Amazing
Spider-Man #49
“Bad Connections”
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Scott Hanna
PLOT: Peter
is still in Ghana and has a couple of spiders on him.
Ezekiel continues to try to get explain the totemistic angle to
Spider-Man’s power to a skeptical Peter Parker.
Ezekiel warns Peter to be careful because there is another mystical
creature coming that is tougher than Shathra and Morlun.
Peter is given a ticket to be flown back to NY.
While at the airport, Peter decides to switch his NY tickets for LA
tickets to go visit and talk to MJ. It’s
too bad that she is in NY looking to do the same thing with Peter.
They both wait in each other’s apartment for a while, and
eventually give up. While on
their respective flight back, a storm forces Peters plane down in Denver,
which oddly enough, is where MJ’s connecting flight is.
A spider on a seat seemingly points MJ out to Pete.
The pair sees each other and they decide to talk right then and
there.
LIKES: Ezekiel let’s us know that Peter
will have one more big challenge, so we can expect Spidey fighting for his
life pretty soon. I feel
another plot twist coming because Ezekiel seems a bit suspicious.
This book also had one of the better Amazing Spider-Man covers that
I have seen in a while. This
issues also sets up the impending conversation that MJ and Peter have been
trying to have for over a year now.
DISLIKES: There was not much going on in
this book other than setting up what will probably happen in future
issues. A lot of talking
happened between Peter and Ezekiel, and MJ and Peter had plenty of time to
think. I believe that the MJ
issued should have been resolved long ago, but better late than never.
Just ask the Stacey family.
RATING: 3 webheads out of 5:
The book is solid, but not much happens.
This issue pretty much set up the impending conversation that MJ
and Peter will be having next issue.
Reviewed by AC-WEB
(Ariel Chaidez)
Amazing
Spider-Man #48
“A Spider’s Tale”
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Scott Hanna
PLOT: Spider-Man was in bad shape at the
end of last issue, but instinct led him to the spider exhibit in the
museum. Many spiders covered
Peter and hid his scent from Shathra.
Ezekiel locates Peter and brings him to Ghana, Africa to heal-up.
There, Ezekiel tell the story of the first “spider-man” named Anansi,
and how he eventually found himself in the heavens to become the mother
and father of all spiders. The
whole totemistic issue is brought up again and Ezekiel tells Peter that,
even though science enabled it, his powers were deliberately given to him.
Ezekiel then leads Peters to some spider ruins, and explains their
significance to him. He lets
Peter know that Shathra is coming, but Peter can beat her if he fights her
within the ruins. The reason
for this is because when Peter is in the ruins, he is more purely a
spider, and stronger if he lets his spider side take over.
Shathra shows up, and tussles with Spider-Man for a third time.
While fighting, another large group of spider swarm all over
Shathra, and they apparently kill her.
In another part of the world, MJ is making plans to travel to NY to
see Peter.
LIKES: Finally, some of JMS’s stories
are coming together. We find
out that the big spider thing that Peter saw in the astral plan while
fighting The Shade is most likely the mythical Anansi.
We thought the totemistic angle had ended with Morlun, but we find
out that there is more to it than that.
Ezekiel’s origin seems to be getting a little clearer.
We know it involves different spider ruins that are located
throughout the world. After
all that, the best thing is that the MJ Peter situation is on it’s way
to being resolved.
DISLIKES: I have expressed that it is
great that JMS is creating new villains and experiences, BUT most of the
new villains created are killed. Morlun.
Dead. The Shade. Dead. And
now Shathra. Dead. JMS has
upped sales in the Spidey books, but his addition to the pantheon of
Spider-Man’s rogue gallery seems forgettable.
And as in the case of Morlun, Spider-Man got a way out of killing
Shathra.
RATING: 3 ½ webheads out of 5: Overall,
the story was good, and the plot twist was unexpected. For
so much build up, the final fight between Shathra and Peter was a bit
lacking. We are getting some
answers with the Ezekiel story angle, but we still don’t get a view of
the big picture. Also, I hear
that JMS plans to resolve the MJ issue in #50, so it will be interesting
how all that is set up in the next issue.
Reviewed by AC-WEB (Ariel Chaidez)
Amazing Spider-Man #47
“The Life and Death of Spiders”
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: John Romita Jr.
Inker: Scott Hanna
PLOT: The Spider-Wasp monster from the
Astral Plane known as Shathra continues as a threat to Spider-Man, but
this time, the threat comes in a form of a media blitz against the
web-head in her human form, otherwise known as Sharon. Shathra’s lies
about Spider-Man is all over the news, and Spider-Man’s friends and
family are left not knowing if what is said is true or not.
An enraged Spider-man goes to confront Shathra while she is giving
an interview and a second battle between Spider-Man and Shathra begins.
Spider-Man is so engulfed in his rage, that he allows his spider
instincts to take over without even knowing it, and this is what Shathra
was hoping to accomplish. Spider-Man
realizes that he is out of control, and decides to leave to collect
himself. While attempting to
get away, Shathra shoots Spider-Man in the back with one of her stingers.
The stinger begins a paralyzing effect on Spidey and is barely able
to escape. He eventually
finds himself at a museum and falls unconscious into a spider exhibit, and
a bunch of spiders swarm over Peter’s body.
LIKES: One of the reasons that I enjoy
JMS’s current run on Amazing is his ability to bring in new ideas and
characters. There have been
two impressive battles so far between Spidey and Shathra, and Shathra has
had a bit of an edge in each. It
seems that JMS will begin to incorporate the totemistic angle of
Spider-Man’s power once again, which is evidenced by the reappearance of
Ezekiel, and the spiders covering Peter in the end.
It will be interesting what this will lead to in the next issue,
and how the conflict between Peter and Shathra will be resolved.
DISLIKES: In
the beginning of the book, Peter is at school helping out one of his
students in his science project even though he knows that Shathra would
once again attack. I know
Peter was there helping out his students, but if Shathra found him while
in school, there is no knowing how much damage would have been done, and
how many of his students may have been hurt.
Also, it was hard to believe that most of the major news station
would make a major story on a random person coming in and making
accusations on anybody without any conclusive evidence.
RATING: 4
webheads out of 5: It has
been an interesting story arc so far.
It will be interesting to see what Ezekiel’s conncetion to these
events are, and how the spider’s swarming Peter are involved.
Reviewed by AC-WEB (Ariel Chaidez)
Amazing
Spider-Man #46
PLOT: Dr. Strange returns and warns Peter of the consequences
of his failure to heed Strange's warning to stay on the path in the Astral
Plane while fighting Shade. Soon while out on patrol, Spider-Man is
confronted Shathra, a female spider-wasp like human who posesses a wide
array of powers. They fight and Spider-Man ultimately gets away. Shathra
takes complete human form and goes to a newspaper to reveal some deeply
personal (and made up) info on Spidey.
LIKES: The ending redeems a pretty ho-hum affair. Up to that
point the story seemed like a cross between the spider totem mumbo jumbo
of the Ezekiel/Morlum arc and the mysticism of the lasat encounter with
Dr. Strange. As usual with Straczynski, the dialogue and Peter's internal
narration are strong points and of course Romita, Jr.'s art is top notch
as always. JMS sure is fond of Dr. Strange, isn't he?
DISLIKES: Shathra has a long way to go to be a memorable
adversary. Romita's (or JMS's) design for her is on the tepid side. Let's
hope there's more to this arc than what's been introduced here. Let's also
hope Straczynski gets this icon/totem stuff out of his system.
RATING: 2½ webheads out of 5
AMAZING
SPIDER-MAN #45
PLOT: With Spider-Man trapped under
the rubble of a hotel, Carlyle goes to the movie studio looking for
hostages to expedite his escape. He's followed there by Doctor Octopus
still itching for revenge. Spider-Man eventually frees himself from the
debris and heads to the studio for a showdown. After he prevails, with a
little help from Doc Ock, Peter and Mary Jane sit for a heart to heart
wherein he promises to give her time to sort out her feelings.
LIKES: The art is fantastic as usual.
The scenes of Spider-Man freeing himself from the destroyed hotel and the
battle are particualrly effective. The dialogue is as sharp as ever down
to the last line about chocolate cake. Once again JMS has Spider-Man,
along with Doc Ock, triumph through brains as much as brawn.
DISLIKES: I have no idea why
Straczynski would mimic perhaps the greatest most character defining
moment in Spider-Man history, his freeing himself from beneath crumpled
steel girders in order to get to the medicine needed by a dying Aunt May
in Amazing vol. 1 number 33, I think. While effective this can in no way
measure up to that classic moment and it only is minimized by the
comparision.
RATING: 3½ webheads out of 5: A
strong conclusion to the arc though not on a par with what came from
Straczynski before.
More Reviews:
Amazing Spider-Man#40-44
