Tangled
Web #14: “The Last Shoot”Script: Brain Azzarello and Scott Levy
Pencils: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Inks: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Story: this issue shows the run up to the fight between spidey and Crusher Hogan on the night when he first jumped in the ring. The issue starts with us learning that championship wrestling (the company that Crusher works for) is in financial trouble. For Crusher championship is like a family so when he’s told to jump ship and go and work for global crusher takes it upon himself to save the company. In order to do this crusher needs to come up with a gimmick and that’s just what he does. Even though his wife asks him to give it up crusher jumps in to the ring and shouts abuse at the fans so that they’ll hate him, he then challenges them to take him on for a $10,000 prize. In order to get the money crusher has to go to a loan shark and literally put his life on the line to save championship. On the night it all goes well the box office are sold out and crusher is knocking all the challengers out, until a masked man jumps in the ring.
My 2 cents: I’ll be straight with you I'm no wrestling fan in fact I hate the “sport” so you can understand my surprise when I realised I loved this issue. Its unusual to find and issue that ends when spidey enters (its also unusual to have an issue with the title at the back) maybe that’s something that makes this issue really special. I found the way in which it was done great because lets face it we all know why peter jumped in the ring but we didn’t know anything about the motivation of his opponent. It was also good to see an issue that could have been centred completely on the wrestling match turn in to something really touching and also giving insight in to the world of “the shooter”. This is another great issue that just shows what tangled web is here for and why it sells so well even though it has barley any fighting.
Rating: Not just for wrestling fans. 5 webheads out of 5.
Tangled
Web #13: “Double Shots”
Script: Ron Zimmerman
Pencils: Sean Phillips
Inks: Steve Buccellato
Story: Picture this a bar filled with
the hardest super villains in the us and in walks a perfectly harmless man
who sits down and orders himself a drink while he waits for his friends.
Meanwhile a few scuffles break out around the bar and in from the rain
walks the vulture who plonks him self next to the mystery man and starts
complaining about his day. As he get ready to jump in to his story Kraven
walks up and asks for a drink but before he can get it though tombstone
has a bone to pick with him, but the situation is quickly dissolved with a
swift knee to the groin. The group then begins to relate their stories of
defeat at the hands of Spiderman each adding their own advice and laughing
at the others failure. After Vulture and Kraven had their turn its up to
the mystery guy who stands up finishes his drink and says “I kidnapped
his girlfriend. And killed her.” before leaving the bar and jumping on
his glider.
My 2 cents: This month it’s a double
sized issue for all you spidey fans to enjoy and what an issue it is. It’s
chock full of action humour and baddies ranging from Stiltman to Tombstone
from Whirlwind to Green Goblin. The art is perfect for the issue with
Buccellato giving the images a real sleazy look that goes perfectly with a
bar full of super villains. As issues go its one of those ones that you
just have to read, because where else are you going to get to see the
other side of the coin and witness the life of the villains. The whole
issue is kind of funny in the way that there’s a bar where all the super
villains go to bitch about spidey and to play some pool, so for that
reason its got to be good. Sure its nothing ground breaking but still
worth a look.
Rating: Well worth a look. 3 webheads
out of 5.
Tangled
Web #12: “I was a teenage frog-man”
Script: Zeb Wells
Pencils: Duncan Fregredo
Inks: Duncan Fregredo
Story: in this issue we get an insight
into what it must be like for a child whose parent is a hopeless super
villain. The issue centres on the troubles that Eugene has to face now
that his dad, Vincent previously known as leap-frog is out of jail. Eugene
has to face typical high school pranks, being pelted with frogs and not to
mention is feeling towards his farther now that he’s trying to go
straight. To top it off spidey pays a visit to check up on Vincent and all
of this drives Eugene to take up the leap-frog costume in the name of
justice. However Eugene is and even less effective frog-man than is dad.
After getting a severe beating from some local youths and being rescued by
his dad Eugene finally understand why his dad did it. But with every
silver lining there's a cloud, and for Eugene his is a local news report.
My 2 cents: A good issue with some
touching bits that make you feel for not only Eugene but his hapless dad.
Even though it’s a bit of a meaningful issue the writers still get to
crap a lot of jokes in to the story, like the frog-face car commercial.
The issue also shows a good example of high school trauma something that
marvel are particularly good at. The visit by spidey is a very clever part
of a story that would have been a classic had it not been for the art. I'm
very picky about comic art and I just felt that it was very scrappy
looking and even though there was frog entrails flying about I didn’t
feel it did the story justice.
Rating: Scrappy art lets it down. 3
webheads out of 5.
Tangled
Web #11: “Open All Night”
Script: Darwyn Cooke
Pencils: Darwyn Cooke
Inks: Jay Bone
Story: Aww in true spidey fashion we
get another feel good issue this time based around that wonderful holiday
of valentines. The issue opens with spidey getting his as kicked around by
the vulture who has just robbed a jewellery store. In true Parker style he
ends up in a heap of rubbish while everyone at the bugle takes pictures.
Meanwhile hapless coffee boy Spence introduces us to all the ladies in the
comic (two of which have dates with peter) and the other has her eye on
Spence. Sadly Spence doesn’t know so he goes home for a night of sitting
alone, while the jealous coffee shop owner sends JJJ a nice cup of
laxo-coffe courtesy of Spence. But it all works out in the end with peter
making his date, coffee boy getting his dues and Spence getting some
action. And what of vulture, well that would be telling.
The Good: The cartoony art and simple
story structure gave the pages a nice easy to follow clean feel. It was
also good to see a artist who can use normal square panels without having
to overlay the or make them in to different shapes that you have to spend
ages just to follow. The story itself was typical feel good nonsense, but
it is valentines so ill let them get away with it.
The Bad: maybe a little bit too luvy
for the average comic fanboy who will probably be alone this Valentines
Day, and may want to avoid this issue altogether. A shameless cash in on
the valentines feel but who can blame em.
Rating: nothing special. 3 webheads
out of 5.
Tangled
Web #10: “Ray of Light”
Script: Kaare Andrews
Pencils: Kaare Andrews
Inks: Kaare Andrews
Story: In this issue we get to see the
way spidey’s heroic acts affect the city around him and even inspire a
T.V. show (Insect-man). In this case we see two brothers whoa re inspired
to stand up to Electro when he and spidey come crashing through their
wall.
The Good: When I first read this issue
I hated it, the art seemed to fancy for a story of this kind, but looking
at it again I actually really like it. The art although not my thing was
very high quality and ultra realistic and its made even better by the fact
the whole issue was done by one person. The way that the two styles of art
used in the issue contrast is very interesting. On one hand you have the
realistic photo style and on the other the cartoony Insect-man show, they
play off each other very well. The scene where Electro is pointing at the
elder brother is one that will stick with me for ages.
The Bad: The story wasn’t overly
exciting and nothing much happened in the first half of the issue. The
fight scenes although great quality seemed to be over al to quickly.
Rating: Pretty good issue. 3 ˝
webheads out of 5.
More Reviews
Tangled Web #1-3
