Alford Notes: Amazing Spider-Man #790

OK folks!  This one has everything you have ever wanted in a Spider-Man comic book – ol’ Petey down on his luck! The Human Torch fighting it out with Spidey!  A deadly super villain – Clash!  Did we mention Peter down on his luck?  ‘Cause the boy is down on his luck!  Plus the first ever Marvel universe appearance of Shake Shack!  All this for only $3.99?  This truly is the Marvel Age of Comics! 

 

The Devil in the Details

Story Title: Breaking Point

Writer: Dan Slott and Christos Gage

Penciler: Stuart Immonen

Inker: Wade von Grawbadger

Colorist: Marte Gracia

Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramanga

Cover Artist: Alex Ross

Editor: Nick Lowe

Published: October 25, 2017

 

Remedial ASM 101

Just to catch you up, here is what has happened: Peter has lost Parker Industries, has dumped the corporate and legal duties of resolving the mess to Harry Osborn Lyman, and is flat broke while living on Mockingbird’s couch.  But he saved a food truck as Spider-man, so everyone likes Spidey now.

 

The Story – Pay Attention, This Will Be on the Test

Peter finally starts to be responsible in his handling of the Parker Industries fallout until he doesn’t.  Harry ends up taking it all on again while Spidey jumps rope with elementary school kids.  Meanwhile, Clash is all in a tizzy because Parker is selling his inventions, so decides to break in to the Baxter Building to get one of them back.  Meanwhile squared, The Torch is ticked because Peter is selling the Baxter Building and chooses to fight Spider-Man all while damaging the building.  Some device is turned on in the chaos by Clash’s goons and everyone in New York almost dies until Torch, Clash, and Spidey work together to save the day.  Robbie then offers Peter a science writer job at the Daily Bugle.

Pop Quiz

What other newspaper has Peter Parker worked for?

a. Daily Planet

b. Daily Globe

c. New York Times

d. Daily Star

e. Trick question, Peter only worked for the Daily Bugle unless you’re counting the DB

What Passed:

The art on the first few pages that shows time passing during his many speeches to PI customers and employees by showing the sunlight in the window moving.

I like the Clash working against the villains as a villain himself idea.  We didn’t get too much of it here, but we do get to see the possibility of Clash having some serious trouble holding onto his gang.  That may be a story coming down the line before too much longer.  Venom is coming up, sure would be smart of Spidey to team up with Clash when that happens.

 

OOTI

On a scale of 1 (POW) to 10 (BLRKBQRKPQRBLNB), this rates a 8.  Clash’s weapons turn ordinary sounds into sound blasts.  I am assuming someone is saying “Um” for this effect.  Wouldn’t it be awesome if Clash did his weapon at the same time we got BLRKBQRKPQRBLNB?

 

What Failed:

Why is Mockingbird on the title page? 

I have to agree with Neil – I love Immonen’s art, but his Peter Parker leaves something to be desired, but only when he focuses on details.  The less detailed further away shows are good.  It doesn’t take me completely out of the story, but it does impede my enjoyment of it some.  I am going to chalk it up to Immonen trying to show a down and out Parker, so maybe this will go away when things stabilize. 

I really wanted to see that plexi-glass tube catch Clash while breaking in.  

Analysis:

I get that Peter is depressed.  I get that Peter, while responsibility is his defining quality is not always responsible.  But this dumping on Harry is too extreme.  This isn’t just being called away and leaving Harry to deal with it all because Electro is robbing a bank or the Griffin is attacking a zoo gift shop, or something.  This is leaving Harry just because he doesn’t want to deal with it.  Who is this guy pretending to be Peter Parker in my comic book?  The only positive I got from that was seeing Spidey on street level (it looks like a comic adaptation of a few scenes of Homecoming), but the timing for that was all wrong.

The fight with the Torch was just as entertaining to me as it was the first time they did it.  However, I do appreciate the bookend nature of the fight – Parker buys the Baxter Building and they fight.  Parker sells the Baxter Building and the fight.

I have to agree with Evan here.  This fall of Peter Parker is reading like Marvel said, “OK, people don’t like CEO Parker?  They want a Parker down on his luck?  Well, we’ll give it to ’em!  See how they like that!”  I’m sure it didn’t really go quite like that, but it sure feels that way.

I am looking forward to Peter’s new role as science writer.  This is a great way to bring in some of the old while keeping it new. 

 

Extra Credit:

OK, so Torch was going on how he really needs to be on a team.  Place your odds on the following:

– Torch is not heard from again and that idea is dropped into the void of comic hell (the gutter, I suppose)

– Torch and Spidey form a new team

– Torch joins up with the Avengers

– Torch starts up a new Fantastic Four

– Some other configuration I didn’t think of

 

Final Grade:

This just didn’t move me.  Peter’s dumping on Harry really bothers me.  It would be one thing if Harry was being forced to deal with the closing of PI because Spider-Man duties, but I hate whiny Spidey.

D-

 

Your Turn:

What grade do YOU give it?

 

Test Corrections:

Did you enjoy this issue?  I hope you did.  Please comment on what you liked out of it so that I can approach the next issue with a better mindset.  Remember, I’m the guy that gave a good grade on the satellite jumping issue.  I really want to like this.

 

Extra Credit

In the pop quiz above, all the paper names are actual comic book newspapers.  Where does the Daily Star fit in?

 

What’s Next?

 

THE FALL OF PARKER Part 3

• SPIDER-MAN & MOCKINGBIRD, flying in the air, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!
• The romance is blooming, but the Fall of Parker is at hand!
• Can down on his luck Peter Parker escape this latest conflict with his new relationship in one piece?

 

Well, this should make George happy at least.

‘Nuff Said!