Amazing Spider-Man #67 (June 2): Ugh.
"Lifetheft" is probably my least favorite "Amazing Spider-Man" story during an era of pretty terrible ones. I have no idea why Spencer is opening this can of worms. That said, he hasn't been shy about "Sins Past" returning to bite us in the ass at some point, so I guess that I shouldn't be surprised.
We're actually dealing with two separate Chameleon stories. Teresa confronts Chameleon in prison about whether or not she's also a Life Model Decoy, like the ones Chameleon created in "Lifetheft." He then introduces her to the Finisher, the man who apparently killed her parents. Chameleon tells Teresa that he's been manipulating her so that she'd place him in the same prison with the Finisher. As such, I'm sure that he has more dastardly cards up his sleeve. Meanwhile, a pregnant Betty Brant tells Peter that Ned is her baby's father after Chameleon and Scarlet Spider resurrected him in the "Clone Conspiracy." Didn't Ned die a few issues ago? Yes, yes, he did. But, he's alive again!
As if all the ret-conning insanity wasn't enough, Spencer throws more pitches at us. We get a deep dive into Peter's lab partner Jamie here, as we learn that he was using Clairvoyant to gamble at Chance's casino to pay off his mother's medical bills. (Of course he was.) Unfortunately, he exhausted Clairvoyant's energy supply and started losing. Chance is calling in the debt so that he can use Clairvoyant to make sure the Palace (i.e., the house) always wins. His scheme involves stealing a power supply that the Lethal Legion recently tried to steal, which I'm assuming is how Peter'll eventually get involved. Moreover, Spencer continues to preview "Sinister War," with Kindred promising to restore Otto to the man he was as he apparently only remembers his pre-"Superior Spider-Man" self.
I mean, I can't say that I particularly dislike anything happening here, but I also can't say that I'm all that interested in it either.
Amazing Spider-Man #68 (June 9): This issue has two authors and three artists, and, boy, it shows. First, we get a very complicated re-telling of Ned's complicated history. If I'm following, Ned survived the Foreigner's men "killing" him thanks to the Goblin Serum. As such, the Ned whom Chameleon and Scarlet Spider cloned - and who subsequently died - wasn't the real Ned. I think? Also, it turns out the story that Betty and Ned were both covering is Chance and the Foreigner's attempt to use Clairvoyant at the Palace. Not surprisingly, Peter rushes to Jamie just as he and Slyde are sneaking into the room where the Catalyst (i.e., the energy source that Chance wants to use for Clairvoyant) is held. Do I care? I'm not sure.
Spider-Man: Spider's Shadow #3 (June 9): This issue is where we enter what I typically associate with "What If...?" territory. Whereas the series' first two issues were pretty grounded in reality, we start to get more fantastical here. I felt that Eddie Brock killing Doctor Octopus last issue so that he could be the one to kill Spider-Man was pretty ridiculous, but Zdarksy goes even farther down that road as Brock somehow easily takes over Otto's arms. That said, Zdarsky has always had a great read on JJJ, Jr. and shows it here, as JJJ, Jr.'s conflict over his role in taking out Spider-Man is just as emotional as his concern for Peter once he discovers his identity. Moreover, Pasqual Ferry can draw Peter Parker any time that that he wants in my book. Beyond the (amazing) beard, Peter looks like a man here, a stark contrast with his teenage animé appearance in "Amazing Spider-Man" #68. I'd love to see him this way in the regular series.
Planet-Size X-Men (June 16): The most interesting part of this story - not only this issue's story but the entire story that Hickman has been telling - is that it's a story of creation. Whereas his run on "Avengers" and "New Avengers" focused on destruction (i.e., the Illuminati needing to stop the collision of parallel Earths before our Earth was destroyed), his run on "X-Men" has focused on creation. It's such a fascinating take on superhero comics, as mostly superheroes fight super-villains to prevent them from destroying something.
Here, humanity doesn't know how to stop mutantkind from creating something. It was true of Krakoa, and it's particularly true (and I now understand the ending of "Marauders" #20) of Arakko, i.e., Mars. In a way, it addresses the problem that Captain America raises here with Scott (and to which he alluded in "Marauders" #20): suddenly Krakoa grew 500% and added millions of mutants. It was a threat waiting to happen, particularly given the Arakkii commitment to war. Magneto provided a solution: send Arakko and its people to colonize Mars. As Hope tells Quentin, it's a debt paid to the Arakkii, who saved not only Krakoa but Earth and suffered centuries of war for it.
Hickman spends most of the issue walking us through how Magneto assembles groups of mutants to make the impossible happen. It's important to establish Arakko's credibility, though it doesn't really make for the most exciting reading. It also admittedly strains credulity at times. Although I buy that Magneto could bring iron from other parts of the Solar System to Vulcan and Hope to revive Mars' core, Jamie Braddock suddenly summoning a new S.W.O.R.D. base and a spaceport (Port Prometheus) felt like too much. After all, why not just have him snap his fingers and do everything?
Overall, though, it's a solid issue that sets up the stories that now unfurl before us. I think that it's entirely likely that this entire enterprise is sheer folly, as Magneto has now given a planet to mutants who could very well become Krakoa's enemies. After all, a society predicated on war so far hasn't shown much interest in making nice with the Krakoan mutants and their new kumbaya ethos.
But, I was struck by a smiling man on a panel where Arakkii mutants are streaming to a point (a scene that I honestly didn't totally follow). It reminded me that the Arakkii aren't monolithic. Perhaps some Arakkii will find themselves longing for love and peace. That's a story that I'd be happy to read, and I'm hoping that we'll get a series dedicated to them soon.
New Mutants #19 (June 16): This series remains a confusing jumble of characters and emotions, and I'm getting close to calling it a day.
I still find Anole's group of misfits frustrating. If Ayala reveals that the Shadow King has been manipulating them the entire time, it almost doesn't matter: it's still annoying to follow their whiny antics now. I mean, I'm not against what they represent: various X-Men comics have explored the fact that some mutants have an easier road to travel than other ones given their human appearances. But, it's why they live on Krakoa now, isn't it? I get Cosmar still adjusting to her new appearance, but Anole?
Although my main complaint with this series is Ayala treating Anole like he's a child, I also feel like I have previously with this series, that I don't get how no one is paying attention to the misfits' behavior. If Anole is still struggling with his appearance after all this time, isn't there any sort of therapist on hand to help? I get that Dani is busy as she's torn between Rahne and Xi'an, but the Crucible addressed Xi'an's trama. Moreover, Magik and Warpath has been hands-on mentors. If Magik can chase down the group of bullies in issue #16, she can't notice that the misfits disappear for long periods of time? Gabby even brought her concerns to Warpath last issue, and he just deferred to her to address them, which doesn't really seem like him.
Beyond the lack of anyone paying attention, this story gets to one of my other complaints, namely how Krakoa's premise pretends all mutants have other mutants' best interest at their heart. Sure, we've outlawed murder, but you can do a whole lot short of murder (as Sinister can tell you) to fuck up some lost kids. Shouldn't someone care about that?
Also Read: Marauders #21 (June 2); X-Men #21 (June 9); Captain America Annual #1 (June 16)
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