OK, the "Black Ant?" It could've been hokey. Instead? It was totally bad-ass. Remender has been building the tension surrounding Ant-Man for months and, when it finally comes to a head in this issue, Scalera really delivers. The new costume is awesome; you actually believe that someone named the "Black Ant" could give the Secret Avengers a run for their money. When Scalera makes the reveal on the last page, it's like watching someone start the final countdown for a time bomb. Of course, it all comes from the work Remender has done in building up the moment, with him finally laying the cards on the table. Of course, it's Natasha that deduces that Ant-Man wasn't protected from the Abyss because of his helmet, but because he's an LMD. But, it's also an exhausted Hawkeye who refuses to believe it, a mistake that seems likely to compound the guilt that he'll feel when he realizes that Eric died on his watch. Remender plays these two characters off each other in a way that feels organic, taking the opportunity to do some character work. Since the start of this series, no author has done a great job of showing this team as an actual team, and Remender goes a long way to addressing that problem with these scenes.
Looking ahead, it seems likely that we're going to finally get to the bottom of the Father's plans for the Descendants and the world. To my mind, the Descendants have mostly been a failed opportunity; it was a cool idea, but I've never felt like Remender has focused enough attention on it to allow them to realize its potential. It's just felt distracted, like he was more focused on the "shark v. bear" nature of putting all these villains on the same "team" rather than the story he actually wanted to use them to tell. But, the imminent betrayal of Black Ant might be the focal point that he needs to get us to understand the Descendants and their goals. I'm excited to see where he goes with it and how it'll affect the team after the dust settles. At the very least, I hope that Eric eventually gets the praise he deserves. By having him "return," it hasn't really allowed us to mourn him, particularly given the heroic yet sad way that we now know that he died. He deserves his moment once Black Ant is defeated and the Secret Avengers realize that they've lost him.
Finally, I actually like what Remender does here with Valkyrie and Venom. Venom not only gets the win, but he also gets the girl. After "Venom" #22, it's nice to see him get something positive in his life. I also think that Remender is onto something with Flash. I think that he could use a relationship more focused on sex than emotions. Maybe trying to maintain a relationship with someone you think is your soulmate like Betty was a little too much pressure for a guy who's also trying to figure out how you be a superhero.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Scarlet Spider #8 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
*** (three of five stars)
Favorite Quote #1: "I need to handle this delicately." [Throws Shooting Star out the window.] "My name is Kaine. And this is as delicate as I get." -- Kaine
Favorite Quote #2: "You guys, you call yourself the Rangers...super heroes, right?" "Yep." "Good. This one's all yours." -- Kaine to Twister, showing a healthy sense of self-preservation
Summary
Shortly after the explosion on the Roxxon drilling rig off Galveston, CEO Walsh arrives to look into the incident. He's informed that the magnetic field that was supposed to contain "it" failed but "it" wound up being contained within one of the workers.
In the present, at Roxxon Towers, Kaine assesses the threat posed by the Rangers, dismissing Firebird as "self-righteous," Living Lightning as inexperienced, and Texas Twister as arrogant. (He is apprehensive of Fifty-One, who he notes "looks pissed.") Two other members of the team are revealed to be standing behind Kaine, in the form of Shooting Star, a sharp shooter, and Red Wolf. Star tells him to put his hands behind his head and Kaine realizes that he needs to escape. He grabs Star and throws her out the window, into Twister's arms. The Rangers, not surprisingly, attack and Kaine manges to evade Red Wold, Living Lightning, and Firebird before grabbing Zoe and jumping out the window. He dodges Star's "bullets" but gets cornered by Fifty-One and Firebird. Fifty-One starts to attack him telepathically and Kaine throws Zoe at him before he loses consciousness, entering a free fall. He then proceeds to lose consciousness but manages to pull himself together, grabbing Zoe with a Web-Line and pulling her towards him. Firebird goes after them but discovers that they're gone; in reality, they're hiding around the corner, thanks to Kaine's Stealth Suit.
Later, in his office, Walsh accuses Kaine of "trespassing, assault, corporate espionage," charges that Office Layton finds difficult to beleive given how helpful Kaine has been. Walsh notes that Roxxon has been helpful to the city as well. Twister observes that a "hero" like Kaine breaking into Roxxon might've had a reason, commenting that Roxxon might provide jobs but no one thinks that it's on "the side of angels." An exasperated Walsh reminds them that Kaine kidnapped his daughter. At Minute Maid Park, Kaine speaks to said daughter. Zoe tells him that she didn't feel like she could go to the police with her suspicions about Roxxon, since it "owns the police," so she fired the rocket instead. Kaine agrees to accompany her to Galveston to get the full story and steals a motorcycle to get there. Forty-five minutes later, Red Wolf has tracked down Kaine's scent to the Park. Twister notes that the police think that Kaine is the answer to its prayers, and, when Star exclaims that Kaine threw her out the window, Twister comments that he threw her right at him. Twister also notes that just because no one's been able to prove Roxxon's bad doesn't meant that it isn't. Fifty-One "comments" that the Walsh girl is the priority and Firebird agrees, though says that she senses a "darkness" in Kaine. Living Lightning suddenly appears, informing the team that an alarm just sounded at a facility in Galveston. At Roxxon, Walsh boards a helicopter, informing his staff to "engage the mechsuits." When one of his staff members protests, expressing concern over his daughter, Walsh cautions that he doesn't understand what's on the line, saying that he'd kill his daughter, the Rangers, and the Devil himself if they get in the way.
At a refinery in Galveston, Zoe leads Kaine into a huge empty room, expressing shock that it's empty, saying that "there was supposed to be bodies or something." Kaine panics, worrying that he just made enemies of the police and the Rangers after trusting Zoe, screwing up his shot at a second chance. The Rangers arrive and make short work of him, with Kaine realizing that dismissing the Rangers for being arrogant, inexperienced, and self-righteous was ridiculous, given that those words all describe him. Kaine cloaks himself with his suit, but Fifty-One suddenly launches an energy bolt, collapsing the floor. Kaine and the Rangers fall into the lab below the floor, discovering the bodies of indigenous Central Americans. Red Wolf says that he hears screaming, and Twister apologizes to Kaine, telling his team that he wants to capture the escaping lab workers. Kaine says that Red Wolf is right, that something else is happening somewhere, and the group follows the lab workers. One of the workers tells them that the bodies can't contain "it" any more and suddenly a creature of energy appears, with its human host embedded in its body.
The Review
Yost brings us the next step in Kaine's evolution as a superhero, giving him his first superhero team-up and his first larger-than-life villain. In so doing, Yost takes the opportunity to give Kaine the chance to reflect on his inexperience and his self-perceptions. I was tempted to give the issue a four, but Yost is starting to have the Slott problem, where I expect more from him for a four than I do other authors. It's not a bad place to be.
The Good
1) I like that Yost starts off the issue making it clear that Walsh knew exactly what Roxxon was doing at the rig off Galveston. Last issue, it wasn't clear whether Roxxon knew that it was drilling for something other than oil; it could have just been ignoring the warnings of the employee who told the management that the pressure was too high to be oil. But, here, we see that Walsh certainly knew that it wasn't oil. We still don't know what the entity is, exactly, but it's clear that Walsh does, seriously upping his bad-guy street cred.
2) I don't know anything about the Rangers, but they seem like a really solid team, with a good mix of personalities. I hope we see more of them.
3) Speaking of the Rangers, I particularly likes that Yost controlled his use of the "superheroes have a misunderstanding" device. It's pretty clear from the start that the Rangers don't trust Roxxon or Walsh and don't all automatically assume that Kaine is a bad guy simply because Roxxon and Walsh say that he is. Twister, in particular, is portrayed as a level-headed guy, realizing that Kaine might've had entirely valid reasons for breaking into Roxxon. I particularly liked that he noticed that Kaine didn't just throw Star out the window, but threw her straight at him. It was definitely a refreshing take on an old device.
4) Yost is really starting to move Kaine into a more advanced phase of superhero-dom. Previously, he's mostly been saving people from muggers, robbers, etc. Here, though, he has to take on a whole team of superheroes, and Yost uses his initial skirmish with the Rangers to show how overconfident Kaine had become. When Kaine then gets his ass handed to him in their second fight, Yost makes him realize that the adjectives that he had used to describe the Rangers actually describe him. It's a great device that really sells the epiphany that it provokes. (Then again, I'm a sucker for parallelism.) But, beyond realizing his own inexperience in combat, Kaine also confronts his inexperience as a detective, realizing that everything isn't as black and white as he thought that it was. When he walks into the empty room with Zoe, Kaine suddenly wonders why he trusted her in the first place. I mean, we eventually see that he was right in trusting her in the end, but I think that Yost does a great job showing him that he has to be more cautious, particularly with his second chance at life on the line. In doing so, Yost also makes us see how much Kaine is coming to appreciate that chance to live a real life and not a nomadic one. It's another step in Kaine's development as a character and it's exciting to watch.
The Unknown
At some point, Yost is going to have to spell out how Zoe knew about the bodies. I'm worried that he's just going to have us believe that Zoe overheard it at the dinner table or something, as she seems to imply here. If that's the case, it'll be disappointing, since I'm pretty sure that Walsh isn't that careless. (Also, it would be nice to know what exactly she thought she was going to accomplish by firing a rocket at Roxxon. Did she think it would just attract more attention to it? Or, is she just really that crazy?)
The Bad
1) I had this problem during "Brand New Day" with Vin Gonzales and it looks like I'm going to have it here: is Wally Layton the only cop in Houston?
2) I'm confused by the logistics surrounding "the entity." When we first see it, it's possessing a worker at the oil rig off the coast of Galveston. However, when we next see it, it's at a refinery in Galveston. Is it the same entity? Or, is the one at the refinery different from the one at the rig? Yost probably should've made that a little clearer. I am enjoying the mystery, so I'm not saying I want the answer. It would just be helpful to have a character also express confusion so that we know it's not just us.
Favorite Quote #1: "I need to handle this delicately." [Throws Shooting Star out the window.] "My name is Kaine. And this is as delicate as I get." -- Kaine
Favorite Quote #2: "You guys, you call yourself the Rangers...super heroes, right?" "Yep." "Good. This one's all yours." -- Kaine to Twister, showing a healthy sense of self-preservation
Summary
Shortly after the explosion on the Roxxon drilling rig off Galveston, CEO Walsh arrives to look into the incident. He's informed that the magnetic field that was supposed to contain "it" failed but "it" wound up being contained within one of the workers.
In the present, at Roxxon Towers, Kaine assesses the threat posed by the Rangers, dismissing Firebird as "self-righteous," Living Lightning as inexperienced, and Texas Twister as arrogant. (He is apprehensive of Fifty-One, who he notes "looks pissed.") Two other members of the team are revealed to be standing behind Kaine, in the form of Shooting Star, a sharp shooter, and Red Wolf. Star tells him to put his hands behind his head and Kaine realizes that he needs to escape. He grabs Star and throws her out the window, into Twister's arms. The Rangers, not surprisingly, attack and Kaine manges to evade Red Wold, Living Lightning, and Firebird before grabbing Zoe and jumping out the window. He dodges Star's "bullets" but gets cornered by Fifty-One and Firebird. Fifty-One starts to attack him telepathically and Kaine throws Zoe at him before he loses consciousness, entering a free fall. He then proceeds to lose consciousness but manages to pull himself together, grabbing Zoe with a Web-Line and pulling her towards him. Firebird goes after them but discovers that they're gone; in reality, they're hiding around the corner, thanks to Kaine's Stealth Suit.
Later, in his office, Walsh accuses Kaine of "trespassing, assault, corporate espionage," charges that Office Layton finds difficult to beleive given how helpful Kaine has been. Walsh notes that Roxxon has been helpful to the city as well. Twister observes that a "hero" like Kaine breaking into Roxxon might've had a reason, commenting that Roxxon might provide jobs but no one thinks that it's on "the side of angels." An exasperated Walsh reminds them that Kaine kidnapped his daughter. At Minute Maid Park, Kaine speaks to said daughter. Zoe tells him that she didn't feel like she could go to the police with her suspicions about Roxxon, since it "owns the police," so she fired the rocket instead. Kaine agrees to accompany her to Galveston to get the full story and steals a motorcycle to get there. Forty-five minutes later, Red Wolf has tracked down Kaine's scent to the Park. Twister notes that the police think that Kaine is the answer to its prayers, and, when Star exclaims that Kaine threw her out the window, Twister comments that he threw her right at him. Twister also notes that just because no one's been able to prove Roxxon's bad doesn't meant that it isn't. Fifty-One "comments" that the Walsh girl is the priority and Firebird agrees, though says that she senses a "darkness" in Kaine. Living Lightning suddenly appears, informing the team that an alarm just sounded at a facility in Galveston. At Roxxon, Walsh boards a helicopter, informing his staff to "engage the mechsuits." When one of his staff members protests, expressing concern over his daughter, Walsh cautions that he doesn't understand what's on the line, saying that he'd kill his daughter, the Rangers, and the Devil himself if they get in the way.
At a refinery in Galveston, Zoe leads Kaine into a huge empty room, expressing shock that it's empty, saying that "there was supposed to be bodies or something." Kaine panics, worrying that he just made enemies of the police and the Rangers after trusting Zoe, screwing up his shot at a second chance. The Rangers arrive and make short work of him, with Kaine realizing that dismissing the Rangers for being arrogant, inexperienced, and self-righteous was ridiculous, given that those words all describe him. Kaine cloaks himself with his suit, but Fifty-One suddenly launches an energy bolt, collapsing the floor. Kaine and the Rangers fall into the lab below the floor, discovering the bodies of indigenous Central Americans. Red Wolf says that he hears screaming, and Twister apologizes to Kaine, telling his team that he wants to capture the escaping lab workers. Kaine says that Red Wolf is right, that something else is happening somewhere, and the group follows the lab workers. One of the workers tells them that the bodies can't contain "it" any more and suddenly a creature of energy appears, with its human host embedded in its body.
The Review
Yost brings us the next step in Kaine's evolution as a superhero, giving him his first superhero team-up and his first larger-than-life villain. In so doing, Yost takes the opportunity to give Kaine the chance to reflect on his inexperience and his self-perceptions. I was tempted to give the issue a four, but Yost is starting to have the Slott problem, where I expect more from him for a four than I do other authors. It's not a bad place to be.
The Good
1) I like that Yost starts off the issue making it clear that Walsh knew exactly what Roxxon was doing at the rig off Galveston. Last issue, it wasn't clear whether Roxxon knew that it was drilling for something other than oil; it could have just been ignoring the warnings of the employee who told the management that the pressure was too high to be oil. But, here, we see that Walsh certainly knew that it wasn't oil. We still don't know what the entity is, exactly, but it's clear that Walsh does, seriously upping his bad-guy street cred.
2) I don't know anything about the Rangers, but they seem like a really solid team, with a good mix of personalities. I hope we see more of them.
3) Speaking of the Rangers, I particularly likes that Yost controlled his use of the "superheroes have a misunderstanding" device. It's pretty clear from the start that the Rangers don't trust Roxxon or Walsh and don't all automatically assume that Kaine is a bad guy simply because Roxxon and Walsh say that he is. Twister, in particular, is portrayed as a level-headed guy, realizing that Kaine might've had entirely valid reasons for breaking into Roxxon. I particularly liked that he noticed that Kaine didn't just throw Star out the window, but threw her straight at him. It was definitely a refreshing take on an old device.
4) Yost is really starting to move Kaine into a more advanced phase of superhero-dom. Previously, he's mostly been saving people from muggers, robbers, etc. Here, though, he has to take on a whole team of superheroes, and Yost uses his initial skirmish with the Rangers to show how overconfident Kaine had become. When Kaine then gets his ass handed to him in their second fight, Yost makes him realize that the adjectives that he had used to describe the Rangers actually describe him. It's a great device that really sells the epiphany that it provokes. (Then again, I'm a sucker for parallelism.) But, beyond realizing his own inexperience in combat, Kaine also confronts his inexperience as a detective, realizing that everything isn't as black and white as he thought that it was. When he walks into the empty room with Zoe, Kaine suddenly wonders why he trusted her in the first place. I mean, we eventually see that he was right in trusting her in the end, but I think that Yost does a great job showing him that he has to be more cautious, particularly with his second chance at life on the line. In doing so, Yost also makes us see how much Kaine is coming to appreciate that chance to live a real life and not a nomadic one. It's another step in Kaine's development as a character and it's exciting to watch.
The Unknown
At some point, Yost is going to have to spell out how Zoe knew about the bodies. I'm worried that he's just going to have us believe that Zoe overheard it at the dinner table or something, as she seems to imply here. If that's the case, it'll be disappointing, since I'm pretty sure that Walsh isn't that careless. (Also, it would be nice to know what exactly she thought she was going to accomplish by firing a rocket at Roxxon. Did she think it would just attract more attention to it? Or, is she just really that crazy?)
The Bad
1) I had this problem during "Brand New Day" with Vin Gonzales and it looks like I'm going to have it here: is Wally Layton the only cop in Houston?
2) I'm confused by the logistics surrounding "the entity." When we first see it, it's possessing a worker at the oil rig off the coast of Galveston. However, when we next see it, it's at a refinery in Galveston. Is it the same entity? Or, is the one at the refinery different from the one at the rig? Yost probably should've made that a little clearer. I am enjoying the mystery, so I'm not saying I want the answer. It would just be helpful to have a character also express confusion so that we know it's not just us.
Venom #22 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
If I hadn't already known that Rick Remender was leaving "Venom," it would've been pretty clear from the first few pages of this issue. It becomes clear that this issue is Remender's coda, his dissertation on the character of Flash. This issue reminds who he his and who he wants to be.
Remender and Shalvey deliver some pretty brutal moments throughout this issue. You'd think that they'd be the ones related to Jack O'Lantern cutting out his victims' brains and using their hollowed out heads as, well, jack o'lanterns, but they're not. They're the scenes where we see just how violent Flash's childhood was. We see Flash wale on Peter in high school because he thought it made him a man. But, Remender reminds us that Flash was trying to be a man exactly because he wasn't; he was still a child, curled in a ball on his bed in his varsity jacket after his father beat him over a speeding ticket. Of all the moments in this issue, it's perhaps the most brutal one for me, because Shalvey really managed to convey just how vulnerable Flash was. You woldn't think it could get worse, but Flash's mother blaming the beating on him just sinks the needle on the sympathy meter. By the time you get to this point, you feel like anything Flash does to Jack O"Lantern is totally justified, particularly when we discover that he's exhumed Flash's father's body.
Remender has made us feel how powerless Flash feels most of the time. We've watched him fail to impress his father with winning the game, fail to stop him from beating his sister, fail to protect his sister's husband from Jack O'Lantern. His accomplishments fade into the background; Flash himself acknowledges that "you only remember the bad stuff." By this point, we expect him to kill Jack. After all, he's killed villains previously. If anyone deserves to bear the brunt of a lifetime of frustrations, it's Jack.
But, Remender takes a stand here. Flash doesn't kill Jack. He does it by the book, defeats him and hands him to the authorities. He confesses to the Secret Avengers, giving them a complete picture of his relationship with Crime-Master. It's here, of course, that we see Flash become a man. It's not him waling on Peter that shows it; it's him taking responsibilities for his actions. But, Remender also shows that Flash has learned that he needs to trust people. Betty accused him of being selfish last issue, an accusation that definitely rang true. Flash has always insisted that he do everything on his own and he's paid the consequences, leaving out the Avengers when their help could've prevented matters from escalating with Crime-Master. In this issue, Remender implies that Flash just can't invite the judgment that would come with admitting his error, fearing the response that would come with it; he makes it clear why Flash would fear that. But, by coming clean with the Secret Avengers, Flash turns over a new leaf, accepting that he needs help, that he's not an island. In leaving Flash this way, responsible and trusting, Remender gives us hope for the future, that Flash'' be able to overcome his past and establish new patterns. We'll see if Bunn lets him.
Remender and Shalvey deliver some pretty brutal moments throughout this issue. You'd think that they'd be the ones related to Jack O'Lantern cutting out his victims' brains and using their hollowed out heads as, well, jack o'lanterns, but they're not. They're the scenes where we see just how violent Flash's childhood was. We see Flash wale on Peter in high school because he thought it made him a man. But, Remender reminds us that Flash was trying to be a man exactly because he wasn't; he was still a child, curled in a ball on his bed in his varsity jacket after his father beat him over a speeding ticket. Of all the moments in this issue, it's perhaps the most brutal one for me, because Shalvey really managed to convey just how vulnerable Flash was. You woldn't think it could get worse, but Flash's mother blaming the beating on him just sinks the needle on the sympathy meter. By the time you get to this point, you feel like anything Flash does to Jack O"Lantern is totally justified, particularly when we discover that he's exhumed Flash's father's body.
Remender has made us feel how powerless Flash feels most of the time. We've watched him fail to impress his father with winning the game, fail to stop him from beating his sister, fail to protect his sister's husband from Jack O'Lantern. His accomplishments fade into the background; Flash himself acknowledges that "you only remember the bad stuff." By this point, we expect him to kill Jack. After all, he's killed villains previously. If anyone deserves to bear the brunt of a lifetime of frustrations, it's Jack.
But, Remender takes a stand here. Flash doesn't kill Jack. He does it by the book, defeats him and hands him to the authorities. He confesses to the Secret Avengers, giving them a complete picture of his relationship with Crime-Master. It's here, of course, that we see Flash become a man. It's not him waling on Peter that shows it; it's him taking responsibilities for his actions. But, Remender also shows that Flash has learned that he needs to trust people. Betty accused him of being selfish last issue, an accusation that definitely rang true. Flash has always insisted that he do everything on his own and he's paid the consequences, leaving out the Avengers when their help could've prevented matters from escalating with Crime-Master. In this issue, Remender implies that Flash just can't invite the judgment that would come with admitting his error, fearing the response that would come with it; he makes it clear why Flash would fear that. But, by coming clean with the Secret Avengers, Flash turns over a new leaf, accepting that he needs help, that he's not an island. In leaving Flash this way, responsible and trusting, Remender gives us hope for the future, that Flash'' be able to overcome his past and establish new patterns. We'll see if Bunn lets him.
Peter Parker, Spider-Man #156.1 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Roger Stern wrote the second comic book I ever read, "Amazing Spider-Man" #229. In fact, my initial subscription to "Amazing Spider-Man" overlapped almost entirely with his mid-200s run: I collected issues #228-#250 and he wrote issues #229-#252. Reading this issue, I'm reminded of how good that run was, something that my six-year old self probably didn't fully appreciate. Stern brought a consistent melancholiness to Peter's life that I'm not sure we'd experienced previously. Sure, Peter had faced some significant hardships by that point including the loss of Uncle Ben, Captain Stacy, and, of course, Gwen Stacy. But, under Stern, we no longer just saw Peter mourning specific events. Instead, we saw him frequently stumbling as he made a difficult transition into adulthood. He was forced to leave graduate school, he had a confusing relationship with the Black Cat, he frequently disappointed Mary Jane, and he was actively outmaneuvered by the Hobgoblin. In other words, he rarely got a clean win, in his personal or "professional" life.
This issue evokes that era perfectly. We begin with a reminder of one of Peter's more spectacular failures, getting fired from the "Daily Bugle" for doctoring photographs. This reminder comes in the form of Norah Winters when she asks Peter to come with her to explore the old Acme factory, telling him that he owes her for when she paid him under the table to take photographs in "Amazing Spider-Man" #625. What Norah doesn't know, but we do, of course, is that the Acme factory was where Peter confronted the mugger who murdered Uncle Ben, a reminder of Peter's most spectacular failure. Basically, we're not even past the third page and we're reminded of how often life doesn't go Peter's way.
However, Stern does here what he did then, reminding us why Peter's special, showing us how he doesn't surrender when facing such circumstances. When a security guard confronts the pair, Peter ushers Norah from the site, after his Spider-Sense warned him that security guard seemed to be involved in something more than just guarding the abandoned factory. In doing so, he accepts ridicule from Norah, who thinks that he was just scared by the guard. (Joe Robertson eventually fills in Peter's history for her, letting her draw a more sympathetic -- if not, correct -- conclusion.) We've see Peter accept the social consequences of his heroic actions a lot over the years and Stern does a great job of reminding us of that price that he frequently pays in this scene. Pete then returns to the site later that night to investigate, forced to confront the dark memories of his younger days. De La Torre does an amazing job for the entire issue, but his most memorable scene is showing an older Peter contemplating the place where his younger self first learned the truth about the captured burglar. It's a compellingly sad moment, with Peter pondering how young he was and how much his youth cost him. I'm not sure if I would've appreciated the moment that Stern and De La Torre present here as an 18-year-old, but I certainly do as a 36-year-old.
The rest of the issue shows Peter doing what he does best. He discovers that the guard was involved in the attempt by the Brand Corporation to excavate equipment that it was forced to abandoned after questionable experiments came to light. Spidey learns that the tunnel where day laborers are conducting the excavations is at risk of flooding, something that the guard was ignoring in pursuit of getting the job done. Spidey, of course, saves them with moments to spare. This whole sequence shows us the Spidey that we've come to know, putting aside Norah's opinion and his own history to save innocent people. But, of course, Pete doesn't see it that way, even after Norah apologizes to him. Here, Stern picks up a theme we've seen Slott explore in recent issues, with Pete still feeling like he just did what he had to do, living in the shadow of Uncle Ben's famous adage, "with great power comes great responsibility."
Although it's a more melancholy tale than Slott would probably tell, Stern really resurrects an approach and a feel that reminds us of where we've been and how much, and little, has changed. I've loved Slott's run, but, honestly, reading this issue, it makes you wonder what it would be like to return to the days when Spidey was written like a serialized novel rather than a monthly comic. I don't mean it as any slight to Slott. He's certainly making Peter deal with some heavy stuff recently. But, whereas Slott may tell an excellent story, Stern just somehow manages to capture Pete's emotions in a way that I don't know if anyone can match. Maybe it's my age talking, but I really feel that we see Pete struggling with his responsibilities here in a way that I generally don't when I read Slott's issues. (In fact, I think "Shed" was the last time I read an issue that cast Pete's dilemma as Spidey so similarly.) Even the revelation that Doc Ock used Pete's experiments in his most recent scheme isn't really something that perturbs him too much, whereas you can tell that Stern would've had that revelation devastate Peter as much as the decision to sacrifice Sable did.
All in all, Stern does exactly what this series of issues is supposed to do, recalling a past Spider-Man that we haven't seen in a while. I can't think of a better way to celebrate Spidey's 50th anniversary than this issue.
This issue evokes that era perfectly. We begin with a reminder of one of Peter's more spectacular failures, getting fired from the "Daily Bugle" for doctoring photographs. This reminder comes in the form of Norah Winters when she asks Peter to come with her to explore the old Acme factory, telling him that he owes her for when she paid him under the table to take photographs in "Amazing Spider-Man" #625. What Norah doesn't know, but we do, of course, is that the Acme factory was where Peter confronted the mugger who murdered Uncle Ben, a reminder of Peter's most spectacular failure. Basically, we're not even past the third page and we're reminded of how often life doesn't go Peter's way.
However, Stern does here what he did then, reminding us why Peter's special, showing us how he doesn't surrender when facing such circumstances. When a security guard confronts the pair, Peter ushers Norah from the site, after his Spider-Sense warned him that security guard seemed to be involved in something more than just guarding the abandoned factory. In doing so, he accepts ridicule from Norah, who thinks that he was just scared by the guard. (Joe Robertson eventually fills in Peter's history for her, letting her draw a more sympathetic -- if not, correct -- conclusion.) We've see Peter accept the social consequences of his heroic actions a lot over the years and Stern does a great job of reminding us of that price that he frequently pays in this scene. Pete then returns to the site later that night to investigate, forced to confront the dark memories of his younger days. De La Torre does an amazing job for the entire issue, but his most memorable scene is showing an older Peter contemplating the place where his younger self first learned the truth about the captured burglar. It's a compellingly sad moment, with Peter pondering how young he was and how much his youth cost him. I'm not sure if I would've appreciated the moment that Stern and De La Torre present here as an 18-year-old, but I certainly do as a 36-year-old.
The rest of the issue shows Peter doing what he does best. He discovers that the guard was involved in the attempt by the Brand Corporation to excavate equipment that it was forced to abandoned after questionable experiments came to light. Spidey learns that the tunnel where day laborers are conducting the excavations is at risk of flooding, something that the guard was ignoring in pursuit of getting the job done. Spidey, of course, saves them with moments to spare. This whole sequence shows us the Spidey that we've come to know, putting aside Norah's opinion and his own history to save innocent people. But, of course, Pete doesn't see it that way, even after Norah apologizes to him. Here, Stern picks up a theme we've seen Slott explore in recent issues, with Pete still feeling like he just did what he had to do, living in the shadow of Uncle Ben's famous adage, "with great power comes great responsibility."
Although it's a more melancholy tale than Slott would probably tell, Stern really resurrects an approach and a feel that reminds us of where we've been and how much, and little, has changed. I've loved Slott's run, but, honestly, reading this issue, it makes you wonder what it would be like to return to the days when Spidey was written like a serialized novel rather than a monthly comic. I don't mean it as any slight to Slott. He's certainly making Peter deal with some heavy stuff recently. But, whereas Slott may tell an excellent story, Stern just somehow manages to capture Pete's emotions in a way that I don't know if anyone can match. Maybe it's my age talking, but I really feel that we see Pete struggling with his responsibilities here in a way that I generally don't when I read Slott's issues. (In fact, I think "Shed" was the last time I read an issue that cast Pete's dilemma as Spidey so similarly.) Even the revelation that Doc Ock used Pete's experiments in his most recent scheme isn't really something that perturbs him too much, whereas you can tell that Stern would've had that revelation devastate Peter as much as the decision to sacrifice Sable did.
All in all, Stern does exactly what this series of issues is supposed to do, recalling a past Spider-Man that we haven't seen in a while. I can't think of a better way to celebrate Spidey's 50th anniversary than this issue.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Avenging Spider-Man #10 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Since reading last issue, I have bought all the back issues of "Captain Marvel" and added it to my pull list. This issue reminds me why I did that. Just like issue #9, DeConnick delivers an issue focused on fun but still delivers something resembling a plot. I thought the revelation that "Robyn Hood" is an artificial intelligence created to infiltrate the Occupy Movement was clever, given that it's definitely not where I thought we were going. I will say that parts of the issue drag, mostly when Captain Marvel is verbally sparring (yet again) with the security guards and bank official. In any other series, it would be an serious flaw, given that both the guards and the official are such cartoonish riffs on gun-happy mall cops and coldly manipulative bank executives that their portrayals defy belief. But, since this series is more dedicated on the fun, I'm not going to be too bothered by this sort of flaw.
The best part of this arc is DeConnick's portrayals of Carol and Peter, both as individuals and teammates. As I mentioned last issue, DeConnick really "gets" Peter. She understands his smarts, having him bring his full science-nerd powers to analyzing Robyn Hood's size fluctuations and deducing that she's going to explode. But, probably most importantly, she also understands his heart. Although she doesn't directly focus on Peter's feelings after Robyn explodes, the fact that Carol apologized to him after calling her plane "just a machine" is a sign that Peter felt sad over Robyn's "death," even if she was "just a machine." Peter is the type of guy who's going to feel bad about that sort of thing and I love that DeConnick gets that.
But, most importantly, I loved that she also has Carol get that. I was really in this issue for the moments between Carol and Peter. I loved that Peter was obviously, um, excited to learn that Carol was "into physics." But, it's their interaction in the hanger that's the real highlight. From Peter teasingly calling Carol "kind of a monster" for calling her plane "just a machine" after Robyn's "death" to Carol getting in real close to demand that Peter tell her a secret, DeConnick makes you really feel their chemistry, how they complement each other. I feel like Carol Danvers is the only person who gets Peter on somewhere near the same level as Mary Jane does. In fact, I think she might even be better for Peter, given that he wouldn't really have to worry about her in the same way he did Mary Jane. There, I said it. Let's not dwell on it. At any rate, I hope that Peter isn't a stranger in Carol's new book and vice versa. Their chemistry is undeniable and it needs to be explored more.
The best part of this arc is DeConnick's portrayals of Carol and Peter, both as individuals and teammates. As I mentioned last issue, DeConnick really "gets" Peter. She understands his smarts, having him bring his full science-nerd powers to analyzing Robyn Hood's size fluctuations and deducing that she's going to explode. But, probably most importantly, she also understands his heart. Although she doesn't directly focus on Peter's feelings after Robyn explodes, the fact that Carol apologized to him after calling her plane "just a machine" is a sign that Peter felt sad over Robyn's "death," even if she was "just a machine." Peter is the type of guy who's going to feel bad about that sort of thing and I love that DeConnick gets that.
But, most importantly, I loved that she also has Carol get that. I was really in this issue for the moments between Carol and Peter. I loved that Peter was obviously, um, excited to learn that Carol was "into physics." But, it's their interaction in the hanger that's the real highlight. From Peter teasingly calling Carol "kind of a monster" for calling her plane "just a machine" after Robyn's "death" to Carol getting in real close to demand that Peter tell her a secret, DeConnick makes you really feel their chemistry, how they complement each other. I feel like Carol Danvers is the only person who gets Peter on somewhere near the same level as Mary Jane does. In fact, I think she might even be better for Peter, given that he wouldn't really have to worry about her in the same way he did Mary Jane. There, I said it. Let's not dwell on it. At any rate, I hope that Peter isn't a stranger in Carol's new book and vice versa. Their chemistry is undeniable and it needs to be explored more.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
X-Men Legacy #274 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
I waited to read this issue until I had read "Avengers vs. X-Men" #12, because it seemed to go after it, chronologically. Gage manages not to spoil the end, obviously, but, at least emotionally, it's an issue set in the time after the fight with Cyclops, so I'm glad I waited to read it.
Gage has put Rogue front and center of this series, so much so that it has really read more like a "Rogue" series than a team book. He has focused a significant portion of his run on examining Rogue as she steps into a leadership role; in fact, she was often the "Third Way," to quote Tony Blair, stepping into the breach between Cyclops and Wolverine. Whereas Storm served as Cyclops' moral conscious and Havok seemed to go with X-Factor to avoid taking a side, Rogue was the only leader -- past or present -- to agree and disagree with Cyclops and Wolverine. She staked out the middle ground and often served as the only one willing to put mutantkind's welfare above internal squabbling.
As such, Rogue's assertion here that she's Julia Roberts in "The Runaway Bride" seems remarkably unfair and totally incorrect. She claims that she can't be around Magneto because she's not an instinctively confident leader; she's afraid that she would just adopt whatever opinion that he has, because he would believe in it more strongly. The problem is that she confuses confidence with insight. She holds up Cyclops and Magneto as examples of confident leaders, but fails to see that they're also impulsive leaders who often undermine their preferred position because they refuse to secure their teammates' support. After the events of "Avengers vs. X-Men," I'm surprised that Rogue couldn't make that connection herself. After all, I'm not sure that anyone actually living in the world that these characters inhabit would look to Cyclops or Magneto as examples of leadership these days.
It makes for a disappointing penultimate issues of this series, given that it somewhat undermines the story that Gage has been telling all along, one that shows how Rogue's emotional grounding makes her the leader that the X-Men often need. The good news is that Rogue appears to be on Cap's "Uncanny Avengers" roster and I'm excited to see where Remender goes with her. In the meantime, I'm still hopeful that Gage will bring Rogue to a more secure place in the last issue. We shall see.
Gage has put Rogue front and center of this series, so much so that it has really read more like a "Rogue" series than a team book. He has focused a significant portion of his run on examining Rogue as she steps into a leadership role; in fact, she was often the "Third Way," to quote Tony Blair, stepping into the breach between Cyclops and Wolverine. Whereas Storm served as Cyclops' moral conscious and Havok seemed to go with X-Factor to avoid taking a side, Rogue was the only leader -- past or present -- to agree and disagree with Cyclops and Wolverine. She staked out the middle ground and often served as the only one willing to put mutantkind's welfare above internal squabbling.
As such, Rogue's assertion here that she's Julia Roberts in "The Runaway Bride" seems remarkably unfair and totally incorrect. She claims that she can't be around Magneto because she's not an instinctively confident leader; she's afraid that she would just adopt whatever opinion that he has, because he would believe in it more strongly. The problem is that she confuses confidence with insight. She holds up Cyclops and Magneto as examples of confident leaders, but fails to see that they're also impulsive leaders who often undermine their preferred position because they refuse to secure their teammates' support. After the events of "Avengers vs. X-Men," I'm surprised that Rogue couldn't make that connection herself. After all, I'm not sure that anyone actually living in the world that these characters inhabit would look to Cyclops or Magneto as examples of leadership these days.
It makes for a disappointing penultimate issues of this series, given that it somewhat undermines the story that Gage has been telling all along, one that shows how Rogue's emotional grounding makes her the leader that the X-Men often need. The good news is that Rogue appears to be on Cap's "Uncanny Avengers" roster and I'm excited to see where Remender goes with her. In the meantime, I'm still hopeful that Gage will bring Rogue to a more secure place in the last issue. We shall see.
Earth 2 #5 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Awesome. This issue is just awesome. I don't even know where to begin.
The best part is the dynamic that develops between the four Wonders. Robinson has had some time to develop their personalities and begins to go to the next level, as we see them begin to interact with each other. He does so in the best traditions of Peter David and Dan Slott, with each character responding to every other character in a different way and his responses revealing something about his character. For example, we see Atom express disbelief several times at Flash's naivety. When Flash tells Atom that he and Hawkgirl saved him because they're Wonders and Wonders "do the right thing," you can just feel him roll his eyes when he comments, "Oh brother, where did they find you?" It shows that Al Pratt has seen a lot in his life and that he already knows that the world isn't as simple as Jay Garrick believes it to be. In his interaction with Hawkgirl, however, we see this world-weariness translate into the respect that he has for a former teammate, even if his commitment to duty makes him adamant that he has to take her into custody. Finally, his belief in the military makes him bristle when Green Lantern arrives giving orders, leading him to note that he's the only one there who has any authority. But, we see that his commitment to duty doesn't leave him without his common sense when he recognizes that Alan Scott has a plan and that he should support it if he wants to defeat Grundy. In other words, in showing how Al interacts with the other Wonders, we learn a lot about Al.
But, beyond characterization, Robinson also gives us an engaging plot. We still know little about the World Council that appears to run the World Army. Since the World Council all appear in military uniforms, it seems clear that the world is currently run by a loosely organized military dictatorship. However, it's unclear at this stage how public their role is. We're definitely given plenty of reasons to question their judgment (and motivations) when they bring in Terry Sloan to "consult" on the situation in Washington, DC. The fact that they would so willingly embrace the guy who destroyed several countries shows the bottom-line approach they take, an approach all the more supported by evidence when they agree with his suggestion to nuke Washington, DC. They seem to be so pre-occupied with preventing an Apokoliptian invasion that they're willing to essentially replicate the damage that Darkseid would do merely in the interest of keeping order. It's pretty clear that Robinson isn't going to rush the intrigue related to the Council and I can't wait to see where he goes with it.
Finally, lest we think that it's all just testosterone and intrigue, Robinson tugs at the heart strings at the end, with the Grey offering Alan his deepest wish, the return of his lover, Sam. Alan's temptation is put in all the starker relief given the fact that his new allies are defending his body while his mind engages the Grey, putting them in increased danger the longer he's seduced by the Grey's offer. How's that for a team-building exercise?
All in all, yet another great issue from the best of the "New 52!"
The best part is the dynamic that develops between the four Wonders. Robinson has had some time to develop their personalities and begins to go to the next level, as we see them begin to interact with each other. He does so in the best traditions of Peter David and Dan Slott, with each character responding to every other character in a different way and his responses revealing something about his character. For example, we see Atom express disbelief several times at Flash's naivety. When Flash tells Atom that he and Hawkgirl saved him because they're Wonders and Wonders "do the right thing," you can just feel him roll his eyes when he comments, "Oh brother, where did they find you?" It shows that Al Pratt has seen a lot in his life and that he already knows that the world isn't as simple as Jay Garrick believes it to be. In his interaction with Hawkgirl, however, we see this world-weariness translate into the respect that he has for a former teammate, even if his commitment to duty makes him adamant that he has to take her into custody. Finally, his belief in the military makes him bristle when Green Lantern arrives giving orders, leading him to note that he's the only one there who has any authority. But, we see that his commitment to duty doesn't leave him without his common sense when he recognizes that Alan Scott has a plan and that he should support it if he wants to defeat Grundy. In other words, in showing how Al interacts with the other Wonders, we learn a lot about Al.
But, beyond characterization, Robinson also gives us an engaging plot. We still know little about the World Council that appears to run the World Army. Since the World Council all appear in military uniforms, it seems clear that the world is currently run by a loosely organized military dictatorship. However, it's unclear at this stage how public their role is. We're definitely given plenty of reasons to question their judgment (and motivations) when they bring in Terry Sloan to "consult" on the situation in Washington, DC. The fact that they would so willingly embrace the guy who destroyed several countries shows the bottom-line approach they take, an approach all the more supported by evidence when they agree with his suggestion to nuke Washington, DC. They seem to be so pre-occupied with preventing an Apokoliptian invasion that they're willing to essentially replicate the damage that Darkseid would do merely in the interest of keeping order. It's pretty clear that Robinson isn't going to rush the intrigue related to the Council and I can't wait to see where he goes with it.
Finally, lest we think that it's all just testosterone and intrigue, Robinson tugs at the heart strings at the end, with the Grey offering Alan his deepest wish, the return of his lover, Sam. Alan's temptation is put in all the starker relief given the fact that his new allies are defending his body while his mind engages the Grey, putting them in increased danger the longer he's seduced by the Grey's offer. How's that for a team-building exercise?
All in all, yet another great issue from the best of the "New 52!"
Thursday, October 4, 2012
AVX:VS #6 (HERE BE...well, not really, actually)
Once upon a time, Marvel made a book called "AVX:VS." It was fun. I liked reading it. People fought people. Sometimes they had emotions. Then it was less fun. Because I was confused. But then people fought people again and I was happy. The end.
Venom #21 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
Remender and Bunn have a challenge in this issue, since it's pretty clear that this arc has to end with the death of Crime-Master: they need to make the road to this inevitable conclusion interesting. Happily, they succeed. They build the intensity as we watch Flash continue to barrel his way through the Savage Six. After killing Death Adder and de-winging the Human Fly last issue, Remender and Bunn leave you wondering what Flash is going to do to the rest of the "team" in this issue. You get some false hope that Flash is going to be spared too much bloodshed when Megatak is actually eliminated by Toxin and, for a moment, he appears to get a win by managing to remove Eddie Brock from the symbiote. However, as usual for Flash, it all goes bad when the symbiote grabs Eddie, pulling him into the fire that Flash set to destroy it. It's a chilling moment, for both Flash and the reader, as we watch a 20-year-old character burn. It makes you wonder what Eddie's next chapter is going to be. He's had so many -- from Venom to Anti-Venom to "Hero of Spider-Island" to Toxin -- that it's hard to say. But, it's unlikely to be on the hero end of the spectrum, I'm guessing. Flash is just as unsettled as we are by this turn of events, but he tries to maintain his focus, finally coming to the boss level, where he takes down Jack O'Lantern by letting him fall into a vat of acid. Assuming he's dead (because, really, I don't think you get to live if you fall into a vat of acid), it leaves only Crime-Master (and, possibly, Human Fly, if he survived) knowing Flash's identity. The battle between them is short and Remender and Bunn manage to keep you guessing until the end.
The fact that Betty pulls the trigger is surprising, but welcome. I've previously complained that I'm tired of Betty constantly being the woman in a refrigerator, so it's nice to see her take a stand here, particularly since the authors don't have her fall to pieces after it. As I mentioned as a possibility last issue, Betty acknowledges that Crime-Master came after Flash because of her, and, as such, forgives Flash for what he's had to do as Venom. But, she ends it with him, again taking a stand that she really need to take. As she says, Flash is selfish. Throughout this series, Flash has had the opportunity on numerous occasions to ask for help and he refused to do so. He often had excuses for why he didn't, but they rarely passed a common-sense test. (Did he really think that the Avengers couldn't stop Crime-Master before he took revenge on Flash's family?) In the end, it was Flash's need to do it himself that made bad situations worse, and Betty, thankfully, acknowledged that. But, happily, Remender and Bunn allow Flash to acknowledge it, too, as we see on the last page, as he comes clean to the Secret Avengers. It seems like we're all now ready to start the next phase.
The fact that Betty pulls the trigger is surprising, but welcome. I've previously complained that I'm tired of Betty constantly being the woman in a refrigerator, so it's nice to see her take a stand here, particularly since the authors don't have her fall to pieces after it. As I mentioned as a possibility last issue, Betty acknowledges that Crime-Master came after Flash because of her, and, as such, forgives Flash for what he's had to do as Venom. But, she ends it with him, again taking a stand that she really need to take. As she says, Flash is selfish. Throughout this series, Flash has had the opportunity on numerous occasions to ask for help and he refused to do so. He often had excuses for why he didn't, but they rarely passed a common-sense test. (Did he really think that the Avengers couldn't stop Crime-Master before he took revenge on Flash's family?) In the end, it was Flash's need to do it himself that made bad situations worse, and Betty, thankfully, acknowledged that. But, happily, Remender and Bunn allow Flash to acknowledge it, too, as we see on the last page, as he comes clean to the Secret Avengers. It seems like we're all now ready to start the next phase.
Amazing Spider-Man #690: "No Turning Back" Part 3 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
** (two of five stars)
Favorite Quote: "We do offer a comprehensive health plan. Here, have some herbal tea." -- Hector to Sajani, who's noting the crazy things that've happened to her since coming to work for Horizon
Summary
The Lizard, still in Dr. Connors' body, continues to fail in his attempt to find a way to return to his Lizardform. He realizes that he needs to gather up more equipment, so he cuts off his re-grown arm and departs Morbius' lab (though not before feeding a Lizardified Max his arm). Carlie asks "Dr. Connors" where he's going and he tells her that he's left some experiments running in the lab. Bella then helpfully offers him use of her lab. Elsewhere, Morbius bites into Peter, who manages to extract himself from Morbius' grip. However, he's then distracted by Madame Web, whose astral projection tells him that events are right now being set in motion at Horizon Labs that will result in his destiny being "nothing but ruin and despair." Still elsewhere, the Kingpin spars with Hand ninjas in Shadowland while on a conference call with Tiberius Stone, his mole at Horizon. He reminds Stone that he has yet to deliver the goods that he agreed to provide the Kingpin. An eavesdropping Hobgoblin offers to take care of Stone, a threat that inspires Stone to try to resolve the situation. While breaking into Max's lab, Stone exposits that he had offered the Spider-Sense Jammers to the Kingpin but the previous schematics that he swiped were incomplete. Using the knowledge of Horizon's security systems that he gained as a result of helping Max to Spidey-proof the Labs, Stone begins to reboot the security system, which should theoretically unlock every lab. However, while he's waiting, he rummages through the office and finds the full schematics. Satisfied, he leaves Max's office before the reboot is complete.
In Bella's lab, the Lizard learns about the wonders of pop music while Bella identifies an enzyme that could help prevent a compound from blocking some of the receptors (or something involving science) and "Dr. Connors" synthesizes the Lizard Formula again, using it on Bella. Elsewhere, Madame Web stresses to Spidey that he has to return to Horizon, implying that his life depends on it. Spidey tells her that he can't, because lives depend on him stopping Morbius. Madame Web says that she knows that he's driven by Silver Sable's death, but tells him not to worry about it, because Sable isn't really dead. Distracted, Pete accuses her of lying to get him to do what she wants, a charge she (eventually) denies. Morbius escapes, desperate to sate his hunger, but Spidey captures him before he hurts anyone. At Horizon, Grady introduces "Dr. Connors' to 3-D modeling and Cajun Spicy Ranch Doritos. On a street somewhere, Spidey defeats Morbius and instructs the NYPD to call for a superhuman containment vehicle and three pints of blood. One of the cops balks, noting that Chief Pratchett wants Spidey in jail, but another cop (and a bystander) calls Spidey a hero and gives him his jacket to cover up his badly damaged suit, telling him that it's the least he can do given all that Spidey has done for the cops over the years.
At Horizon, Uatu visits "Dr. Connors," who cuts off his newly grown arm (again) before talking to Uatu to make sure that no one realizes what's happening. Uatu asks "Dr. Connors" why he's been avoiding him and the Lizard, seeing Billy's face instead of Uatu's, panics. Uatu confuses "Dr. Connors'" expression with exhaustion and introduces him to video games to help him let his mind wander. The Lizard enjoys the game and realizes that he needs mutant-growth hormone to create superhuman cells that can attack "normal enzymes...breaking past the genetic locks in Morbius' cure." He sees Billy again and thanks Uatu for helping him fix the formula. Uatu offers to come help, but "Dr. Connors" (or Dr. Connors) refuses worriedly, telling him that he's a good boy. He then runs into Carlie, who realizes that he's now missing his left, not right, arm. (Oops.) "Dr. Connors" makes a break for it and, at that moment, Stone's reboot of the security system frees the Lizardified members of Horizon's think tank. In the Atrium, Hector offers Sajani some tea, assuring her that she'll be fine after falling victim to Morbius, just as the Horizon Lizards attack. Hector activates the new protocol that they established to ensure that Horizon doesn't threaten New York City (after promising the Mayor as much). Spidey manages to arrive by crashing through a window just before the steel panels seal off the building. Elsewhere at Horizon, Carlie is attacked by Bella, Grady, and Max, buying "Dr. Connors" some time to escape. However, before he administers the treatment on himself, he pauses, wondering if he really wants it.
The Review
This issue probably doesn't deserve two stars; after all, two stars for Slott is probably five stars for Lobdell. But, this issue felt flat to me. As I mention below, Slott tries to do too much at the same time. He resurrects the Tiberius Stone sub-plot, adds in Madame Web, and gives us a cartoonish montage of the Lizard realizing all the great things that humanity offers. To do so, he rushes Spidey's fight with Morbius, which seems like an afterthought here, despite seeming like the whole point of this issue at the end of last issue. I think Slott can right this ship pretty quickly next issue, so hopefully this one is just an aberration.
The Good
Slott seemingly ties up the Silver Sable loose end here, with Madame Web telling Peter that he shouldn't feel guilty for her death because she's not dead. Slott leaves open the possibility that she's lying merely to get Peter to Horizon Labs all the more quickly, but it's probably as definitive of a statement that we're going to get on the subject for a while.
The Bad
1) The Kingpin/Stone/Madame Web sub-plot felt really shoe-horned into this issue and I still don't really understand the reason why Slott added. It seems that he did so merely as a way to get Pete to return to Horizon Labs before Hector activated the lock-down procedure. But, I'm pretty sure Slott could've achieved that outcome in a number of other ways, such as Carlie calling Peter for help or Peter returning with a defeated Morbius. Instead, we get Madame Web interrupting Spidey during his fight with Morbius, turning the main draw of this issue -- the fight that was just beginning to build in intensity at the end of last issue -- into a side show. If I thought that this sub-plot was going anywhere, I would probably accept the marginalization of the Spidey/Morbius fight as an acceptable loss. But, I have a hard time believing that Spidey's identity is really going to be compromised. Although Slott might go somewhere else with it, the unlikelihood of this sub-plot resulting in anything significant made it feel like an unnecessary distraction (just as Pete said).
2) Speaking of the Morbius fight, we left Peter at the end of last issue seemingly on the verge of killing Morbius, convinced that he was a menace to society. Here, he seems to get over that rage and simply leaves him with the cops. I'm certainly glad that Peter didn't kill him, since, given his current mental state, I'm pretty sure that decision would've driven him over the edge. But, it's another abrupt departure from the tone of last issue and Slott doesn't really give us an explanation for it, other than the fact that Spidey is now suddenly convinced by Madame Web to return to Horizon Labs. But, isn't it likely that it would've been quicker to stab him than capture him?
3) Just as disappointing as the Kingpin/Stone/Madame Web sub-plot is the fact that I really didn't buy the Lizard's sudden embrace of his humanity. Slott makes it pretty clear (at least for this issue) that the Lizard is feeling human emotions, as opposed to Curt Connors asserting himself over the Lizard. As such, his embrace of certain aspects of his newfound humanity -- pop music, junk food, video games -- felt cartoonish to me. Slott really wants me to believe the Lizard's moral dilemma -- to return to his Lizardform or not -- but instead I just found myself rolling my eyes.
The Really Bad
Max Modell just has the schematics for the Spider-Sense Jammers in his desk drawer?
Favorite Quote: "We do offer a comprehensive health plan. Here, have some herbal tea." -- Hector to Sajani, who's noting the crazy things that've happened to her since coming to work for Horizon
Summary
The Lizard, still in Dr. Connors' body, continues to fail in his attempt to find a way to return to his Lizardform. He realizes that he needs to gather up more equipment, so he cuts off his re-grown arm and departs Morbius' lab (though not before feeding a Lizardified Max his arm). Carlie asks "Dr. Connors" where he's going and he tells her that he's left some experiments running in the lab. Bella then helpfully offers him use of her lab. Elsewhere, Morbius bites into Peter, who manages to extract himself from Morbius' grip. However, he's then distracted by Madame Web, whose astral projection tells him that events are right now being set in motion at Horizon Labs that will result in his destiny being "nothing but ruin and despair." Still elsewhere, the Kingpin spars with Hand ninjas in Shadowland while on a conference call with Tiberius Stone, his mole at Horizon. He reminds Stone that he has yet to deliver the goods that he agreed to provide the Kingpin. An eavesdropping Hobgoblin offers to take care of Stone, a threat that inspires Stone to try to resolve the situation. While breaking into Max's lab, Stone exposits that he had offered the Spider-Sense Jammers to the Kingpin but the previous schematics that he swiped were incomplete. Using the knowledge of Horizon's security systems that he gained as a result of helping Max to Spidey-proof the Labs, Stone begins to reboot the security system, which should theoretically unlock every lab. However, while he's waiting, he rummages through the office and finds the full schematics. Satisfied, he leaves Max's office before the reboot is complete.
In Bella's lab, the Lizard learns about the wonders of pop music while Bella identifies an enzyme that could help prevent a compound from blocking some of the receptors (or something involving science) and "Dr. Connors" synthesizes the Lizard Formula again, using it on Bella. Elsewhere, Madame Web stresses to Spidey that he has to return to Horizon, implying that his life depends on it. Spidey tells her that he can't, because lives depend on him stopping Morbius. Madame Web says that she knows that he's driven by Silver Sable's death, but tells him not to worry about it, because Sable isn't really dead. Distracted, Pete accuses her of lying to get him to do what she wants, a charge she (eventually) denies. Morbius escapes, desperate to sate his hunger, but Spidey captures him before he hurts anyone. At Horizon, Grady introduces "Dr. Connors' to 3-D modeling and Cajun Spicy Ranch Doritos. On a street somewhere, Spidey defeats Morbius and instructs the NYPD to call for a superhuman containment vehicle and three pints of blood. One of the cops balks, noting that Chief Pratchett wants Spidey in jail, but another cop (and a bystander) calls Spidey a hero and gives him his jacket to cover up his badly damaged suit, telling him that it's the least he can do given all that Spidey has done for the cops over the years.
At Horizon, Uatu visits "Dr. Connors," who cuts off his newly grown arm (again) before talking to Uatu to make sure that no one realizes what's happening. Uatu asks "Dr. Connors" why he's been avoiding him and the Lizard, seeing Billy's face instead of Uatu's, panics. Uatu confuses "Dr. Connors'" expression with exhaustion and introduces him to video games to help him let his mind wander. The Lizard enjoys the game and realizes that he needs mutant-growth hormone to create superhuman cells that can attack "normal enzymes...breaking past the genetic locks in Morbius' cure." He sees Billy again and thanks Uatu for helping him fix the formula. Uatu offers to come help, but "Dr. Connors" (or Dr. Connors) refuses worriedly, telling him that he's a good boy. He then runs into Carlie, who realizes that he's now missing his left, not right, arm. (Oops.) "Dr. Connors" makes a break for it and, at that moment, Stone's reboot of the security system frees the Lizardified members of Horizon's think tank. In the Atrium, Hector offers Sajani some tea, assuring her that she'll be fine after falling victim to Morbius, just as the Horizon Lizards attack. Hector activates the new protocol that they established to ensure that Horizon doesn't threaten New York City (after promising the Mayor as much). Spidey manages to arrive by crashing through a window just before the steel panels seal off the building. Elsewhere at Horizon, Carlie is attacked by Bella, Grady, and Max, buying "Dr. Connors" some time to escape. However, before he administers the treatment on himself, he pauses, wondering if he really wants it.
The Review
This issue probably doesn't deserve two stars; after all, two stars for Slott is probably five stars for Lobdell. But, this issue felt flat to me. As I mention below, Slott tries to do too much at the same time. He resurrects the Tiberius Stone sub-plot, adds in Madame Web, and gives us a cartoonish montage of the Lizard realizing all the great things that humanity offers. To do so, he rushes Spidey's fight with Morbius, which seems like an afterthought here, despite seeming like the whole point of this issue at the end of last issue. I think Slott can right this ship pretty quickly next issue, so hopefully this one is just an aberration.
The Good
Slott seemingly ties up the Silver Sable loose end here, with Madame Web telling Peter that he shouldn't feel guilty for her death because she's not dead. Slott leaves open the possibility that she's lying merely to get Peter to Horizon Labs all the more quickly, but it's probably as definitive of a statement that we're going to get on the subject for a while.
The Bad
1) The Kingpin/Stone/Madame Web sub-plot felt really shoe-horned into this issue and I still don't really understand the reason why Slott added. It seems that he did so merely as a way to get Pete to return to Horizon Labs before Hector activated the lock-down procedure. But, I'm pretty sure Slott could've achieved that outcome in a number of other ways, such as Carlie calling Peter for help or Peter returning with a defeated Morbius. Instead, we get Madame Web interrupting Spidey during his fight with Morbius, turning the main draw of this issue -- the fight that was just beginning to build in intensity at the end of last issue -- into a side show. If I thought that this sub-plot was going anywhere, I would probably accept the marginalization of the Spidey/Morbius fight as an acceptable loss. But, I have a hard time believing that Spidey's identity is really going to be compromised. Although Slott might go somewhere else with it, the unlikelihood of this sub-plot resulting in anything significant made it feel like an unnecessary distraction (just as Pete said).
2) Speaking of the Morbius fight, we left Peter at the end of last issue seemingly on the verge of killing Morbius, convinced that he was a menace to society. Here, he seems to get over that rage and simply leaves him with the cops. I'm certainly glad that Peter didn't kill him, since, given his current mental state, I'm pretty sure that decision would've driven him over the edge. But, it's another abrupt departure from the tone of last issue and Slott doesn't really give us an explanation for it, other than the fact that Spidey is now suddenly convinced by Madame Web to return to Horizon Labs. But, isn't it likely that it would've been quicker to stab him than capture him?
3) Just as disappointing as the Kingpin/Stone/Madame Web sub-plot is the fact that I really didn't buy the Lizard's sudden embrace of his humanity. Slott makes it pretty clear (at least for this issue) that the Lizard is feeling human emotions, as opposed to Curt Connors asserting himself over the Lizard. As such, his embrace of certain aspects of his newfound humanity -- pop music, junk food, video games -- felt cartoonish to me. Slott really wants me to believe the Lizard's moral dilemma -- to return to his Lizardform or not -- but instead I just found myself rolling my eyes.
The Really Bad
Max Modell just has the schematics for the Spider-Sense Jammers in his desk drawer?
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Avengers vs. X-Men #12 and Uncanny X-Men #19 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
At the end of the day, "Avengers vs. X-Men" ends pretty much how I expected it to end in the beginning, namely with the re-birth of the mutant race thanks to Hope and Wanda. I'm including "Uncanny X-Men" #19 in this review because it presents Scott's side of the battle, making it hard to separate it from the main story.
First, before we get into the "Good" and "Bad," I want to note that I enjoyed this mini-series on the whole. Although you'll notice that the "Bad" outnumber the "Good," I would still rank this cross-over event well above "Chaos War" or "Fear Itself," the first two events from Marvel that I read since returning to comics. Although, as I note below, Marvel's sales department clearly had a hand in extending the story beyond where it probably should've stopped, I think the authors did a remarkably good job taking the ball they were handed and running with it. Having read the main mini-series and almost all the cross-over issues, I still have a pretty clear idea of the story that they told and why events happened when they happened. So, I just want to make it clear that, though I have some criticism of the way that the story was handled now that it's over, I'm still pleased as a fan for the entertainment and fun that this mini-series brought. I can't remember the last time I was as excited about reading an issue as I was when I opened up "Avengers vs. X-Men" #12.
The Good
1) The authors finally answer (or, at least, come close to answering) some questions about Hope. First, they do seem to confirm that the Phoenix Force created Hope. They don't directly draw that line, but it's pretty clear that it's probably what happened. Moreover, Hope fulfills her roll as the Mutant Messiah here. For most of her history, Hope has been little more than a means to an end, the sum of her mysterious birth and future destiny. With her origins clearer and her destiny fulfilled, I think she can now become more of a real character and less of a literary device.
2) Along those lines, the authors also draw a connection (though, again, not directly) between Wanda eliminating mutants on M-Day and the Phoenix Force deciding to undo that event. Scott was always so adamant that Phoenix was coming to Earth exactly for that reason, so it was important for the authors to address it, in some form, before the mini-series ended. Of course, as I mention below, the authors still leave some ambiguity. After all, the Phoenix Force itself never confirms why it came. Plus, if Scott had defeated Hope and Wanda, he likely would've destroyed the world, mutants included. But, the idea that the Avengers now accept that Phoenix could at least theoretically have come to undo Wanda's act and the reality that Hope fulfilled this role (even if it wasn't necessarily the one that Phoenix originally planned) have emboldened Scott to believe that his sacrifice was worth it. I'll address whether it's believable for Scott to take this position below.
3) Whereas Scott takes responsibilities for his actions but pretty much asserts that the ends justified the means (even if the means didn't necessarily mean that the end that happened was the one intended), Cap actually takes on the criticism for his failure to do more to protect mutants and vows to do something about it. I'm glad that they gave Cap this redemptive epiphany, since it eliminates some of the earlier criticism that people had of him in the beginning of this mini-series, when he appears to be blind to the plight of the mutant race. As such, I'm excited to see where we go with "Uncanny Avengers."
The Unknown
1) It's still unclear if mutants who were de-powered as a result of M-Day (like Dani Moonstar) have regained their powers.
2) I want to know more about this new Nova, who I'm depressed to see probably isn't Rich.
3) I wonder where we're going to go from here. First, it seems that mutants are now hated and feared all the more, something that Beast tries to bring to Cyclops' attention in "Uncanny X-Men" #19. Cap's organization of the "Uncanny Avengers" team seems to be speaking to this problem. But, we still obviously have questions left unanswered. With Cyclops gone, is Logan the de facto leader of the X-Men? Also, why is Magneto counted among the renegade X-Men? I get the Phoenix Five, but, if Magneto is a renegade, then so are basically all the other X-Men, since, at one point or another, they all threw in their lot with Cyclops.
The Bad
1) Although I found the ending mostly satisfying, I have to say that my first thought was, "They really could've told this story in six issues." It's clear that the whole Phoenix Five storyline was just an excuse to stretch out the story to sell more issues. If they had wanted to use Cyclops as the intermediate point between the arrival of Phoenix and Hope taking on its powers, they could've just done that. We didn't need to have him slowly but surely amass the powers of the other members Phoenix Five as they fell. Although it could've been worse (see "Fear Itself"), it's still pretty clear to me, in retrospect, that Marvel went with quantity over quality. By the time we get to Hope becoming Phoenix, the event that theoretically drove this entire series in the first place, I had practically forgotten why everyone was so concerned about her doing so.
2) I'm not sure what we're supposed to think about Cyclops. As I mentioned above, he's remarkably unrepentant in both these issues, sticking mostly to the script that we heard him reciting when this event began. In fact, he tells Hank that he'd do it all again and that he's happy spending what remains of his life paying for his crimes. However, it seems a little remarkable that he'd be so unmoved by his experience as the Dark Phoenix. First, he had a moment of brief control over Phoenix where he asked Hope and Wanda to kill him. Then, he has a vision of Jean telling him that it was time to let go. I thought that she meant of life, but it seems that she just meant of Phoenix. He manages to do so, but it's hard to believe that he'd do so willingly without realizing just how destructive it was in the first place. It seems like the only reason that he'd do so was because he'd admit that the damage he was doing was too great. (He had just, after all, killed his surrogate father.) However, after the event, he doesn't seem to make the connection that he himself made it improbable that the mutant race would survive, since he almost destroyed the world. The fact that it was reborn had nothing to do with him; in fact, it was the opposite of what he wanted at the time. His decision that he somehow played a role in it lacks any sort of reflection on his role. In fact, he's now essentially become his generation's Magneto.
3) Along those lines, the authors never explain why Scott didn't re-start humanity in the first place. I think we're supposed to believe that he was just too overwhelmed by the destructive nature of the Phoenix Force to do so, but it would've been nice if someone had drawn that line more directly. Without that line drawn, it makes it all the weirder that Scott would lay claim that his action brought about the rebirth, since he could've done it himself.
4) Did we rally need the connection to Iron Fist? I can't really point to anything here that required it. I think the argument is that Hope's training under his tutelage helped her to defeat Scott, but I don't think anyone really questioned that she could've defeated him in the first place. In theory, to justify its inclusion, we should've seen that it helped her control the Phoenix Force. But, I don't really think that we see that. It's Wanda who helps her decide to sacrifice the Phoenix Force, not anything that she learned from Iron Fist.
First, before we get into the "Good" and "Bad," I want to note that I enjoyed this mini-series on the whole. Although you'll notice that the "Bad" outnumber the "Good," I would still rank this cross-over event well above "Chaos War" or "Fear Itself," the first two events from Marvel that I read since returning to comics. Although, as I note below, Marvel's sales department clearly had a hand in extending the story beyond where it probably should've stopped, I think the authors did a remarkably good job taking the ball they were handed and running with it. Having read the main mini-series and almost all the cross-over issues, I still have a pretty clear idea of the story that they told and why events happened when they happened. So, I just want to make it clear that, though I have some criticism of the way that the story was handled now that it's over, I'm still pleased as a fan for the entertainment and fun that this mini-series brought. I can't remember the last time I was as excited about reading an issue as I was when I opened up "Avengers vs. X-Men" #12.
The Good
1) The authors finally answer (or, at least, come close to answering) some questions about Hope. First, they do seem to confirm that the Phoenix Force created Hope. They don't directly draw that line, but it's pretty clear that it's probably what happened. Moreover, Hope fulfills her roll as the Mutant Messiah here. For most of her history, Hope has been little more than a means to an end, the sum of her mysterious birth and future destiny. With her origins clearer and her destiny fulfilled, I think she can now become more of a real character and less of a literary device.
2) Along those lines, the authors also draw a connection (though, again, not directly) between Wanda eliminating mutants on M-Day and the Phoenix Force deciding to undo that event. Scott was always so adamant that Phoenix was coming to Earth exactly for that reason, so it was important for the authors to address it, in some form, before the mini-series ended. Of course, as I mention below, the authors still leave some ambiguity. After all, the Phoenix Force itself never confirms why it came. Plus, if Scott had defeated Hope and Wanda, he likely would've destroyed the world, mutants included. But, the idea that the Avengers now accept that Phoenix could at least theoretically have come to undo Wanda's act and the reality that Hope fulfilled this role (even if it wasn't necessarily the one that Phoenix originally planned) have emboldened Scott to believe that his sacrifice was worth it. I'll address whether it's believable for Scott to take this position below.
3) Whereas Scott takes responsibilities for his actions but pretty much asserts that the ends justified the means (even if the means didn't necessarily mean that the end that happened was the one intended), Cap actually takes on the criticism for his failure to do more to protect mutants and vows to do something about it. I'm glad that they gave Cap this redemptive epiphany, since it eliminates some of the earlier criticism that people had of him in the beginning of this mini-series, when he appears to be blind to the plight of the mutant race. As such, I'm excited to see where we go with "Uncanny Avengers."
The Unknown
1) It's still unclear if mutants who were de-powered as a result of M-Day (like Dani Moonstar) have regained their powers.
2) I want to know more about this new Nova, who I'm depressed to see probably isn't Rich.
3) I wonder where we're going to go from here. First, it seems that mutants are now hated and feared all the more, something that Beast tries to bring to Cyclops' attention in "Uncanny X-Men" #19. Cap's organization of the "Uncanny Avengers" team seems to be speaking to this problem. But, we still obviously have questions left unanswered. With Cyclops gone, is Logan the de facto leader of the X-Men? Also, why is Magneto counted among the renegade X-Men? I get the Phoenix Five, but, if Magneto is a renegade, then so are basically all the other X-Men, since, at one point or another, they all threw in their lot with Cyclops.
The Bad
1) Although I found the ending mostly satisfying, I have to say that my first thought was, "They really could've told this story in six issues." It's clear that the whole Phoenix Five storyline was just an excuse to stretch out the story to sell more issues. If they had wanted to use Cyclops as the intermediate point between the arrival of Phoenix and Hope taking on its powers, they could've just done that. We didn't need to have him slowly but surely amass the powers of the other members Phoenix Five as they fell. Although it could've been worse (see "Fear Itself"), it's still pretty clear to me, in retrospect, that Marvel went with quantity over quality. By the time we get to Hope becoming Phoenix, the event that theoretically drove this entire series in the first place, I had practically forgotten why everyone was so concerned about her doing so.
2) I'm not sure what we're supposed to think about Cyclops. As I mentioned above, he's remarkably unrepentant in both these issues, sticking mostly to the script that we heard him reciting when this event began. In fact, he tells Hank that he'd do it all again and that he's happy spending what remains of his life paying for his crimes. However, it seems a little remarkable that he'd be so unmoved by his experience as the Dark Phoenix. First, he had a moment of brief control over Phoenix where he asked Hope and Wanda to kill him. Then, he has a vision of Jean telling him that it was time to let go. I thought that she meant of life, but it seems that she just meant of Phoenix. He manages to do so, but it's hard to believe that he'd do so willingly without realizing just how destructive it was in the first place. It seems like the only reason that he'd do so was because he'd admit that the damage he was doing was too great. (He had just, after all, killed his surrogate father.) However, after the event, he doesn't seem to make the connection that he himself made it improbable that the mutant race would survive, since he almost destroyed the world. The fact that it was reborn had nothing to do with him; in fact, it was the opposite of what he wanted at the time. His decision that he somehow played a role in it lacks any sort of reflection on his role. In fact, he's now essentially become his generation's Magneto.
3) Along those lines, the authors never explain why Scott didn't re-start humanity in the first place. I think we're supposed to believe that he was just too overwhelmed by the destructive nature of the Phoenix Force to do so, but it would've been nice if someone had drawn that line more directly. Without that line drawn, it makes it all the weirder that Scott would lay claim that his action brought about the rebirth, since he could've done it himself.
4) Did we rally need the connection to Iron Fist? I can't really point to anything here that required it. I think the argument is that Hope's training under his tutelage helped her to defeat Scott, but I don't think anyone really questioned that she could've defeated him in the first place. In theory, to justify its inclusion, we should've seen that it helped her control the Phoenix Force. But, I don't really think that we see that. It's Wanda who helps her decide to sacrifice the Phoenix Force, not anything that she learned from Iron Fist.
Scarlet Spider #7 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
**** (four of five stars)
Favorite Quote: "My name is Kaine, and I am going to die in this city. I thought I knew what humidity was, but I was wrong. I was so wrong. Houston is Vietnam-level hot. It's like I'm web-swinging through steam. I don't know what to do now. Fight crime, I guess. Man, that sounds stupid." -- Kaine, complaining about web-slinging in the heat and humidity of Houston
Summary
Several months ago, five miles off the coast of Galveston, an oil rig experiences a sudden burst of unexplained energy. When one worker asked what happened, another one hypothesizes that the drill snapped, stating that he told the owners that the pressure was too high for them to be dealing with oil. The two men are suddenly shocked by something that appears on top of the rig structure.
In the present, Kaine is sweltering in the Houston heat. Before he can motivate to fight crime, a rocket strikes a few floors above where he's perched on a building. He manages to avoid "a thousand pounds of flaming steel and concrete" and watches as it descends to the street below him. Noting that he'd "hate to be the poor suckers...down there," he realizes that he has to go save them. He manages to spin a web between two buildings, catching the falling debris, but, before he can celebrate, he realizes that a girl is falling towards him. He catches her and takes her safely to a rooftop where she kisses him. They then sleep together and Kaine observes to her that he doesn't know her name. She reminds him that she doesn't know his, but thanks him for saving her life. Kaine asks what happened at the building and she replies that it was all a blur after she fired the first rocket. At that moment, someone knocks on the door. Kaine is stunned by that revelation and asks if she blew up the building. She says yes (after telling him that her name is Zoe) and says that she thought that he was there for the same reason, because of "Galveston." Kaine puts on his costume and heads out the window while she answers the door draped in a bedsheet.
At the Four Seasons, Kaine keeps telling himself that he's not going to get involved, until Aracely bursts into his room and tells him that she can't sleep with all his "not caring." At 1:00 am, Kaine goes to Zoe's apartment only to find it completely empty; he then notices that a construction crew is already rebuilding the top floor of Roxxon Tower, the building that Zoe attacked. He visits Officer Layton, asking for help. Layton tells him that the media were reporting that the explosion was due to a gas leak and confirms that story through the Houston PD website. Kaine asks about a missile and Layton is stunned by the question. He notes that Roxxon "has been the backbone of Houston for decades," providing countless jobs. Kaine asks about its connection to "Galveston," not knowing what it is.
That next morning, a Roxxon employee named Jacob Johnston makes his way through a bevy of security checkpoints to Floor 28.5. Logging onto his computer, he's surprised by Kaine, who used his stealth suit to break into the building. Threatening Johnston with his spider stinger, he tells him not to call security and asks him to give him all the information that he has on the Galveston explosion. Johnston tells him that he doesn't have access to all that information, since he's just an I.T. guy, and tells Kaine that only the CEO has that sort of access. At that moment, security breaks into the office and the head guard instructs his colleagues to kill both Johnston and Kaine. Evading their machine-gun fire, Kaine manages to lose the guards and asks a stunned secretary where the CEO is; she directs him to the top floor. There, Kaine accuses the CEO of covering up the attack and making a woman disappear. Walsh confirms that he did both, creating the gas-leak story to protect his daughter, who's been emotional since her mother's death. At that moment, Kaine notices Zoe sitting on his couch. Walsh tells Kaine to leave, and a trio of super-powered people appears outside the window, calling themselves the Rangers.
The Review
As you probably noticed, I've decided to start reviewing "Scarlet Spider" in my usual "Amazing Spider-Man" format, a sign that, after only seven issues, Chris Yost is juggling so many plots, sub-plots, and surprises that it requires more than just a few paragraphs to describes everything. If that doesn't tell you that you should be reading this series, I don't know what does.
The Really Good
Yost really knows how to raise the hairs on my arms. I'm thinking in particular about the page where Kaine finds Zoe's apartment completely empty and then observes the hurried construction on the Roxxon Tower, noting to himself that you'd never know, an hour from that moment, that the top floor had exploded the previous day. Yost uses these two moments to set the stage for the coming story, making Kaine (and the reader) realize that everything isn't what it seems. At this point, I really started to feel like I was watching an action movie. It also makes you wonder why Zoe fired the missile.
The Good
1) I love Kaine complaining about the humidity. On one hand, I totally feel him. I hate the heat and I can't imagine swinging around Houston in the summer in spandex. But, Yost also uses the moment to remind us how crotchety Kaine is. Pete would've complained about the heat, sure, but it would've been in some sort of cute, funny way. Instead, Kaine grumbles about it in an annoyed, cranky way, eventually resigning himself to fighting crime in it. Yost continues to portray Kaine as some sort of disgruntled frat boy and I totally, totally dig it.
2) I loved Kaine's conversation with himself about saving the "poor suckers...down there." The "Dammit" at the end continued the theme of his general crankiness. He'll save some people from an exploding building, but he'll be a little annoyed doing it. It's another way that he's different from Pete. Pete would be annoyed, later, when someone that he saved inevitably told him that he was a menace, whereas Kaine would just tell them to go eff themselves.
3) Kaine notes that he had never tried to build the type of web that he does here to save the people from the falling debris. I liked how Yost had him note that, because it reminds us that he's really applying himself, stretching himself in ways that he hasn't done previously. Yost also reminds us of the powers that he knows how to use, like his stealth suit (which he uses to break into Roxxon) and his spider stinger (which he uses to threaten the Roxxon employee).
4) If you need no better reminder that Kaine isn't Peter, it's that he sleeps with a girl he rescues. But, to remind us that they're "brothers," he does seem to have inherited the "Parker luck" when the girl winds up being not only the person who fired the rocket at the Roxxon building in the first place, but also someone who has two fairly large gentleman pounding on her door as she reveals that information to Kaine. "Why is my life like this?" indeed. The fact that she's also the daughter of Roxxon's CEO definitely confirms his Parker heritage.
5) I loved, loved loved Aracelly breaking into Kaine's room demanding that he investigate the rocket incident. Hilarious.
6) Pham has great comedic timing. I loved the scene of the office workers going about their regular day and then, BAM, in the next panel, Kaine and the Roxxon mercenaries suddenly explode into the office suite. It's a great moment and I have high hopes for Pham, despite the occasional roughness of certain moments.
The Unknown
Yost leaves us wanting more here. Why is Roxxon covering up whatever happened in Galveston? In fact, what happened in Galveston? Why would Zoe be motivated by whatever happened in Galveston to fire a missile at Roxxon Towers? Questions, questions, questions. Given that we're going to have the fun distraction with the new super mercenaries, the Rangers, in the next issue, I'm guessing that it's going to be a while before we get answers. But, I'm totally OK with that.
The Bad
Pham does a pretty good job filling Stegman's shoes, but his work in this issue is a little uneven. In fact, I thought that the whole sequence where Kaine wakes up Officer Layton was drawn by a different artist. Hopefully, it's just growing pains, because the art on this series so far has been one of the things that has made it so great.
Favorite Quote: "My name is Kaine, and I am going to die in this city. I thought I knew what humidity was, but I was wrong. I was so wrong. Houston is Vietnam-level hot. It's like I'm web-swinging through steam. I don't know what to do now. Fight crime, I guess. Man, that sounds stupid." -- Kaine, complaining about web-slinging in the heat and humidity of Houston
Summary
Several months ago, five miles off the coast of Galveston, an oil rig experiences a sudden burst of unexplained energy. When one worker asked what happened, another one hypothesizes that the drill snapped, stating that he told the owners that the pressure was too high for them to be dealing with oil. The two men are suddenly shocked by something that appears on top of the rig structure.
In the present, Kaine is sweltering in the Houston heat. Before he can motivate to fight crime, a rocket strikes a few floors above where he's perched on a building. He manages to avoid "a thousand pounds of flaming steel and concrete" and watches as it descends to the street below him. Noting that he'd "hate to be the poor suckers...down there," he realizes that he has to go save them. He manages to spin a web between two buildings, catching the falling debris, but, before he can celebrate, he realizes that a girl is falling towards him. He catches her and takes her safely to a rooftop where she kisses him. They then sleep together and Kaine observes to her that he doesn't know her name. She reminds him that she doesn't know his, but thanks him for saving her life. Kaine asks what happened at the building and she replies that it was all a blur after she fired the first rocket. At that moment, someone knocks on the door. Kaine is stunned by that revelation and asks if she blew up the building. She says yes (after telling him that her name is Zoe) and says that she thought that he was there for the same reason, because of "Galveston." Kaine puts on his costume and heads out the window while she answers the door draped in a bedsheet.
At the Four Seasons, Kaine keeps telling himself that he's not going to get involved, until Aracely bursts into his room and tells him that she can't sleep with all his "not caring." At 1:00 am, Kaine goes to Zoe's apartment only to find it completely empty; he then notices that a construction crew is already rebuilding the top floor of Roxxon Tower, the building that Zoe attacked. He visits Officer Layton, asking for help. Layton tells him that the media were reporting that the explosion was due to a gas leak and confirms that story through the Houston PD website. Kaine asks about a missile and Layton is stunned by the question. He notes that Roxxon "has been the backbone of Houston for decades," providing countless jobs. Kaine asks about its connection to "Galveston," not knowing what it is.
That next morning, a Roxxon employee named Jacob Johnston makes his way through a bevy of security checkpoints to Floor 28.5. Logging onto his computer, he's surprised by Kaine, who used his stealth suit to break into the building. Threatening Johnston with his spider stinger, he tells him not to call security and asks him to give him all the information that he has on the Galveston explosion. Johnston tells him that he doesn't have access to all that information, since he's just an I.T. guy, and tells Kaine that only the CEO has that sort of access. At that moment, security breaks into the office and the head guard instructs his colleagues to kill both Johnston and Kaine. Evading their machine-gun fire, Kaine manages to lose the guards and asks a stunned secretary where the CEO is; she directs him to the top floor. There, Kaine accuses the CEO of covering up the attack and making a woman disappear. Walsh confirms that he did both, creating the gas-leak story to protect his daughter, who's been emotional since her mother's death. At that moment, Kaine notices Zoe sitting on his couch. Walsh tells Kaine to leave, and a trio of super-powered people appears outside the window, calling themselves the Rangers.
The Review
As you probably noticed, I've decided to start reviewing "Scarlet Spider" in my usual "Amazing Spider-Man" format, a sign that, after only seven issues, Chris Yost is juggling so many plots, sub-plots, and surprises that it requires more than just a few paragraphs to describes everything. If that doesn't tell you that you should be reading this series, I don't know what does.
The Really Good
Yost really knows how to raise the hairs on my arms. I'm thinking in particular about the page where Kaine finds Zoe's apartment completely empty and then observes the hurried construction on the Roxxon Tower, noting to himself that you'd never know, an hour from that moment, that the top floor had exploded the previous day. Yost uses these two moments to set the stage for the coming story, making Kaine (and the reader) realize that everything isn't what it seems. At this point, I really started to feel like I was watching an action movie. It also makes you wonder why Zoe fired the missile.
The Good
1) I love Kaine complaining about the humidity. On one hand, I totally feel him. I hate the heat and I can't imagine swinging around Houston in the summer in spandex. But, Yost also uses the moment to remind us how crotchety Kaine is. Pete would've complained about the heat, sure, but it would've been in some sort of cute, funny way. Instead, Kaine grumbles about it in an annoyed, cranky way, eventually resigning himself to fighting crime in it. Yost continues to portray Kaine as some sort of disgruntled frat boy and I totally, totally dig it.
2) I loved Kaine's conversation with himself about saving the "poor suckers...down there." The "Dammit" at the end continued the theme of his general crankiness. He'll save some people from an exploding building, but he'll be a little annoyed doing it. It's another way that he's different from Pete. Pete would be annoyed, later, when someone that he saved inevitably told him that he was a menace, whereas Kaine would just tell them to go eff themselves.
3) Kaine notes that he had never tried to build the type of web that he does here to save the people from the falling debris. I liked how Yost had him note that, because it reminds us that he's really applying himself, stretching himself in ways that he hasn't done previously. Yost also reminds us of the powers that he knows how to use, like his stealth suit (which he uses to break into Roxxon) and his spider stinger (which he uses to threaten the Roxxon employee).
4) If you need no better reminder that Kaine isn't Peter, it's that he sleeps with a girl he rescues. But, to remind us that they're "brothers," he does seem to have inherited the "Parker luck" when the girl winds up being not only the person who fired the rocket at the Roxxon building in the first place, but also someone who has two fairly large gentleman pounding on her door as she reveals that information to Kaine. "Why is my life like this?" indeed. The fact that she's also the daughter of Roxxon's CEO definitely confirms his Parker heritage.
5) I loved, loved loved Aracelly breaking into Kaine's room demanding that he investigate the rocket incident. Hilarious.
6) Pham has great comedic timing. I loved the scene of the office workers going about their regular day and then, BAM, in the next panel, Kaine and the Roxxon mercenaries suddenly explode into the office suite. It's a great moment and I have high hopes for Pham, despite the occasional roughness of certain moments.
The Unknown
Yost leaves us wanting more here. Why is Roxxon covering up whatever happened in Galveston? In fact, what happened in Galveston? Why would Zoe be motivated by whatever happened in Galveston to fire a missile at Roxxon Towers? Questions, questions, questions. Given that we're going to have the fun distraction with the new super mercenaries, the Rangers, in the next issue, I'm guessing that it's going to be a while before we get answers. But, I'm totally OK with that.
The Bad
Pham does a pretty good job filling Stegman's shoes, but his work in this issue is a little uneven. In fact, I thought that the whole sequence where Kaine wakes up Officer Layton was drawn by a different artist. Hopefully, it's just growing pains, because the art on this series so far has been one of the things that has made it so great.
Amazing Spider-Man #689: "No Turning Back" Part 2 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
*** (three of five stars)
Favorite Quote: "Connors' dead offspring. What is the proper human response for this? Ah. Flailing limbs. Wet eyes. And Mewling." -- the Lizard, showing a fairly detailed understanding of human grief
Summary
Max and Morbius declare that Dr. Connors no longer has a "single trace of the Lizard" in him. Externally, "Dr. Connors" thanks Morbius for helping him, while, internally, the Lizard vows to kill "Vampire-Man." Spidey's Spider-Sense tingles and, after he announces it, the Lizard realizes that he had activated Spidey's ability to sense a predator. However, Spidey mistakenly believes Morbius to be the threat and asks if he's feeling OK. The Lizard seizes the opportunity, asking Morbius about Connors' blood work and, when Morbius drools over it, mentioning how hungry he is. Morbius responds that he doesn't have any "solid food" in his lab, but looked at his storage unit when he said it; the Lizard realizes that he keeps his blood supply there and hypothesizes that he's running low after the Lizard sliced him during the battle. Meanwhile, Morbius announces that he'd like to start using the cure on himself and Spidey objects, since the last time they did so Morbius tried to kill Max and him. The Lizard overhears Morbius confirm that everything that they need for the cure is in the lab and then Spidey arguing with Max that Morbius isn't a "good man" after he desecrated Billy's corpse. The Lizard fakes grief at this revelation and demands to see Billy. Morbius shows him Billy's body, admitting that he was motivated to cure himself, and "Dr. Connors," in a performance meriting the Academy Award for Best Lizard in a Dramatic Role, asks to be left alone with the body. Spidey hustles out Max and Morbius from the room.
Looking around the lab, the Lizard realizes that he needs more time than the group will give him to find a way to revert to his Lizard self. He decides to create a diversion and pours blood into the air vents to tempt Morbius. In the hallway, Hector and several members of the Horizon Team greet Max, Morbius, and Spidey. Hector informs Max that several people had been made aware not only of Morbius' presence but also of his grave-robbing. Sajani announces that she's called Carlie Cooper, who arrives on the scene. As the scent of blood wafts into the hallway, Carlie asks Spidey why Morbius is just standing there if she sent him to apprehend him. Spidey begins to explain about Dr. Connors while Sajani tells Morbius that he has to leave. However, Morbius attacks Sajani. Appalled, he begins to apologize, but Spidey attacks him. Morbius begs Max for forgiveness and Spidey stops Uatu from killing him, fearing that Morbius, as a creature of instinct, would attack him. Morbius flees quickly, asking Max to forgive him one final time. Spidey takes Uatu's vampire-hunting equipment and chases after Morbius. Bella helps Sajani to the infirmary while Hector pledges Horizon's cooperation to Carlie. However, "Dr. Connors" appears, asserting that he can cure Morbius. Carlie says that she has to take in Dr. Connors, for killing his son, and "Dr. Connors" agrees to go. However, he recalls that he once developed the cure for himself, Morbius, and a mutated Spider-man. Hector swears that Dr. Connors can remain in Carlie's custody while he works on the formula and, much to "Dr. Connors'" annoyance, Max insists on assisting. Uatu also offers to help, and "Dr. Connors" reacts sharply, briefly seeing him as Billy.
Spidey chases down Morbius and attacks him, stating that "he's not going to resemble anything -- other than a big, bloody smear on the pavement." Morbius claims that he wasn't in his right mind, but Spidey's not having any of it, declaring, "No more tears and excuses for poor Michael Morbius!" Meanwhile, Madame Web has a vision of Hobgoblin, Norah (?), someone from Horizon, Kingpin, and some costumed guy with a white goatee, fearing that the "great web itself is...unraveling." "Dr. Connors" and Max work on the cure, injecting rats with the Lizard Formula so that they can test the antidote. "Dr. Connors" surreptitiously tries the Lizard Formula on himself, growing back his arm. However, he's enraged that Morbius' cure apparently prevents his full transformation and attacks Max, injecting him with the Lizard Formula so that he can test on him. Noting the irony of achieving Connors' goal of having both his arms restored, he then begins to eat one of the rats.
The Review
Despite a lot happening in this issue, I don't have a lot of specific comments, since Slott seamlessly moves you through the story from start to finish. He's clearly building to something here and it's just exciting to be part of that process.
The Good
1) The best part of this issue is the Lizard's running commentary. "Rip out your throat" "Kill all of you!"
2) Slott does a great job of juggling a lot of characters here, making sure that they all retain their distinct voices as they engage in conversation here. I mentioned recently that one of the things that I find so amazing about Peter David is that he doesn't just have a character have a set personality and then have everyone interact with him/her in the same way; instead, every character interacts with every other character based on the give-and-take of their individual (and clearly defined) personalities. Slott is equally talented here, given that he has nine different people with speaking roles huddled in a Horizon Labs corridor discussing what they should do about Morbius.
3) I definitely did not see the Lizard injecting Max with the Lizard Formula coming. Wow. That said, I loved the cleverness of the Lizard throughout this issue, from realizing that crying over Billy would be the only way to get Morbius to vacate his laboratory and then knowing that causing Morbius to attack someone would send Spidey after him (and give the Lizard some space to work). Clever, clever Lizard.
The Unknown
Pete saying that he wants Morbius to resemble a "big bloody smear on the pavement" is perhaps a sign that Pete really is starting to lose it, like I hypothesized last issue, given that it's not really a Pete-like kind of thing to say. After all, he extended his "Nobody Dies" rule to Doc Ock in "Ends of the Earth," even though the guy planned to wipe out virtually the entire world's population. Morbius biting (but not killing) Sajani seems pretty tame in comparison, so the disparity between Pete's response to him and to Dr. Ock is pretty startling.
The Bad
Of the three regular Spidey artists, Camuncoli is my least favorite. Part of the reason is that almost everyone looks alike when they're not in a costume. Other than the hair color, it's virtually impossible to distinguish Dr. Connors from Peter. That really shouldn't be the case.
Favorite Quote: "Connors' dead offspring. What is the proper human response for this? Ah. Flailing limbs. Wet eyes. And Mewling." -- the Lizard, showing a fairly detailed understanding of human grief
Summary
Max and Morbius declare that Dr. Connors no longer has a "single trace of the Lizard" in him. Externally, "Dr. Connors" thanks Morbius for helping him, while, internally, the Lizard vows to kill "Vampire-Man." Spidey's Spider-Sense tingles and, after he announces it, the Lizard realizes that he had activated Spidey's ability to sense a predator. However, Spidey mistakenly believes Morbius to be the threat and asks if he's feeling OK. The Lizard seizes the opportunity, asking Morbius about Connors' blood work and, when Morbius drools over it, mentioning how hungry he is. Morbius responds that he doesn't have any "solid food" in his lab, but looked at his storage unit when he said it; the Lizard realizes that he keeps his blood supply there and hypothesizes that he's running low after the Lizard sliced him during the battle. Meanwhile, Morbius announces that he'd like to start using the cure on himself and Spidey objects, since the last time they did so Morbius tried to kill Max and him. The Lizard overhears Morbius confirm that everything that they need for the cure is in the lab and then Spidey arguing with Max that Morbius isn't a "good man" after he desecrated Billy's corpse. The Lizard fakes grief at this revelation and demands to see Billy. Morbius shows him Billy's body, admitting that he was motivated to cure himself, and "Dr. Connors," in a performance meriting the Academy Award for Best Lizard in a Dramatic Role, asks to be left alone with the body. Spidey hustles out Max and Morbius from the room.
Looking around the lab, the Lizard realizes that he needs more time than the group will give him to find a way to revert to his Lizard self. He decides to create a diversion and pours blood into the air vents to tempt Morbius. In the hallway, Hector and several members of the Horizon Team greet Max, Morbius, and Spidey. Hector informs Max that several people had been made aware not only of Morbius' presence but also of his grave-robbing. Sajani announces that she's called Carlie Cooper, who arrives on the scene. As the scent of blood wafts into the hallway, Carlie asks Spidey why Morbius is just standing there if she sent him to apprehend him. Spidey begins to explain about Dr. Connors while Sajani tells Morbius that he has to leave. However, Morbius attacks Sajani. Appalled, he begins to apologize, but Spidey attacks him. Morbius begs Max for forgiveness and Spidey stops Uatu from killing him, fearing that Morbius, as a creature of instinct, would attack him. Morbius flees quickly, asking Max to forgive him one final time. Spidey takes Uatu's vampire-hunting equipment and chases after Morbius. Bella helps Sajani to the infirmary while Hector pledges Horizon's cooperation to Carlie. However, "Dr. Connors" appears, asserting that he can cure Morbius. Carlie says that she has to take in Dr. Connors, for killing his son, and "Dr. Connors" agrees to go. However, he recalls that he once developed the cure for himself, Morbius, and a mutated Spider-man. Hector swears that Dr. Connors can remain in Carlie's custody while he works on the formula and, much to "Dr. Connors'" annoyance, Max insists on assisting. Uatu also offers to help, and "Dr. Connors" reacts sharply, briefly seeing him as Billy.
Spidey chases down Morbius and attacks him, stating that "he's not going to resemble anything -- other than a big, bloody smear on the pavement." Morbius claims that he wasn't in his right mind, but Spidey's not having any of it, declaring, "No more tears and excuses for poor Michael Morbius!" Meanwhile, Madame Web has a vision of Hobgoblin, Norah (?), someone from Horizon, Kingpin, and some costumed guy with a white goatee, fearing that the "great web itself is...unraveling." "Dr. Connors" and Max work on the cure, injecting rats with the Lizard Formula so that they can test the antidote. "Dr. Connors" surreptitiously tries the Lizard Formula on himself, growing back his arm. However, he's enraged that Morbius' cure apparently prevents his full transformation and attacks Max, injecting him with the Lizard Formula so that he can test on him. Noting the irony of achieving Connors' goal of having both his arms restored, he then begins to eat one of the rats.
The Review
Despite a lot happening in this issue, I don't have a lot of specific comments, since Slott seamlessly moves you through the story from start to finish. He's clearly building to something here and it's just exciting to be part of that process.
The Good
1) The best part of this issue is the Lizard's running commentary. "Rip out your throat" "Kill all of you!"
2) Slott does a great job of juggling a lot of characters here, making sure that they all retain their distinct voices as they engage in conversation here. I mentioned recently that one of the things that I find so amazing about Peter David is that he doesn't just have a character have a set personality and then have everyone interact with him/her in the same way; instead, every character interacts with every other character based on the give-and-take of their individual (and clearly defined) personalities. Slott is equally talented here, given that he has nine different people with speaking roles huddled in a Horizon Labs corridor discussing what they should do about Morbius.
3) I definitely did not see the Lizard injecting Max with the Lizard Formula coming. Wow. That said, I loved the cleverness of the Lizard throughout this issue, from realizing that crying over Billy would be the only way to get Morbius to vacate his laboratory and then knowing that causing Morbius to attack someone would send Spidey after him (and give the Lizard some space to work). Clever, clever Lizard.
The Unknown
Pete saying that he wants Morbius to resemble a "big bloody smear on the pavement" is perhaps a sign that Pete really is starting to lose it, like I hypothesized last issue, given that it's not really a Pete-like kind of thing to say. After all, he extended his "Nobody Dies" rule to Doc Ock in "Ends of the Earth," even though the guy planned to wipe out virtually the entire world's population. Morbius biting (but not killing) Sajani seems pretty tame in comparison, so the disparity between Pete's response to him and to Dr. Ock is pretty startling.
The Bad
Of the three regular Spidey artists, Camuncoli is my least favorite. Part of the reason is that almost everyone looks alike when they're not in a costume. Other than the hair color, it's virtually impossible to distinguish Dr. Connors from Peter. That really shouldn't be the case.
Amazing Spider-Man #688: "No Turning Back" Part 1 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
*** (three of five stars)
Favorite Quote: "Come up here, son! You should take part in this, too." "Nah. You guys did all the heavy lifting." "Nonsense. You designed Spider-Man's tech. Without you --" "Ah, Mr. Modell? Not something I'd like to broadcast to the world." "Ah. Of course." -- Max and Peter, as the Horizon crew revel in its newfound fame
Summary
"Now," the Lizard and Spidey battle in the sewers, with the Lizard expressing confusion over why Spidey broke their "understanding." Spidey realizes that the Lizard thought that his failure to chase him into the sewers after their last fight meant that he wasn't going to do so ever. However, Spidey exposits that he was so badly beaten after their last battle that he couldn't follow him; when Spidey did try to find the Lizard in the sewers later, he couldn't. Spidey reminds the Lizard that he had an army supporting him last time and the Lizard reveals that he ate all of them because they were unable to embrace their lizard side. (Yup.) Enraged, Spidey goes full-tilt at the Lizard, furious that his failure to find the Lizard meant that those people died; he's particularly upset because he feels that he knew that the Lizard was capable of that level of brutality after he ate Billy Connors.
Eight hours earlier, Pete greets the Zenith, Horizon's floating lab, along with a gaggle of reporters. Hector is also there and informs Max that the "Heroes of Manhattan" have had their power returned by Con Ed. However, the Mayor's Office is still insisting that Morbius get fired. Max refuses and the scenes shift to super-models handing out invitations to a party at a nightclub called MJ's. (!) At said party, Peter realizes that practically everyone he knows is at the party, but he decides to leave. MJ stops him and takes him outside, telling him that she did everything for him because "the world didn't go ka-blooey." When MJ tells him that he should just enjoy the win, he tells her that he can't celebrate, because, despite saving everyone on Earth, he lost someone. MJ tells him that she understands why he feels that way (because, Peter, you idiot, she's the only one that understands you). He tells her about his "No One Dies" pledge and she tells him that it's the stupidest thing that he's ever said because, at the end of the day, even if he can walk up walls and bend steel with his bare hands, he's still human and he still makes mistake. He acknowledges that, but tells her that, on the days when he believed that he could save everyone, it was the only thing that kept him from going crazy.
In the present, the slugfest continues, and Pete tells the Lizard that he's there to end him, slamming some sort of bayonet into the Lizard's shoulder. Four hours earlier, MJ and Pete's conversation is interrupted by a phone call from Carlie, who tells him that she has something for him. Pete leaves (after MJ tells him about her "two-woman support group" with Carlie) and meets Carlie at Billy Connors' grave site. The grave is empty and Carlie tells Spidey that one of the groundskeepers say the perp: "Pale skin. Bleach white. Inhumanly strong...Took the body and flew away." Spidey storms into Horizon Labs, demanding to see Morbius. Max leads him to Lab #6, where they discover Morbius dissecting Billy Connors. Spidey attacks him, but Morbius tells him that he needed Connors' DNA. He declares that he's found a cure to stop the Lizard for good. In the present, the Lizard presses his attack, saying that they should've resorted to a fight for survival years ago. Spidey tells him that he's not here to kill him, but cure him, and Morbius attacks with another bayonet.
Two hours earlier, Morbius is swearing to Max and Spidey that the cure will work, since he based it on the mimetic solution that he and Reed Richards devised to cure the Spider-Island virus. He says that it's a two-step procedure that will restructure all the mutated cells. Spidey, however, says that they can't cure the Lizard, because Curt Connors died when the Lizard killed Billy. Morbius dismisses Spidey as giving a "poetic argument," preferring a "scientific solution," asserting that there are no real monsters, "just aberrations and afflictions that can be cured." Max interjects, saying that Morbius will have to leave the lab as a result of his desecration of Billy Connors' body, but suggesting that they at least try to help Dr. Connors, since, "What is done is done." Spidey agrees, since he wants the desecration of Billy's body to count for something.
In the present, the Lizard asserts that Connors is dead. Spidey announces that he's had enough of death for a while, so he wants to put "one in the win column!" Max and his team, who are around a bend in the sewers, activate a device to break down the metals in the bayonets, and the Lizard "regresses" to Dr. Connors. They cover up a naked Dr. Connors as Spidey exults in the win and Morbius asserts his faith that "there's hope. For us all." However, internally, it's clear that Connors is dead and the Lizard is still in control.
The Good
1) I liked how Slott highlighted the differences in the Lizard's and Spidey's perceptions of their "relationship" based on their last encounter. The Lizard thought that Spidey let him go and that they had an "agreement" whereby he would stay in the sewers and Spidey wouldn't bother him. But, Spidey remembers that he was left almost dead after his confrontation with the Lizard and his enthralled army of Lizard-zombies, so chasing him at that time wasn't in the equation. Of course, Spidey reveals that he did try to find him later, but couldn't, an important point, because it shows how hard on himself Peter is being. Had he just left the Lizard to his own devices, perhaps some self-criticism would be valid. However, he did try to find him. He is the hero, after all.
2) Along those lines, this revelation goes to Pete's conversation with MJ, where he feels responsible for every death that he believes that he could've reasonably prevented, such as Silver Sable's. MJ wisely tells him that he's setting unrealistic expectations for himself and, of course, she's correct. Spidey couldn't save Silver Sable, since, by saving just her, he would've doomed the entire planet (including her). Moreover, he didn't get a chance to spend more time trying to track down the Lizard because, as we've seen since then, he's been busy with everything that he's been doing for the last 50 issues. But, Slott's actually raising a deeper question than just Pete's guilt of Sable. He's showing that the losses that Spidey has suffered in his career are taking their toll. Uncle Ben, Captain Stacy, Gwen Stacy, Oksana Sytsevich, Billy Connors, and Marla Jameson are all mentioned here; for a more complete tour of his failures, you can refer to his nightmare in issue #655. The idea that Peter on some level knows that he can't save everyone but feels that drawing that line and trying to hold it is the only thing keeping him sane is a pretty dark revelation. But, it's actually a revelation that I'm surprised that we don't see more in superhero comics. In "New Avengers" #30, the New Avengers kept asking, "Can't we have one normal day?" It was more of a joke there, but, here, Slott seems to be setting up the exploration of how the cumulative effects of Pete's time as Spider-Man might just be weighing on him more than he can handle. Is he heading for a nervous breakdown? I guess we'll see.
3) Mary Jane owning a nightclub is effing genius. Team MJ!
4) I thought that it was interesting that Slott made it pretty clear that Morbius and Spidey were "resurrecting" Dr. Connors for fairly selfish reasons. Despite suspecting that Dr. Connors' psyche was completely obliterated when the Lizard ate Billy Connors, Spidey decided to help Morbius because he really wanted the win. Moreover, Morbius is clearly motivated by his desire to prove that monsters can be saved. The revelation that the Lizard appears to be the only psyche left after the team "de-evolves" the Lizard into Dr. Connors seems to draw a line under how blinded to reality they were by their own needs.
The Unknown
I wonder where Slott is going to go with Horizon. Here, they're greeted as heroes, but, as I mentioned in my review of last issue, I wonder if that'll change if they (and, more to the point, JJJ, Jr.) discover that their technology was what helped Doc Ock create his Octavian Lens in the first place.
The Bad
Given that we're Team MJ around here, I can't say that I was thrilled with the way Pete reacted to MJ throwing the party for him. I totally get why Slott did what he did, since he used Pete's inability to appreciate what MJ did for him as a way to highlight just how depressed Peter is. But, if MJ needs a reminder why she should stay in the "two-woman support group" and not resume a relationship with Peter, she just got it.
Favorite Quote: "Come up here, son! You should take part in this, too." "Nah. You guys did all the heavy lifting." "Nonsense. You designed Spider-Man's tech. Without you --" "Ah, Mr. Modell? Not something I'd like to broadcast to the world." "Ah. Of course." -- Max and Peter, as the Horizon crew revel in its newfound fame
Summary
"Now," the Lizard and Spidey battle in the sewers, with the Lizard expressing confusion over why Spidey broke their "understanding." Spidey realizes that the Lizard thought that his failure to chase him into the sewers after their last fight meant that he wasn't going to do so ever. However, Spidey exposits that he was so badly beaten after their last battle that he couldn't follow him; when Spidey did try to find the Lizard in the sewers later, he couldn't. Spidey reminds the Lizard that he had an army supporting him last time and the Lizard reveals that he ate all of them because they were unable to embrace their lizard side. (Yup.) Enraged, Spidey goes full-tilt at the Lizard, furious that his failure to find the Lizard meant that those people died; he's particularly upset because he feels that he knew that the Lizard was capable of that level of brutality after he ate Billy Connors.
Eight hours earlier, Pete greets the Zenith, Horizon's floating lab, along with a gaggle of reporters. Hector is also there and informs Max that the "Heroes of Manhattan" have had their power returned by Con Ed. However, the Mayor's Office is still insisting that Morbius get fired. Max refuses and the scenes shift to super-models handing out invitations to a party at a nightclub called MJ's. (!) At said party, Peter realizes that practically everyone he knows is at the party, but he decides to leave. MJ stops him and takes him outside, telling him that she did everything for him because "the world didn't go ka-blooey." When MJ tells him that he should just enjoy the win, he tells her that he can't celebrate, because, despite saving everyone on Earth, he lost someone. MJ tells him that she understands why he feels that way (because, Peter, you idiot, she's the only one that understands you). He tells her about his "No One Dies" pledge and she tells him that it's the stupidest thing that he's ever said because, at the end of the day, even if he can walk up walls and bend steel with his bare hands, he's still human and he still makes mistake. He acknowledges that, but tells her that, on the days when he believed that he could save everyone, it was the only thing that kept him from going crazy.
In the present, the slugfest continues, and Pete tells the Lizard that he's there to end him, slamming some sort of bayonet into the Lizard's shoulder. Four hours earlier, MJ and Pete's conversation is interrupted by a phone call from Carlie, who tells him that she has something for him. Pete leaves (after MJ tells him about her "two-woman support group" with Carlie) and meets Carlie at Billy Connors' grave site. The grave is empty and Carlie tells Spidey that one of the groundskeepers say the perp: "Pale skin. Bleach white. Inhumanly strong...Took the body and flew away." Spidey storms into Horizon Labs, demanding to see Morbius. Max leads him to Lab #6, where they discover Morbius dissecting Billy Connors. Spidey attacks him, but Morbius tells him that he needed Connors' DNA. He declares that he's found a cure to stop the Lizard for good. In the present, the Lizard presses his attack, saying that they should've resorted to a fight for survival years ago. Spidey tells him that he's not here to kill him, but cure him, and Morbius attacks with another bayonet.
Two hours earlier, Morbius is swearing to Max and Spidey that the cure will work, since he based it on the mimetic solution that he and Reed Richards devised to cure the Spider-Island virus. He says that it's a two-step procedure that will restructure all the mutated cells. Spidey, however, says that they can't cure the Lizard, because Curt Connors died when the Lizard killed Billy. Morbius dismisses Spidey as giving a "poetic argument," preferring a "scientific solution," asserting that there are no real monsters, "just aberrations and afflictions that can be cured." Max interjects, saying that Morbius will have to leave the lab as a result of his desecration of Billy Connors' body, but suggesting that they at least try to help Dr. Connors, since, "What is done is done." Spidey agrees, since he wants the desecration of Billy's body to count for something.
In the present, the Lizard asserts that Connors is dead. Spidey announces that he's had enough of death for a while, so he wants to put "one in the win column!" Max and his team, who are around a bend in the sewers, activate a device to break down the metals in the bayonets, and the Lizard "regresses" to Dr. Connors. They cover up a naked Dr. Connors as Spidey exults in the win and Morbius asserts his faith that "there's hope. For us all." However, internally, it's clear that Connors is dead and the Lizard is still in control.
The Good
1) I liked how Slott highlighted the differences in the Lizard's and Spidey's perceptions of their "relationship" based on their last encounter. The Lizard thought that Spidey let him go and that they had an "agreement" whereby he would stay in the sewers and Spidey wouldn't bother him. But, Spidey remembers that he was left almost dead after his confrontation with the Lizard and his enthralled army of Lizard-zombies, so chasing him at that time wasn't in the equation. Of course, Spidey reveals that he did try to find him later, but couldn't, an important point, because it shows how hard on himself Peter is being. Had he just left the Lizard to his own devices, perhaps some self-criticism would be valid. However, he did try to find him. He is the hero, after all.
2) Along those lines, this revelation goes to Pete's conversation with MJ, where he feels responsible for every death that he believes that he could've reasonably prevented, such as Silver Sable's. MJ wisely tells him that he's setting unrealistic expectations for himself and, of course, she's correct. Spidey couldn't save Silver Sable, since, by saving just her, he would've doomed the entire planet (including her). Moreover, he didn't get a chance to spend more time trying to track down the Lizard because, as we've seen since then, he's been busy with everything that he's been doing for the last 50 issues. But, Slott's actually raising a deeper question than just Pete's guilt of Sable. He's showing that the losses that Spidey has suffered in his career are taking their toll. Uncle Ben, Captain Stacy, Gwen Stacy, Oksana Sytsevich, Billy Connors, and Marla Jameson are all mentioned here; for a more complete tour of his failures, you can refer to his nightmare in issue #655. The idea that Peter on some level knows that he can't save everyone but feels that drawing that line and trying to hold it is the only thing keeping him sane is a pretty dark revelation. But, it's actually a revelation that I'm surprised that we don't see more in superhero comics. In "New Avengers" #30, the New Avengers kept asking, "Can't we have one normal day?" It was more of a joke there, but, here, Slott seems to be setting up the exploration of how the cumulative effects of Pete's time as Spider-Man might just be weighing on him more than he can handle. Is he heading for a nervous breakdown? I guess we'll see.
3) Mary Jane owning a nightclub is effing genius. Team MJ!
4) I thought that it was interesting that Slott made it pretty clear that Morbius and Spidey were "resurrecting" Dr. Connors for fairly selfish reasons. Despite suspecting that Dr. Connors' psyche was completely obliterated when the Lizard ate Billy Connors, Spidey decided to help Morbius because he really wanted the win. Moreover, Morbius is clearly motivated by his desire to prove that monsters can be saved. The revelation that the Lizard appears to be the only psyche left after the team "de-evolves" the Lizard into Dr. Connors seems to draw a line under how blinded to reality they were by their own needs.
The Unknown
I wonder where Slott is going to go with Horizon. Here, they're greeted as heroes, but, as I mentioned in my review of last issue, I wonder if that'll change if they (and, more to the point, JJJ, Jr.) discover that their technology was what helped Doc Ock create his Octavian Lens in the first place.
The Bad
Given that we're Team MJ around here, I can't say that I was thrilled with the way Pete reacted to MJ throwing the party for him. I totally get why Slott did what he did, since he used Pete's inability to appreciate what MJ did for him as a way to highlight just how depressed Peter is. But, if MJ needs a reminder why she should stay in the "two-woman support group" and not resume a relationship with Peter, she just got it.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Teen Titans #0 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)
OK, to be honest, I'm mostly OK with this one. I'm not thrilled with it, but I can live with it.
The most obvious problem with Tim's new origin is that it almsot completely erases "A Lonely Place of Dying." I've always considered it one of the best Batman stories ever told, because Wolfman just fit so much into it. It introduced Tim, gave us a meditation on the relationship between Batman and Robin, and got Bruce and Dick talking during a time when they were estranged. Lobdell jettisons much of that and it causes, to my mind, two major problems;
1) Rather that Tim having long conversations with Alfred and Dick (and later Bruce) about the importance of Robin, it is actually Alfred pushing Bruce to find a new partner. In fact, Tim may still be trying to discover who Batman is, but he's doing it mostly to build his résumé. I actually glanced over that change at first (focusing more on the second issues below), but now, in retrospect, I realize what a big deal it is. The DCU Tim respected and, in fact, revered the role of Robin. After he took on the role himself, it was his belief in what he was doing that allowed him to push his natural talents to their limits, becoming almost as good as Batman in a short period of time. The DCnU Tim no longer has the motivation to be the best Robin that he can be, but instead wants to be the best son that he can be. It's touching...but it doesn't work. Lobdell's portrayal of Tim's family as the "Ozzie and Harriet" of Gotham is too overdone to be believable. I don't know any teenage kid who would say the things that Tim says here to his parents. The problem is that Lobdell now uses that (unbelievable) relationship as the source of Tim's drive and I don't think that it's going to be sustainable in the same way as using Robin as the source of his drive was. When Lady Shiva is breaking him into little pieces, is he really going to think, "I don't want to disappoint my Mom and Dad?"
2) In the DCU, Tim proves his worth to Bruce over the course of "A Lonely Way of Dying." First and foremost, he deduces Bruce's identity. But, just as importantly, he saves the Dynamic Duo's lives twice over the course of that mini-series. In the DCnU, he does neither. Bruce knew who Tim was from the start and prevents him from discovering his identity at every turn. Moreover, although Bruce is impressed by Tim's gymnastics performance and his computer attack against the Penguin, he doesn't see that Tim can keep his cool under pressure like he does in the junkyard fight against Two-Face in "A Lonely Place of Dying."
The fact that Tim doesn't discover Batman's identity is the most serious change. Tim has always been "the kid who discovered Batman's identity." Taking that success from him changes his character in pretty fundamental ways. Lobdell goes to great lengths to show that Tim is still a brilliant detective, but he never implies that Tim would have eventually discovered Bruce's identity on his own. In so doing, Lobdell establishes a clear pecking order, one that didn't exist in the DCU, where Bruce was comfortable (and proud) that Tim would one day surpass him. Here, Bruce is clearly more dominant than he used to be in that regard. It changes their dynamic, and you can feel it throughout the issue. Whereas Lobdell hints at the affection that Bruce is coming to feel for Tim, he also writes in a distance between the two of them, mostly on Tim's part. (How weird is it that Bruce would be the more emotional one?) Tim is portrayed as a uniquely driven young man and, as I mentioned earlier, it leaves you feeling like he's just there to build his résumé, not because he believes in what Batman and Robin do.
But, in the end, I can live with the changes for a few reasons:
First, I admit that I'm OK with this new origin mostly because I'm just relieved that someone's parents aren't dead. Tim didn't have to learn that his mother was poisoned. He didn't have to find his father murdered by Boomerang. Sure, he has to deal with the loss of seeing them as a result of their entry into the Witness Protection Program, but he gets to know that they're alive and that they're proud of him. At least someone in the Bat-family gets to have that.
Throughout the issue, Lobdell has the characters surrounding Tim focus on how special he is and it works as a tool to organize our thoughts. I was enraged when I had heard that Tim was never "Robin." However, although it's technically true, it's mostly just semantics. He was Batman's partner, even if he called himself something else. But, Tim's "specialness" extends well beyond his name and Lobdell confirms that this new Tim, just like our Tim, is a computer wizard, talented gymnast, and brilliant detective (even if he's not as brilliant a detective as Bruce). He's being careful to remind us that some stuff has changed but Tim is still Tim, at least in the way that he operates in the world.
Lobdell, however, takes this idea that Tim is special and builds on it in a way that Wolfman didn't in "A Lonely Place of Dying." Tim was never going to be superhero on his own in "A Lonely Place of Dying." In fact, he wasn't even looking to be Robin; he just wanted Dick to be Robin again. But, here, Bruce realizes that Tim is going to go in his own direction, regardless of whether he blesses him with the Robin costume or not. I'm intrigued where DC goes with this new approach. As I mentioned above, the result of this focused drive does seem to be a more emotionally detached Tim, one who views the world a little too coldly for a teenage boy. This new Tim is more aloof than our old Tim. It's clear that the Titans are theoretically the vehicle that DC is going to use to remedy that, but, at this point, it interjects a distance between Bruce and Tim that didn't used to exist. Now, it wasn't like Bruce and Tim were close at the end of "A Lonely Place of Dying," so I'm going to try not to hold it against Lobdell that they don't interact here the way they did as the DCU came to a close. But, I haven't seen anything in the last 12 issues of "Teen Titans" to show that Tim is any more emotionally grounded now as he was then.
So, I'm sad to see "A Lonely Place of Dying" go and, after so many bad #0 issues, maybe I'm just relieved that this one at least made sense. It doesn't meant that I'm still not angry about "Nightwing" #0, though. Don't think we're good now, DC.
Now, I just wonder what Tim's real last name is...
The most obvious problem with Tim's new origin is that it almsot completely erases "A Lonely Place of Dying." I've always considered it one of the best Batman stories ever told, because Wolfman just fit so much into it. It introduced Tim, gave us a meditation on the relationship between Batman and Robin, and got Bruce and Dick talking during a time when they were estranged. Lobdell jettisons much of that and it causes, to my mind, two major problems;
1) Rather that Tim having long conversations with Alfred and Dick (and later Bruce) about the importance of Robin, it is actually Alfred pushing Bruce to find a new partner. In fact, Tim may still be trying to discover who Batman is, but he's doing it mostly to build his résumé. I actually glanced over that change at first (focusing more on the second issues below), but now, in retrospect, I realize what a big deal it is. The DCU Tim respected and, in fact, revered the role of Robin. After he took on the role himself, it was his belief in what he was doing that allowed him to push his natural talents to their limits, becoming almost as good as Batman in a short period of time. The DCnU Tim no longer has the motivation to be the best Robin that he can be, but instead wants to be the best son that he can be. It's touching...but it doesn't work. Lobdell's portrayal of Tim's family as the "Ozzie and Harriet" of Gotham is too overdone to be believable. I don't know any teenage kid who would say the things that Tim says here to his parents. The problem is that Lobdell now uses that (unbelievable) relationship as the source of Tim's drive and I don't think that it's going to be sustainable in the same way as using Robin as the source of his drive was. When Lady Shiva is breaking him into little pieces, is he really going to think, "I don't want to disappoint my Mom and Dad?"
2) In the DCU, Tim proves his worth to Bruce over the course of "A Lonely Way of Dying." First and foremost, he deduces Bruce's identity. But, just as importantly, he saves the Dynamic Duo's lives twice over the course of that mini-series. In the DCnU, he does neither. Bruce knew who Tim was from the start and prevents him from discovering his identity at every turn. Moreover, although Bruce is impressed by Tim's gymnastics performance and his computer attack against the Penguin, he doesn't see that Tim can keep his cool under pressure like he does in the junkyard fight against Two-Face in "A Lonely Place of Dying."
The fact that Tim doesn't discover Batman's identity is the most serious change. Tim has always been "the kid who discovered Batman's identity." Taking that success from him changes his character in pretty fundamental ways. Lobdell goes to great lengths to show that Tim is still a brilliant detective, but he never implies that Tim would have eventually discovered Bruce's identity on his own. In so doing, Lobdell establishes a clear pecking order, one that didn't exist in the DCU, where Bruce was comfortable (and proud) that Tim would one day surpass him. Here, Bruce is clearly more dominant than he used to be in that regard. It changes their dynamic, and you can feel it throughout the issue. Whereas Lobdell hints at the affection that Bruce is coming to feel for Tim, he also writes in a distance between the two of them, mostly on Tim's part. (How weird is it that Bruce would be the more emotional one?) Tim is portrayed as a uniquely driven young man and, as I mentioned earlier, it leaves you feeling like he's just there to build his résumé, not because he believes in what Batman and Robin do.
But, in the end, I can live with the changes for a few reasons:
First, I admit that I'm OK with this new origin mostly because I'm just relieved that someone's parents aren't dead. Tim didn't have to learn that his mother was poisoned. He didn't have to find his father murdered by Boomerang. Sure, he has to deal with the loss of seeing them as a result of their entry into the Witness Protection Program, but he gets to know that they're alive and that they're proud of him. At least someone in the Bat-family gets to have that.
Throughout the issue, Lobdell has the characters surrounding Tim focus on how special he is and it works as a tool to organize our thoughts. I was enraged when I had heard that Tim was never "Robin." However, although it's technically true, it's mostly just semantics. He was Batman's partner, even if he called himself something else. But, Tim's "specialness" extends well beyond his name and Lobdell confirms that this new Tim, just like our Tim, is a computer wizard, talented gymnast, and brilliant detective (even if he's not as brilliant a detective as Bruce). He's being careful to remind us that some stuff has changed but Tim is still Tim, at least in the way that he operates in the world.
Lobdell, however, takes this idea that Tim is special and builds on it in a way that Wolfman didn't in "A Lonely Place of Dying." Tim was never going to be superhero on his own in "A Lonely Place of Dying." In fact, he wasn't even looking to be Robin; he just wanted Dick to be Robin again. But, here, Bruce realizes that Tim is going to go in his own direction, regardless of whether he blesses him with the Robin costume or not. I'm intrigued where DC goes with this new approach. As I mentioned above, the result of this focused drive does seem to be a more emotionally detached Tim, one who views the world a little too coldly for a teenage boy. This new Tim is more aloof than our old Tim. It's clear that the Titans are theoretically the vehicle that DC is going to use to remedy that, but, at this point, it interjects a distance between Bruce and Tim that didn't used to exist. Now, it wasn't like Bruce and Tim were close at the end of "A Lonely Place of Dying," so I'm going to try not to hold it against Lobdell that they don't interact here the way they did as the DCU came to a close. But, I haven't seen anything in the last 12 issues of "Teen Titans" to show that Tim is any more emotionally grounded now as he was then.
So, I'm sad to see "A Lonely Place of Dying" go and, after so many bad #0 issues, maybe I'm just relieved that this one at least made sense. It doesn't meant that I'm still not angry about "Nightwing" #0, though. Don't think we're good now, DC.
Now, I just wonder what Tim's real last name is...
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