Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #298 Review

Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man #298 Review

Writer: Chip Zdarsky

Artists: Adam Kurbert with Juan Frigeri

Colorist: Jason Keith

C.Artist: Adam Kubert and Morry Hollowell

Editor-in-Chief: Alex Alonso

The issues starts off…

With Peter in the interrogation room, his sister/non-sister and human torch break him out using Pym Particle tech and then inform Mason of their whereabouts.  Meanwhile Jameson and Betty Brant pull a fast one on Shocker to obtain info.  Peter plans to get Teresa out of town and on a non-stop plane to San Fran to see his pals at Horizon Labs.  That is until Vulture and Whiplash stop them on the bridge and Black Panther shows up to save the day and offers to help Teresa.

Thoughts:

No.  Just No!  This book really should be call Marvel Team up.  You got Human Torch, Whiplash, and Black Panther.  I put the featured photo of Spidey punching Whiplash (not even HIS villian) because I wanted him to see that he can fight back in his own book!!  I don’t like Peter counteracting himself.  He fought to get away from Mintz, then surrender himself, then breaks out WITH HELP FROM FRIENDS.  Peter Parker is smarter than this, I just don’t like that he can’t fight back and that if any situation he always needs help.  Always!  Both as Peter and as Spider-Man.

What kept this book from failing was J. Jonah Jameson and Betty Brant!  Two reporters doing what they do the best.  The dynamic rich history between these two and how it evolved to what we saw was really good.  They took down a supervillian.  They took down the Shocker.  Two people with NO POWERS blackmail Shocker like there was really nothing to it.  They are not even scientists!  They have no powers!  Yet, Peter Parker aka “The Spectacular Spider-Man” with spider powers has trouble?!

I really wanted to like this book.  I’m even growing on the idea of Peter having Teresa as a sister.  I have a friend that I call my “Sister”, but she’s not actually my sister.  To her though, I am her brother.  So I can relate to Peter being very protective and trying to help out Teresa as much as possible.  He’s not using his brain though, he’s not being smart, cocky sure, but not smart at all.  He’s better than this.  I just don’t like the fact that his “Super Friends” need to save him from any situation when he’s Spider-Man and when they aren’t around, you have his supporting cast saving him.  Even the super villians don’t take Spider-Man as a threat, but when Black Panther comes around…look out! Black Panther is a great fighter, but Spider-Man has beaten Vulture MANY times, even when Vulture has an amped up suit…C’mon now…

Yeah, because there’s this movie out there starring him so it’s time for his limelight in all Marvel books.

Pros

• Jameson and Betty
• The art

Cons:

• Everything else

Grade: D