Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #543 Review

The Amazing Spider-Man #543
Title: “An Incident on the Fourth Floor” (Part 5 of “Back in Black”)
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Ron Garney
Inker: Bill Reinhold
Colorist: Matt Milla

Plot: It turns out that the transfusion didn’t help Aunt May one bit because she’d built up an immunity to radioactive blood (nonsense count number one). In other news, the cops grow suspicious and when one detective tries to bring Mary Jane in for questioning, Peter kills the lights and decks him.
Parker ties the officer up, horrified at the line he’s crossed. He and Mary Jane hatch an elaborate caper to smuggle May into a different hospital now that the you-know-what’s hit the fan. Along the way, Peter commits several felonies, which he keeps track of in much the same way that I’m keeping track of the unjustifiable recklessness of detaching May from her life-support system (nonsense count two) long enough to cart her into an ambulance that has a key happily left in the ignition (nonsense count three). They manage to transfer May into a cheapo hospital with forged paperwork.
The situation’s gravity gut-punches Peter. He’s a full-fledged criminal now, and he’s left behind enough fingerprints to put him away for at least ninety years.

Likes:

– I’m glad the cover is a fake-out. Peter realizing he might not be any better than the crooks he fights is a much more interesting idea than yet another impermanent death. I honestly have no idea how he’s going to get out of this one, and that’s good old fashioned suspense for you right there.

– Peter’s bedside monologue at the beginning conveys a subtle mix of sadness and humor which proves JMS has Peter’s voice down pat.

– This isn’t Ron Garney’s best work, but his pacing and storytelling are still smooth and cinematic enough to make note of. This is his final issue and I’m going to miss his art.

– It warrants analysis that, though Mary Jane told the hospital chaplain that they’ve “never been big believers in the power of prayer”, JMS has consistently presented Peter as a man who talks to God. Heck, this very issue closes with him thinking “God help me, I’m so lost.” Could Peter’s spirituality be something he doesn’t share with his wife? It makes sense to me, because one of the most important aspects of Peter’s character is his hidden inner-self. No one, not even his wife, can truly understand him, and in a way that makes him even more relatable to the readers who get to glimpse into his private world.

Dislikes:

– Is Peter breaking the law really that new of a development? He’s committed crimes like wrongful imprisonment, breaking and entering, and assault and battery countless times. I suppose the difference is that it can now be traced back to Peter Parker, but it’s not like he’s never punched a cop before (see issue #148).

– There’s no reason to show this much of the police investigation. Watching people figure something out that I already know is always boring.

– I think Peter’s actions are mostly justified, but I’m stuck on his quickness to drag Mary Jane down with him. I admire her loyalty, but Peter should realize that she has more to lose than he does, and he should figure out a way to protect Aunt May while doing the dirty work himself.

Favorite Quote: All of page two. You just have to read it.

Rating: Quite entertaining and exciting out of 5. Oh, you want a real number? Okay, uh … 4.

Reviewed by: CrazyChris