GN Review -- Amazing Spider-Man: Matters of Life and Death / Dan Slott, Fred Van Lente, Stefano Caselli, Humberto Ramos, and Marcos Martin

I don't think I've made any secret that Spider-Man is one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite, comic book superhero. I've read a lot of the more recent story arcs, particularly after the lamentable One More Day, and have to admit I've found the treatment of the web-slinger to be pretty admirable since then. One volume that deserves mention in that group is the collection by Dan Slott and company, titled Matters of Life and Death.

There are several stories included in this collection, starting with the Revenge of the Spider-Slayer arc, where Alistaire Smythe tries to wreak vengeance on NYC's mayor, one J. Jonah Jameson, by using an assembly of insect-based villains--many of whom have a personal connection to the mayor--to kill everyone Jonah holds dear. Of course, Spider-Man gets involved, pitting him against the Scorpion and Smythe's minions, and calling on him to make a significant sacrifice, which even then may not prove to be enough.

We are then shown a story of the new Venom, the one joined to Flash Thompson, who has volunteered to bond with the unit for a total of 20 covert missions. The bonding gives him use of his legs, many of the same powers Spider-Man has, and quite a few other abilities. He uses his gifts to save an international banking magnate, learning that partnering with the Venom symbiote comes with quite a few risks of its own.

Two other plots encompassed in this volume are the funeral of Marla Jameson, wife of the mayor, prompting a personal psychological crisis for Spider-Man, and the Human Torch's death, which has effected Peter greatly and requires more than a little reassurance from the rest of the Fantastic Four. Several stories show the relationship Spidey and the FF had with the Human Torch, and at the end of the arc, Spider-Man is offered the Human Torch's place on the Fantastic Four.

I personally found this collection to be a delight to read. Spider-Man's relationship to J. Jonah Jameson has always been an antagonistic one over the decades, and it's fun to see the stakes amped up now that Jonah's blundered his way into political office. It's also telling to see that Jonah, while constant in his dislike of the wall crawler, is nonetheless willing to use him to divert or mitigate damage, suggesting that he knows deep down that Spider-Man is a good guy. He'll never admit it, but at least he has the werewithal to not blame Spidey for the most significant tragedy that occurs in the story, showing he has at least marginally matured over the years.

This is also the story arc where Spider-Man loses his very powerful Spider-Sense, which has an enormous effect on how he uses the rest of his powers. I remember reading about this, and am not sure how long the effects last or have lasted, but it's one of those questions I've pondered and would have loved to write. I'm happy to finally see the arc where it happens, and can't wait to see more about how he adapts to this loss of
one of his most reliable senses.

Finally, I really enjoyed the Human Torch story arc. I have issues with how Johnny was killed off and then brought back to life so quickly, but the time of his passing has not let me down in conveying a profound sense of loss. The stories Spidey and the FF tell about him are funny, touching, and make clear that Johnny was more than a friend to Spidey--he was family as well. My favorite story is the one the Invisible Woman tells, as it does an excellent job of conveying Spidey and the Torch's collective ability to torment someone with their combined sense of humor.

There are plenty of other good stories and scenes in this volume that are noteworthy and significant, including Marla's funeral, Spidey and Jonah quietly insulting each other during a public ceremony, and Flash's current life paralleling Peter's in many ways. It's all done well, and worthy of reading!

Artistically, there are a number of different styles playing on the different stories in this collection, all of them wonderful. Stefano Caselli brought a fun, detailed, and dynamic visual sensibility to the Smythe storyline, while Marcos Martin's style in the Marla Jameson funeral story was sparse, expressive, and packed an emotional wallop. Humberto Ramos is in his usual top form in the Venom storyline. All in all, the art is excellent collection of several different styles.

Overall, this is a highly enjoyable and well-told collection of stories. Spider-Man fans will definitely want to read this, as will anyone who wants action-filled, dramatic stories with good characterization, excellent myriad art styles, and excellent narrative exploration. Highly recommended.

Comic Review -- Amazing Spider-Man #683: The Ends of the Earth, part 2 / Dan Slott, Stefano Caselli, and Frank Martin, Jr.

Whenever I look at cover, I basically ask myself two things when determining whether I like it or not: would I wear this on a shirt? And, would I want this for a poster on my wall?  The answer in both cases is a resounding yes for this cover.  It's a dynamic pose of Spidey and the Avengers, along with his new costume.  While I'm still a little iffy on that, I'm pretty impressed with all the new tech he's put in it to combat the Sinister Six.  Overall, a definite thumbs-up.

While Ock has the Sinister Six out stealing artifacts, Spidey and the Avengers crash an emergency gathering of the world's leaders to persuade them not to go along with assisting in the creation of Ock's Octavian Shield.  Spider-Man brashly punches Al Gore during the discussion, revealing him to be the Chameleon in disguise.  Ock sees this, and in response reinforces the effects on his lens, blocking out all harmful effects of ultraviolet rays.  Meanwhile, Mayor Jameson shuts down Horizon Labs, even as they're trying to help the world leaders with new information about Ock's lens.  Ock requests the Chameleon's release, which is granted, with Spidey tagging him with a tracer so the Avengers can follow him.

In the ensuing battle, it looks like the Avengers initially have the overwhelming advantage, but Ock has prepared his men for this.  Using a combination of the stolen artifacts and solid tactics, the Sinister Six manage to down the Avengers handily, with Doctor Octopus forcing Spider-Man to kneel before him in front of his knocked-out allies.  It seems Spidey's given Ock the greatest gift of all: his complete and utter destruction.

Wow.  I have to admit, I was pretty blown away by this issue.  From the Stephen Hawking and Al Gore cameos to actually seeing the tech Peter created to deal with some of his greatest foes, there's plenty in here to enjoy.  I'm on the fence about the new costume, looks-wise, but I do think the forethought Peter's put into its gizmos makes for some really neat and useful ways to combat his foes.

The battle between the Avengers and the Six was pretty awesome too, though I did think Electro's taking down of two Avengers and a Quinjet to be a little much.  Thor shooting him into the sky, however, was pretty funny.  I'm not sure how Ock is able to get his hands on Stark tech from the future, but whatever.  It's not like Cable didn't use a similar strategy to beat Iron Man recently.  He really should look into that.

I'm pretty sure Spidey and friends aren't down and out yet, though.  Black Widow remains unaccounted for, and Silver Sable was talking about keeping an eye on Spidey in this issue as well.  I'm sure we'll see them in the next chapter.  And, of course, I can't wait to see how the crew at Horizon shows up a power-tripping Jonah in the segments to come.

The artwork was really good in this issue, as well.  I enjoyed the cameos of Hawking and Gore, which looked pretty accurate, and was especially surprised when Spidey punched out "Al Gore." The beach-side battle was well portrayed, action-packed, and very vicious in places.  Seeing Rhino impale Thor from behind threw me a little.  Very solid work all around!

Overall, I enjoyed this issue very much.  Compelling story, excellent artwork, and still more to learn and ascertain about Ock's final motives.  A definite must-read for Spider-Man devotees, especially if you're currently collecting.  Highly recommended.

Comic Review -- Amazing Spider-Man #682: The Ends of the Earth, part 1: My World on Fire / Dan Slott, Stefano Caselli, and Frank Martin, Jr.

I think this cover is pretty clever, with Doc Ock's arms lashing Spidey over a planet-shaped globe.  It certainly sets up the premise of the story, involving Dr. Octopus's apparent desire to save the planet vs. Spider-Man's steadfast distrust of him and anything he's involved in.  Very dramatic, and a delight to behold.

This story starts off with Peter talking about how many gadgets he's been making for himself as Spider-Man, while he takes out Equinox.  He comes to realize that a significant number of his inventions have been applied by the world at large into beneficial technologies that have had some practical applications.  He's happy about this, until he sees J. Jonah Jameson trying to shut down Peter's place of employment, Horizon Labs, on a number of trumped up charges, the most personal one being that his son was nearly killed recently because of them.

Octavius, meanwhile implements his master plan, using a lens to augment the effects of global warming and starting to fry half of the planet.  He takes the lens offline, and sends his plans for a solution to global warming to the most brilliant minds on the planet, stating that he only wishes to be remembered as the man who preserved the earth for all time.  Spider-Man, upset at Ock's move, listens bewildered as a majority of people seem to agree with what he's done.  He takes some of the equipment he's been working on at Horizon off site, and goes to Avengers Mansion in a new costume to rally the divided Avengers to help him take on Ock and the Sinister Six.

I've kept myself mostly in the dark about this story, and if it truly is Octavius's last hurrah, I find the setup in this issue to be fascinating.  While I'm sure he's committed a crime--I mean, starting to flash-fry half the planet has got to be illegal somewhere--it's arguable that he's doing it for a greater good, and actually does have noble intentions for the world before he dies.  And it looks like he's nailed the solution, as well as swayed popular opinion in his favor: the scientists at Horizon think he's on to something, as does Tony Stark.  People are convinced of global warming's existence now due to his demonstration, and believe Octavius wants to stop it.

Of course, this could all be a ruse--as Spider-Man steadfastly believes.  Even as Captain America starts to make the argument that impending death can bring a person's life into focus, Spider-Man simply does not want to hear it.  If Doc Ock is behind it, it can't possibly be for the greater good--except Ock's own greater good--and it is not to be tolerated.  I'll be keenly interested to see who's right and who's wrong on this question, as this story could actually reverse Spider-Man into the role of the villain if it turns out Ock's intentions truly are on the level.

Artistically, I have to say I'm impressed with Caselli's work. It's very slightly cartoony but with plenty of depth and expression that allows for plenty of versatility.  The scenes of the earth in turmoil due to Octavius's lens were particularly striking, as was the scene of a self-righteous Jonah trying to shut down Horizon Labs.  I'm not too keen on Spidey's new look, but that could just be me wanting to stick to the old staples.  I'm willing to give it some time.

Overall, this is an interesting beginning to this storyline, and I'm eager to see how it unfolds.  There are many directions this one could go, and a lot of possibilities for both the hero and the villain here.  The artwork is excellent, the writing is good, and it's been billed as the Doc Ock story you've been waiting to hear for 50 years.  We shall see.  Highly recommended.