Welcome To Houston Skyscaper Population - Limited!
With so many heroes based all in one area, Kaine is trying to be even more unique and leave all of the big cities (with lots of skyscrapers) and head to Houston, Texas. To find something he's always been looking for -- Freedom! While Kaine is now a non-disfigured clone of Peter Parker, he is starting his career as the hero the Scarlet Spider. With everything not going as planned, even not wanting to be a hero, Kaine is learning quick that he is being forced more-and-more into the status of "hero".
The Good
This is easily a fan-favorite series. The action, the denial and the character development is really story driven, in a good way. Kaine is really cool character to work with. All of his entire existence of a comic book character has been the misunderstood bad guy that always tried to kill the original Peter Parker. While he's changed and has frequently teamed-up with the hero, he has always reverted to his default status of "misunderstood villain." There are a lot of those going around these days, don't get me wrong. But with Kaine turning over a new leaf, to the side of truth, justice and the American way. Kaine will certainly be the most interesting Scarlet Spider, or Spider-Man, related character EVER created.
Christopher Yost continues to make Kaine the hero nobody ever wanted. Kaine didn't even want to be a hero; all he wanted was to be left alone with piles of money. Sounds reasonable. However, now since he's been operating in Houston and learning the basic hero 101, he's starting to enjoy the thrill as well as the reward. Always lingered with the thought that he can kill the threat and that he is "nothing like Spider-Man", he is remaining great control of what he used to know just to do the right thing. That is one of the reasons why this is a good series. Yost is always pushing Kaine into new directions, even though Kaine wants to go the opposite way. The artwork by Ryan Stegman flows really well with Yost's writing, the two make a great team.
Also Kaine having found out that Houston has very limited Skyscrapers was amusing.
The Bad
The reason that Kaine takes off his mask, or uses his powers, in public in every issue seems very strange. While the part of Houston that Kaine is operating in seems to be very small, you'd think he would learn to never take his mask off in public. From looking at the this issue, three people (doctor, the cop from the previous issues, and the girl) all know his identity, as well as some civilians that saw him jump twenty stories and crush a car without a single wound. Yost is possibly doing this on purpose until someone, a new threat not an old one (even though an old threat found Kaine), will eventually target Kaine's loved ones. When he gets some that is. Also the love interest has the red-hair thing going on as well.
The Verdict
This is a great title it has action, adventure, great story and has the Scarlet Spider returning as well! Overall 4 out of 5.
