Interesting Tidbit Vol. 4 #5: The Thunderbolts were first presented to readers and the Marvel Universe as a group of superheroes like the Avengers. They became heroes to help protect the world when the Avengers were declared dead after the events of the 1996 “Onslaught” crossover. In a shocking twist, the final page of the first issue of their comic book revealed that the Thunderbolts were really the Masters of Evil in disguise. Holy plot twist, Batman!
Be sure to comment below!
SPIDER-WOMAN: AGENT OF S.W.O.R.D #6
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
ARTIST: Alex Maleev
LETTERER: VC’s Cory Petit
MODEL FOR SPIDER-WOMAN/JESSICA DREW: Jolynn Carpenter
*NB: This takes place prior to Thunderbolts #134*
PLOT:
Oh poo! It’s Spider-Woman vs. The Thunderbolts B-Team. Once Jessica realizes they just want to take her in to talk to Norman Osborn, she decides to run and engage the players only when necessary. Agent Brand tells her that there is nothing she can do and to GET OUT OF THERE! This is a basic flight vs. fight issue…
REVIEW:
As Jessica’s first full issue inside of her Spider-Woman outfit, it makes sense that this issue feels completely different from the previous five. Up to now, it has been about subterfuge, Hydra, and finding out who Jessica Drew really is. This issue has Jessica fighting and using her training in more ways than one. We see her intelligence as well as her common sense. On the other hand, we see that this new team of Thunderbolts is really lackluster and inconsequential…are they really like this, or is this just how Bendis is writing them? I cannot comment on this, but to me, they really seem like rookies.
I loved Jessica’s voice in this issue. Gone was the anger and ever-present was the annoyance and sarcasm. I found myself laughing several times throughout. Here is one of my favorite parts:
*Jessica types on her S.W.O.R.D. touch-phone while in a dumpster. Outside several Thunderbolts are looking for her. Jessica hasn’t checked her phone in a while and she finds 34 messages waiting for her when she turns it on. What follows is her communication with Agent Brand*
SW: Sorry, Boss. Can’t exactly talk right now. Thunderbolts are here. Can you get them off my ass???
Agent Brand: No.
SW: What do I do?
Agent Brand: Osborn doesn’t know about S.W.O.R.D. Do not engage. Do not get captured.
SW: Too late for not engaging. I’m in a pickle. Advise.
Agent Brand: Run like Hell.
SW: Wonderful.
Agent Brand: We have a lead on your Skrull target. MOVE!
I thought that was great; not only the answers, but the fact that the entire time Jessica is in a dumpster. This was just ONE of the great moments in this issue.
Now, normally I applaud the art, but this time I had some problems with it. I know, shocking! There were several panels where it is really hard to discern what is going on and they are slightly disorienting. It could be the dark colors used, but the art was not really working as well this issue, when it should have been top notch in order to match the level of the writing.
And did I catch an inconsistency? How would Spider-Woman be able to get into the Thunderbolt jet if she can only GLIDE, not FLY?! Say what?
RATING:
4.0 out of 5.0 Webheads: Much better than the last issue and some of the best internal dialog I have seen. Jessica’s voice was great and I am loving this character more and more! However, the art was off in this issue, which is shocking and a little disappointing.
Ex animo,
Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Girl!
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Spotify
Pandora
Amazon Music
iHeartRadio
Podbean
Amazon Alexa
Player.fm
Listen Notes
Stitcher
So does this series take place like…right after Secret Invasion.
Because Osborn most definitely knows about S.W.O.R.D. as of, well…the series S.W.O.R.D.
Brad, Brad, Brad. Come on, you know story decompression is all the rage these days and it’s what the fans *demand.* We’re told this is so by the writers that do it, so we know it’s true. Without it how else could they take a story that could be told in four issues and stretch it out over a year? Come on, man – evolve already!
Enigma: AHHH, don’t say such things! Are you saying Spider-Man slept with Jessica?! I will be really angry! More angry at Jessica for sleeping with someone who is most obviously NOT Spider-Man!
Hehe, yea, Bendis and I do have a lot in common! 😉
My dear Stella… you need have NO FEAR of her being reduced to B List status… as long as Bendis is here. I believe he loves the character maybe more than you do…
.. and since you want to have Spider-Man sleep with everyone besides his wife, Marvel… how bout it? Since it’s basically pointless, I’m gonna start thinking like you guys do… who do I want to see him bang?
Brad: I agree that it went by rather quickly. What consistently characterizes these issues is the fact that half of it consists of panels where there are no words. In one way, however, it seems like the time taken to read it fits the amount of real time experienced for Jessica.
Enigma and Jon: I have not read that issue, but I can see where you’re coming from. I’m quite surprised Jessica didn’t use her full arsenal, like her pheromones. I’ll have to check that issue out in order to fully comment on it. I can’t knock Bendis too much, however, because Jessica has become a great character. She doesn’t need to be a big player, she just needs to be a legitimate female hero. She could be a B-lister for all I care.
Man, I just love Bendis, and i’m digging this title. But I have too agree with that fight scene with Spidey. That just bothered the hell out of me. Knock her out quick and apologize later. We get that he (Bendis) loves the character and wants to legitimize her as a big player, but come on, that scene was taking those intentions too far.
Great review as always. However I thought the issue flew by way too fast. I think I read it in about five minutes. Stella, did you have the same problem? I don’t know if I want more dialog, but I just felt cheated. Like fast food comics, when I wanted a meal.
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! Enigma, Man That Perv Part Cracked me up.
“On the other hand, we see that this new team of Thunderbolts is really lackluster and inconsequential…are they really like this, or is this just how Bendis is writing them? I cannot comment on this, but to me, they really seem like rookies.”
Because Bendis is more concerned with making Jessica look good. Want proof, go back and read earlier issues of New Avengers.
I just had to sit through a one sided fight with her and Spider-Man, because he didn’t want to hurt her… nevermind the fact that he shoots out sticky stuff(shut up, perverts…) that could incapacitate and trap her easily.
Me, I’d have hit her. She started it. Must have been a trick of the light… made her look like Michelle Gonzalles.
It said that this issue takes place prior to Thunderbolts #134.
As for her costume, I think it is a mixture of two things: 1. Maleev has a way of making everything look like a painting. 2. I think that her suit is so tight that it looks like skin. I found some stuff out about what superheroes wear under their costumes and how I know, but I won’t say it here.
Regarding the Thunderbolts problem – that must be Bendis’ fault. Andy Diggle was writing Thunderbolts during the early Dark Reign (which I’m guessing this is where this issue is supposed to take place), and that was a good read.
You, being the expert here, can probably answer me this: why does Spider-Woman always look like she has her costume body-painted?