Amazing Spider-Man #15: Spencer continues to undo some of the more ill-advised aspects of Slott's run here by killing off the newly resurrected Ned Leeds. It turns out Ned is the homeless guy May invited to dinner last issue; he sacrifices himself to save her in this one. But, Spencer doesn't just pop Ned for shits and giggles; Ned warns Spider-Man that Betty is in trouble. She's in Europe on assignment, so it's pretty clear we won't get to that story until we get through whatever Sinister Six reunion Spencer is planning next. In the meantime, Ned's death inspires May to reopen F.E.A.S.T., and it's an excellent call on Spencer's part. Aunt May's at her best as a character when she has something to do other than worry about Peter, and this development brings her a little more closely in line with her depiction in the "Marvel's Spider-Man" videogame. Showing how Spencer has a lot of pots on a lot of burners right now, I also wonder what horrible thing is going to happen to Billy Connors by trusting his mysterious friend. Time will tell.
The Flash #64: I'm not reading "Heroes in Crisis" in part because I don't believe DC would really kill Wally West so soon after he returned to the land of the living. If you don't accept that part as truth, then you don't accept why everyone is so angry at Batman. (I don't totally understand what responsibility Batman had for "Sanctuary" and whatever it was that happened there. But, again, I don't care.) As such, I spent most of this issue just rolling my eyes whenever the narrative veered towards Barry or Iris' anger at Bruce over Wally's "death." Williamson is at his best when he focuses on Gotham Girl. Barry proves Bruce's point that he may be the better detective when he posits that someone had to help Gotham and Gotham Girl with their costumes, just like Bruce (well, Alfred) did with the Robins and Barry did with Wally. Given the amount of Venom they find in the compound they're investigating, it seems like Bane is the answer. The more we can focus on this mystery and not "Heroes in Crisis," the better.
Shatterstar #5: What a weird but delightful miniseries this one was. Seeley really delivered a great cast of supporting characters while also managing to streamline Shatterstar's history. He lost a purpose -- death and destruction -- and found a purpose -- friends and belonging. Do I totally understand how Rictor uses his seismic powers to reach across the galaxy and pluck Ben from space because his powers are (allegedly) sonic in nature? No, no, I don't. But, was it worth that confusion for the great line about how he and Rictor have always been on the same wavelength? Yes, yes, it was. Also, Shatterstar bringing Grandmaster to Tina's god- and hero-less Universe so he could negate his godhood and wound him was remarkably clever, like a well timed stand-up comedy call back. Of the various five-issue mini-series we've been getting lately, this one is the best candidate for an ongoing series in my opinion.
Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider #5: At long last, McGuire returns Gwen to her life. I feel like it's been years since we had a story focused on Gwen just trying to balance her personal life and her superhero career, and it's a welcome relief when McGuire does so here. Moreover, McGuire makes it clear we're not going to be jaunting to Madripoor or an alternate Universe anytime soon, as Gwen's got a more local foe to defeat: Man-Wolf! I've enjoyed all the places we've gone with Gwen, but I'm possibly most excited about her just spending some time with her in New York for a while.
Star Wars: Han Solo - Imperial Cadet #4: Thompson continues his strong run here, as Han and company decide to defy orders (surprising, I know) to save Valence after he crashed during a mission. By this point, no one should be surprised Han is willing to risk reprimand for a guy he doesn't even like: his sense of loyalty is beyond question. But, Thompson makes it interesting by using the predicament as a way to show how cold the Empire really is. Although Valence crashed, Han's pretty sure he's still alive. He only resorts to breaking orders after he's repeatedly denied resources to save Valence. His commander's indifference to Valence's plight makes it pretty clear why the Empire eventually falls.
Also Read: Detective Comics #998; Mr. and Mrs. X #8
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