THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #560 Review

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #560
TITLE: “Flat Out Crazy” (Part 2 of “Peter Parker, Paparazzi”)
WRITER: Dan Slott
ARTIST: Marcos Martin
COLORIST: Javier Rodriguez
Reviewed By: Crazy Chris

PLOT:

Paper Doll, a super powered stalker obsessed with actor Bobby Carr, murders a waitress with a lawsuit against Carr for his alleged assault against her, as depicted in one of Peter’s paparazzi photos. Spidey shadows Frankie Kollins, a fellow paparazzo who may be Paper Doll’s next target. When the Doll attacks, Spider-Man finds her unstoppable and she only relents when Kollins promises never to bother Bobby Carr again. Instead, Paper Doll kills Carr’s press-tipping publicist.

Carr holes up in his estate in the Hamptons with his new mystery girlfriend. Guess who it is.

THOUGHTS:

So Mary Jane is back. I hope she brought a truckload of answers with her. As long as these characters’ pasts are mired in confusion (not to be confused with intriguing mystery), I’ll find it hard to care about them in the present. At least her in-joke one-liner made me smile!

This issue improved a lot over the last one. Peter is still a paparazzo and that still bothers me, but he’s at least starting to second-guess that choice. The real star here is how Dan Slott set a unique tone by blending notes of action, humor, and morbidity. I don’t expect excellent black comedy from a Spidey comic, but damned if this issue doesn’t have the funniest murder scene investigation ever.

Marcos Martin draws a very, very ugly Harry Osborn. Otherwise, his art looks better this time. I especially like the way he presents Paper Doll and her powers. She strikes me as both one of the goofiest and most creepy villains Spider-Man has ever faced. Modern villains have lacked that dangerous quirkiness, and Paper Doll might be the first one since Ditko to get the balance right.

RATING:

4 webheads out of 5. Dan Slott finally vindicates his cult following’s praise.

REVIEWED BY: CrazyChris