Spider-Man/Man-Thing: Fear Itself Review

A Spider-Man/Man-Thing team up…I could go on about this issue wasn’t really necessary but instead I decided to list some things that make more sense than a Spider-Man/Man-Thing team up;

• A solar powered torch
• An inflatable dartboard
• A submarine made out of wood
• A D-Man/Tigra team up

SPIDER-MAN/MAN-THING: FEAR ITSELF
Fear and Mr. Parker
WRITER: Stuart Moore
ARTIST: Joe Suitor
LETTERS: Jared K. Fletcher

PLOT:
After a flashback, where we see young Peter Parker talking to Aunt May about if everything feels fear. May says that all animals feel fear, but plants don’t, before she goes inside with Uncle Ben while Peter keeps thinking on the matter.

In the present day, Peter on holiday with Aunt May to Florida, but gets sidetracked when Man-Thing starts wrecking houses. By the way, what has four wheels and flies? MAN-THING IN A PICK-UP TRUCK!! That’s the level of quippage in this issue I’m afraid. Man-Thing’s burning power doesn’t work on Spider-Man because he feels no fear, but while he brags about that, he gets slashed with Man-Thing’s thorns. The villain of vines escapes into the Everglades, while Spider-Man checks on the citizens.

Four months later, Peter worries about Aunt May walking home by herself before his spider-sense starts blaring. He enters an alley and sees Man-Thing there, who leaves just as suddenly as he arrived. The next day, Peter is on a date with Carlie, (A DATE?! REALLY? Finally!) but isn’t even listening to her before Man-Thing makes another of his random surprise visits (he should really call first). Peter runs away, great guy that he is, and finds vines growing from his cuts.

A visit to Curt Connors is in order. Dr Connors finds that Spider-Man may have some of the Super-Soldier serum, (the faulty one that made the Man-Thing) in his blood. Spidey gets a serum to slow the reaction, but is warned not to take too much, as it contains some of the deadly Lizard serum mixed in. Well done Doc. Peter finds Man-Thing and takes more serum. Idiot. Connors calls Spider-Man on his cell-phone (that’s right, you heard me) explaining the only way to fix this is to burn it out on a molecular level. But plants don’t feel fear. So Peer takes more serum and is turning into a lizard creature. He finally is afraid. Man-Thing burns him and takes away all the serum. Peter realises why Man-Thing came to New York; he sensed a being like him and wanted companionship, as his only fear in being alone. Man-Thing then combusts and burns away.

LIKES:
-PETER WENT ON A DATE?!
-There was a lot of story here…

DISLIKES:
-But none of it was that good.
-The art was really weird, manga and cartoon style.
-The lettering, believe it or not.

THOUGHTS:
This was bad. I’m just going to put it out there. I’m also feeling a bit list crazy so here’s another one. The reasons you would buy this issue;

• You are a massive Man-Thing fan.
• You have money to burn.
• Or you want to scan the cover and use photoshop to turn it into Spider-Man’s Man-Thing.

We get ANOTHER pointless special for $3.99, which probably will never be referenced again. Yet more people will probably buy this because it is in main Marvel 616 continuity. They might buy this instead of a more deserving title, Spider-Girl is one that comes to mind. This overexposure leads to many titles not getting a look in and that, frankly, is terrible. Right now, we have four Avengers titles, three X-Men titles and Amazing Spider-Man being released three times a month. I’m not even counting mini-series and specials. There are many strong X-Men, Avengers and Spider-Man fans out there, noting wrong with that. Unfortunately, due to the sheer amount of the titles, they will probably buy those instead of giving something else a chance. Get a grip Marvel.

It might be worth it if the specials were well written, but they’re not. This one is bad, It just tells a mediocre story with many points left unexplained. It feels rushed and not even the writer wanted to tell a good story. The art is terrible with everyone having weird body shapes and eyes with huge pupils. It’s manga inspired, which isn’t too bad on occasion, but this just doesn’t work. The Man-Thing is poorly used until at the very end, before his spontaneous combustion that is.

FAVOURITE QUOTE:
I’ve already said my least favourite, but here’s a good one;

MA: What’s the damage, Luke?
LUKE: We lost Showtime, HBO and Comedy Central

Heh.

OVERALL:
1 out of 5 webheads

Really just not necessary and a bad read to boot. Next month, Spider-Man joins forces with…Captain Ultra!

I really hope I’m joking.