|
By Jason Bourgeois
Before diving into this month's reviews, I just wanted to make a quick comment regarding last month's tv-centric rant. Yes, I forgot Smallville. I forgot it, because I can literally count the number of episodes I've seen on one hand. The first few seasons seemed to move too far afield from comics to really be an adaptation in my mind, but the last half of the show has been moving more into that territory. Having run for 10 years it was a huge oversight on my part, and definitely should have been brought up.
You know what book we haven't talked about in awhile? Amazing Spider-Man. My soul still burns at everything wrought by One More Day, but the few times I've peeked in on the title, it's been pretty good. As long as you can put the past behind you. Because it no longer matters. Sorry, I may still be a little bitter.
Seriously though, if you take it for what it is, and look at Spidey as being in the now, it's pretty decent. The Origin of the Species arc that ended the whole Brand New Day era was a fun ride, and revisited a lot of themes, as well as put a nice little button on the whole thing. The epilogue issue did the rest of the work, and started laying track for the future.
A lot of people are against Pete's new girlfriend, Carlie Cooper, but I don't hate her. I think she's a fine relationship foil for the guy. My only problem is that Marvel has come out and said "SPIDER-MAN BEING MARRIED IS WRONG" so I find it hard to get invested in the relationship, because it will never progress under the current regime.
But the Brand New Days have ended, and now Spidey is rolling into the Big Time, with the book going to a biweekly schedule, and only one writer, Dan Slott. So there's not a huge change, but a singular voice, with fewer issues, makes Spidey a bit more enticing again. Slott is also a solid writer 90% of the time, so I decided the book was worth another look.
I'll be honest, I actually rather like it, keeping in mind all the caveats I mentioned earlier. Pete has a brand new job at a lab, finally getting to be the scientist his aunt and uncle always envisioned. Which was played up in a very nice, very touching, sweet scene with Aunt May seeing him off to work, and thinking back to some early stories from the Ditko era. A pitch perfect moment that really endeared me to the new run.
The Daily Bugle is back, with lots of familiar faces mixed in with the new. This feels more like Spider-Man than he has in a long time. It's only two issues in, but I'm already in for a little while. We've gotten to see Pete be smart, lead the Avengers, solve a bunch of problems, and actually be charming and funny.
The book is not without problems though. There was a rough spot where the book blatantly threw salt in the wound of Mary Jane's relationship. Peter needed a place to stay, shows up at her door, and they spend nearly an entire page laughing hysterically at how silly that is, and it would never work because they're a terrible couple. Thanks Marvel, we really needed the reminder that you hate them being married. I'll let it go IF YOU DO TOO.
But that was fortunately only one page in two issues, so I can move past it. What I really have a problem with is the art. Pencilled by Humberto Ramos, the comic is, well... It's Humberto Ramos. Everyone is oddly proportioned, makes goofy faces, and looks like they're drooling half-wits much of the time. You kinda know what to expect with the name. The worst of his tendencies are thankfully under control, but yeah, still very Ramos.
Yet, the strength of Dan Slott's writing actually draws me in so much that I find myself forgetting the art, and just enjoying the words. Which may be an awful thing to say about the comic, but it's not like I don't see the art, I just put it at the back of my mind.
If you're a Spider-Man fan of old, you might just enjoy this. The book feels like Spider-Man again, and even I can't deny that Ramos brings a lot of energy to the page. It's just freaky looking energy. His Spider-Man is nicely active and bouncy, so it works for his action scenes. If you can forget what all Marvel has done to the book, and don't mind wonky art, it is definitely worth a look. You could do worse than checking out the 650th issue this month.
The book is problematic, but the promise is there once again. I'll stick around for a little while to see where this goes.
|
