Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #541 Review

The Amazing Spider-Man #541
Title: “Back in Black” Part 3 of 5
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Ron Garney
Inker: Bill Reinhold
Colorist: Mat Milla

Plot: Peter lets the incarcerated Kingpin know he’s coming for him, hangs up the phone, and then proceeds to interrogate the hit man whom he had caught up with last issue. He does this with rats. The message to the criminal underworld is clear: Parker’s family is off limits. Back in prison, the Kingpin bribes his guards to look the other way when the final battle begins.
At the hospital, Mary Jane explains to Peter that Aunt May’s condition hasn’t improved, and they don’t have the finances to keep her on life support forever. Also, by paying the medical bills in cash up front, they’re bound to draw suspicion eventually. So Peter deems it time for his plan of last resort, and gives May a secret transfusion of his own blood. The serum she took way back in issue #33 would keep the radioactivity from harming her, and leaving the blood unpurified might help too. After the procedure, Peter swings off into the night. A little lightheadedness isn’t going to keep him from revenge.
The Kingpin changes from his prison garb to his white suit while all the cell doors mysteriously become unlocked. Spidey comes crashing in through the ceiling. It’s go time!

Likes:

– Oh man, that was a badass issue. Spider-Man is kicking ass and taking names left and right, and though this particular episode doesn’t involve much action per se, the webhead is still taking brutal control over his life. We aren’t used to seeing Spidey go all Batman on everyone like this, but the writing is respectful to the character given the circumstance.

– This installment is just setup, but it’s delicious setup. All the pieces fall into place perfectly, and if the tussle between blood-sapped Spidey and big fat Kingpin in a prison full of loose convicts is as fun as it promises to be, then I’ll be a happy boy next month.

– Maybe tighter plotting could have gotten us to this point sooner, but this is still one of Straczynski’s finest scripts, and Garney interprets it in pencil strokes with all his usual brilliance. The pacing isn’t perfect, but it’s at least good enough.

Dislikes:

– Honestly, I don’t have any unique complaints about this one. I wrote what I thought was wrong with this story in my last couple of reviews, and those points still stand. Otherwise, we have another quality product.

Favorite Quote: Spider-Man: “Down here, in this food chain, the rats aren’t the predators. The Men with guns aren’t the predators. I AM!”

Rating: 4 out 5. Many of these ideas have been used before, but perhaps not this well.

Reviewed by: CrazyChris