THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #579
Mark Waid returns to conclude this two-part story with a slight twist. As many readers know, I greatly enjoyed #578, and was pleased to read a story that unraveled with a clever exposition. However, this time around, my spider-sense wasn’t going off as much as it did earlier. Furthermore, the conclusion just set up another mystery that Brand New Day is so fond of delivering.
“Unscheduled Stop”
WRITER: Mark Waid
ARTIST: Marcos Martin
COLORS: Javier Rodriguez
LETTERS: VC’s Chris Eliopoulos
PLOT: May Parker was very worried about her nephew Peter. Relieved that he was not trapped with other New Yorkers in a collapsed subway tunnel, May continues her work at the F.E.A.S.T. Center. Little does she know that Peter is indeed underground with the others, but sporting his alter ego Spider-man instead. Spider-man manages to convince Shocker to lead the passengers and him self out to safety through a secret tunnel that the vibrating villain used to enter the rail line. However, our favorite wall crawler finds himself leading the jury to safety while also keeping a vigilant spider-eye on “Pillow Face.” When the crew is finally lead to the exit, Shocker activates a device that makes his seismic gauntlets explode, trapping the crew once again. But, Spidey leads the jury out, back into the city. When he helps J.J.J. Senior get on his feet, Spider-man spots Jonah and beckons the dated dad to explain to his son what a great hero Spider-man is. But the old man disappears, leaving his relationship and past with Jonah unresolved for him and his son, as well as us readers.
LIKES: Martin’s art……….Spider-man’s fiery temper…………..The rats! DISLIKES: J.J.J. divorce proceedings………….The fact that another mystery is being added to the Brand New Day mythos.
THOUGHTS:
Has anyone ever seen Batman Begins? I am a Spidey lover, but I do like Batman…not nearly as much as Spider-man believe me. No, really, Spider-man is my favorite!
Maybe I shouldn’t have brought that up, but there is relevance behind my question. There is a particular scene out of this issue that really reminded me of the movie. For those of you that have seen it and maybe even bask in batty goodness, do you remember when Batman interrogates the corrupt Gotham P.D. cop, screaming “Swear to me!”?
,I thought so. I was surprised and pleased to see Spider-man get serious, raise his tone, and use fear to manipulate Shocker into leading him and the jury to safety. The scene really felt…well, real. I could feel Peter’s frustration with the villain, the weight and responsibility of getting those passengers to safety.
However, what about that scene where Spidey constructs a lift out of spider webs? I thought that was just a bit far-fetched. Martin didn’t even draw the lift logically. The way the jurors are standing on it and the placement of the webs made it look as though Spidey was magically lifting them. How did the lift not lose balance? Look at that panel again. You will see what I mean. But, my fellow fans, we must always remember that this is just a comic. Maybe I am getting too picky.
Finally, I felt emotionless towards Jameson’s divorce. Hasn’t this happened before? I don’t know, it just seems as though Jonah is becoming this totally different character than he once was. He is colder, remorseless and lacks emotion. The obsession with the Bugle has driven him into a state of neutral character. Is he going to become a villain? I can’t help but wonder where Brand New Day is going to lead everyone’s favorite grumpy publisher, and with his father’s appearance and strange disappearance, as well as the allusions to their past, I can’t help but feel something big is brewing that may flip Spidey’s world upside down. But, then again, Peter is used to hanging that way.
COVER: I honor thee cover with a 4 out of 5. Spider-man seemed extra-colorful while sporting that gauntlet!
RATING: I humbly honor thee with a…..hmm…..well, I really liked the last issue, but this one was just okay, more about concluding the story and setting up another storyline, so 3 out of 5.
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Spotify
Pandora
Amazon Music
iHeartRadio
Podbean
Amazon Alexa
Player.fm
Listen Notes
Stitcher
Thanks!
I’ll also give bjohns a pat on the back. His reviews are always up the day or the day after the book is out! You rock sir, keep up the great work!
by the way, thanks bjohns for your on-time reviews.
I am excited about next weeek’s Roger Stern and Lee Weeks collaboration and I am also looking forward to reading what you will have to say about it
keep up the good work!
Yeah, Persian-Spider, I agree completely. As far as Tangled #20, I am not sure. Give me some time to find the issue and I can correlate some things. With Brand New Day, there is no telling what continuity is suppressed or retained.
Good review but yeah I didn’t like the divorce idea either
Unless it’s Jonah getting Marla out of harm’s way, I don’t believe it
BND isn’t achieving anything fast, just because they have 3 issues a month, doesn’t mean they can slow down the plot points
Once again Martin’s art was great
Him and Fraction could be the next truly great run on Amazing Spider-Man
I agree with your review completely.
I guess BND is not achieving anything fast
by the wa, I remember reading tangled web #20 years ago. in that there were some revelations about JJJ’s past and his father.
is it consistnet with this one? has anybody noticed any continuity gaffes?
To be fair, Marla doesn’t actually want to divorce Jonah because, the way she sees it, selling the Bugle is what saved Jonah’s life. She’s just going along with this because Jonah wants it. One problem I did have though was Spidey’s quip about J. Jonah Jameson Sr. being the only person named “Jameson” he actually liked. Hey, Mr. Waid? Did you forget about John Jameson, J.J.J. son, the guy who ALWAYS stuck up for Spider-Man?
Marla is leaving Jonah?!?!!?! I haven’t read since OMD, but does this make sense to anybody? Maybe Pete and Jonah can go on a double date now!!!!!! Oh what a zany fun hip storyline that will be! Gosh, peter is so YOUNG now!