The Chi-Town Breakdown: ASM: 59

                   
(Writer) Nick Spencer
(Artist) Marcelo Ferreira
(Inker) Andrew Crossley
(Colorist) Morry Hollowell
(Letterer) VC’s Joe Caramagna
(Editor) Nick Lowe
(EIC) C.B. Cebulski
Date Released 2/10/2021
Issue Number #59
Price Tag: $3.99
For a different perspective:
Alford’s Notes and Read’s Reads

Story Time:  Will the real Martin Li, please stand up?  After a twist to Mr. Negative’s origin, he and May hide in the Crawlspace.  After Spidey fights them off and Fake Martin Li becomes Mr. Negative again, Kingpin enters and apprehends Mr. Negative.  Fisk threatens to blackmail Spider-Man and the F.E.A.S.T center if they ask too many questions on what is to become of Mr. Negative.  Peter and May have a heart to heart talk, to where Peter is beginning to think that maybe Harry/Kindred was right about his love ones caught in the middle.  Norman sharing some grandpa time with his grandson Normie after he and Liz visit Kindred.  Fisk now has The Tablet of Death and offers Mr. Negative more than the territory he has acquired, if he can find him the Tablet of Life.  However, he’s not the only contractor in this bidding job. 

The Breakdown:

• Re-Invert-ing it.
• Tablet for Two
• May I please
• Nitpics
• Grade

Re-Invert-ing it:  So Martin Li is dead and the has been for quite some time.   Source: Dark Reign: Mr. Negative series by Fred van Lente retcon that Martin Li was fake.  Thanks to Michael for catching that for me!   I don’t want to keep referring him to “Fake Martin Li” so I think it’s more easy (and humorous at best) to refer to him as FML.  I mean, after all this guy has been through, it fits right?  So FML is SOL and becomes Mr. Negative again.  Wow…okay, I laughed a little bit too hard at that.  Not sure why FML thought allowing the negative sin to gain control is a “good thing”, but it did save the F.E.A.S.T center.  I’m betting that FML is a whisper in Mr. Negative’s ear which allowed the center to remain standing, even if Fisk didn’t show up.  Speaking of which…

Tablet for Two:  Mr. Negative had the Tablet of Death and now the Tablet of Life must be found.  When COMBINED they have the power of “resurrection”.  You don’t need to be Dark Mark to figure this one out.  All signs point to Kingpin wanting to bring back is his wife, Vanessa.     Spencer is once again doing what he does best, setting up future stories for the supervillain race for the Tablet of Life.  That means more stories with Boomerang, more stories with The Sinister Syndicate, down to earth mob stories where I think Spidey does his best work.  I’m all in for that.  I especially like how the Kingpin used blackmail on Spidey and May.  He is halfway to his ultimate goal to get his wife back, he’ll go to extreme great lengths to make sure NOTHING disturbs him from obtaining that goal.  For more on the Lifeline Tablet you can go to your LCS and get The Lifeline Tablet Saga on paperback!

Still trying to piece together how Fisk needs Kindred.  If he acquires both tablets, in theory he can bring his wife back, so why keep Kindred around in a black box?  A secondary measure maybe.  It’s not like he can test it to bring Harry back and destroy Kindred, he can only use it once.  He’s not going to sacrifice that one chance to bring his wife back.

May I please:  Kindred is like a broken record when it comes to blaming Peter for all the damage he has done to his loved ones while he’s Spider-Man.  Now we are hearing it from May, herself.  She’s stressed out because all the bad stuff that has been happening to her and I can’t help but feel that Peter is beginning to ponder that maybe Harry was correct.  In my opinion, Peter needs to tell May who he really is.  We’ve all seen in the JMS run that she’s fine with it and brings out more depth in her characterization.  However, her not knowing allows May speak her mind and I think that keeps Peter a bit more grounded along with Mary Jane as Peter’s support system.

Nitpics:

• What happened to Carlie?  Still a question we want to know.
• Was that conversation between Norman and Normie that important?  I didn’t feel that it was.  I rather see if Liz had said anything to Kindred/Harry.  All we got was emotion.
• How many spider suits does Peter actually own.  I’m hoping he has a dozen of the same classic style, because they are getting shredded in every issue almost.
• HEY!  The Crawlspace(s) is in BOLD in that one panel.  Proof that Spencer is visiting the site??
• Classic Kingpin
  
  

Grade:  B-.  It’s wasn’t bad, but didn’t have any answers I was looking for.  This issue felt more of a “set up” issue than anything else.  The Kingpin stuff is the only thing I really liked besides the actions shots of Spider-Man fighting the demons.  All characters are within their characterization and Spencer hasn’t really fallen from that.  Still not hip to Ferreira’s art.  When shadows and masks are concern, it’s good.  It’s faces are a bit off.  Fisk in that last panel looks like Alfred Hickcock side view shot.  I honestly expected a bit more and I’m hoping we get that in the next issue.  It’s supposed to focus on Peter and Mary Jane.  Make me happy Spencer!  Till next time Crawlspacers!