Ultimate
Spider-Man #71
Title: Strange- Part Two
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler: Mark Bagley
Inker: Scott Hanna
Plot: Last issue left us with a lot
of unanswered questions and in true marvel fashion, many of which seem
to have been conveniently forgotten in this issue. We begin with Strange
regaining consciousness and suddenly noticing Parker knocked out on the
ground and a gaping hole where the ceiling used to be. With the help of
Wong, he begins to piece together what has happened and discovers that
peter is being held prisoner in his own mind by some other dimensional
entity which feeds off people’s dreams. Meanwhile, Peter is having a
hard time trapped in his own nightmare, constantly being confronted by
the notion that anyone who gets close to him will end up dead.
Doctor strange eventually manages to infiltrate Peter’s mind and
confront the entity responsible, and in a ‘mystical battle’ (strange
style), Strange frees Peter who then regains consciousness.
Understandably shaken up by the preceding events Peter returns home,
still tormented that more loved ones will die from his actions.
Likes:
• I thought that this was quite a good Dr Strange tale. The mystery
worked well in the first part and I enjoyed how bendis has used the
character.
Dislikes:
• Exactly who was the villain of this arc? It’s never revealed
beyond ‘some entity’.
• Things seem to be getting a little stale in the ultimate universe.
Peter’s ‘issues’ with endangering his loved ones seem to be the
only conflicts in his life.
• Exactly when did strange and peter meet. We know pete’s memory was
wiped but from when?
Favorite Quote: “You’re going to
kill me!! You know you are!!”
Rating: 2 out of five webs. I think
what this title needs is fresh blood. A new writer/artist team to
resuscitate things. I’ll reserve final judgment until after the
Hobgoblin arc, I’m just praying it pays off and proves the bendis
hasn’t gone to sleep on the character yet.
Ultimate
Spider-Man #70
Title: Strange- Part One
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler: Mark Bagley
Inker: Scott Hanna
Plot: Aptly titled “strange”,
this whole issue sees Peter recounting an odd series of events to MJ
(Well, whoever it is, it looks like MJ). It all starts off with the two
of them meeting to go out on their big date that they both organized
last issue. Whilst sitting at their table, Mary Jane begins to ask Peter
what happened to him involving the Magician. Peter seems a little
confused as to how she even knows about it seeing as he can’t remember
telling anyone, but at her pressing he agrees and begins to recount the
events of the preceding days.
Feeling unappreciated as usual, Peter is asked (or ordered) to tag along
with Ben Urich on a story (I’d completely forgotten, but this was
brought up awhile ago between Peter and Jameson in the whole
Elektra/Black Cat arc). Jameson tells Peter that the story is on Dr
Strange, a showbiz mystic whose father, the original Dr Strange went
missing mysteriously years earlier. Peter then mentions to MJ that he
has an odd feeling that he’s actually met Strange before although he
cant remember when or how.
At Dr Strange’s house, Ben and Peter are refused entry (I’m assuming
by Strange’s assistant Wong), but when Peter’s Spider-sense goes off
he leaves Urich and climbs onto the roof to peer through the skylight.
There he sees Dr Strange convulsing on the floor with Wong bent over him
holding a glowing amulet. Peter explains to MJ that even though he
wasn’t sure what was going on he felt he had to act. However when he
does he appears to black out at which time things at the restaurant get
very creepy indeed.
Likes:
• Great mystery that unravels at perfect pace.
• If you pay attention, Bagley’s artwork offers some subtle clues
that something’s not quite right with MJ. I thought that this was a
nice little touch.
• This is the first Dr Strange/Spider-man story that I’ve actually
enjoyed, which shows Bendis still has a couple of tricks up his sleeve.
Dislikes:
• The Cover features the Ultimates heavily even though they hardy
appear in the story and have nothing to do with the plot. I highly doubt
that they will be revealed as the masterminds behind this whole arc…or
will they?
Favorite Quote: “Dude, you clocked
him from behind”.
“Yeah and saved you”.
“Not exactly the bravest thing. But you are sticking with that costume
design, so clearly you do know how to be brave”.
Rating: 3.5 webs out of 5. I’ve
never really liked Dr Strange. I find that Spidey’s soap opera nature
doesn’t really suit mystic, alternate dimension storylines. Down to
earth, Character driven tales have always worked better seeing as
Spidey’s primarily a drama rather that an action comic. Mystery has
always worked very well (just look how atmospheric hobgoblin lives or
dare I say it, the clone saga was) and this arc proves it yet again.
I’m really looking forward to the next issue, which in my opinion, was
been lacking recently in Ultimate Spider-man.
Reviewed By: Spyder_Sam (Sam
McAlpine)
Ultimate
Spider-Man #69
Meet Me- Part Two
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler: Mark Bagley
Inker: Scott Hanna
Plot:
This issue picks up right where popular left
off. Johnny Storm has just ‘flamed on’ in front of everyone at a
beach party and before he can explain (like that’d work anyway),
everyone except Peter and Mary Jane flee from the scene. Watching Liz
running and screaming in horror makes Johnny feel less than great and he
begins to explain to Peter and Mary Jane how sorry he is and if
they’ll tell Liz he didn’t mean for any of it to happen.
Back at the Baxter Building, Sue
tries to comfort Johnny who is clearly very depressed at what happened.
Not surprisingly he reveals he’s finished with school. The next day
Johnny goes back to Midtown High to try and talk to Liz, however he is
informed by Peter and MJ that she left early after being teased over
what happed at the beach. Johnny asks if they’ll get Liz to meet him
at a park so that he can explain himself, although after he leaves MJ
tells Peter that maybe he should go as Spider-Man and try to talk him.
Peter Reluctantly agrees and once at the park, Johnny reveals he’s
having trouble adjusting to the whole super powers thing, in particular
meeting people his own age.
Their conversation
is interrupted but an explosion and the two of them spring into action
to rescue people from a burning building where Johnny displays some of
his powers. Once the crisis is averted, the two regroup on a near-by
building top where spidey offers torch some sound advice.
Likes:
• Good
use of humor throughout the issue.
• Spidey’s speech about ‘the
trade’. Thanks to Bendis’ writing it comes off as neither corny nor
tired. Even though similar speeches are used towards the end of comics
to prove some obvious point, Bendis does well to underplay it and it
comes off nicely.
• Spidey and the Torch’s relationship
is also handled quite nicely setting up for future meetings.
Dislikes:
• I’ve
already had my rant over ‘fill in’ arcs in my last review, so I
won’t submit you to the torture a second time, however I can’t help
but wonder if this could have been told in a one part story.
• The building on fire is one of the most
used action devices in comics and in this issue it literally comes from
nowhere. Like, “oh, let’s quickly chuck in a burning building before
the issue ends so there’s at least some action”. It just didn’t
seem well planned accept for Torch to show off his abilities. The two of
them should’ve faced a supervillain or something.
Favorite Quote:
“FLAME ON! NO ONE STEAL MY
JACKET!!”
Rating:
3 webs out of 5. I liked it better than the
last issue mainly because of the humor. I can’t say I’m sorry to see
this arc over, I just hope the next Doctor Strange arc is interesting
enough to keep me reading until we finally get to see…ultimate
Hobgoblin. There’s lots of angry fanboy losers out there who want this
so get cracking Bendis!
Reviewed By: Spider_sam (Sam McAlpine)
Message Board: Feel free to discuss this review on the Crawl
Space Message Board.
More
Ultimate Spider-Man Reviews
Ultimate
Spider-Man #68
Popular- Part One
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciler: Mark Bagley
Inker: Scott Hanna
Plot:
Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four
has been advised by his sister Sue to finish his high school diploma or
else they wont ‘go public’ as superheroes. Reeling for fame, Johnny
agrees but only if it’s at some ‘normal out-of-the-way high
school’. So as fate would have it he ends up at midtown high and at
the receiving end of Liz Allen’s affections. Liz manages to convince
Mary Jane to ask Johnny out for her and the three of them accompanied by
Kong and peter, who’s still guilt-ridden over Gwen’s death, go to
the beach. None of them really know anything about Johnny except what he
told Mary-Jane (which is that he’s a transfer student from a military
school), so later that evening when he accidentally ignites in front of
them while explaining his great respect for
Spider-Man, everyone is left a bit surprised.
Likes:
• As usual the artwork is fantastic and probably the only consistently
excellent aspect of this title.
• Johnny’s admiration for Spidey- Great setup for their future
relationship.
• The conversation between Mary Jane and Johnny, especially the part
where she accidentally introduces herself as Mary Jane Watson-Parker.
• The dialogue is sharp, as we’ve come to expect from Bendis
except…
Dislikes:
• This story already feels like a ‘fill-in’ arc, much like last
months utterly pointless Switcheroo storyline. Bendis seems to write in
waves, where we get a great story followed by a couple of months of
crap. I like Bendis very much and I understand the need for easier going
stories every once in a while but I just wish he’d get on with a real
ground shaking and interesting storyline (like JMS’ sins past) and get
over these one shot no point stories where there’s little to no
development.
Favorite Quote: Mary Jane’s awkward
introduction. “I’m Mary Jane Watson-Parker. I-I mean—I’m- I’m
Mary Jane Watson”
Rating: 3 Webs out 5. A more relaxed story
with little lifting it about average. Stories like this are great after
massive events as they relieve much needed pressure, It’s just we
haven’t had anything massive yet which tends to keep this title very
‘laid back’ and at times boring. I hope Bendis has the balls to go
somewhere with the unresolved Ben Reilly thread that was left in the
open at the end of the Carnage arc. I hate to say it but an Ultimate
Clone Saga may be just the shot in the arm this title needs.
Reviewed By: Spyder_Sam (Sam McAlpine)
Message Board: Feel free to discuss this review on the Crawl
Space Message Board.
Issue
#32-36
Issue
#27-31
Issue
#22-26
Issue#1-11