Amazing Spider-Man Vol 5 #3/804 Review: The Bogenrieder Perspective

Spiders, Tri-Sentinels and no Boomerang, oh my!

Amazing Spider-Man Vol 5 #3 (Lgy #804)

“Back to Basics, Pt 3”

Writer: Nick Spencer

Pencils: Ryan Ottley

Inks: Cliff Rathburn

Colors: Laura Martin

Editor: Nick Lowe

Editor-in-Chief: C.B. Cebulski

Plot:

After Spencer rewards me with a page basically saying “Good job, Neil, you guessed it was Kraven and not a metaphor!”, we cut to Peter and MJ bowling with Randy and, as it turns out, Norah Winters! (Because… people remembered her, I guess.) Norah gets a notification of an attack in downtown, but Peter says to MJ that he doesn’t have to run out and be Spidey. Turns out that the Tri-Sentinel is on the loose, but somehow… Spidey is there, too!

Turns out that Peter had flicked the switch on the Accelerator when Taskmaster and Black Ant were railing on him, and it separated Peter and Spider-Man into two different people. Spider-Man gets the powers (Duh) and the smarts, whereas Peter gets his common sense and his dedication towards his loved ones. Spidey screws off, leaving Peter to carry out his daily routine and contemplate the possibilities of his situation.

As the Tri-Sentinel battles Spider-Man, Peter meets with Doctor Connors, who shows him two mice that got split from the same one using the accelerator. After noticing that they got split talents and traits, Peter comes to a grim realization as Spidey hijacks the Tri-Sentinel to take it on a joyride; Peter is the one with the responsibility.

Thoughts:

God, I love this book so much.

It’s weird just saying you love Amazing Spider-Man as a blanket statement and in a void nowadays, especially since yours truly has found some way to constantly tear it down for the last four years. (Those first two years were in this very site’s ASM reviews back when Mike still wrote them!) And in my two years that I’ve been reviewing ASM (Along with a handful of Avengers issues), I was dangerously close to dropping the title multiple times, but I love you guys and Spider-Man too much to give in to the Slott Patrol.

I’m happy to say that the three-strike system for ASM has been lifted. We are officially in “Good ongoing” mode.  

For starters, Ottley needs to be given a Neil Bogenrieder Gold Star. He’s been getting better with every issue, and with the massive scale of the destruction that comes by obligation with the Tri-Sentinel, he proved that his wanton destruction is fun wanton destruction. Cliff Rathburn (I got it right for once!) and Laura Martin don’t slouch either, and bring their slick inks and soft color palette, switching it up only when the situation calls for it. It’s radically different from Marvel’s “House Style” (Whether that be somebody like Lenil Francis Yu or on the other end of the spectrum like Erica Henderson) and that’s refreshing, something that Spencer’s run has been in spades.

Writing-wise, Spencer takes some more time to focus on the more comedic side of Peter’s life., which is fine by me; we were promised more comedy, so if he delivers on that promise, I’m more than okay with it. Norah Winters wasn’t exactly a return I was expecting (Or really hyped up for) but she was harmless, and her banter with Randy was on point. There was nothing there that was bad, but my interest was more in the introspection of Peter’s life.

Spencer focuses very much on the idea of how certain traits of Peter’s personality are of extremes; expanding on this is an introspection on how Peter’s traits of “power” and “responsibility” are not to be mutually exclusive. Neither one can exist in a vacuum, because they are counterbalances to one another. This isn’t exactly a new idea as far as I’m aware, (And the idea of Peter being faced with a duplicate of himself is nowhere near a novel concept, as Zach can testify) but it is an interesting idea to have one facet of his personality with another.

However, given that the solicits for ASM #6, along with the fact that Spider-Man basically got everything while Peter got zip aside from his common sense and responsibility, this change is very much a temporary one, but for now I’m willing to let it ride because it’s an interesting (If somewhat comedic and hyper-energetic) examination of Peter as a character and his defining traits. (Though it could be a more prominent and long-lasting status quo change, given that Spider-Man might be hanging out with Boomerang in-costume at the Bar With No Name.)

What sells it is that Spencer creates two very distinct voices for Peter and Spider-Man. Peter is the more reserved, quiet, but dependable person who uses the time available to him to assume a more normal lifestyle with his girlfriend and best friend now that the supposed “burden” of his power is lifted off his head. Spider-Man, however, is cocky, crass and constantly joking; his personality borders on assaholic without Peter’s good nature to rein him in. They’re two sides of the same coin, and Spencer makes sure that you don’t forget this. It’s inevitable that Peter and Spider-Man will become a singular person again, though this examination of Peter’s personality reads very much like, as Hornacek mentioned in the comments of my review of ASM Vol 5 #2, “The Enemy Within” from Star Trek.

Plus, c’mon, don’t tell me that you didn’t get an adrenaline kick when Spidey took control of the Tri-Sentinel and takes it for a spin. It’s these absurdist, balls-to-the-wall ideas where Spencer shines, and a Spider-Man book that can kick back and have dumb fun while still being a good read is more than okay, in my opinion.

If I have to complain about anything, though, it’s that the “Boomerang is my roommate” subplot has gone practically nowhere since the first issue. (And, if you want to make the argument further, it really hasn’t used any of the momentum of the Free Comic Book Day issue.) Hopefully, they expand upon this before the status quo “blows up” up in ASM #6, but I’m worried that the whole fiasco will be contained to that one issue and that’s it.

Overall, though? Spencer wows me yet again. Remember how I used to say I’d beat a dead horse whenever I criticized a plot point Slott wrote? Now it feels like I’m going to beat the horse to death praising Spencer. But, I suppose it’s better to praise than to be angry all the time.

Final Grade: A