Writer:  Chip Zdarsky
Artists: Joe Quinones
Editors:  Nick Lowe
E.I.C:  C.B. Cebulski
Crawlspace Reviewer: Chi-Town Spidey
Crawlspace E.I.C: Brad Douglas

Peter deals with high school pressure from his classmates and older Peter helps out.  This timeline’s Osborn attacks the Daily Bugle, see’s this timeline’s Jonah writing a draft to expose Peter Parker as Spider-Man and then blows up the office with Jonah inside, presumably killing Jonah.  Jameson trying to shake down where the Tinkerer is hiding with no such luck and Teresa find out that she is indeed the daughter of Richard and Mary Parker.  Old Spidey and young Spidey battle Mysterio and old Spidey sends young Spidey home when he receives a call from old Jonah about this time period’s Bugle blowing up.  Young Spidey heads home and gets a surprised attack from Osborn with Aunt May tied up on the couch. 

Time-Travel and Spider-Man just don’t really mix do they?  You see this kind of story telling in X-Men or Fantastic Four.  I’m sure there are other stories within the Marvel Universe that deals with time travel.  The only Spider-Man comic I can think of that involves time-travel and written correctly is Amazing Spider-Man #500.  It’s a good read and actually works without disrupting the space time continuum.  Peter has to RE-LIVE the events he went through as Spider-Man in short periods of time in order to get back to his point in time.  It involves Dr. Strange so there is a lot of magic and mystic elements involved.  That is not what happens in this issue though, so let’s dive right in and dissect this bad boy. 

Pete and Re-Pete scenes: There are a lot of nods during the scene of when Peter and his older self visit Midtown High.  A goth looking girl by the name of Jessica is taking interest and “flirting”(?) with our younger hero.  Peter completely blows her off, regretting it immediately after.  I believe (as many fans do) that girl is in fact Jessica Jones!  I honestly believe that Zdarsky actually wanted to point this out and it’s actually Flash that teases it.  If you take a look back at The New Avengers (Volume 1) Issue #51 Jessica Jones actually went to high school with Peter Parker and had the biggest crush on him.  Peter didn’t even know… (there are earlier and later issues that support this “romance”)

Fate…..funny little thing isn’t it?  We all know that Mary Jane is Peter’s true love and soulmate no matter how much Marvel wants to deny or tease us with it.  I also notice that Jessica’s appearance is different in both these panels, it’s almost like they changed her appearance in the comics because she has a live-streaming hit tv show or something, but I digress. 

Mooooooving right along with have Zdarsky capturing Flash Thompson’s bully manner back in high school.  He does a good job.  Flash says something MAJOR insulting to Peter, he kinda regrets it right after, but doesn’t let anyone else know he regrets it because that would ruin his image.  Blows it off in a typical bully style.  So that’s two major nods to the continuity to three characters, but I think Joe Quinones knocks the last nod in this scene.  Are spidey cartoon themes playing in your head?  Should be, because older Peter is dressed up like Peter Parker from the 90’s Animated Series while younger Peter is resembles Peter Parker from the Spectacular Spider-Man Animated Series!

Norman is MAD:  By “MAD” I mean, insane and ticked off all in one-giant-cream-filling-twinkie that’s he’s about to stuff down Jameson’s throat.  Zdarsky captures Norman’s personality here and also Jameson’s.  When Jameson drafts that article on exposing Peter Parker as Spider-Man to the world, Norman gets a sneak peak.  The deed is done due to Jameson’s “Exclusive!!!” ego attitude and now he has put Peter’s life in danger.  Just like the older Jameson just did in the Amazing Title.  Actually this scene pretty much mirrors what happened in Amazing Spider-Man #797.  This Norman however takes it a bit further and we are to believe he has killed Jameson.

Teresa PARKER!:  Now, between issues it has been debated that this timeline has no effect on the present timeline.  That it’s a timeline is an alternate timeline that mirrors the other timeline.  A clone to the present timeline?  So any kind of tampering with this timeline does not effect the present timeline, but does effect the future of the timeline that they are presently in and in some way, shape, or form so in theory..

I’m just gonna focus on what really matters here an that it’s Teresa is in fact the daughter of Richard and Mary Parker.  Zdarsky was aiming for this way back when he brought her into issue #1 as the cliffhanger, it’s clear now that we have our answers to the truth.  I wasn’t too fond of her, but her characterization did grow on me and I actually was yearning to find out more about her.  Zdarsky and Quinones write and illustrate a very emotional scene.  I’m giving them credit for this one.  It’s written well and illustrated even better.  She had a mother, she had a father, and she even has a brother.  Peter had his Uncle and his Aunt, she didn’t.  Very powerful moment in the Spider-Man history.  It’s for the books.  I’m actually looking forward to seeing her more and watching this character grow.  Hoping she makes it into the other titles as well. 

Goblin’s Home:  Norman knows Peter is Spider-Man and attacks his home and his Aunt.  Zdarsky and Quinones come through again.  The scene plays off like a horror film.  You know what happened and you know what’s coming.  Norman secret is out and everyone knows he’s the Goblin only after a first few years.  Why bother holding back?  Zdarsky writes Norman at wits end and doesn’t hold back.  He presumably killed Jameson, now he tied up Aunt May, gagged her to keep her quiet to lure Peter into the house, like nothing was wrong and then completely beat the “thwip” out of him!  Zdarsky turns the tables.  In 301 we say the good guys have the advantage, now the bad guys have the advantage. 

FCBD, Issue #6, and now this issue have been my favorites out of this book.  You get hits and mostly misses, but it’s nice to write a review to a book I actually enjoyed reading..for the most part and looking forward to the next issue.

t.