|
|
Post by themanofbat on Mar 31, 2010 9:00:41 GMT -5
And while the Ben Reilly was a tad blah, on a more important note, it was great to see Marvel FINALLY acknowledge some history of possibly Spider-Man's worst era... love or hate it... it still happened, and I'm glad that they can still cater to all parts of Spidey-lore...  |
|
|
|
Post by jediiiiii on Apr 1, 2010 12:40:15 GMT -5
I assume you're talking about the 2nd Rhino story right? The conclusion? It was pretty awesome.
Another good issue this week with old Juggs. It's too bad he's essentially become a jobber for any new character that needs instant credibility as a bad ass or tough guy...
Juggernaut vs Spider-Man (first fight) remains one of the coolest Spidey fights out there.
|
|
|
|
Post by georgio on Apr 6, 2010 7:23:23 GMT -5
I just read the 3-parter with Mysterio (which was great, Dan Slott is such a good Spidey writer)
I also read the one shots with Morbius and Mr Negative
Up next issue 623 start of the Vulture storyline
|
|
|
|
Post by georgio on Apr 7, 2010 12:26:27 GMT -5
Caught up on Spidey last night... the Vulture issues were ok, though I liked seeing Mike's letter in issue #625, Nadine mentioned that when you read it you can here Mike voice in your head
I really dug the unemployment issues... JJJ is a jerkoff... and Juggernaught got his ass handed to him
|
|
|
|
Post by themanofbat on May 17, 2010 21:13:49 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by georgio on May 18, 2010 8:08:25 GMT -5
Looks good, I read the free preview issue and thought the set-up was cool |
|
|
|
Post by themanofbat on Jul 25, 2010 16:44:39 GMT -5
Well, after 101 issues, the BND format comes to an end... with issue #647 (October 2010), Amazing Spider-Man will come out twice a month with Dan Slott writing the book (and a crew of rotating artists)... So we're into OMIT now (for 3 more issues, then we get 5 issues of Origin of the Species), followed by one more issue (#647). I like the idea that Slott will be the permanent writer... his issues were some of my favorites, though I'll miss Fred Van Lente & Mark Waid... Mac Gargan will become the Scorpion again... and we'll also get the long awaited return of the HobGoblin (either in December or January)... I'm good with this... |
|
|
|
Post by themanofbat on Aug 3, 2010 10:17:43 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by themanofbat on Aug 8, 2010 13:18:53 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by themanofbat on Nov 26, 2010 22:05:43 GMT -5
A review of ASM #649 from the Examiner... and this guy hated BND...
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #649:This title, which had reset Spider-Man's universe so that he had never been unmasked or married (take it or leave it), had operated for two years shipping three issues every month, with a rotating cast of writers. The first of those writers was the esteemed Dan Slott, also known for other works that have graced this column in the past, such as MIGHTY AVENGERS (along with launching and co-writing most of AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE). Now, Slott is the sole writer responsible for the title (which will shift to a bi-weekly, twice-a-month format), and as last week's review showed, he is willing to take the character in bold new directions - or, at least, take several prior directions to logical conclusions. Along for the art is Humberto Ramos, alongside Carlos Cuevas on inks and Edgar Delgado on colors. Much as the cover suggests, the Hobgoblin makes his return to the fore, but things are not what they seem.
This issue, naturally, takes things forward from where they were introduced in last issue's kick off. Spider-Man is an Avenger, as well as crime fighting partner with Black Cat (who wants to go legit and join the team); for the masked hero, times have rarely been better. For Peter Parker, though, his life was in an endless spin cycle until his Aunt May pulled some strings with her new found contacts (she's married to the father of J. Jonah Jameson, who is the mayor of Marvel's NYC) to get Peter a job as another eccentric scientist at Horizon Labs, a think-tank for super-science. May is there to push Peter out the door and make sure he is at work on time for his first day, and he's at least not penniless since his advance check had a lot of zeroes. Unfortunately, Horizon Labs has seemed to become the quick target of all sorts of disasters; fortunately, Peter (or Spider-Man) is on hand to help. The criminal underworld is reorganizing behind the scenes; Kingpin is back at the top of the heap (with the Enforcers as his, well, enforcers), lulling the original Hobgoblin back into the country, especially now that his rival, Norman Osborn (the original Green Goblin) is back in federal lock up. Dan Slott is able to play up the "multiple goblins" angle (that many people have donned the mask of the Green Goblin or the Hobgoblin over the years, as well as spawned spin off goblins such as Demogoblin or Gray Goblin) to provide a twist that, for once it seems, isn't dragged out for months on end. While both subplots seem independent of each other, especially since Peter no longer works in the Daily Bugle, they intertwine by the end of the issue. In some subplot for another arc, Mac Gargan is no longer Venom, and is likely on his way to back to being plain ol' Scorpion. It's about time; I just wonder who the next Venom will be, if Brock remains as "Anti-Venom".
The price remains at $3.99 (in the prior format, it was $2.99 for each of the three issues), but one gets 30 story pages within, which is reasonable value. Even without that, Slott is a master of plotting and pacing; even with 30 pages, he gets in enough story that some writers would struggle to fit into 44 (or two entire issues). Ramos' artwork is probably the biggest thing to get used to; he has a unique, cartoonist like style that either is too Nickelodeon for Spidey-fans, or works when you have villains like Hobgoblin. This issue shows some slight sign of rush, at least in comparison to the last issue, but nothing that is terribly transparent. He naturally excels with characters like Hobgoblin and Kingpin, and portraying emotion. On the other hand, without colors or some modest details, some of his other character models would be difficult to tell. There are laughs, action, some horror, and even some tender moments within.
As usual, there are at least two ladies in Peter's life. Felicia Hardy, the Black Cat, flirts with his masked persona, while Carlie Cooper, who is a C.S.I. by day and a part time rollar derby player by night, dates his civilian persona. In a way, the romantic angles are the only downside, and it isn't because of the marriage retcon. It is because after all these years, it is well worn formula. Can Peter & Carlie (or any woman of the story) ever get together? How can Peter hide his secret? What would happen if Carlie found out? While some details are different (for example, Carlie's job as a C.S.I. causes her to be the one who suddenly bails on dates), it's rinse, wash, repeat with Parker's love life, married or single. Fortunately, the angle with Peter's new career as well as the developments with his villains are more than enough to make up for the repetitive romance angle. I'm far more interested in the villain angles and the career angles, since I can at least try to believe either might stick around and develop more than his love life is allowed to.
In conclusion, this is a winning reorganization of the franchise title so far, and any who avoided it for some time might best try to catch this and the last issue to catch up. At least so far, it is able to live up to the hype. Next issue - Spidey will don a TRON-esque costume, further symbolizing that Disney does own Marvel these days. Slott is a writer who seems to genuinely understand that the lives of Parker and Spidey are intertwined through and through; ideally, this run will bring that to some phenomenal conclusions. Slott always packs in enough in every issue that I never feel like I didn't get a good chunk of story for $4, which is more than I can say for some titles this week. Two issues in, and I am not regretting giving this a try at all, even if my wallet is.
|
|
|
|
Post by themanofbat on Nov 29, 2010 16:54:14 GMT -5
Another review of ASM #649 from Newsarama...
Amazing Spider-Man #649
Written by Dan Slott
Art by Humberto Ramos, Carlos Cuevas and Edgar Delgado
Lettering by Joe Caramagna
Published by Marvel Comics
Review by David Pepose
This sophomore issue from Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos may continue the set-up of Spider-Man's new status quo, but it's the Hobgoblin who absolutely steals the show in the latest issue of Amazing Spider-Man. Using a villain who's a perfect fit for Ramos' cartoony style, Dan Slott makes comics continuity work for him in rebooting this often-overshadowed member of Spidey's rogues gallery.
For my money, Slott and Ramos really win you over in the first eight pages of this 30-page spectacular, with their reintroduction of Roderick Kingsley. Just seeing the Hobgoblin cut loose on the first page is enough to hook you in, as Ramos turns the Hobgoblin into a ruthless demon in hot pursuit, firing automatic weapons with glee on his steel-edged Goblin glider. "When all you got is your work, you better enjoy what you do." It's a sharp introduction, and the twist that the creators give absolutely turns this storyline on its ear. Without giving too much away, the villain's new status quo is a real scream.
But that's not to say that the rest of the set-up for Big Time isn't satisfying, as well. We're still getting the grand tour of Peter Parker's new job and living situation, and what's most striking about all of this is how much Slott and Ramos pack on a page. Lots of five, six, even seven-panel pages abound here, and that's because Humberto Ramos can stack insets like nobody's business — and to be honest, when you've got this much character in Slott's dialogue, are you really going to complain when you get a feast of it? And seeing Spidey interact with such a wide number of people — ranging from the Black Cat to a really heartfelt scene with Aunt May — it helps flesh out our hero, and give him a world that readers can really sink their teeth into.
I think much of this story wouldn't work — or at least would feel overwritten — if it wasn’t for Humberto Ramos, however. I was initially a bit skeptical when I heard he was going to be the opening artist for this new run, having felt even some of his previous Spider-work had been a little too rushed for my tastes. Maybe it's shifting tastes on my part, or maybe it's the characters he's working on, but two issues in, and Ramos feels like he was born to draw this story. There's a real expressiveness to the characters, both in their faces and in their body language — in particular, the scenes with the Hobgoblin's new weapon look amazing, as you can see the pain even on Spidey's masked face.
For 30 pages packed with storyline, Amazing Spider-Man really feels worth the $3.99 price tag. Some might argue that there's a hefty amount of "telling" in this story as much as "showing," but two issues in, I'd argue that it's "introducing." Seeing Dan Slott begin to establish his own vision on the Spider-Man franchise is something that's been long overdue, and I'm confident that with the new status quo and the new villain in place, the third act is going to establish a sense of scale for this new run. Two issues in, and I'm already hooked again — and you should be too. If you haven't hit the Big Time yet, you owe it to yourself to give Amazing Spider-Man a read.
|
|
