Thor: God of Thunder 23, Silver Surfer 3

Thor: God of Thunder 23
Aaron (w) and Ribic (a) and Svorcina (c) and Sabino (l)

Thor fights the Minotaur, now fully transformed, and a legion of trolls with some help from Roz Solomon while, far into the future, King Thor teams with All-Black the Necrosword and, with the aid of his granddaughters, fights off Galactus. In the present, the more pressing storyline, Thor, able to unleash his true power on the Minotaur without the worry of Agger's lawyers or perception as a good guy, defeats Minotaur, though loses track of him, allowing Agger to return to human form and move on.

Strong issue for the book to pause on as THOR: GOD OF THUNDER and LOKI: AGENT OF ASGARD are put on hold to team together for THOR AND LOKI: THE TENTH REALM. Though Agger is not yet out of Thor's hair, it's a nice win for the thunder god as he realizes how hard corporations can be to beat. Some of the writing in this issue is exceptional, some is a little choppy at times, but it's overall certainly an easy and worthwhile read, not least because of Ribic and Svorcina.

Total Score: 4/5


Silver Surfer 3
Slott (w) and M. Allred (a) and L. Allred (c) and Cowles (l)

Dawn leads Silver Surfer to the Never Queen's heart and Silver Surfer uses the power cosmic to keep the Impericon together while the civilians and hostages therein flee. Dawn is tasked with bringing the heart back to the Never Queen and, with the help of some of the freed hostages, succeeds as Surfer bests the Incredulous Zed in combat, unintentionally killing him in the process. Eh, couldn't be helped, right? Anyhow, Surfer and Dawn set off to return to Earth as the Never Queen and her beloved Eternity are reunited.

In just its third issue, Slott and the Allreds continue to make a push to keep this book rather light and fun, even if there are dark moments or tones. It embraces the fantastical and demands the audience revel in it rather than be confused or overwhelmed by it. It's a book that knows itself and both wants to give the audience something worth reading but also not take itself too seriously (as such, you get nods to how crazy it is that the power cosmic ends up occasionally being some sort of undefined panacea). Sometimes the tone of, say, Silver Surfer gets a little muddled in this, unsure if he's that classic, seemingly cold character or if he has a sense of humor that rarely comes out, but I think that's something that will define itself more in time (though, you could also argue, it's already defined itself because the past doesn't matter, that what's in this book is the definition). Slott is very clearly having fun with this new series and the Allreds were a perfect team for this blend of fun and fantastical.

Total Score: 5/5

This week's picks

Plenty of books out there this week but the top three rather stand out to me. Guess I can't ask for easier than that? AND, spoilers, THEY'RE ALL FROM ONE REVIEW THIS WEEK.

Amazing Spider-Man 2

I'm particularly impressed in this issue how much Slott is setting up without it ever feeling like "geez, we get it." I got that feeling a few times nearing the end of SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN (or perhaps it was the middle, when Spidey 2099 started popping up and Sup Spidey was kicked out of Horizon and so on) and I've seen Slott fall into that trap before. Instead, here, he's rearing to go with a lot of stories (you just know that Dan Slott has been the one most eagerly anticipating Peter's return) but he's, as of now, planning to roll them out only when it's really time to roll them out. With so much happening already in the plot, it's nice to see the book waiting until the time is right to add more stories in. On top of that, this issue was strong in its own right, fast and fun and this volume still has the new car smell so we should all be excited to show it off to all our friends before it starts to get worn in.

Daredevil 3

There are weeks when I try a little harder (or the books try a little harder, I suppose) to make my picks a little less standard, trying to shine a light on other books that have the ability to unseat one of my typical choices. NOT THIS WEEK, friends. I praised DAREDEVIL on its consistency this week and I don't just mean that it's consistently putting out a readable book, which would be a feat in its own right. No, this book is consistently one of the best books on the shelves and 2013 saw it winning its fair share of "best of" lists (or at least placing near the top). Mark Waid has been writing a really engaging Daredevil while telling a really interesting story and Chris Samnee has been doing stellar work all the way through. Even steps that should have felt a little predictable in this issue feel fresh and exciting and the writing and tone alone would make for a completely worthwhile top pick, but Chris Samnee and Javier Rodriguez's art just always shoot this book up to another level. Great work.

Elektra 2

Though we're only two issues in, I'm really enjoying this series. It's a little hard not to draw critical comparisons to BLACK WIDOW as we see two typically colder characters, both professionals and neither afraid to get their hands dirty, start to get their own unique narratives and enter into their own unique stories, but I'm not about to start complaining (about either book). Mike Del Mundo's art is gorgeous, the story is compelling, and the characters, from what we've seen about them so far, seem more than capable of carrying this series. Both Edmondson of BLACK WIDOW and Blackman of ELEKTRA are also doing the smart thing with the dialogue: neither of these protagonists are chatterboxes and neither writer is finding it necessary to turn them into such to advance the plot. They're both excellent at showing, not telling, and at building character through action and, of course, narrative (never hurts to have a direct line into the thoughts of a character, even though these books are still keeping those somewhat close to the vest). Really neat book so far.

Amazing Spider-Man 2, Daredevil 3, Elektra 2

Amazing Spider-Man 2
Slott (w) and Ramos (p) and Olazaba (i) and Delgado (c) and Eliopoulos (l)

Peter Parker's got a lot on his plate as he reveals his secret to Anna Maria and reveals that she's been dating Doc Ock all this time (she takes it remarkably in stride). He clears some things up with the Avengers when he goes in for some tests and he confirms that Flash is Venom (he never knew before and he's not so thrilled to learn now). He squares off with Electro in New York City and immediately begins to feel some of the burden left on him by Doc Ock. Electro is forced to flee (spared with a little luck from his indebted onlooker Black Cat) but it turns Peter to thinking about how Parker Industries can best serve the public: from now on, they'll shelve their cybernetic work (which he doesn't understand ANYWAY) and focus on depowering and imprisoning super villains in the wake of Electro's destruction of New York's last prison.

Story
It's hard not to be impressed with how much Dan Slott is getting through in these first couple issues. He's got a lot of ground to cover to explain to Peter what's happened and to show us how much those changes will play a role in this new series but he stays ambitious and shows us some of the new and coming storylines that we should be looking at (including Black Cat's, the coming storyline that's been hinted at in interviews and previews featuring new character the Silk with a similar origin to Peter and who, according to this issue, knows Peter's identity, etc.). Still, the story of this one, focusing on Peter's mess of a life and Electro's broken powers particularly, is certainly compelling enough and more than enough to kick this volume off. 5/5

Character
Despite all of the story that Slott has to keep moving, we get nice little character bits from everyone. Peter's back into his old ways, quipping and having fun and enjoying his new lease on life even as he tries to deal with the numerous things in his way. Anna Maria comes off pretty well here as she keeps it pretty well together upon all of these big revelations and even stands by to support Peter and to keep his life intact (she helps explain some cybernetics stuff to him and helps him with Ock's new webbing formula). There are lots of small appearances from other characters that seem to fit their personas pretty well but our big focuses are Spidey, Anna Maria, and Electro, who also has a lot on his plate right now and who is fracturing pretty badly. 5/5

Writing
Pretty strong writing here as Slott gets his story and character bits across while also making sure to keep the tone upbeat, making it feel like a real Amazing Spider-Man story instead of a Superior Spider-Man story. He's helped by the fact that the tones of the two books couldn't be more different but he still does his part to facilitate the switch by never erring towards dark in this early issue. That's not to say that Spider-Man books can't get dark or that this one won't, but it's smart to steer clear of it as we emerge from SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN to allow readers to get their bearings and see what a difference it's been. 5/5

Art
Humberto Ramos is great and continues to be great. His action is some of the most fun action out there, very fluid and kinetic, just as his character moments are driven strongly by their emotion, sometimes a little overblown but never so much that it's distracting. 5/5

Miscellaneous
Another solid issue. This is one of those books that feels like it's never done crafting, that there are stories lined up for years at any one time. I think it's probably the burden of being one of the most popular comic characters in the world and one who has a world so tightly wound that threats and enemies and friends are popping up all over at all times.

Total Score: 5/5

Daredevil 3
Waid (w) and Samnee (a) and J. Rodriguez (c) and Caramagna (l)

The Owl is getting reports that the Shroud is making a play for his empire just as the Shroud has lured Daredevil to his own hideout where he's keeping top Owl lieutenants tied up. Daredevil fights the Shroud briefly only to discover that Shroud's plan is to capture Daredevil to build his own reputation so that he can get enough credibility to meet with Owl where he can take down the villain himself. Daredevil admits it's a decent skeleton of a plan but he doesn't like the details of it. Instead, they formulate their own plan to distract Owl with Matt Murdock appearing by himself at Owl's hideout, drawing all eyes to him, while Shroud gets the drop on the boss. The plan works to perfection until, with Shroud's knife pressed to Owl's throat, Owl reveals that he can find Shroud's one-time love Julia Carpenter and Shroud sells Murdock out to Owl for the information.

Story
It wasn't too hard to see the "Shroud's not really evil" twist coming but it still plays well here as that wasn't the real betrayal planned here. In fact, it kind of draws the reader's attention of the idea of the Shroud turning on Daredevil just in time for the Shroud to turn on Daredevil. Between Matt's proactive attack on the Owl and the full re-emergence of Foggy Nelson (who gets cabin fever in the safehouse he's supposed to keep to), the story certainly works. 5/5

Character
Strong Daredevil showing here, plenty of fun and exciting movements for Matt and a pretty spiffy blind-man team-up to boot. Matt's personality is kind of always out in force in this (and the preceding) series as he doesn't suffer fools and he maybe has a little too much confidence in his own plans. Good character pieces from Kirsten and Foggy too as they argue over Foggy's appearance out in the world and Foggy has to swallow the bitterness of being made to appear dead while he recovers thanks to Matt's proclamation to the world. 5/5

Writing
This series seems like it will always have strong writing. The pacing and the tone are always on and never seem to miss a beat. That consistency and that smoothness are rare even in the best of books and it's cemented DAREDEVIL's place on many pull lists. Also a nice little SAGA reference for indie comic fans out there. 5/5

Miscellaneous
Did I tell you guys that I went on a huge reading binge of indie books? I'm totally caught up on a ton of books (EAST OF WEST, SAGA, NOWHERE MEN, AMERICAN VAMPIRES, THE WAKE, pretty much anything that's come up in Eisner nominees) and mostly caught up on FABLES. Look, this probably isn't the time.

Total Score: 5/5


Elektra 2
W.H. Blackman (w) and Del Mundo (a) and Del Mundo w/ D'Alfonso (c) and Cowles (l)

Elektra has made it to Monster Island and realizes quickly she's not alone there. Also on the trail of Cape Crow are fellow assassins Scalphunter and Lady Bullseye. While Scalphunter is brought down by one of the monsters on said island, Elektra bullseyes Lady Bullseye (is it cool if I make that a verb?) and leaves her for dead while she pursues their target. She discovers that the person luring them away from Cape Crow's hideout and wearing Cape Crow's armor is Cape Crow's son Kento Roe. He admits that he hired Matchmaker and, specifically, Elektra to find Cape Crow and bring him in alive because CC is his father and Kento believes that he's not the assassin he's charged with being (any more). While Elektra considers still taking the case, even though Kento doesn't have nearly the money he promised, Bloody Lips finds the wounded Lady Bullseye and tastes the blood on her blade, making him determined to find her and taste some more (he's a pretty weird dude, you guys).

Story
The assassin chase is typically a pretty compelling story by itself and while the reveal that Kento's son is involved may be a little cliche, the story does seem to be working pretty well here. It's also affected by the interesting Bloody Lips, who eats the flesh and blood of his victims and takes on some extent of their powers (he now seems to have increased strength and the ability to see in the dark, on top of his natural abilities, and he can use anything as a weapon in the way Bullseye could after attacking Bullseye). He's definitely worth watching at this point. 5/5

Character
There's more narrative and dialogue running through the issue this time and we get a little more of a window into the cold and reserved Elektra. We also get some of the other characters, like Lady Bullseye and Matchmaker, on top of seeing a good deal more of Bloody Lips, who is sufficiently creepy as well as powerful to keep things interesting. 5/5

Writing
The tone of the book, which is matched perfectly by the art, is driving this series so far. It's sufficiently creepy (which is, I'm sure, why we kicked this whole thing off on a place called Monster Island) and detached to make the story interesting and to give the characters a chance to shine. As such, the tone of the book feels like it's guiding the series to a perfect place. 5/5

Art
Del Mundo's art continues to be astounding and, though there are a couple of double page spreads that I'm not sure are totally necessary here, the layout of the pages are pretty strong. When Elektra does bullseye Lady Bullseye (she gets to sai her right through the gut), it's kind of a gorgeous panel as is the follow-up, which shows Elektra watching as Lady Bullseye falls. I love Del Mundo's style and it's on full display here. 5/5

Miscellaneous
I'm really enjoying this series as a whole and I'm interested in some of the decisions that have been made, such as the vibrantly pink lettering for anything Matchmaker says. Also it kind of feels like they're aiming this book directly at me, with Del Mundo's art and the compellingly dark but also kind of ludicrous story and the fact that Matchmaker wears one of those pilot caps that are 100% the best. So much of this is great and I think so much of this is maybe only great for me?

Total Score: 5/5

Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man 1, Amazing Spider-Man 1.1

Miles Morales: The Ultimate Spider-Man 1
Bendis (w) and Marquez (a) and Ponsor (c) and Petit (l)

Miles Morales has been through a lot in a really short time. After the death of his mother, the events of CATACLYSM have left the world without a true superhero team and unsure where they stand. Likewise, Miles has lost seemingly an entire support structure with the destruction of the senior team he was starting to gain acceptance with and the disappearance of his father, who left and hasn't been heard from since discovering his son is Spider-Man. Miles' life is a little in the air as he stays with Ganke and his parents and debates telling his girlfriend Kate Bishop about his double life. Things get more complicated with the emergence of two twin criminals dressed similarly to Spider-Man and with the surprise appearance of none other than possibly Peter Parker in Miles' room.

Story
Bendis is sowing some seeds here as the new series picks up while also making sure to establish the old ones (like how you always establish old seeds). Miles has reached the time where he has to decide whether or not to tell Kate he's Spider-Man and now has to debate everything that comes with that age-old decision (it's a very important time in a young boy's life when he has to decide whether or not to reveal his secret identity). On top of it, we've established a couple new villains (though Miles is dutifully ignoring them right now) and seen a twist at the end. Bendis is setting this one up to welcome in new readers (helped by a pretty neat cover) and kick off a new era in Miles' life. 5/5

Character
We get a decent look at Miles Morales here as he reacts to the disappearance of his father and he tries to figure out what he should do in regards to Kate but there are too many things to set up here to really go deep into character in the first issue of the new series. Marquez helps Bendis out here as he draws plenty of emotions for Miles that give us a sense of him despite space limitations. I'd have liked to see a little more out of him in the first issue here instead of the wavering (which is warranted but doesn't create the strongest first impression). 4/5

Writing
Despite the new villains (who back-and-forth it up) and the last page reveal, this is very clearly more of a resting issue, acting less like a Marvel superhero comic and more like...well, more like ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN, I guess. ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN won over a lot of fans when it kicked off and continued to surprise because it focused on Peter Parker every bit as much as it focused on Spider-Man. Bendis is sure to kick this new volume off with that same expectation for readers. It moves a bit slower than a purely action-based issue but that's what this book wants. 4/5

Art
Marquez's art really helps the book along, as I mentioned in the character section, by letting us see Miles' emotions in scenes where the space is too limited to really tell us what's going on. His emotions and action are both strong, though we don't see as much of the latter here. Can't complain. 5/5

Miscellaneous
I really like that cover.

Total score: 4/5


Amazing Spider-Man 1.1
Slott (w) and R. Perez (a) and Herring (c) and Eliopoulos w/Caramagna (l)

Flashback to Peter's early Spider-Man days as he flaunts his skills for money to help around the house. He's doing some minor crime fighting on the side but, in the wake of Uncle Ben's death, he feels responsible for bringing in money for the family (not to mention, of course, responsibility over Ben's death). While he tries to navigate the world of entertainment and begins to learn more about power/responsibility (and which must come with which), fellow high school prodigy (though, perhaps, even more prodigious than Peter) Clayton Cole continues to be inspired by the webslinger and develops his own web-tech, eventually donning a costume himself and calling himself Clash.

Story
Continuing on from one of the backing stories to AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 1, we see a little of Peter's past, a time where he continued to work in the entertainment business to make some more money before being called away to full-time crime fighting (and being a real Peter Parker). On top of it, we see our first glimpse of the new superhero/villain Clash, the brilliant young Clayton Cole in full costume. It's interesting to see Slott go back and retool the history a little bit, tying up some loose ends we didn't really know were there. 5/5

Character
Plenty to see from Peter here as we get the mix of pre- and post-Uncle Ben turning point. He's trying to learn the lessons his uncle taught him while also trying to establish where he'll go next and negotiate it with who he was before. There's a lot happening and a lot for Peter to react to and all of it works at establishing exactly who Peter was at the time. Pretty strong stuff. 5/5

Writing
Mostly strong writing here as Slott has a lot to set up and not a lot of time in which to do it. We get a sense of tons of characters (everyone from Aunt May to Peter to Liz Allan to Flash to Clayton Cole and a few other new characters) and of our entire story. Still, thanks to Slott's writing and the switch to Ramon Perez on art and Ian Herring on colors, the story carries a slightly darker tone than the typical Spider-Man story. Good work all around. 5/5

Art
As I intimated above, Perez and Herring do pretty phenomenal work to create a real tone for the book beyond everything great artists like Humberto Ramos have done with Peter recently. The book ends up having a tone like something illustrated by Francisco Francavilla or colored by Bettie Breitweiser, which is a pretty drastic tone change, certainly enough to show us a big difference between this story and the main series. 5/5

Miscellaneous
Certainly worth a read, even as something labeled as merely a .1.

Total score: 5/5

Silver Surfer 2, Hulk 2

Silver Surfer 2
Slott (w) and M. Allred (a) and L. Allred (c) and Cowles (l)

Silver Surfer briefly gets his first up-close glimpse of Dawn Greenwood as she's pulled into the Impericon's holding cells. He agrees to fight on her behalf and goes forth to battle the Never Queen. If he should flee or somehow abandon the fight, Zed and the others will kill Dawn. As Surfer approaches, he's almost immediately nearly torn apart by the information the Never Queen has at her disposal: the information of every possible timeline all at once forced into Surfer's head. The battle changes, though, as Dawn enacts an escape plan with her fellow prisoners and they manage to make their way to the main power source of the Impericon, which turns out to be the Never Queen's heart. As Dawn makes a new wish on the Never Queen's heart (to explore everything), it distracts the Never Queen and she stops her attack on Surfer. She explains what's happened and Surfer realizes he's been duped and that the Never Queen is the victim here. He vows to help her and begins his return to the Impericon, where he quickly runs into Dawn. She vows to help rescue him.

Story
Lots happening here as we learn a little more about Dawn and the kind of person she is and as we see a little more of the improbable situation in which she's found herself as well as learning a bit more about the Never Queen. The only real problem with the story so far is that Zed and the other inhabitants of the Impericon that we've met are all sort of goofy, either explicitly or just in their actions, which makes it difficult to really take their threat seriously. Obviously the pose a threat but we only really know it because we've been told it's so. I like, in a way, that they're not your standard dark and dreary villains but when you see villains like this, it can be easy to see why most villains end up dark and dreary or sociopathic or something because these villains just don't seem competent enough to have pulled off a threat this huge. 3/5

Character
The biggest character developments we're seeing right now are from the new Dawn Greenwood. We see a bit of new characterization out of Silver Surfer but Slott is more concerned with establishing who Dawn is, particularly necessary because she begins to really drive the plot here. Slott's doing a pretty good job already to show Dawn as something more than just your stereotypical strong female lead sort of character (it still would have been a welcome relief even to see that). She's more specific than that. She's capable of getting herself out of the prison and doesn't need to wait for Surfer to turn up or anything but we know that she's capable of it because she's the sort of person who fixes problems. She practically runs the B&B back home and overcomes any sort of obstacles that crop up here, as we saw in the first issue, and she's quick on her feet and takes charge instantly here in the second issue. It's important to start to establish that sort of thing now so that she doesn't just suddenly become a strong character when the plot needs it. 5/5

Writing
As I said in the story section, it's not bad writing, per se, but it is a little incongruent to have this giant threat posed by these ridiculous people. Of course, we've only seen a couple of them so it's entirely possible that the people pulling the strings of the likes of Zed are more competent than he is and that would negate some of these issues, but right now it hurts the book a little to have Silver Surfer falling to a few kind of stupid villains. 3/5

Art
Michael Allred's art is ever Michael Allred's art. It doesn't look like almost anything else out there and you can almost immediately tell if it's for you or not. He's a very strong artist and the book has a very specific look to it and a very specific feel for that look. I think that Allred may be, along with wife Laura, the only one who can slot someone's very colorful outfit and the very imaginative Impericon into a comic and make it all work. 5/5

Miscellaneous
I'm still a little hung up on the tone of this book but that kind of thing usually takes a few issues to develop anyway.

Total score: 4/5


Hulk 2
Waid (w) and Bagley (p) and Hennessy (i) and Keith (c) and Petit (l)

Maria Hill has come to check up on Banner. He's been placed in a small town with a couple of members of that community in the hopes that keeping him off the grid will keep him (and everyone else) safe. The mystery surrounding his shooting is still out there but Bruce himself is removed from the decision-making as he's effectively turned into Lennie from Of Mice and Men. Hiding him from whoever is after him hasn't stopped them from searching though and the shady organization after Hulk has another trick in its arsenal as they send Abomination, who has been rebuilt by those same people and who is drawn to Hulk by that rebuild. Maria gets Bruce to Hulk out just in time but the fight crashes through the small town like nothing and assassins from the organization appear to try to take Hill out.

Story
There are still a lot of mysteries surrounding the story of this issue and this new series and it's making it a little difficult to get wrapped up into the plot. Obviously the mystery is the plot but it's still a little bit meaning that we're not seeing the forest through the trees. There's a bigger story here but the emphasis on the mystery and all of these new characters aren't quite compelling enough to overcome the confusion of what's happening. I'm reminded a little of the final arc of DARK AVENGERS, where the Dark Avengers were transported to another timeline or dimension or something where everything had gone completely backwards and the superheroes were divided into bitter factions. We had no idea what was happening, thrust into this brand new universe, but the mystery of it was made more interesting by the fact that the story was readable without having to wonder about that. We'd like to know, sure, but the story stood without knowing. This one feels like it's not quite hitting that point and the overall issues are worse off for it. Of course, that could all turn around as things start to come to light but it likely won't change the way these issues look. 3/5

Character
It's perhaps a bit hard to judge what are character developments are here as we see more of Bruce but he really does read like Lennie (that's about the best comparison I can make) and so we're not likely to see much character evolution until such time as Waid has established that. Hopefully that means next issue we start to see more but who could really know? Hill has a tiny bit of character as she attempts to keep Bruce safe and shows genuine regret that she'll have to resort to bullying to get him to Hulk and save himself but there's ultimately not that much that needs to be looked at here. 3/5

Writing
Most of what I'd have to say about writing in this issue has been said in the story section. I think that the issue overall suffers from a sort of lack of focus where the mystery has already become a little convoluted and it's mystery for a mystery's sake and so everything feels less important than it should feel. SPEAKING OF LACK OF FOCUS, that last sentence. ANYWAY, I guess this issue was kind of like that sentence. 2/5

Art
Bagley's Hulk continues to be the strongest part of the issue. His other characters are pretty good but the Hulk really does come off huge and impressive, as does his Abomination. Jason Keith's colors are also top quality here and the fight scene, which is intentionally big and brutal, feels like a huge fight between two monsters while a small town suffers. 5/5

Miscellaneous
Guys, I taught Of Mice and Men, alright? This is like reverse that, where he gets shot at the beginning.

Total score: 3/5

Superior Spider-Man 31

Superior Spider-Man 31
Slott (s) and Gage (w) and Camuncoli (p) and Dell and Pallot (i) and Fabela (c) and Eliopolous (l)

Peter Parker is back and he's ready to start setting things right. Carlie explains a little of what's happened to him at Parker Labs and he sets off, gaining the trust of Spider-Man 2099 on the way and helping where he can as he moves towards the Green Goblin and Anna Maria. The two spiders fight their way to the Alchemax building and "rescue" Liz Allan and son Normie, as well as Tiberius Stone (all of whom are still, you know, pretty evil, but they pretend they're not). As 2099 leads them out, Peter heads for the roof where Goblin has Anna Maria strapped to a pumpkin bomb. Goblin quickly realizes it's Peter, not Doc Ock, and begins to flee. Peter follows and unmasks him, revealing that it is Norman Osborn but with a completely different face, one that will be less recognizable. Peter's mini-spiderbots flood Norman's face and inject him with the goblin cure just as Anna Maria frees herself from her bonds and flings herself from the roof. Spider-Man catches her and Goblin and brings them back down to the ground, where Goblin still manages to escape with the help of Liz Allan. Goblin is devoid of his strength and stamina but he's also cured of his madness; the next time he goes after Spider-Man, it'll be at full mind power. Spider-Man meets with Anna Maria and learns that she's totally in love with the Peter she knew and he realizes that not everyone gets to win.

Story
This is it, the big finale of the 31 issue SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN. It's a strong issue, one that wraps up GOBLIN NATION nicely and one that ensures that the right people know Spider-Man is back to being Spider-Man. There are still plenty of hints at new possible stories and a bonus mini-issue at the end (written by Gage with art from Will Sliney and Edgar Delgado) shows where some of the people in his life might end up now (MJ is out of his life but still in the city, Carlie's leaving New York, Jonah Jameson has resigned). It's a story people knew was coming but no one anticipated a 30-issue run and it wraps up neatly here, setting Peter Parker up for a totally fresh start in just two weeks with AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 1. 5/5

Character
Peter Parker is back from the kind-of dead so that's really the big character change to look at. He's instantly back to quipping and helping out non-lethally, returning immediately to "no one dies" mentality. The idea that his personality is so pervasive, that it's so intimately known to everyone, plays a role here as people begin instantly to trust him again, even despite everything that's happened. It's a nice moment when he quips at Goblin and Goblin instantly realizes it's Peter and not Doc Ock and it's a testament to the strength of Peter Parker. There are some things that feel maybe like they're being set right a little too quickly if only because we're expecting him to have a hard road back to being a hero, but it all works here and it's nice to see. 5/5

Writing
Spider-Man books still have a bit of a tendency to over-explain and this issue is no different. Typically I'd have issues with that but somehow Spider-Man feels grandfathered in to over-explanation (I don't always feel this way with Spider-Man but I'm feeling good that Peter's back). Still, I'm not sure I needed shots of what seems like everyone he knows going "well geez, at least he seems to be back to normal!" You can leave some things for us to find out. Also there's a bit too much 2099 talk here and UGH do I hate 2099 talk. Nervous about when the new SPIDER-MAN 2099 series kicks off because I'll have to put that hatred aside. Anyway, certainly on par with SPIDER-MAN writing, maybe a hair better. 4/5

Art
I often confuse (on name alone) Giuseppe Camuncoli with Marco Checchetto, which is totally unfair and often hurts how much I like the art in a book. I tend to be lukewarm on Camuncoli's stuff and I really like Checchetto's. In this issue though, Camuncoli shines. The art is easy to follow, even considering how much ground Spider-Man is covering, how many fights he's entering into, and how many characters look similar to one another. With Peter Parker's return, he has to come face-to-face with a slew of people and Camuncoli does them all justice. Solid work. 5/5

Miscellaneous
What more is there to say? Peter Parker is back.

Total score: 5/5




Sorry guys, got a bit of a busy day today so I'll be back later to review the other books I have scheduled for today but for now, this is just a single-issue review. Figured if any book deserved to have a light shined on it this week, it'd be this one. The blog kicked off with a single-issue review of the death of Peter Parker, seems fitting to dedicate a single-issue review to his rebirth.

All-New Ghost Rider 1, Silver Surfer 1, Iron Patriot 1

All-New Ghost Rider 1
F. Smith (w) and T. Moore (a) and Staples and Daniel (c)

Robbie Reyes lives in East LA with his brother, a handicapped child, and works on cars at an auto shop during his days. Desperate to get his brother out of their neighborhood, he trusts no one and does the work every day, hoping to earn and save enough every day to get them to a safer place. The first issues shows Robbie at work, protecting his brother from bullies, and steering his brother back home past crime scenes and gun shots. Late at night, he breaks into the shop where he works and takes the car he's been working on (which seems like a modified Charger BUT I have what could quantifiably be called the tiniest amount of car knowledge and I'm guessing at that based on the fact it kinda looks like Michael's car in Burn Notice. Seriously, that's the research I did on this) out to a street race, where the winner will be given fifty thousand dollars. He's on the verge of winning the race when a helicopter shines a light on him and demands he pull over. He tries to outrun and outmaneuver it, believing it to be the cops, but is eventually forced into an alley. He emerges from the car with his hands up, ready to give himself up in the hope of leniency, but he's promptly and brutally gunned down, slaughtered by men who apparently aren't cops but are a big ol' drug cartel seeking the contraband in his car's trunk (what, did you not even CHECK the trunk Robbie?). The men leave Robbie in the alley and set the car ablaze, preferring to leave no real evidence. The fire engulfs Robbie and out of it comes the all-new Ghost Rider, with a fresh set of wheels.

The best way to describe this book is "kinetic." It moves well both in pacing and in the art style. Tradd Moore's cartoony style allows him to draw speed lines and shooting flames without the slightest hint of irony and that's what makes the book work. Felipe Smith does his part by crafting a character who we can't help but like (literally can't help it. It's a real save-the-cat moment to have his first real act be saving his wheelchair-bound brother from the absolute worst people in the world but its hard to even see that as overly cynical because this is comics and comic characters are BUILT on doing exactly that sort of thing, brother or not) and with whom we sympathize. We want him to get out of East LA and we understand why he's willing to "borrow" the car to do it, even going so far as to enter an illegal street race and risk imprisonment or what-have-you. Also nice is that the appearance of Ghost Rider doesn't come as a complete surprise despite the fact that Robbie Reyes seems like an entirely good guy and Ghost Rider is a spirit of vengeance because Moore's art shows the spirit creeping in around the edges well before the final transformation. I could see people being turned off by the cartoony style of the book, perhaps even especially core Ghost Rider fans, but I think it's the best way for this book to work. Definitely a solid opening for ANGR (a pretty fantastic abbreviation for the series, far ahead of ALL-NEW X-FACTOR'S ANXF), worth checking in on before it gets too involved.

Silver Surfer 1
Slott (w) and M. Allred (a) and L. Allred (c)

Dawn Greenwood lives in Anchor Bay, a small seaside New England town, where she and her father run a very popular bed and breakfast while her twin sister Eve advertises for it worldwide (hard to say that you have to suspend your disbelief that a B&B would advertise all over the world when I'm going to go on to talk at great length about a character called the Silver Surfer without any such warning). Eve travels the world, just as she's always wanted, while Dawn stays at home in the little town she's always loved. Recently though, it's started to dawn on her (DAWN, GET IT?) that maybe she's missing out a little. MEANWHILE, Silver Surfer, in his endless quest to redeem himself for his past with Galactus, has saved the people of Brundlebus 3 by rekindling their sun with his power cosmic (they are a tiny people) and has subsequently been tabbed as champion by the very secretive Impericon, a planet that takes great pains to shield itself from Heralds of Galactus. Surfer is unsure what any of this means but he allows himself to be taken there and, eventually, agrees to be their champion against the foe they've been fighting for so long, a potential world-destroyer named the Never Queen. Unfortunately for Dawn Greenwood, Zed of the Impericon takes precautions in case their chosen champion refuses to help and, with a machine called the Motivator which shows the past, present, and future of a given champion, Zed has learned that the being who means the most to Silver Surfer in all the cosmos is Dawn Greenwood and has subsequently captured her in the hopes that Surfer will comply. Surfer is outraged that they would use such means, particularly as he had already agreed, but admits he doesn't know who Dawn is.

It's a brand new solo title for Silver Surfer and this one shows hints of sticking around. It seems like people are ready for a new SILVER SURFER and the team-up of Dan Slott's often fairly light-hearted writing and Michael and Laura Allred's always light-hearted and colorful art seems to be a near perfect blend. The first issue maybe cuts a few corners here and there, particularly with the introduction of the Motivator, a machine that seems specifically built to move this plot forward, an almost literal deus ex machina but like, one that just moves the story along instead of ending a story, but overall it's a good read and one whose tone and pace certainly work well. One of the strengths of this issue is the pacing; though there's a lot to establish here, as with any new series, Slott makes good use of quick cuts to keep the book flowing and to make sure readers want to keep up. No one really has time to feel bored throughout the course of the book which ensures people will at least have some sort of opinion by the end; the worst situation would be if no one finished the book, as is sometimes the case with Marvel cosmic characters and with regular human characters getting a spotlight, particularly new ones. It's certainly a good start for a book that I expect to do pretty well, particularly if this is the kind of effort that Slott and the Allreds are going to keep putting forth (which, knowing all of their past work, I'm sure it is).

Iron Patriot 1
Kot (w) and G. Brown (a) and Charalampidis (c)

It's a new age for James Rhodes as he trades in his War Machine look and name for the more peaceful sounding (depending on who you are) Iron Patriot. With the new name comes a new take on his role in the world; he's no longer going to be a weapon for the United States military to wield, but rather a homeland based defense and recovery asset. He's going to do what he can to make the United States better and to help the world where he can. His new role, which has been approved by Congress and the president, also means that he's been spending a bit more time with his father, Terrence Rhodes, and his niece Lila Rhodes, daughter of James' deceased sister. Lila is a budding engineer and quickly jumps to her uncle's aid when a member of Congress decries Rhodes' new position. As nice as the sentiment is and as powerful as it apparently is in this world (her online video supporting Rhodey goes viral very quickly), it unfortunately paints a bit of a target on Lila as a shadowy organization after Rhodes decides that they'll be kidnapping two people instead of one in their attempt to hurt Rhodey. He's hurt enough, though, when he attacks randomly appearing monsters in the Gulf of Mexico and his armor shuts down.

A new direction for Rhodes and a focus on his family life are the cornerstones to this young book and I think it's probably a good way to go. There have been enough stories about Rhodey's involvement with the military (though obviously this still plays on that because it's unavoidable) and with Tony Stark that getting away from it and deciding to focus on his family and, in turn, Rhodey as a person is likely the best way to get new stories out of him. There are very few military-based Marvel superheroes and even fewer that are military while they're superheroes. There are certainly stories to be told with the new Iron Patriot and writer Ales Kot clearly wants to explore those sorts of stories. Overall, the book works pretty well and the art style, though nothing particularly groundbreaking, works for the tone of the book. As nitpicky as this seems, the end of the book feels a little off as suddenly the narration changes to an almost memoir-esque narrative, with Rhodes talking about the events we're seeing in the past tense. It could very well be building to something bigger down the line with the tense change and the more formal sort of tone, but in the moment it's jarring and foreign. Still, doesn't ruin the book overall which is a fine first issue. Hooray, three for three on first issues debuting this week! Marvel is taking risks and launching new solo titles and they're WORKING. TWO of these, it should be mentioned, feature a minority in the lead role (I don't think "silver" is a minority). Long overdue and still probably not enough.

Marvel's "Next Big Thing" Announced: SPIDER-VERSE

Hey everyone. Quick word as news just broke on this yesterday after a teaser image last Friday. Marvel has announced in one of their "Next Big Thing" press calls that one of the next big events will be the SPIDER-VERSE, a coming-together of every Spider-Man-ish creature created by Marvel, not to mention a few that haven't yet been created. That's right; everyone from Spider-Man 2099 to Noir Spider-Man to Spider-Ham and so on and so forth will join forces with (or face off against, as it's being teased) Peter Parker's Spider-Man.

It's still a ways out so details are a little sparse but the event will be headed by Dan Slott, of course, and Olivier Coipel, probably best known for his work on THOR. Slott and Spider-Man group editor Nick Lowe have also confirmed that the initial villain of the series will be Morlun, a Spidey villain created back in 2001 and responsible for actually killing Spider-Man (he was later reborn thanks to SPIDER-LORE and suddenly had more spider-like attributes to him including organic web-shooters, just like in the movie that was released TOTALLY COINCIDENTALLY right around that time). More details on this one as they emerge. So, you know, over the next eight months. But for now, just check out that promo image and think about, even if it's perhaps a little gimmicky, how cool this could be.

Superior Spider-Man 25

Superior Spider-Man 25
Slott and Gage (w) and Ramos and Olazaba (a) and Delgado, Fabela, and Gandini (c)

With the Venom symbiote, Spider-Man is stronger and faster than ever, giving him the upper hand in even his battle with the Avengers, called to the scene by Mary Jane. The only person that the Avengers can hope might help is Flash Thompson, who Iron Man goes to check in on at Parker Industries. Meanwhile, Carlie Cooper has been transformed into one of the Goblins with the Goblin serum though there's hope yet that not all is as it seems. She has yet to give away Spider-Man's true identity, claiming that she'll only give it when she's sure who her Goblin boss is. He claims to be Norman Osborn but won't lift his mask to confirm it until she's proven she's true to the Goblins and not to the NYPD so he sends her, under her new codename Monster, and Menace to go rough up some more of the Hobgoblin's men. Monster plays the part well (either because she really is full Goblin now or she's trying to get into the Goblin King's good books) and the result pleases Goblin King, who then declares an official war on Hobgoblin. Back in the city, Tony Stark shows up to the Spider-Man fight and sends Flash at Spidey with the Iron Man armor on. The surprise attack works as it's supposed to, granting Flash the opportunity to get the symbiote to come back to him but the symbiote refuses, realizing that it has more freedom with Spider-Man than it did with Flash, who tried to control it with drugs. With Spider-Man, it's been given free range and has very quietly pretty much taken control. Doc Ock realizes a moment too late that he really doesn't have much control any more and tries to force the symbiote out. By himself, he's too weak to do it but he gets help from none other than Peter Parker, not fully erased from his own mind after all. With the symbiote removed and Flash back in control of it, Peter goes back into hiding while he plots and plans and Otto announces that he's all better, that the symbiote that's been changing his behavior for months now has been eradicated and he's back to his normal self. MJ buys Otto's line when he appears to her that night but the Avengers absolutely do not and Stark, when he learns about the tests the Avengers ran on him back when he was in space, finds that someone has deleted all of the tests and the footage from that day from all security cameras but one. Cap calls for the Avengers to bring Spider-Man in.

Oh what a day, everyone, as it does indeed seem as if Peter Parker is truly coming back. Sadly, as I AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (oh my god, look at that beautiful Marcos Martin variant at right). I'm not surprised, per se (though I'm both surprised and unsurprised by the 5.99 price tag on that first issue which, admittedly, is 64 pages, but still), but I can't say I'm also not happy. Do I like SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN and the changes it's brought? Sure. I think it's stagnated just a tiny bit in the last couple of arcs (though I think, looking at the broad strokes of it, it was still rather interesting and very well done) but I think the idea has always been there and I am very impressed that Dan Slott kept Peter Parker dead for nearly a year and a half, come April. In this world where we're so used to heroes dying and being resurrected, there's now no bigger example. It was never a question of "if," it was a question of "when" and "how." Slott's left the pieces in place and done a pretty great job of it and now I think everyone will be better for it. More impressively, perhaps, the Goblin War storyline will push forward in the midst of all of this, meaning that Slott will carry two major stories out at the same time and both will likely be instrumental to the book and pretty epic in scale, all while he writes more established characters than ever, between Otto and Peter, the Spider-Man supporting cast, the Avengers, the Goblins, and (admittedly not in this book but Slott's still busy writing it, you guys) Silver Surfer. Should be a really fun time going forward, though I don't look forward to writing "Goblin" more times than I had to today, even. That word is WEIRD.
mentioned in the pre-game this week, the news was rather spoiled by the April solicits, which revealed a new title coming, or rather an old title returning, as we'll see the launch of

Superior Spider-Man 20, Scarlet Spider 23

Superior Spider-Man 20
Slott (w) and Camuncoli and Dell (a) and Fabela (c)

Doc Spidey has a lot on his plate at present. His time with Horizon Labs is officially ended and its put him on the job hunt once more but, being Otto Octavius and not Peter Parker, he has some big plans for that. He intends to start his own company, Parker Industries, with girlfriend Anna Maria Marconi and former Horizon scientist Sajani Jaffrey at his side. On his way to tell Anna Maria, Spider-Man runs into sometimes-villain, sometimes-hero, sometimes-lover Black Cat and, unlike what the cover would have you believe, swiftly beats her up and webs her for the authorities. Obviously, Black Cat is furious and swears to never forget this. Meanwhile, Carlie Cooper has what she believes is definitive proof of something weird with Spidey now that she's found a paper trail (albeit from suspicious sources) linking Spider-Man to Doc Ock's bank accounts. She calls MJ to warn her to stay away from Peter and that she should tell May and Jay to stay clear too. MJ is busy, though, trying to learn more about the firefighter who saved her life during her nightclub's fire. Finally, Peter goes to present his doctoral thesis, his last step in becoming Dr. Peter Parker. After a seemingly very successful presentation, Dr. Lamaze gleefully jumps up and calls Peter a fraud, saying that he's simply stolen the unpublished work of the late, great Otto Octavius. He swears to have Parker expelled for this and Doc realizes that this could ruin everything he's worked for unless he stops Lamaze somehow.

One of the really interesting things about this series has been Slott's systematic destruction of everything in Peter's life pre-Superior. It's typically come in little waves, with the hero community becoming a little suspicious of him and kind of wavering back and forth on their acceptance of him, followed by his friends getting sick of his new attitude, followed by this and that and so on. This is another great example as Doc absolutely ruins Black Cat. Slott and Camuncoli leave absolutely no room for discussion about it; it's a solid beat-down, remarkably swift and pretty brutal. Honestly, if they hadn't brought Black Cat into it, I probably wouldn't have thought about her as such a staple in his life; she just kind of comes and goes into it as she pleases. Now that it's been brought up and so thoroughly dispatched, though, I realize how important she is to Peter and how jarring this attack is. It's another example of a well-thought out and well-realized story for Slott. I think, as fans, we're all kind of aware that Peter Parker will SOMEHOW, at some point, come back. Of course, it's not a guarantee but it's as close to a guarantee as comics can make. The fact Doc has stuck around this long (ten months now, impressively) has been a remarkable show of restraint. Still, it leaves fans looking at these situations going "gee, that's gonna be tough for Peter to clean up" and the like, but issues like this one make it very clear that Slott knows what he's doing with these characters. Doc Ock isn't treating it like he's a placeholder for Peter; he is Peter now and he intends to stay as Peter forever, hence Parker Industries and his insistence that he become Dr. Peter Parker, even if it means sitting through school again. Really good stuff here and a very complete issue.

Scarlet Spider 23
Yost and Burnham (w) and Baldeon (a) and Sotomayor (c)

It's Kaine vs. Kraven in Kraven's newest hunt that can only be ended by one killing the other. To ensure that Kaine doesn't simply walk away, what with his newfound hero personality, Kraven has tied up all of Kaine's friends and swears to kill them if Kaine doesn't go along. Kraven is still a force to be reckoned with and it proves hard for even Kaine, stronger and faster than Spider-Man, to keep up. He continues to insist that he won't give in, that he won't kill Kraven, but the situation gets more and more dire. Kraven believes that Kaine is the only one who can kill him, as its Kaine's blood that brought him back from the grave in the first place and won't allow Kaine to leave until the deed is done. As they fight, Kraven sends Ana to kill one of Kaine's friends. She chooses Donald Meland and slashes him through the stomach. Furious, Kaine tries to go to him but Kraven holds him back, swearing that Ana will kill all of his friends before this is through. Kaine promptly kills Kraven with a force palm to the chest and rushes to his friends, slashing Ana across the face first. He tries to save Meland and eventually cuts his other friends down so they can help (particularly Meland's husband Officer Wally Layton). Kaine, meanwhile, goes back to Kraven and resuscitates him, bringing him back to life. Now, Kaine reasons, that he's killed him, just like Kraven wanted, and now any connection between them is through. Wally manages to stop the bleeding enough to transport Donald to the hospital but the surgeries are very touch and go and it's hard to say whether he'll live or not. Wally, through with Kaine, researches him for the first time in a superhuman criminal law enforcement database and learns about his past.

Tons happening in this issue and it's really a tremendous book. As much as I was bummed by Venom ending last week, I think I might be more broken up about this book when it comes to its end in the coming months. There's such a solid feel throughout this book and such a nice core to it. Kaine's a very complicated character and this is a great arc for him, as he has to directly face his past as a killer, something he decidedly doesn't want to be any more. It's been a nice transformation for him as the series has progressed, especially considering its start. Kaine was simply leaving New York so he wouldn't be apprehended or anything of that nature; he never intended to stay in Houston, let alone America, and to be dragged into his "brother's" heroic ways. But here he is, doing whatever it takes to try to save his friends and finding out that sometimes it's just not enough. It's a really well-written issue here as there has to be just enough sentimentality placed towards his friends and the way they view him without going too overboard and becoming repetitive. It works well and it creates a good picture of the new Kaine. The fighting is extremely well-paced and we see the pain in Kaine as Kraven works him over for a while before Kaine finally unleashes and immediately defeats Kraven and Ana. There's plenty happening here and it'll be interesting to see where we go from here.

Superior Spider-Man 14, Superior Spider-Man Team-Up 1, Scarlet Spider 19

Superior Spider-Man 14
Slott (w) and Ramos and Olazaba (a) and Delgado (c)

The Superior Spider-Man has officially established himself as a force in the new Marvel Universe and now, with the backing (or blackmailing, I suppose) of the mayor, he's waging a one-man war on the crime bosses of the city. He's been taking them down quietly throughout the series, in the background of other, more intricate stories, but now he's at full-on war. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Jameson granted him use of the Raft last issue as a base and he's already enhanced that by creating weapons and hiring a veritable army of henchmen. His first stop on this new power tour? Shadowland to remove the Kingpin. However, patiently waiting out Spider-Man's purge of the underworld is the Green Goblin, whose army is snapping up the underlings of every fallen organization to build a rather impressive force of his own. Will Spider-Man turn his attention to Goblin too late?

This is certainly a very interesting story and anyone nervous that Doc Ock might too quickly discover his humanity and turn into just a jerkier version of Spider-Man is probably feeling pretty assuaged of that fear right now. This is clearly not the same Spider-Man Peter Parker was. He's not the ever-innocent young man who finds himself caught up in desperate problems and may regret the innocent way out later. This is a guy who solves the problem the most permanent way he can, someone who sees black and white in terms of what's right and wrong and who acts on it, even if it's not particularly popular. It's kind of Punisher like, but if Punisher was very slightly more concerned with who he kills (Spider-Man often doesn't deal with lower criminals, hence why so many henchmen are escaping to join up with Goblin) and if Punisher was an awful lot smarter. When this series was announced, I saw it going a lot of different ways. I'm happy to say that this isn't one of them. I don't know who would have predicted that Doc Ock actually becoming a superior Spider-Man in maybe not-so-savory ways was coming to us with the death of Peter Parker, but I'm certainly not disappointed by it. It's a nice change of pace for the book in general and it's an even nicer change from what I expected to get (which mostly ended up going back to "Peter will be back within six months." We've officially passed that deadline and, while it's certainly not unlikely that Peter will return sooner or later, the book is moving really well.

Superior Spider-Man Team-Up 1
Yost (w) and D. Lopez and A. Owens (a) and Rosenberg (c)

The days of the Avenging Spider-Man are over. Spider-Man doesn't really avenge any more, preferring instead to strike first, and the Avengers have him on probation anyway (my girlfriend pointed out to me that he's still appearing regularly in Avengers, though. My theory is essentially that if you have a world threatening problem on your hands, are you really going to not call Spider-Man? Seems awfully petty. Really, not sure what "probation" means for the Avengers. You don't have access to Jarvis?). However, he's still out heroing which means he's still going to interact with other heroes pretty often, and maybe some other villains, especially considering the way he was gathering them up at the end of Avenging Spider-Man. At the start of this series, though, he appears to have gone crazy, attacking and beating up many of the city's superheroes in what looks, from the outside, like something of a power play to show who is who in this Universe. But not everything is as it seems and, while it's a step above the old comics that had a cover showing the Avengers fighting only to reveal on the first page that they were fighting in the training room, comic readers will probably take to the explanation pretty quickly. That said, the book has kicked off pretty successfully with Christopher Yost again proving why he's one of my favorite people on this Earth with his delightful comics and the long-standing appreciation I have for him after the amazing Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (my appreciation for him and that show has only gone up after watching as much as I could bear of the truly awful Avengers Assemble cartoon that took its place).

Despite what I said above about the reason Spidey's attacking heroes being somewhat predictable, it's delivered in such a manner that it keeps the audience guessing until the reveal, wherein the reader goes "oh, of course it's just that." It doesn't hurt that no one is quite sure what to make of Superior Spider-Man right now and we're all waiting for the penny to drop with Doc Ock at the helm, so it's not unbelievable to the audience particularly (but even to the Avengers) that he would go around showing his strength by putting down the other heroes. Yost is also careful not to explain until he has to, not even giving Spider-Man any significant lines until he has to exposition a bit. Issue one is certainly a fun ride and the art helps the book stand apart. Running afoul of the Avengers again does make Spidey recognize the usefulness in having a team but he refuses to be a part of a team like that. Doc Ock doesn't play particularly well with others; he plays fairly well above others. Don't be surprised to see him using his own team in less of a "team" fashion and more of a "I will make you do what I tell you to do" sort of fashion. No guarantees, but it certainly fits more. Still, good first issue, solid writing and nice character ideas to boot.

Scarlet Spider 19
Yost and Burnham (w) and Barberi, Wong, Pallot, and Bit (a) and Lokus, Soto, and Fabela (c)

Kaine and Wolverine are still in the heat of battle against the Assassin's Guild and the matter is complicated more by the appearance of the mysterious Red Death, someone who had been killed by the X-Men at some point in the past, according to a little bit of a flashback for Wolverine. The Assassin's Guild is caught totally off-guard by her and isn't quite sure how to proceed. Belladonna wants to stay in her good graces and work alongside her, fearing her retribution, while many in the Guild seem to think Wolverine and Kaine have a good shot at killing her, keeping them potentially alive. Kaine and Wolverine continue to interact pretty flawlessly with one another and the writing is quick and fun. The threat itself is pretty intimidating as well, which helps the book. Kaine uses a bit of wily thinking and he and Wolverine work well together (making it honestly a little sad that they've sworn never to work together again, a promise that I can't imagine will be broken given the ending of this issue). Still, there seems almost no respite as they have to battle the Red Death herself and, if they should happen to survive that fight, they'll still be facing the Assassin's Guild. Read the issue to find out if and how they manage it.

The thing that impresses me most about Christopher Yost is the ease that he seems to have slipping into characters. Everyone he writes has their moments of humor, like everyone in real life, all while sticking to their basic character. Obviously Kaine and Spider-Man are both characters he writes regularly, so there aren't many surprises there, but even when he throws guests into any of the books (which he's had to do with regularity, particularly since the Spider-Man book he writes is entirely made up of guest appearances), he manages to write them within their own character but in a manner that slides so well into the tone of the book and alongside the tone of his main character. It was certainly what drove Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, the dialogue between characters and the way that they fit alongside one another, and it continues to work perfectly in the books he gets involved in. Scarlet Spider is reaching its 20th issue and is really roaring along. Each issue is interesting in some way or another and the characters have developed nicely, particularly Kaine and Aracely. This book is always entertaining and always worth reading. Just a fun book.

Hawkeye 10, Superior Spider-Man 9

Hawkeye 10
Fraction (w) and Francavilla (a and c)

David Aja takes a day off as we get an origin story for new villain assassin the Clown. Mixed in with his tragic story as a young boy whose family owned a circus in a war-torn land is what's happening in the present day, wherein young Kate Bishop has run afoul of the creepy assassin. The Clown is attending a party Kate's father is throwing and, being the young socialite she is, she is forced to attend as well. As the two talk (she's interested in him from across the room as someone who doesn't look like her father's business partners), the audience is privy to the Clown's backstory. His parents were killed when the circus was burned down. As he and his brother Janek grew older, they learned to fend for themselves more, eventually even putting on plays for some tracksuits (presumably the same organization as our villainous tracksuits who had protected them a little earlier on). However, their somewhat more peaceful existence is interrupted when a bomb drops on the abandoned subway they were performing in. The tracksuits in question are killed, as is Janek, leaving young Kazi alone. That's where everything changed for him, sending him down the path of an assassin. He doesn't share all of this with Kate, obviously, but he shares his feelings about his job, saying that he loves what he does but that he came from a real hellhole (that's important hang on to that bit). His ticket out of hell was when he was contacted by the tracksuits and offered bundles of money. When she asks where he's from, he says "I told you. I came from Hell." As astute readers will know, this is also what he said to Grills before killing him last issue and again at the end of this issue (Fraction loves playing with time). Kate ends up going to see Clint as the end of the issue nears and finds him still sulking and having trouble shooting arrows accurately. Kate sidles up next to him and shoots her own, right down the target. She tries to get him to talk and he snaps at her, which she refuses to put up with. She shoots another arrow through her first arrow and leaves, calling him a clown (HA). Then we get the scene from last issue again, as Grills tells Hawkeye that if he's afraid that "she" doesn't want to see him again, he should writer her a letter. Last issue, it sounded like that "she" was Jessica. Is it? Or is it Kate? Only Grills seems to know and the secret dies with him all over again as the Clown kills him.
So an interesting backstory, for sure, for the Clown that is at once scary and sympathetic. There's also a lingering sense of fear throughout the issue as Fraction does not attempt to hide the fact that Kate is talking to Kazi at the party, who we know is out to kill Hawkeye and anyone close to him. We know it from the get-go so it's nerve-wracking to watch their interaction, waiting for him to attack Kate and suspecting he might as he watches her enter Clint's building. Good suspense, good story, tight background, and still some great character moments out of Kate particularly but also between Kate and Clint. The great thing this series has done is making us still love Hawkeye but forcing us to ask why we do. He's the everyman of the Avengers, sure, but he's not entirely likable. On top of that, everyone knows it. Even Clint doesn't like himself. He's a bundle of problems and the series wants us to take that seriously, not as some throwaway trait. Another good issue.

Superior Spider-Man 9
Slott (w) and Stegman (a) and Delgado (c)

Doc Ock has found Peter lurking in his brain (that "his" can be read with either name) and is determined to put a stop to it. The Peter in his brain seems to be the sum total of his memories, a Peter created out of the attachment to Peter's memories that Doc kept around in case he should need them. Knowing this is too risky, Doc has decided to purge all of those memories to be on the safe side. Peter fights back as he tries to set the machine up and Doc Ock uses his neural transmitter to send himself into the memories, attacking Peter on Peter's home turf. The two fight, first as Doc Ock and Peter, with Peter calling on the memories of all of his loved ones to give him strength and Doc calling on the memories of all of his fears to weaken him. Then Peter changes into Spider-Man to compete against Doc who, in turn, changes into his Spider-Man. They fight for a while physically and verbally, with Peter telling Doc that his methods are not heroic and that he's stepped so far off the line of power and responsibility. Doc counters this by asking Peter why he tried to stop Doc from saving the little girl's life and eventually forcing Peter to answer that he almost blew it because he didn't want Doc to get the neural transmitter so he wouldn't find Peter lurking in his brain. Doc says it almost cost the little girl her life and Peter backs off for a minute, giving Doc the in he needs. He defeats Peter and we're left with the memory-Peter forgetting his own name as his memory world crashes in around him. Doc emerges from the machine claiming victory.
Admittedly, this series has taken a turn I didn't expect. This is Spider-Man we're talking about. The guy who is Marvel's headliner. Let's take a step back and think about that because I think maybe these nine issues have created some separation from that fact. This is one of Marvel's top heroes and probably the most well-known hero Marvel has (definitely before Phase I of the movies, but maybe even still). And he died and was replaced by his enemy. That's where we are right now. And now the series has seemingly purged Peter's way back. Of course, the door may not be closed yet and, though I'm a little taken aback by how abruptly memory-Peter's story ended, I fully expect Peter to re-emerge at some point but the story isn't finished yet. Doc Ock is still in control of Peter's body and Peter is now nowhere to be seen. Risky moves through the last four+ months for Slott now as he continues to keep readers guessing about where he'll go next. I guess we'll just have to keep reading.

Superior Spider-Man 8, Venom 34

Superior Spider-Man 8
Slott (w) and Ramos and Olazaba (a) and Delgado (c)

The Avengers run their tests on Spider-Man after successfully restraining him. Unfortunately for Peter, the tests don't show anything major that would prove Spider-Man as being anyone besides Peter Parker. However, there is an anomaly in the brain patterns that only Doc Ock notices (lucky that Iron Man and Giant Man aren't around for these tests) and he determines that he needs a more conclusive test. That means tracking down the neurolitic scanner Cardiac took from impound last issue. Spider-Man crashes the underground emergency room and begins to fight Cardiac again before the shocking revelation that the little girl who needs the scanner became sick as a result of Ock's attempt to take over the world last summer. Doc stops fighting Cardiac and instead offers to assist with the scanner and the surgery the girl requires. He does so successfully and he and Cardiac part as allies. Cardiac allows him to use the scanner, which proves to Doc what he was beginning to suspect: Peter's memories have taken a life of their own and are fighting their way back. The issue ends as Doc sets to work removing Peter.
Another interesting development which seemed like it was going to be more extended. I feel that the norm would be to bring Peter back this way, with Doc realizing too late that Peter's attempting to return. Instead, Doc has found Peter out sooner than expected and next issue will see him trying to remove Peter. That could leave this book in all sorts of different places. Also snuck into this issue is a scene with Carlie Cooper talking to a mysterious character on a phone about a theory she has that sounds ludicrous but that she needs to prove. Carlie throughout this series has been suspicious of Spidey and it looked all along like she might be the one to piece things together in the end. Exactly how she'll determine it and how much good it will do still remains to be seen and putting us on this new path of Doc removing Peter (or trying to) leaves Slott with plenty of directions to go. Meanwhile, Doc Ock saving the little girl in this issue rewarded him with new feelings of accomplishment, positive ones instead of the ones that often come with his nefarious successes. Could that make him pull back a bit on his quickly growing aggression? Will it enhance that aggression, citing all the people he needs to protect? Will it have no bearing on his aggression but affect his overall demeanor? No one can say just yet, but these are all things to consider as Doc Ock grows into the role of Spider-Man.

Venom 34
Bunn (w) and Shalvey (a) and Loughridge (c)

The fight that's been coming for a few issues now is at the forefront of this issue. Toxin is stronger and faster than Venom and it shows as Flash takes a severe beating from the ever-gloating Toxin. He tries to catch Brock off-guard a few times, pointing out to him that his bond with Toxin goes against everything he's been doing for the last few years, his hatred of symbiotes and his attempt to destroy them (particularly as Anti-Venom). Brock says that he still hates symbiotes and he hates Toxin, but Toxin hates Venom too so they're going to have to work together for now and choose to kill each other later. Flash has some trouble believing that, feeling that Brock is already too far gone and too attached to the symbiote. It seems to have little bearing at the moment, though, as Venom is still getting killed by the team-up. Flash uses a last ditch plan and brings out a syringe with the serum that dulls the symbiote. He injects Brock with it and it pushes the symbiote out for a bit. Flash is too weak to attack the now helpless Brock, who escapes, but he survived the fight. He crawls his way back to his apartment, stopping only to yell at a student of his who tries to help him. Flash can't let anyone close to him because Toxin will tear through them. Meanwhile, the cliffhanger sets up the idea of "symbiote slayers" who look a little like the Figure done correctly and perhaps not as cannibals.
The cover for the next issue (the covers right now are pretty amazing, by the way. They're the handiwork of Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire) and the term "symbiote slayers" seems to point to the idea that Venom and Toxin will have to put their differences aside for the moment and team up against the new foes. It seems that Flash can't catch a break, having left New York to protect the ones he loves and to get away from things for a while and get his head clear, he lands in Philadelphia only to find that he can't get close to anyone lest he bring them into danger and that he has dragged a villain along with him. Things are happening for Flash and Venom but we're these things are going to leave us is anyone's guess. We haven't heard about the demon vs. the symbiote in a while and it's worth considering whether that will effect the next couple issues and the fights he's going to have to have. Flash acknowledges that he's not as strong nor as fast as Toxin but the demon-possessed Venom would have a few tricks uniquely of its own up its sleeve, so we'll see where we go from here. Get ready for lots more action in this book.

Superior Spider-Man 4, Daredevil 23, Alpha Big Time 1

Superior Spider-Man 4
Slott (w) and Camuncoli and Dell (a) and Delgado (c)

Dan Slott is wasting no time getting the new Spider-Man familiar with his own history. After a couple of small time Spidey villains to kick off the series, last issue brought back the Vulture and this issue invokes recent villain Massacre and the Green Goblin. Recently, a lot of solo hero books are steering clear of their key villains, for one reason or another. Daredevil hasn't crossed Kingpin nor resurrected Bullseye. Hawkeye doesn't really have a huge villain (maybe Trickshot, who I think is upcoming, and maybe Crossfire? I don't know, he doesn't really get his own villains because his solo books don't tend to work out). Captain Marvel will be bringing in an old villain as a new arch soon, according to DeConnick. Cap is facing off against Zola, who is a kind of key villain, but I'd still rank him under Red Skull and Zemo, probably. But here, the new Spider-Man is really running the gamut. Of course, part of that is that Spider-Man's rogues gallery is a little more expansive than probably anyone else in Marvel and, like Batman, his best villains tend to shadow him in some way or they're closely related to Peter Parker. That doesn't totally affect Doc Ock in Peter's body, but, as one of Peter's biggest villains himself, he still typically has some connection to his enemies. Massacre, then, presents an interesting foil. Sociopathic, not entirely unlike Doc Ock, but with a bigger thirst for wanton destruction and murder and less of a need for intelligence. So there's plenty for Slott to play with.

On top of bringing up every villain he can pull together, Slott is weaving a compelling tale of what Doc Ock does in Peter's body to Peter's social life. It's hard to say for sure if there's any real care in his actions, if he really wants to stay close to Aunt May or get closer to Mary Jane, or if it's some kind of game for him, a game where he masters Peter's life in a way Peter never could. I personally lean towards the latter, but I think an argument could be made (slightly) in either direction. Doc isn't complete sociopath. He has real emotions and presumably could feel real love. However, his need to crush Peter Parker in every conceivable way kind of leads me to believe that one of those ways would even be posthumously (OR SO HE THINKS). It's a good question and it's something that will likely have to come up eventually, as he's forced to choose where his priorities lie. It sets us up for plenty of interesting situations as this series progresses. Between that and the stark differences in how Doc Spidey and the true Spider-Man operate, this book has manuevered itself into a good little position to ask some questions to Spider-Man readers. I think one of the ultimate questions we'll end up asking ourselves (depending on how the next couple issues/arcs develop, is who is the better Spider-Man? Is it worth having a Spider-Man who prevents more crime if he's also a jerk and has less of the responsibility that made Spidey so great? Or is it worth allowing a little more crime to make more morally sound decisions?

Daredevil 23
Waid (w) and Samnee (a) and Rodriguez (c)

Waid's run of Daredevil has been a very well-acclaimed run, garnering notice from all corners of the comic industry. It's been pretty tight, keeping arcs short and showing glimpses of bigger things. Glimpses of Matt's relationships, glimpses of the cracks in his newfound armor, glimpses of villains on the horizon, and glimpses of the darker, grittier Daredevil he's tried to leave behind. What's so interesting about this issue, tied to the last few, is that we're watching as a story expands in a couple directions. As I said, it's been a relatively tight book, keeping its cards pretty close and giving us these peeks to keep us wondering. Now the book is widening bit by bit. We're realizing an overarching scheme by some unseen villain, we're watching as Matt's relationships start to falter as his past lurks closer, and we're...well, we're seeing Foggy get cancer. There's not really a broad stroke there, it's awfully specific and terribly depressing. Either Brubaker or Bendis in their runs fake-killed Foggy in a prison stabbing as he visited Matt. Of course, he recovered from that simply because it was a fake-killing and not a for-real-killing. It was only ever meant to send him off the radar (SENSE. GET IT? BECAUSE DAREDEVIL HAS A RADAR SENSE. pfft, whatever, you just don't understand science). But cancer seems an awful lot harder to fake.

One of the things I've always appreciated about Daredevil comics, and that has followed this run well, is that the relationship between Foggy and Matt always seemed real. They were always real friends. That meant a lot of sacrifice (usually on Foggy's part), but also a lot of real love. That makes this harder than it would seem in probably most other superhero comics. It also leads to an interesting shift in priorities. Right now, Matt is going through his seemingly biggest problem since Shadowland and he's trying to work pieces together. However, Matt's priorities tend to be with Foggy (eventually). So how does Matt react here? Does he work on both? Do he and Foggy work out some sort of arrangement? Does he try to settle his business faster to, in theory, give himself more time with Foggy? For that matter, what kind of timeline does Foggy have? What kind of cancer is it? Are we talking treatable? Are we in the early stages? Plenty of questions here. Add to that the fact that this is a superhero comic called "Daredevil" wherein we will likely learn more about the secret attacker behind all of these recent trials for our hero and we've got ourselves a quickly growing story, blossoming from a new, more lighthearted look at the character while we all waited for him to break. Waid is playing a game with Daredevil and he's doing it masterfully. It's worth checking in on him if you're a comic fan in general. It also doesn't hurt that the art in this series has been outstanding, from people like Paolo Rivera straight on through to Chris Samnee. Great series so far.

Alpha Big Time 1
Fialkov (w) and Plati (a)

I expected worse from this series. I don't know what exactly I expected, but I expected worse than this. Alpha, when he was first introduced in the late stage of Amazing Spider-Man, was pretty annoying and took a lot out of me. He's an interesting idea, though. Peter Parker creates a teenage hero on accident, much like his own creation was an accident. However, Alpha (Andy Maguire) has far more power than Spidey ever had and his is growing. He has potentially limitless power once it all expands. And he's a teenager. In ASM, he was focused on the publicity of being a superhero and the cool-factor. It led to obvious mistakes, even with Spider-Man mentoring himself. Eventually, his recklessness caused people to die, so Peter worked out a way to negate the "Parker Particles" within him that slowed his growth to a crawl. Doc Ock Spidey, of course, wants to overwrite that and try again. This goes back to the whole "needs to be better than Peter in every way" bit I mentioned up above.

So Alpha, now understanding a little more what his powers can cause, accepts about ten percent of his power back and goes out superheroing. We've seen his life without the powers and, as it did before he got powers, it's pretty awful. The difference is that now, everyone knows he used to be a superhero and people give him no end of crap for it. Where his life had been dull and he'd gone unnoticed before his newfound powers, after he lost the powers he simply became a target for insults. This issue starts off by showing us some of that, teamed with both the resentment at Peter Parker for taking away his powers and being a bad mentor and also the understanding of why Peter had to take the powers away. It leaves us with an interesting feeling about where Alpha stands. He does seem to be a good kid, if still brash. He does also seem to have real regret about what happened his first time around. He still wants to be a superhero but he understands a little more what that really means. He's still a high schooler, he's still got some issues with Peter and with his personal life but he is leaning good, it seems. Regardless, just the questions about his motivations and how much heroing he can actually do without making mistakes and/or killing someone (as this issue ends, more or less) make this book an intriguing option going forward. We'll see how the rest of the series plays out but issue one definitely wasn't a bad start for this new five issue mini. Hopefully it can sustain. I think five issues will be a pretty solid gauge of the character going forward, or will at least give enough time to make Maguire irrelevant again.