Army while Thor takes on some of Hobgoblin's men. Cap and Iron Man help Cardiac evacuate the H.E.A.R.T. Clinic, but Iron Man notes that Cardiac will have to answer for running an illegal medical-facility. Cap says that Spider-Man participated in the work and that they'll have to arrest him. Elsewhere, the Wraith helps Black Widow, Spider-Woman, and Wolverine fight Spider-Slayers. She tells them that they were the Mayor's and, on cue, an unhinged JJJ, Jr. is answering questions from an angry press about the "taxpayer-funded robots" that have turned against authorities. JJJ, Jr. says that Spidey coerced him into it and, when one of the reporters asks how Spidey managed that, he then blames Alchemax for building them. One of the journalists conveniently has Liz Allan on his iPad: she informs the press corps that she warned JJJ, Jr. that the Spider-Slayers weren't ready and produces the waivers that JJJ, Jr. signed to prove it. She announces that she's severed ties with the Jameson Administration and that she's doing everything she can to correct the Mayor's mistakes. After the call ends, Liz picks up something off the floor and Normie enters Liz's office, telling her that he misplaced something. She doesn't let him finish his sentence, though, telling him that she has a company to run and that it's all for him, as she holds a Goblin mask behind her back. (DUN-DUN-DUN!)
Otto continues Web-Slinging around town until Menace appears, leading him into the Goblin Underground. In the Mindscape, Otto and Peter review Peter's last moments in Otto's body, as Peter shared his memories with Otto. Otto again says that he doesn't want them, but Peter says that he does, reclaiming them and becoming whole. Underground, Otto threatens Menace if she's harmed Anna Maria, and Menace observes that Otto is so desperate that he's not even trying to dodge her blasts. She tells Otto that her sister died because of Spidey and that he's going to die after he suffers. They discover someone tied to the subway tracks as the Goblin drives a train at the figure. Thinking that it's Ana Maria, Otto approaches, but discovers that it's Amy Chen, the girl that he saved at the H.E.A.R.T. Clinic. Otto realizes that, if he leaps to save Amy but gets hit by the train in the process, no one will be there to save Anna Maria. He's paralyzed by indecision, but Peter takes over "their" body and leaps to save her. The Goblin and Menace depart to "put together their next set piece," in Peter's words. Now revealed, Peter berates Otto, telling him that, when you don't have time to weigh options, you always act and do the right thing, even if it means giving up the advantage. Otto surfaces with Amy and gives her to the authorities.
Witnessing the chaos in the city for the first time, Peter asks how Otto could let everything get that bad, and Otto tells him that it was because he was arrogant. Realizing that Peter knows the truth from being in his head, Otto admits that it's because, underneath, he knew that he wasn't the best, so he overcompensated. He also observes that Peter was guilt-ridden because he knew, deep down, that he was smarter and better than others, so he sabotages himself. But, Otto tells him not to do it today, since, as he said, when lives are at stake, you shouldn't hesitate. He tells Peter to accept that he's superior and they head to Parker Industries. Sajani greets him, but Otto ignores her, going into Peter's lab. Otto puts on a helmet that gives him access to the Mindscape and proceeds to wipe away Otto, telling him that Peter must have no distractions. He tells Peter that the most painful part is deleting Anna Maria to save her, because he knows that only Peter can save her because he is "the superior Spider-Man." A returned Peter wipes away a tear and heads to the closet in his lab, putting on his original costume and announcing, "My turn."
The Review
This issue was exciting in part because I wasn't expecting Peter to return this issue. I had expect Otto to get his chance to battle the Goblin, though I wasn't entirely sure why he would have to sacrifice himself to win, something he would likely have to do for Peter to return. Here, Slott gives us the only reasonable answer: he sacrificed himself because he knew that he couldn't win. It's a brilliant testimony to both Otto and Peter. Moreover, if Peter follows Otto's exhortation not to feel guilty for being superior, it could significantly change the way that Peter behaves in future issues. If I wasn't already excited about Peter's return, I certain am now.
The Excellent
1) Camuncoli really delivers just a spectacular two-page spread showing Peter returning. He's my least favorite of the Spidey artists, given the weird way that he usually draws Peter's face, but he really sold this moment. Moreover, it comes as a result of an incredibly clever device. I wasn't really sure where Slott was going with Peter leaping into Otto's memories, but it makes sense that, by reliving Otto's life, he would also relive the moment where Peter shared all his memories with Otto. It closes the loop and solves the problem of Otto having dumped those memories later.
2) Moreover, Slott allows Otto to exit as a hero. He not only realizes his own failure - his arrogance stemming from his self-doubt - but also Peter's - his brilliance driving his guilt. His exhortation to Peter to be the best that he could be - the superior superhero that Otto now realizes that Peter was and he wasn't - is a moment for the ages. Moreover, he does it to save Anna Maria. He sacrifices his memory and persona - himself - to allow Peter not to be distracted. Although I'm still hopefully that Otto will return one day, we end this issue, undeniably, with Peter Parker, a point that Camuncoli drives home as Peter changes from his superior costume into his regular one. Brilliant stuff.
The Good
1) Holy crap! I don't know if Liz will turn out being the Goblin, but, damn, I didn't see the mask incident coming. It makes sense, as I've said previously, since she could've easily overridden the Spider-Slayers controls, despite Miguel's tech. But, maybe it is Normie, since, after all, he "misplaced" something in Liz's office.
2) Slott does a great job really conveying Otto's spiralling out of control. Between his panic over Anna Maria and his self-recrimination for thinking that he could be a "superior" Spider-Man (and seeing the damage that the Goblin Army has inflicted on the city), the Goblin seems to have him exactly where he wants him.
The Meh
I didn't see the H.E.A.R.T. Clinic development coming, but it again raises the question about Slott's plans for Peter once he "returns." But, it also reminded me of another question. Given how far Peter's star has fallen with the Avengers, doesn't it seem weird, as he went more and more loony, that not one of them took the chance to try to talk to Peter as Peter? He mentioned in issue #26 that three of the Avengers know his identity; I'm pretty sure that he's referring to Captain Marvel, Spider-Woman, and Wolverine, since they were part of the New Avengers when he revealed his identity to them. I'm not holding it against Slott when it comes to the issue, but, in terms of the larger story arc that he's telling, it's a noticeable flaw at this point that not one of the three of them tried to talk to Peter separately.
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