Spider-Man 2099 (Vol. 3) #18 Review

“Where the shock did she disappear to? Freaking ninja.”

Spidey 2099 gets closer to discovering what The Fist’s plan is, but not before they strike!

WRITER: Peter David

ARTIST: Will Sliney

COLOR ARTIST: Rachelle Rosenberg

LETTERER: VC’s Cory Petit

COVER ARTIST: Francesco Mattina

EDITOR: Charles Beacham

STORY: Elektra interrogates Iron Man 2099 as Spidey 2099 and Cap 2099 look on. They decide to head to Chicago based on what they learn. Meanwhile, The Fist is already there, striking at the convention Raul, Jasmine, Liz, and Tiberius are attending. By the time the heroes arrive, Raul, Tiberius, and a host of others have become infected by something that is turning them into monsters!

THOUGHTS: Things kick off with a shadowy cover, provided as always by the talented Mattina. The Live and Let Die style tarot cards are my favorite aspect of it, but otherwise, the mystery snake villain doesn’t get me in a rush to dive into this issue.

David has Sliney open in a close up on Frisco, the Iron Man of 2099. He’s being tortured, presumably strung up, but with the turn of the page, we get a great reveal showing that it’s actually the opposite. If it’s one thing David excels at, it’s banter, particularly the dark kind that Spidey 2099 and his ilk trade in. It’s worth noting that Cap was against the style of interrogation, whilst Spidey just didn’t seem to care.

One thing I’ve always appreciated about the Marvel U is the use of real world locations to ground things. Not that I don’t like Gotham and Metropolis, but I always wished I could go to New York and see the skyline that Spidey slings across. I had to wonder if Raul was speaking on David’s behalf when he called the Javits a big box.

Speaking of Raul, he is the first victim of The Fist’s assault, and as I mentioned last review, I’m pretty nonplussed about it. I certainly don’t have the attachment to him as say a Robbie Robertson. These P.I. people haven’t been involved enough for me to get interested in them as characters and although Miguel seems to care for them, I really don’t believe it. He seems far more connected to someone from his own time, like Roberta, who is also a relatively new character. Even Frisco seems to garner more sympathy from the reader, and he debuted around the same time. He seems genuinely confused about what has been going on with himself and how he’s felt a lack of awareness when it comes to questioning things. Asking if he was a good man back in 2099 speaks volumes as to who he is underneath. Meanwhile, Elektra sits beside him, nonchalantly sharpening her sai! Just another day, I suppose!

We finally get a bit more on Tempest’s condition as she fully awakens and yes, the baby is fine. However, the docs aren’t telling Miguel yet as they are under orders to pass everything through Peter first. Oh, yeah, this is gonna end well. I’m now awaiting for all of Miguel’s rage to boil over into a fight with the original Spidey!

Raul may have been taken out with a scratch, but switching tactics, The Fist is now pushing a tainted water onto the convention crowd. Evil Snake Goddess Lady comes off like one of  those mall kiosk salespeople, just pressuring you to try their product. Liz, for her part, knows better and declines. I like the slight nod to all the awful things she’s had to endure and learn from since 1962. She’s also curious where the Parker Industries people are at and Tiberius calls out how she is always concerned about them. I’d love to see it be not just about business, but something more personal underneath. Could David be hinting at something more romantic with the release of Spider-Man: Homecoming this summer, reportedly featuring Liz as a love interest?

Once all the drinks are poured, The Fist really goes on the offensive, releasing a broadcast declaring war against the United States. Their leader is attired like a red Cobra Commander, being the second Spider-Verse villain to recall the slithery one in a month! The Fist are proclaiming to be GENUINE Americans and let off several political statements that seem endemic and relevant to the times, but not the views of a group shooting off from The Hand OR Tyler Stone. To paraphrase from the movie Clue, patriotism is a red herring.

A big problem with their plan once things start to go down is that Tiberius Stone himself gets poisoned and altered. Presumably, this is something that can be reversed, otherwise this is gonna cause a lot of problems for his progeny. Unless we’re taking a delayed time ripple effect, it must all work out as Miguel has yet to be erased from existence!

I love the shock (uh, no 2099 pun intended) that Sliney renders on our heroes’ faces as they come across what next issue’s solicits declare to be zombies. Everybody freezes in their tracks before Chicago’s Finest understandably turn tail and call for S.W.A.T. To me, they seem more reminiscent of the Culebra vampires featured on From Dusk Till Dawn, as those guys have the snake element. They don’t seem to lumber, but move quickly as they pour out of the convention hall, and those fangs just don’t scream “zombie”. Judging by the next cover, maybe a touch of the Reaper vampires from Blade II is in the inspirational mix as well.

Once again, another brisk, but enjoyable issue by Peter David and Co.Everyone gels on this team really well. I’m just getting listless for all these dangling plots to come to a resolution. The trademark snarky banter continues to make this a fun read, however I just can’t wait to see Miguel and Tempest reunited and The Fist’s final machinations revealed. Plus, I want to read the story behind that upcoming cover with both Spidey 2099 suits represented! I miss the old blue and reds!

MY GRADE: B

JAVI’S HUH?: Evil Snake Goddess Lady bumps into Raul, hitting his left arm, but it’s the outside of his right arm that got scratched?

The doctors don’t tell Tempest she is paralyzed. Do they not expect her to figure out in short order that she can’t move her legs or feel them? What if she tries to get up to use the restroom?