New Beginnings - Spider-Gwen #1

by Matt Puddy

If you’re looking for positive affirmation that the chaps and chapesses at Marvel take notice of their fans then look no further than Spider-Gwen. Born from the love of a character design that became a prominent part of Spider-Verse, this is Gwen Stacey reborn.

As a character, Gwen has had an impressive development and evolution. In her early days it would be fair to say that she fell well into the realms of a generic female character there to support or drive the main male protagonist and that her death was ultimately the equivalent of Kyle Rayner finding his girlfriend dead and stuffed into his fridge, thus providing the impetus to strive to be a better Spider-Man for one Peter Parker. Over the years that has somewhat changed with her taking more of an active role culminating in her position now.

In true Spidey fashion though this isn’t straight forward, and although there are no clones or time travelling involved this Gwen is from another world – Earth 65 to be precise – with the salient difference being that she was the one bitten by the spider in this reality whilst Peter pushed himself and took Dr Connors’ role in becoming the Lizard. Also in the true vein of all things Spidey it was that “death” of Parker that has Spider-Gwen vilified in the eyes of the public by none other than (yup you’ve guessed it) J Jonah Jameson.

As a quick side note other version of notable Marvel characters do make a quick cameo, such as Officer Ben Grimm and Detective Frank Castle, but for the whole most of the normal portrayals are on point aside for a little artistic license.

Jason Latour’s story opens with a bit of a recap and retcon on her backstory, as well as a slight nudge in the right direction for those who didn’t read her main story in Spider-Verse. In a bold move she unmasked herself to her father thus changing the dynamic in a way that “our” Peter never did.

Shifting straight into the story we find that the Vulture is stalking the city and you know that Gwen is going to be dragged into it all at some point. Admittedly there is also some Parker-esque personal troubles too, such as her career with the Mary-Janes, the egotistically-named all-girl band in which Gwen was once their drummer, as well as discovering that someone out there had put a hit on her father.

We all know where this is going; there’s going to be a showdown which is only hastened by the police posting the Vulture's address for all to see. Gwen tries to track him down but instead gets found herself culminating in a fight between the two as another age old question rears its head and turns into a cliffhanger. Can spiders fly?

Robbi Rodriguez is the artist for this new series and it’s fair to say he certainly has his own style. Spider-Gwen herself is very lithe and feminine, much like all the other female characters. The male depictions felt a little overemphasised though. Frank Castle has a strong male frame with wide shoulders and big chest, for example, but also a bit of a small face. It makes for an interesting mix as I found myself loving some of it but not all of it.

Fans will no doubt flock to get this issue, whether they are the newly minted Gwen fans or if they are Spidey fans who have continued on from the Verse. I enjoyed it but wasn’t as wowed as I would have liked to be. Still a great start to a title that is likely to go far.

Matt Puddy is just getting warmed up...

New Beginnings - Silk #1

by Matt Puddy

Fresh from the finale of the Spider-Verse tales, we have a new beginning that takes the Spider Totems storyline in a different direction. Whilst readers of the recent Spider-Man event will have seen a lot of Silk within that storyline, her actual origin had appeared in earlier issues of the new Amazing Spidey characters.

For those who missed it, Cindy Moon was just another High School student who attended a science demonstration, much like Peter Parker. In fact it was the same one and the coincidences don’t stop there. The same spider that bit Peter went on to bite Cindy as well, giving her similar spider-like powers. The big difference comes when, after a few years of trying to understand her powers, Cindy is hidden away in a bunker by Ezekiel for her safety to protect her from Morlun.

The aftermath of Original Sin set Spidey on a quest to find and free Cindy, which set a great many things in motion, including an animal pheromone attraction between the two of them.

Being brought into the fray also put her firmly in the sights of the Inheritors during Spider-Verse, but in the wake of all of the various tie ins, Cindy now has her own title.

Written by Robbie Thompson, Silk opens with Cindy taking on what would easily be a D or even E-list villain called Dragonclaw. Neither seem completely comfortable in their own skins and Silk is often seen reaching for the heroes handbook for quips, comebacks and general direction. After being saved by Peter in the nick of timem real life takes over and in true spider fashion she has to get away to her job under J Jonah Jameson. Being tucked away in a bunker has its drawbacks as the world moved on - even in just 10 years - and the lack of social interaction means that sometimes she’s not prepared to talk to people in the “normal” ways, but then again it also means she’s behind the times as well – something the JJJ can equate to as well. It’s very quickly realised that once she played the Silk card she has only one priority in his business. To report on Silk.

In amongst it all she keeps having flashbacks to her family whom she was at odds with before being put into hiding, which provides the readers with one driving force behind her.

Back out on the streets she runs into Dragonclaw again which certainly goes her way. Unwittingly though the situation turns to something more when he escapes as we learn who his boss is and how far he is willing to go to please her. Silk on the other hand is having a small crisis of confidence, not knowing where to go or what to do, so she heads for the familiar surroundings of the bunker. Unbeknownst to her she’s being watched and her decision was expected.

The plot is quite an easy one to follow, even without the backstory, so any new reader can jump on to it. My reservation about it though is that there is no really new ideas outside of her powers being a slight variation on the usual spider power set. She’s suffered loss of family; is ostracized because of her non-conformance to current ideas; and has a suffering personal life in contrast to her hero life - so very similar to Peter’s beginnings as well. At least she has a mentor she can turn to - but not physically see due to their urges - and the associated awkwardness of it all.

The artwork on the cover and the title page inside are a little sneaky, as they gave me the impression that the issue was going to be similar, however the interior artwork is a lot less defined. It also makes Silk look a lot younger in the comic than the cover suggests as well. Spidey himself also looks a little skewed when we see him towards the end.

The overall look of the comic is quite young and with a strong but believably flawed female character - which made it feel like it was being aimed a quite a specific demographic. If that was the case they hit the mark well.

A divisive character in her new comic. One to try if you enjoyed Spider-Verse or fancy something a little different, although it's worth remembering there's Spider-Gwen out next week and a new costume and new direction for Spider-Woman the week after!

Matt Puddy is hoping Spider-Gwen is as much fun as it looks!

New Beginnings - Spider-Man 2099 #1

by Matt Puddy

Being Spider-Man over the years has not been an easy thing to do. Parker has been cloned, confused over his own identity, half-killed more times than he can imagine, and finally had his whole body stolen and joyridden around by one of his archenemies in Superior Spider-Man.

So how can things get worse?

Luckily for Peter it’s the Spider-Man name that is taking the brunt of it, and it's not him who has drawn the short straw, but the Spider-Man from 2099, one Miguel O’Hara. For anyone who hasn’t read Superior Spider-Man, in part of the series Miguel was sent through time to save his Grandfather and ensure that he went on to be born as a result. However, it now means he is stranded in the present with no plan, other than a desire to improve the horrid future he hails from.

The very first page is designed to put new readers at ease as they may have no clue who this character is. Miguel is not a descendant or relation to Peter Parker - in fact O'Hara got his powers through a genetic experiment. He is also accompanied by Lysa, a holographic assistant who helps him by providing information and analysis. I will be honest, it was at this point I did begin to wonder. Superhero from the future with knowledge of how the world is meant to turn out, coupled with an electronic counterpart. It sounds scarily close to DC’s Booster Gold. (With a soupçon of Continuum or *shudder* Time Trax. BF)

However pushing further into the comic, things do take a change. As opposed to the financially and egotistically driven arrogance of Booster, Miguel has more towards the typical self-deprecating Spider-Man style – especially when it comes to women. This may be a different man from a different time but it appears some things transcend the ages.

While Miguel is settling down and trying to establish what resembles a normal life, he is unaware of the danger arriving from the future in the form of an Adjustor from T.O.T.E.M. In essence this is the old chestnut of a temporal police force sent back to remove anyone who is in a time they shouldn’t be in (similar to Timecop or episodes of Star Trek Voyager), and this Adjustor has Spider-Man clearly in his sights.

The most interesting thing is that as their fracas spills into Liz Allan’s office, pulling her into the fray, and Spider-Man 2099 is presented with an offer. He can let her die instead so he can live and it’s all over. So what is an upstanding hero from the future to do? Well it’s maybe not what you expect, he takes the deal, but at least there is a plan in mind.

More importantly is what has Liz done to deserve such future rebuke, and why would it matter if only one of them survived? I’m sure there is more to come. To add further twists, refreshingly Allan is no slacker and quickly figures out that there must be some connection between her company and this Spider-Man, leaving him open to further attack.

Peter David is not a writer I have really seen much work of personally. In the past I know he is well known for the award-winning 12 year run on Hulk. Something I found interesting in his writing though is that the scripting has a real identity to the characters in all the conversational pieces. There has been a lot of consideration taken in just how they all speak, and they stay in their own styles. It’s not often I notice this, but it really stuck out in a good way for me.

David co-created Spider-Man 2099 in the Nineties and worked on the original series that was set in the future. Following Dan Slott's efforts to bring Miguel to the present day, it's great to see Marvel let Peter David retake the reins to the character, creating a series that both follows the previous series for existing fans whilst remaining accessible to new readers. Take note DC, reboots are not the only answer! You can hook new readers with canny new pitches on existing characters, whilst remaining faithful to existing continuity. Ahem.

Artistically speaking, Will Sliney takes to the pencils. This definitely establishes itself as a Spider-Man title with the imagery being very “traditionally” Spidey. Sliney uses a lot of similar poses and images that have become a mainstay of the whole spider mythology, and that's no bad thing. There are some really nice extras too, such as the moment Adjustor comes into this time. The line work is fine as well, but in some cases the detail is somehow lost or just slightly off in some of the faces.

Put all together, you have the renewed face of Spider-Man 2099, all wrapped up in an interesting comic. This story is pretty much completely self-contained, but the ramifications can span a lot further. Spider-Man fans in general wouldn’t go badly wrong picking it up as there has already been a crossover phase and new readers can just jump straight on board now.

More over, Spider-Man 2099 fans will be kicking themselves if they miss this as Miguel O'Hara and Peter David are reunited once more!

Matt Puddy went to the year 2099. Not much as changed, but they live underwater, and your great-great-great-granddaughter is pretty fine.

The Mane Event - Superior Spider-Man Annual #1

Some time ago there was the quite controversial move from Amazing Spider-Man to Superior Spider-Man, whereby Doc Ock took over Peter Parker's birthday and assumed the mantle of Spider-Man. For some fans this caused outrage! Parker has seemingly passed on (although this is yet to be fully believed by everyone) and the new methods that Spidey-Ock is utilising – whether it be robotics helpers, a team of mercenaries or an incredibly hard and fatal stance taken against criminals - have shocked even the fictional characters heads. Even so the title has continued to develop with more and more enemies coming out the woodwork to take on the wallcrawler.

So now we have got to the first Annual for this new incarnation.

Christos Gage (as opposed to the regular Dan Slott) brings out one of Ghost Rider’s adversaries Blackout, a half-human, half-demon hybrid who has the ability to take the light away from anywhere around him. Through Spidey's public association with Peter Parker - and therefore his family too - Blackout has his sights set on Aunt May as a hostage. That old cliche.

Whereas one element of the story does revolve around the kidnapping and inevitable subsequent rescue, the other side of the tale addresses a continual theme - the ongoing development of a new Peter Parker and Spider-Man. That in itself is quite an odd thing considering that the title first began way back in January (with two issues every month to boot), but then again it is the fanatical obsession of Otto Octavius to try to emphatically prove that he is better than Parker in every way. The other impact of this is that whenever a reader face-palmed when Peter “did the right thing” at his own personal expense – for example anything faintly romantic – now we have a composed and focussed Parker, who has managed to organise his “other” life in such a way that he can have a proper and full relationship with those who matter to him, like Aunt May. There is only one flaw in this though. A metaphorical leopard still can’t change it’s spots and although the Spider may have saved the day, the Octopus inside still has to go that one step further to make a definitive point.

The humour that has always been around the Spider-Man titles isn’t lost here either. There's a funny little moment towards the end when a pickpocket cowers at the thought that he made the mistake of stealing from Parker, but that’s the influence this new Spidey exerts. The other continuation is that this ties in with the building story arc concerning the return of the Green Goblin, something that has been going on for months now and looks set to come to a head next year after Spidey's upcoming bout with Venom.

For the artwork, Javier Rodriguez picks up the Superior pencil to give the Annual a much grittier, retro-look as opposed to the main title. Does this change the feeling of the comic? Well no, the story still conveys the levity, while the artwork supports the more sinister and clinical approach that Otto takes. Does it detract from what the reader has been used to up to this point? Not really.

What you are given as a reader is an Annual which - although it is brought to you by a different creative team than the norm - still fits in with the current story and ethos of the character. Marvel and Dan Slott have told us "this one counts" but it’s not essential, however it is a good little off-shoot for any reader to collect.

Matt Puddy is glad he remembered the hyphen!

New Beginnings - Superior Spider-Man #2

In the past months we have reviewed both Amazing Spider-Man #700 and Superior Spider-Man #1 and after such a pair of issues it only felt right to break the trend and also follow on to the second issue for those who were still a little sceptical of it all.

Unsurprisingly the story is still Dan Slott and the artist is Ryan Stegman so I won’t cover old ground from my last review. Instead it means that the story can be looked at.

With the bombshell dropping at the end of the first issue that Peter Parker (the real one) isn’t completely gone, the whole story opens up. Continuing on straight away with what is dubbed simply. “Second day on the job.” Spidey is returning stolen property and further endearing himself to the public. On the outside there is a calm exterior, but on the inside there is a screaming Peter Parker who is outraged by the limelight being given to this impostor! What makes it worse is the J. Jonah Jameson finally shakes his hand as an equal...

This is a continuing theme throughout the issue as Otto is starting to use criminal masterplan logic to arrange what should be a perfect life for Parker.  And in some cases actually looks like it’s working. Even with the derision that his spectral accomplice is more than happy to hand out, Otto uses his genius to create Spider-Bots which revolutionise his coverage of the city. Where Parker saw duty and responsibility, Otto sees opportunity.

Otto’s new approach takes a lot into account, including the wooing of MJ. Even he can’t understand why Parker let her get away and for the most part he plans to change this. Being the man he is, the idea of emotion and relationships escapes him. All he can do is see it as an equation which has an escaping answer. It’s only when he uses the influence of the costumed identity that he realises the real reason that Parker and MJ struggled to make it work. In a stroke of personal genius he does the one thing Parker never could. He lets her go to move on and stops the cycle.

As this is all going on, to Parker’s envy and later admiration towards the end, there are subtle hints and clues being dropped as Otto continues. Even though MJ is frustratingly oblivious to them all, Carlie is seeing them and combined with her last encounter with Peter in Otto’s frail body, things are slowly adding up.

It seems that the adage about not being able to fool everyone all of the time is starting to ring true and Otto’s war for Spider-Man’s body is beginning on two fronts, with a detective’s enquiry on the outside and a ghostly presence on the inside. The series is really starting to pick up now and if you aren’t on board you best start.

Matt Puddy loved the cover to #2 too...

New Beginnings - Superior Spider-Man #1 (CONTAINS SPOILERS!)

EDITOR'S NOTE: This review contains HUGE spoilers. Admittedly those spoilers are all over the internet, but be warned if you haven't read this yet, you may want to click away.

You have been warned!

Only a couple of weeks ago I reviewed the rather controversial "final" issue of Amazing Spider-Man. Now for many it was the end of an era, so much so that the backlash from some readers reached as far as national mainstream news, but to others it was an opening for something more.

Issue #700 did provoke a large response from fans as they had to wave goodbye to Peter Parker and try to swallow the fact that Otto Octavius was now in essence Spider-man 2.0. A driven, ruthless genius filled with Peter’s memories. To many this was a step too far but have they been short sighted and not seen the bigger picture? Would Dan Slott really close the door on Peter Parker?

The issue begins exactly where it's divisive predecessor emotionally ends. Otto has not only accepted that he is now Spider-Man but he is also donning the full mantle and responsibilities that the mask carries too. Symbolically visiting the new grave of his former life he waves it farewell and moves on.

Getting thrown right in at the deep end, Otto is called to the scene of carnage being created by the new Sinister Six which provides a rather interesting dynamic. He's now on the other side of the fence. A side that he appears to be sick of almost immediately, as his ego can see how pathetic they really are. He struggles with them not because they pose a threat but simply because of how insipid he finds them.

Taking them lightly though doesn’t work well and Otto finds himself doing something that bemuses the Six, something Spider-Man has never done before; he goes to run away. But in the instant he turns his back Boomerang endangers the surrounding civilians and for some unknown (to him) reason Otto finds himself back in the thick of it to save them.

It’s all change in some respects, but all the same in the others as Otto figures out what is going on and how to counter the Six in some quite ingenious ways. More tellingly is the manner in which he does it. I mentioned ruthless earlier and the streak is most certainly there. All the way to the very end when, in front of a camera crew, he is about to strike the killing blow when a hand stops him. Not understanding what is going on, as he cannot see it or feel the presence around him, another force has prevented Otto from finishing things off. That other force... is Peter Parker.

It goes without saying that the final page is one to read and will have significant impact on this series. Those fans in revolt need to check it out before nailing down the coffin.

Ryan Stegman has the job of pencilling the series from the start. His style is a frustrating one for me. On the more open frames where there is a lot of action and multiple characters I like how he draws. There’s a lot of diversity and characters although they lose definition feel believeable. But when you have an individual highlighted I find that the definition goes. A more cartoon-like style comes to the front and they seem to lose much of their sincerity.

Stegman has also done the cover art for the issue I had and I found myself drawn to Spider-Man’s knuckles and how strange they looked, which slightly devalued it’s impact for me. As an aside within the pages of the issue you will find a page dedicated to seeing the variant covers which are also very good. My particular favourite being from Camuncoli, who although I don’t know him specifically I liked his work.

This is an issue to get. Full stop. I’m hoping to keep my review copy and will be following the series to see where it goes. I would strongly suggest that anyone who was unhappy with the end of Amazing Spider-Man needs to read this before making their minds up fully.

Matt Puddy was overruled about blowing the spoiler here - direct any criticism to the editor.

New Beginnings - The Amazing Spider-Man #700

This one really is a doozy. I also have to forewarn you that there are spoilers ahead!

For trusted fans and readers of Amazing Spider-Man the stage was set when in a final act of vengeance, Doctor Octopus switched bodies with Peter Parker - trapping his mind in the decaying frame of his former tutor. Dan Slott has left it to all play out in this final issue, also setting the stage for The Superior Spider-Man.

The story follows Peter after he has escaped prison attempting to regain his body. The only problem is that he is seen as a known fugitive and every conventional avenue is therefore closed to him. To make it worse, any location or resource he can think of using Doc Ock’s memories are also slowly becoming out of bounds, as Otto is using them against him. It becomes a game of chess on a large, life threatening scale.

It is only when Peter strikes out in a completely uncharacteristic way that he find a way to break the stalemate. For once he aims to finish things by making sure that one way or another Otto’s life is ended, ensuring that he has protected those all around him. By taking them both over the edge of a rooftop in a gesture akin to Holmes and Moriarty, the end of Peter and Otto’s relationship is sealed with one of them dying. In a twist I have to admit I didn’t see coming, Spider-Man is changing in a potentially franchise threatening way.

Peter Parker is gone as the life finally fades in Doc Ock’s body, but as a parting moment he instils all of his memories, emotions and past challenges into Otto making him feel and relive every second himself changing Octavious perception of Spider-Man and indeed himself. Spider-Man remains. but with a new focused and stronger driver, so to speak. The genius and drive of Doctor Otto Octavius combined with the power and ability of Spider-Man.

Slott’s story-telling is good throughout and you can feel the struggle that Parker is having adjusting to this foreign body and those around him, with his hired super criminals noticing the difference in him. I did find it odd that no one around Otto (posing as Peter) even thought anything was wrong when he spoke differently. Part of me wondered why MJ didn’t slap the frown from his face when she was called “woman” and an almost third party monologue went unnoticed. Something just felt off with the script in parts there. I am also left wondering if this tonal change and language usage can continue? There are a couple of clichés popped in there as well which, thanks to being used sparingly, were nice little touches. What monumental issue such as this could go by without using Spidey’s immortal phrasing of great power and responsibility?

Now with such a landmark issue in the limelight the artwork is something that is of great importance. It would be wrong for me to berate Marvel’s choice on something so personal as my general malaise towards Ramos’s work – there’s only so many basic face shapes (two, one male and one female) that you can read – and I would have loved to have seen someone like Mark Bagley or Leinil Yu taking the pencils for it. However, that said I tended not to notice it behind the story. It’s colourfully inked and active enough that I didn’t get drawn to the soulless eyes, or occasional lack of irises. It doesn’t dampen the issue and some will love it as it’s as jovial as some of the scripting, but I still think it could have been stronger.

In addition to the main story this bumper 104 page issue has been fleshed out with two more stories - Spider-Dreams by J.M DeMatteis and Date Night by Jen Van Meter - along with numerous letters from prominent writers, artists and inkers telling of how the webhead has played a part to them. You can review all of the covers from every issue through several pages too. This all makes it feel as though there is a definite sending off here.

With this issue Amazing Spider-Man has most certainly been put to bed and for fans it’ll be a sad day I feel. On the horizon is potentially a much grittier and darker Spidey that will take direct action. How this will be received is yet to be seen, but I’ll be waiting for that first issue to see where this goes. My curiosity at the end of this era and the dawn of a new one has most certainly been piqued.

Matt Puddy is making a large trifle...

The Mane Event - Amazing Spider-Man #692

Everyone loves their favourite neighbourhood wallcrawler and this month he turns 50!

Back in August 1962, Stan Lee first created ol' Web Head and with this latest comic we celebrate his half century with a bumper issue brought to us by Dan Slott, Humberto Ramos, Dean Haspiel, Joshua Fialkov and Nuno Plati.

Now with such a list of writers and artists, it’s completely understandable that instead of one big story they’re separated it down into three separate tales following different aspects. The Slott/Ramos combo takes the major piece as this is the start of their latest plot, with the introduction of a new character and an old adversary too.

Each of the different stories act as small individual tributes to the Spider-Man mythology. In a series of events that mimic the creation of Spider-Man we see a completely normal and easily ignored Andy Maguire be thrust into herodom through a freak accident at Orion lab. This obviously hits close to home with Peter through his own experiences but now he has to take responsibility for his own creation. Following the infancy of Alpha and his potential (as Reed Richards puts it) begins an interesting chain of events for Spider-Man, including having to deal with his own jealousy at him having the teenage life that Peter really wanted.

It’s a nice piece of writing when you consider it could have been how Spider-Man started out if he didn’t have the strong moral guidance of Uncle Ben. While it feels familiar it also has a new angle to explore.

From an artwork point of view what can I say... it is typical Ramos work and stays strong to what he does best whether you’re a fan or not.

The second story is from Dean Haspiel and takes us back to a bygone age. Working more as a “What If” it follows a small time crook who finds Spidey’s old outfit when, in a moment of crisis, Peter casts it off. The artwork and story hark back to earlier issues of Spidey. It’s short and punchy with a moralistic ending meant to be a thank you to Stan Lee, Steve Ditko and John Romita. Although it’s not meant to be, the ineptitude of the main character who dons the mask makes it a little tongue-in-cheek to begin with, but when you read more and see why this has happened it does tug at your heartstrings. It may be a tiny bit clichéd but it does hit the emotional notes.

The third and final story is one that actually follows Peter Parker as Spider-Man. In typical Parker style his luck really isn’t in and he’s desperately trying to get to university as a guest lecturer. Backed into a corner he has to resort to pulling on the spandex to get across town but the suit also carries certain obligations that he has to uphold to the city. As the story progresses we see different incidents that are opening up, both bad and cringeworthy, which are dragging him down. It’s only the chance encounter of a young boy and his bullies that he gets to see the silver lining in it all and can raise his head again.

I have to admit that of the three stories this one grabbed me the least. It didn’t really feel like a story at all just a number of chance encounters which didn’t go in Peter’s favour. The artwork came across as a little confusing as it has a mix of very detailed images, which look very much at home with today’s CGI-based cartoons as well as having some lesser detailed comics. It’s quirky but really not to my taste.

This issue works as a nod to Spidey’s creators (mostly) but also sets off the new arc on the horizon. It’ll be interesting to see where Alpha goes and how this develops the Spider-Man storyline. Considering who the main reveal is at the end then you can also see that there is potential for a few crossovers from similar Spidey-based comics.

The issue for me was carried by Dan Slott so it’s worth getting it for that storyline alone. The other two were decorations around the cake. Worth getting for a Spidey fan and also a good little jump on point if you’re not worried about the extras.

Happy Birthday Peter Parker! From Ben, Matt and the PL team!

The Watcher - Amazing Spider-Man

Just over ten years ago now, I went to see a big new superhero film with a group of friends. Everyone was excited thanks to the trailers, the cult director involved and the merchandising hype that was kicking in. After two hours in a darkened room we emerged into a warm early summer's evening and promptly headed to the pub.

My friends were all impressed and I remember animated conversation as we sat around our favourite table with our drinks of choice. But I was sat in the corner feeling glum. I was disappointed. The movie had felt wrong to me. The casting was wrong, the CGI was terrible and the villain looked like a bloody Power Ranger!

As a young teenager, I'd been a big fan of Batman: The Animated Series and the X-Men cartoon. The Spider-Man cartoon that followed was the Spider-Man I grew up with, and perhaps it's fair to say Sam Raimi created a movie that harkened back to the Spidey he grew with some decades previously. So maybe I wasn't his target market. 

But since I discovered proper American comics in the late Nineties, I've watched Marvel make numerous adjustments to the Spider-Man franchise, and yet the central character's baseline personality remains the same. Frankly, Tobey Maguire did not embody those qualities.

Whine, whine, whine. *headdesk*

The biggest problem for me was he whined, rather than quipped. This is where Andrew Garfield shines in this fresh new adaptation of the wallcrawler. He brings an emotional range to the role that was missing from the previous franchise. Rounding out the cast are the lovely Emma Stone, the excellent Martin Sheen and the perfectly measured Rhys Ifans. Marc Webb's film focuses on the human drama of Spider-Man, adeptly retelling the origin without labouring it. And gone are the maddeningly dull conversations through a chain link fence that seemed to make up an uncomfortable chunk of the first Spider-Man film.

With leaps in filmmaking technology, it feels like any good director can make a half-decent action film, but bad action movie directors simply don't make good character drama. I'm looking at you, Michael Bay. At points Amazing Spider-Man looks like a Steve Ditko or Todd McFarlane drawing come to life, and whilst that made this fanboy gasp, it was the emotional narrative that kept this filmlover engaged throughout. From flashbacks to Peter's early years, through to the fateful encounter with a spider and onto the discovery and exploration of his new powers, I found myself swept along and pleased with the results. It felt right. This felt like the Peter Parker from the Nineties animated show, or comics such as JMS' run or Bendis' Ultimate Spider-Man. Gwen Stacey and her father have great scenes with one another and the eponymous hero, both in and out of the costume. And the fateful scene where Peter's inaction leads to Uncle Ben's demise is a believable and tragic chain of events rather than a clumsy shock.

It's also an adaptation that's confident enough to hold things back for later outings. There's no sign of Mary Jane here, fitting since the character didn't properly show up until issue #42 of the original comic. A copy of the Daily Bugle is seen, but there's no sign of J Jonah Jameson yet (though Peter is a school photographer so this avenue of making money seems destined to come a-calling in the sequels). Finally, while Oscorp is a big part of this movie, Norman Osborn himself is mentioned but kept off-camera. Clever choices throughout.

It's not a perfect movie however, despite my happiness with most of it. It seems that the negative feedback from many decrying this new reboot as "too soon" after Spider-Man 3 has left the scriptwriters desperate to not repeat anything we have seen before, despite wanting to still follow the iconic beats of Spider-Man's origin. In some places that works, and the ridiculous wrestling scene is thankfully omitted this time around, save for a cute little wink and a nod. Sadly there is much more desperation in their attempts to rework the way Uncle Ben tries to impart his renowned ideology to Peter. Numerous synonyms and alternative allusions are offered up in place of the simple, "With great power, comes great responsibility."

Hopefully Peter will have distilled his Uncle's (or indeed, Voltaire's) wisdom into that soundbite by the time Amazing Spider-Man 2 rolls around. Admittedly, in the original comics, this line was part of the summary narration rather than something Uncle Ben actually said, though it was later attributed to him through the joys of retroactive continuity.

See, no snout!

Similarly the design of the Lizard had seemed misjudged to me too, until a customer pointed out that his first appearance in the comics didn't feature the iconic snout. So despite evoking more of a sense of the Nineties Spidey for me than the Raimi films, if anything Webb's offering is even more faithful to the originals!

Plus, you know, real webshooters rather than ridiculous wrist nipples.

'Nuff said.

Amazing Spider-Man shows that Sony - like Fox with X-Men First Class - are taking note of the trail blazed by Marvel Studios with the Avengers movies and are pulling their socks up accordingly. It's a great time to be a fan of superhero movies!

Ben Fardon will admit to being misogynistic enough to miss the upside down kiss and rainsoaked wet t-shirt from the first Spider-Man movie. But the alternative first kiss in Amazing Spider-Man is classy, to the point of theatrical magic. Love it!

New Beginnings: Spider-Men Issues #1 & 2

Peter Parker is a name synonymous with the name Spider-Man, and now there's a new kid on the block - and one alternate universe over  - with links to the same monicker: Miles Morales.

Due to the walls of reality that have separated them in the past their paths would never have crossed but now, thanks to Brian Bendis, we can see in this five-part series what happens when all that changes.

Issue #1 opens with a standard web-slinging evening with Spider-Man tidying up petty crime and generally keeping New York a safer and more respectable Big Apple. Admittedly, he’s not the most loved and even the police are wary of him. It’s a hard night’s work in a city that is almost fighting back against him, oblivious to the knowledge that under the mask is a normal person, Peter Parker.

Although he enjoys his life, it isn’t the easiest and is always moving and changing around him. So it’s not surprising that when a weird light in a sinister warehouse he has to investigate it...

Although not as criminally intent as previous situations, Spidey is forced face to fishbowl with an old foe. As with previous fracas his fight is short lived and one-sided except for the unexpected twist of throwing him into an alternate universe complete with an alternate Spider-Man and a city who loved and mourned that world's Peter Parker.

Sara Pichelli has drawn the series and although she is known for her work on the Ultimate Spider-Man universe I was quite pleased to see that she adopted the more familiar Spidey style - in turn aided by a similar style of lettering. It’s a nice touch considering that it follows the universe that it is currently set in. It would have been very easy to run it all in one style but the effort, for me, has been appreciated. When the universe changes, so does the artwork, which I felt was a good touch in helping the reader to transfer across too.

This all continues into the second issue as well. Different universes get attention to the different styles.

Whereas Bendis spent the first issue mainly on Peter and him being thrust into a completely alien yet totally familiar setting, the second issue is him trying, or at least fighting, to come to terms with it. There’s a lot for him to take in, especially as the Spider-Man he is confronted with is clearly younger and inexperienced, with slightly different powers too. What’s more is that the reactions he receives point to something untimely for his respective self in this universe.

It’s only when he comes to meet a sort of familiar face in Nick Fury that things start to fall into place. It’s also an insight into what could have been had his life gone a slightly different way in his universe too. To try and soften the blow Miles is tasked with bringing Peter up to speed on everything and the pair set off in a SHIELD helicopter only to be shot down setting up the second issue's cliffhanger.

Both issues are well presented, as mentioned before the artwork has particular attention to detail not only in the actually drawing but also the thought and consideration behind it.

The story so far is fairly straight forward, and if honest, I maybe expected more over two issues especially from Bendis. We are 40% through the limited series and I’ve not really felt any real tension or something to really get my teeth into as it’s all working to establish itself. I can’t help wonder what it’s leading to or where it will be taken, but then I equally have to think what can really be done in three issues? That said, the revelation the Earth-616 Mysterio is also the Ultimate Mysterio will have lasting repercussions and is a great twist for fans of either universe.

I would say take a light hearted approach to this one, regardless of if you’re into the Ultimate universe or not. I’m sure there is plenty more to this than meets the eye but so far it hasn’t grabbed me completely.

Matt Puddy should mention that he doesn't really read anything from the Ultimate Universe himself, despite repeatedly being advised that he is missing out on some fine, fine stories...

The Watcher - Animated Double Feature: Ultimate Spider-Man and Green Lantern The Animated Series

I’m a big kid! Just like those old Saturday mornings I woke early, ready to watch some cartoons!

First up, episodes one & two (Great Power and Great Responsibility) of the new Ultimate Spider-Man series for Disney XD. Right from the start we get comic nods (Romita’s cake shop!), JJ screaming about how the Spider-Man is a menace and Spidey himself swinging between skyscrapers while going on about how being a hero isn’t easy. Flashback to my childhood and the Nineties animated Spider-Man series - the characters all feel right, the theme is rocking and the animation is slick but still has a classic look.

We join the story as Peter has been Spider-Man for about a year - he’s still a little rough around the edges but has fought a selection of not-so super villains already. He is approached by Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D who offers to assist him with training to help become "the Ultimate Spider-Man". The series does tend to pull a lot from Marvel's Ultimate line of comics, what with S.H.I.E.L.D’s involvement right from the start and Aunt May being a lot younger and cooler than her past incarnations.

Even when pulling from previous versions the show still manages to feel unique, Spider-Man quips and thwips left and right as he should. Cut-away moments designed to look like they’re from a school notepad (with a kind of Japanese chibi-style to them) and Spidey breaking the fourth wall to make the odd off-hand joke are great fun.

These first episodes made me laugh out loud several times, especially the cameo of Stan “The Man” Lee as the schools janitor! Also adding their vocal talents are the brilliant J.K Simmons once again reprising his role as J. Jonah Jameson and Clark Gregg as the Avengers fan favourite - Agent Coulson.

There have been a few Spider-Man animated series over the years but I can honestly say that I look forward to watching the rest of this one.

Next up... Green Lantern: The Animated Series, Beware My Power Parts one & two.

My first impression of the GL animated series is it's bright and massively CGI. In a way it reminds me of Reboot (the first completely CGI animated series), but obviously better looking! The main focus of this series seem to be Hal’s adventures as he battles the vicious Red Lanterns and their leader Atrocitus.

We begin with the death of a Green Lantern in the far reaches of space. Back on Earth, Hal Jordan is up to his usual tricks of mucking up test runs and destroying very expensive prototype aircrafts in the process. But he saves lives while doing it, so it doesn’t matter! Hal is then called to the planet Oa to stand in front of the Guardians and answer for some previous unseen misconduct. During this he hears of the Lanterns which are dying across the far reaches of frontier space. With this he decides to go against the Guardians orders and steal a prototype spaceship, this allows him to reach frontier space faster than using his power ring so he can try to save the Lanterns who are being hunted.

The character design of Jordan is very similar to the previous DC animations, Superman and Batman - his upper body is huge in comparison to his arms and legs and his jaw is so square that Chuck Norris would be jealous! I do feel that the CGI animation works nicely for the Lantern universe, the bold colours of red and green battling throughout the darkness of space.

The Red Lanterns plan to destroy the Guardians and the Green Lanterns because they blame them for the destruction of Atrocitus’ home planet. A new Red Lantern by the name of Razer is trying to kill one of the frontier Green Lanterns called Shyir Rev when Hal and Kilowog turn up. They battle heavily, but ultimately manage to escape, seeking refuge on Rev’s home planet.

Razer along with Atrocitus track them down and threaten to blow up Shyir Rev’s planet if the Green Lanterns do not give themselves up. Things escalate, and I don’t want to give it all away but things reach a explosive climax. The series will continue with Hal and Kilowog hunting for further Red Lanterns, all with a prisoner in tow. I feel this series is Green Lanterns as they should be - in space, boldly fighting against bigger and unknown alien threats.

Stefan Harkins is currently watching Avengers Assemble without you...

New Beginnings - Scarlet Spider #1

Christopher Yost is well known within Marvel as a writer on comics such as X-Men, X-23 and X-Force, but he started in animated shows and his credits include Avengers: Earths Mightiest Heroes, Iron Man: Armoured Adventures and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

There have been other dabblings in Marvel (and to a lesser degree DC) so to see Yost appear on the cover of the new Scarlet Spider title is a very settling thing. The pedigree that he has built for himself in only ten years means that for what could be quite a hit and miss title he brings a certain credibility to it and opens the door for a few possibilities.

As with the Scarlet Spider's past there is a level of confusion that can be expected - this is not Ben Reilly.

For those unaware, there has been somewhat of a clone problem running throughout Peter Parker’s history which has left him doubting who he is, leaving and passing the mantle fleetingly to his “brother”. This was his clone Ben Reilly who became the original Scarlet Spider.

There was also a group referred to as “the Scarlet Spiders” after Civil War, but these were three individuals in armour as opposed to empowered individuals.

The new Scarlet Spider is none of the above though. Instead this is the former criminal Kaine who (as another Parker clone) fought against Spider-Man. This is his chance for personal redemption and he is going to take it, leaving his personal history behind, in so much as any man can ever escape his past. As such this makes the comic’s tagline so much more fitting - "All of the power, none of the responsibility."

Even to begin with Stegman has emulated an iconic cover to try to invigorate this new title right from the word go. Then moving into the comic itself the illustration and layout hold you. It’s almost like a film opening where you get flashes or strips of pictures with the opening credits posted within them. A grand opening for the reader to get stuck into. The continuing artwork and colouring is bright and open on the whole making it for a light “read” on the eyes. At times it can border on, and look a little similar to, work by Ramos (Yuck! BF) but thankfully this is only flashes and hints.

The story itself is tricky. For a new reader the introduction of Kaine is more than a bit confusing. In the past he’s been manipulated and controlled into acts of violence and revenge. He’s a killer (notably of Doctor Octopus for example (though like most comic characters good ol' Otto pulled through! BF)) and a sadistic hunter, but equally he’s been heroic especially in the recent events of Spider Island. When he first became an adversary of Spider-Man he was stronger, faster, tougher and almost precognitive as opposed to simply having a Spider Sense, but now he's working on a reduced powerset following Spider Island. So I have to wonder, was trying to address this all in a first issue necessary? It can’t all be explained and essentially re-inventing the character changes the dynamic completely anyway.

But - and this is important - it was needed. Kaine is not some sort of anti-hero like Eddie Brock has become. He’s also no longer a villain and his removal of his beard and long hair is symbolic of this. Without sounding too clichéd, Kaine’s revival has been exactly that - so he's taking it and using it to try to at least make some things right again.

This is a first issue that opens a new story without sticking to the normal conventions of your friendly neighbourhood spider. It even pokes a little fun at that too. But the underlying sentiment is that things can change but it’s not easy. Kaine is tormented by his past and uses it for a driving force.

I’ve liked the opening as it’s not all squeaky clean and straightforward. I’m concerned that it may not be one that can continue without finding its own path and forges ahead - though something which Yost is capable of - so I hope it happens.

Matt Puddy has been given the gift of a couple of hyphens by his editor.

New Beginnings - Venom #1

As a child, Christmas, birthdays and even some Easters were a treat because I found myself receiving a carefully wrapped package of some description. The wrapping paper would be bright, vibrant and would always catch your eye leaving you wondering as to what the contents could be filling you with anticipation.

This is how I felt as I got my hands on a copy of the new Venom series.

Joe Quesada opened by taking on the cover art for the first issue giving us the Venom we have come to know and love. We have the hulking mass, slathering tongue, wild eyes and drool a plenty. It is the iconic image that everyone recognises from the Eddie Brock era and also a few fleeting frames if you have read Spiderman #654.1. It’s smooth, shiny and well defined so I was a little taken aback when I opened the issue to read on. Tony Moore’s linework feels grainy and non-defined. In some frames where it is a distant image, characters are little more than shapes coloured in with a recognisable form to it - a personal let down.

So I turn to Remender’s storyline instead. Set in a war-torn Eastern European country we open with UN soldiers (in Stark designed equipment) fighting against a new and increasingly psychotic Jack O’Lantern. Enter into the fray, the new Venom. Leading with an initial narrative to establish a premise for new readers there are some very nice touches. The allusion towards Spidey’s age old, “With great power comes great responsibility,” is there if you read between the lines. More importantly Remender’s attention to the bigger picture has caught me. This new incarnation of Venom is finite. Flash can only wear the suit for a maximum of 48 hours and only on 20 occasions.

Even more frustrating is that all the time he is doing it he has to keep full control of his anger for fear of the symbiote taking over. This, above any storyline, is going to become a real driving force. We see undertones of it all the way through. We also have Flash using his brain to find new and innovative uses for the symbiote; another example of Remender using every opportunity of this new beginning.

This issue closes in quite an awkward way for me, but this is also very good. For years Flash has strived to be a hero and champion and throughout this issue he has - but only to be brought down a notch by his commanding officer and then at home too - essentially driving him back to his own demons.

Overall this is a fantastic story and Remender has done very well. My bone of contention is how it is presented and I really don’t get on with the artwork. This would be an absolute must have for me if it visually met the standards it has been scripted to. It has divided me so much that the childish excitement of the title has actually made way for grown up reason to seep in and I’m not sure how long I will follow this for. I would still recommend it though and look forward to the next issue.

Before you ask, no Matt Puddy has not read the first volume of the Walking Dead

New Beginnings - Amazing Spider-Man #654.1

I have been an on and off Spider-Man fan for quite a while now. There have been many ups, which I have enjoyed, along with several downs, which have marred my opinion of the comic. No matter what I think there are always elements that bring me back. Amazing Spider-Man #654.1 is therefore a good place to pick back up, have a look around and generally see how things fit right now.

One of my favourite parts of Spider-Man has been the symbiotes. Whether it was Venom, Anti-Venom, Carnage, Toxin or any of the “home-grown” symbiotes, the stories have always caught my eye. #654.1 is no different... well mainly. For a comic titled “The Amazing Spider-Man” the wallcrawler's appearance on the cover and ONLY the cover certainly makes for an interesting twist. This issue is solely about Venom, or should I say the NEW Venom.

Written by Dan Slott and drawn by Humberto Ramos the issue explores a new beginning for the most infamous suit with a killer instinct. Now due to a marketing “slip” by Marvel, it was no surprise that Flash Thompson is the new owner and companion for Venom, albeit at the US Government's expense. However, what I really liked is that Slott has made you question if Flash - or indeed this scenario - is really right. The premise provided is that Flash, who has idolised Spider-Man for many years, now has the power and the tools to live up to standards that his icon possesses. But, due to the nature of the symbiote, the government has also enforced a strict limit on how long and often he can don the new guise.

Combined with the added benefit that Flash gets his legs back as a result during his bonding it makes a great grounding for what can turn into a terrible addiction and no doubt ongoing psychological trauma. Early signs of this are already apparent by a certain episode that occurs during this issue as well as a change in his demeanour.

Ramos has done a fantastic job in capturing this, especially towards the end of the issue. The artwork feels slightly cartoony but still works really well. It has a really good variance to it, soft and fine with openness when required but also heavy, hard and almost claustrophobic in others which is in tune with the mood. But this has all been set by Slott’s story which carries the weight in the beginning.

My fondness of the character attracted me to this issue and it was well rewarded. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. However, it comes across as a self-contained teaser, essentially another one-shot which is further compounded by the final double page “Coming Up” trailer. Admittedly Venom is present alongside Spidey and Black Cat, against what could be a new Sinister Six, but I am still left feeling that things will die down again. Additionally, the advert mid-comic for the new Venom series starting in March confuses things further as once again storylines don’t mix and match, as we have a more traditional Eddie Brock behemoth-style Venom drooling over the cover art.

It shows great promise and is a great issue to have but I can’t honestly say I will be back on the Spidey train. I will however, be picking up Venom next month and will also be following the beautifully created Carnage mini-series (slightly hard to come by but at only 3 issues in VERY worth asking Ben nicely to get it for you). As a fan, pick them all up, but as a jump on point I think it jumped and fell short.

Matt Puddy and Ben Fardon clearly disagree on Ramos' artwork.