Spider-Man

For those of you who have read much Superman, you will be aware of the L pattern; Lois Lane, Lex Luthor, Lucy Lane, Linda Lee, Lana Lang, it just goes on and on. So this is obviously a running joke in between the writers. But this pattern of alliterating names goes throughout both the DC and Marvel universes.

I meant to post this days ago, so to you, the nonexistent reader... I apologize.

Anyhoo...

Ultimate Spider-Man Requiem #1:

Ultimatum... there are so many things I could say about Ultimatum. Even more for Jeph Loeb's Ultimate stuff. But that would take up so much time and space that I'm just going to stow it. For now...

So, onto the issue at hand (literally). The premise of USM Requiem, in short, is that J. Jonah Jameson is back at the Daily Bugle offices after the Ultimatum Wave (why are they calling it that?) has subsided a bit. When last we saw him, he was watching in awe as Spider-man was saving people from drowning. JJJ realizes what a colossal d-bag he's been and decides to write a story about how Spidey is really a hero.

So that's the set-up. However, things diverge from there. Ben Urich gives him a zip-drive that has all of the stories of Spider-man being a hero (how convienient...), which he says he keeps on his person at all times. This guy has issues. I'm not going to go into the question of where he keeps it, because the point is that Jameson looks at the files and sees one about a terrorist threat against Tony Stark. And so he reads...

Now this is where things get annoying. The segment was a story about how Hydra attacks Tony Stark and Spider-Man saves him. Nothing too complicated. But that is the problem. This is Ultimate Spider-Man REQUIEM. Requiem means a serivce or mass to mourn the dead. Now a silly tale about Hydra and Spidey and Iron Man is fine, but ultimately, it didn't show anything significant about Peter Parker. I mean, Spidey doesn't even do that much. He punches a couple Hydra guys, but Tony saves the day (not going to tell you how, but it's nothing special). There was no real character development, except for maybe Tony. The whole story didn't even feel that exciting. 

Now, this story has some of Mark Bagley's unused art. It was nice seeing his stuff back in an issue of USM, but there were quite a few things that I didn't like. First off, Tony's suits were not like his Ultimate Armor. At. All. There were about six different sets of armor that appeared, and all of them were identical to 616 suits.

That was really annoying to see. In the same vein, Madame Hydra looked almost identical to her mainstream counterpart. The Hyra

agents had maks that covered their entire faces and had a different design, but other that that and some body armor (that many of them seemed to mysteriously lose as the issue progressed...) they looked pretty much the same. That was really disappointing.

My guess is that this story was written and drawn a long time ago, when the UU was first starting out. That would explain a lot of the inconsistencies with the art and plot. This made it feel more like an issue of another "loose-canon" series (get it?), "Ultimate Marvel Team-Up". Remeber the Fantastic Four issue? It was cringeworthy. But even if you look past the art, there is nothing much to see. In the end, it just seemed to me like an opportunity for Bendis (who don't get me wrong, I love dearly!) to throw in some old Bagley art just for sentimentality (I don't think he would do it soley for sales). 

One other funny thing I want to add. There's a panel at the end of a page where the person's dialogue is carried over to the next page, cutting them off. However, between the two, there is an ad, so it ends up looking like this:

Story - 2.5/5: The opening segment was a good set-up; the Iron Man story would have been OK in a regualr issue, but didn't fit in this story. It was cut for a reason.

Art - 3/5: Mark Bagley is a great artist, but the discrepancies with the Ultimate Universe and similarities to the Mainstream Universe were irritating, and took away from the plot.

  FINAL VERDICT:

Pick it up if you were reading the series already.

The ending (which is back in the present) sets up for the next issue, which should be good. If you weren't already reading Ultimate Spider-Man, don't bother.






Next up...


Red Robin #1

I know this came out weeks ago, but I'm just getting it now. Before I start with the review, I want to say something. SPOILER. As in alert. I'm not talking about Stephanie Brown. If you really don't know who Red Robin is, and you want to find out for yourself, then don't keep reading. I'll put this convenient photo to fill the space:

 

IT'S TIM!!!

Now that I got that off my chest, let us continue, shall we?
Batman is just about the only DC character that I read consistently. I have most of the prominent stories in TPB, and I've been reading since RIP (which was really confusing, and I'll have to read again sometime). I bought the three issues of Battle for the Cowl, which I thought was good, not great. Probably would have been better with Grant Morrison, but Tony Daniels did a good enough job. In the end, we have the new Batman and Robin, who are starring in the new series by Morrison, aptly titled "Batman and Robin". 

But where does this leave Tim Drake? Well, he departs from the Bat-family, for a reason I won't reveal, and sets out to look for Bruce Wayne. Now, he can't dress up as Robin anymore, because someone else has that title. So he decides to use the mantle of Red Robin. Tim is in a dark place right now, and he is willing to cross lines that he wouldn't before. He mentions severe beatings and breaking limbs and appendages, so he is not one to be messed with. This makes sense, because you look at the former Red Robins, and you see Jason Todd, who is a psychopathic freakazoid, and Ulysses Armstrong, who I admittedly don't know much about, other than the fact that he is also a crazy villain guy. If people in the DCU already know Red Robin's reputation, then they will recognize that, whoever is under the mask is not going to be very nice. And that's part of it. This is a chance for Tim to start anew, with a clean slate. Nobody knows who he is, and he won't have to worry about following Batman's orders or fighting his villains. He doesn't even need to fight crime, because his primary objective is to find Bruce. Now, if you know what happened to Bruce, then you know that that will be a pretty... impossible task, but Tim doesn't know this, and we're not sure if he's even thinking rationally.

 

  Story - 4/5: I'm very intruiged by this series, and I can't wait to see where Tim's globetrotting search takes him. The internal monologue is pretty good, and the concept is great. Plus, it's a departure from the Bat-family, meaning that he's is on his own, without having to deal with the issues in Gotham, but not getting any help either.

Art -  3.5/5: The art isn't fantastic, but it isn't the worst I've ever seen. I've never seen this artist before, but I think the art is perfectly fine for the story. I have nothing in particular to say about it.

FINAL VERDICT:

PICK THIS UP! Especially if you are reading the Batman series already. One of the things I don't like aobut DC is that they don't have recap pages, so it's hard to jump into a series like this. But all you need to know is that Bruce is presumed dead, and that there is a new Batman and Robin.



And last but not least...


Spider-Man: The SHORT Halloween!

When I first heard about this, I was afraid that with two (moderate?) celebrities writing it, it was bound to be bad. I was wrong, and I am happy to admit it. The premise is that it's Halloween and Spider-Man (who is dazed from a fight with an amateur villain) and a drunk guy dressed as him are both passed out in an alley. Confusion ensues.
Now, I'm not saying that the writing is absolutely flawless. This is (as far as I know) Meyers and Hader's first foray into writing comics. Of course it's not going to be perfect. But it's good enough. The plot is a humorous, but it's not Deadpool. It shouldn't be wacky and a laughs every page. The humor has to be a bit subtler, which gives the issue more heart. The villain in question, Fumes, who is part of a group named "the Furious Five" (they haven't seen Kung Fu Panda!), brings a lot of the funny parts, when he is pondering whether having "killed" Spider-man is a good tihng or a bad thing:

"Okay... I may have just killed Spider-man. Is this good or bad? On one hand, I would be the guy who killed Spider-Man... very cool. On the other had, the Punisher might track me down and kill me... very uncool."

There's one minor continuity error: The drunk guy's girlfriend says, "I looked under his mask and it's not Ronnie!" In the issue where he was in the negative zone with the FF, didn't it show that if someone pulls off his mask, they see nothing? I didn't read the issue, but if that's the case, then that was a mistake. Unless it's because Peter can't think straight.

Story - 4/5: The plot is cohesive, and while it is nothing epic or life-chnging, it's entertaining. Nothing more, nothing less.

Art - 4/5: I wasn't familiar with Kevin Maguire (almost called him Kevin O'Neill there) before this, but I had heard a lot of praise for him when the issue was announced. The art was great for this story, the guy seems to be able to nail certain expressions for situations well.

FINAL VERDICT:

PICK UP THIS ISSUE!

If you want to read a good story that has a light-hearted feel to it, without having to deal with too much continuity, then read this.

 

Thank you, I'll be sure to review the next few issues I read, just for you imaginary reader!

Just as the title states...pls put pics too if possible!

This a plot idea I just came up with for Spider-Man 4

Tell me what you think!

Spider-Man is trying to patch things up with MJ. Gwen is trying to get Peters atention but ends up creating a strong friendship with both MJ and Peter

Meanwhile Doctor connors is trying to recreate his arm..... He notices that part of the symbiote expands in a way his cells could just like reptiles.... using his investigation on reptiles and the discoveries found in the sybiote (remember Connor has a piece). By combining the two he injects himself creting himself the Lizard an uncontrollable creature seeking out destruction......

Casually the newfound friends MJ, and Gwen go to the university to pick up a book Gwen forgot they enter Conors class and find the Lizard trying to kill the... During the screaming and running away the vial holding the Symbiote falls to the ground and breaks. MJ discreatly calls Peter in search for Spider-Man (this could be while she is hiding under the desk or something) Spider-Man arrives to save the day but the Lizard excapes.... During the fight Spider-Man gets a huge cut from one of the claws of the Lizard on his back....and the Symbiote is atracted by the Spider's blood......

Spider-Man leaves and Gwen and MJ are safe but back at home while Peter is cleaning his wound leaving a lot of blood lying around.... The Symbiote merges with the blood (making it Red FYI I'm taking a lot from Ultimate Spider-Man). Then on the news there is a new Serial Killer in town named Cletus Kasady so Spider-Man is on the job..... The now red symbiote with no host is weakened but sticks to Parker without his knowledge. Spider-Man Catches the Serial Killer and throws him in jail..... Kassady having this newfound hatred for Spider-Man merges with the Sybiote to make Carnge and kills his way out of jail.....

The Lizard and Spider-Man have a couple of more rounds before Spider-Man realizes his teacher is actually the Lizard.....

During class Gwen and Peter get a new substitute teacher: Professor Miles Warren

Anyways..... Petrer figures out a way to take the Connor out of the Lizard and cures him.... The new Professor falls for the Blond in his class and tries to get Connor to leave the class permanenly so he could keep teaching the class Warren kidnaps Connor so he wont interfier in what Warren thinks is true love......

MJ and Peter's relationship is growing once again.....

Felicia Hardy a new girl in school keeps bumping into Peter..... At the same time a new vigilante comes into town: Black Cat....

EDITED: Spider-Man and Black Cat finally meet and Spidey questions Black Cat's alliance.... She doesn't answer and says that if Spider-Man catches her then she will answer the question..... The play taq for a while and then she says that she is only "complicated"

Black Cat on her crime spree finds a man who seems familiar.... Felicia Hardy's science teacher kidnapped by a crazy man...... She saves him making Spider-Man a little premiscous about if Black Cat is good or Bad (Black Cat flirts with the Spider a little and disappears into the night)

Carnage and Spider-Man fight it up a bit Carnage revealing himself to the world... Carnage being a name J. Jameson comes up with in the Bugle!!!

Spider-Man figures out the carnage is the serial killer..... Peter realizing that he is no match for this new villan seeks help from Connors and he discovers sonic weaponry is the way to go.... meanwhile they bust heads once more and the Police surround the area where they fight... (where? Who knows but its big)

Gwen is out having lunch with her dad and Capt Stacy gets a call to go there .. Gwen goes with him...

MJ is at Aunt May's house having some pie and see the whole comotion on television.....

They have a huge ending battle and during the battle Carnage is on the verge of pumuling Spider-Man.....
During this MJ whispers "No, Peter" and there's areaction to this by Aunt May (So now she know or thinks she knows who Spider-Man is)
Profesor Connors arrives with his sonic weaponry but Captain Stacy doesn't allow him to go through........Connors fight hims over it and then both of them are caught in the battlefield......
Carnage only seeking destruction heads first for Connors and Spider-Man swings on over and sves him... leaving Stacy out there alone....
Resentlesly Carnage kills Captain Stacy just when Spider-Man is abut to save him..... Spider-Man on an adrenaline rush he starts hitting Carnage resntlesly... Gwen goes into the battle field and cries over her father's death. Connors the uses the sionic weaponry and "destroys" the creature....

The ending scene is a lot like the ending from the first movie.... At Captain Stacy's funeral Peter goes over and hugs the pale Gwen..... Gwen the mentions her hatred for Spider-Man because he could've saved her father but he didn't he left him alone there to die.......

EDITED: After the funeral Peter and MJ walk alone through central park and MJ mentions the propsal he had planned (Spider-man 3) and mentions that athough they  might not be ready for that they could start things over to where they left off......  Peter walks MJ home... At her doorstep he kisses her and wispers to her  "I love you"
Then he turns around about to leave.... MJ then stops him and invites him in.......

The scene ends with a mashed up Cassady on the ground recreating himself as Carnage.........
Black Cat watches over this

EDITED: Miles Warren then walks through his apartment and enters a room where he has a shrine for Gwen Stacy...... He talks to a huge picture of her and says: "we will be together" then the camera zooms into his eyes and the effect turns green (jackal-wise) the screen turns black and you can hear him laughing (setting up the enviornment for Spider-Man 5)

What's up whomever.  I hope that it's been a pleasant Tuesday, although most of us went back to work after a sweet three-day vacay.  Went by my local store and checked my order list.  Now, last week I knew that X-Men Forever Alpha was on and proverbially poppin'.  This week, I hadn't really paid much attention because I had a busy week to weekend and wasn't really thinking about this weeks solits.  Like I said, I was stoked(and still am) about X-Men Forever.  It just took me back, and I love it when comics do that.  New stories or old ones such as this.

But anyway, moving forward to this week: I'm going to be spending a little bit of money.

Does anyone watch Saturday Night Live?  I do.  I am a little unfamiliar with the seasons around 1998-02ish.  When the Will Farrell, Chris Kattan, Cheri Oteri cast all were leaving and whatnot.  Anyway, two of the best featured players in this era are BILL HADER and SETH MYERS.  Hader plays General Custer in the shitfest that is "Night at the Museum: Battle For the Smithsonian".  I saw the film last night, and the only times I can recall laughing out loud were Hader's scenes.  Maybe I'm a little bias because I'm a fan of anything he does on SNL, or in films("Hot Rod", "Forgetting Sarah Marshall", "Knocked Up").  But yeah, "Night 2" sucks, and would've sucked even more had Hader not saved scenes talking about his(Custer's) golden locks.  Did you know General Custer's hair was used as currency in some nations?  I didn't either.  As for Seth Myers, he's head writer for Saturday Night Live, no big deal.

So there have been previews up for "Spider-Man: The Short Halloween" one-shot all over the internet but I have tried to not read too much.  It could be another Marvel, $3.99 let down.  However, I have a feeling that there will be a few little things here and there that will make it worth the buy.  I'm looking at it like an extended SNL Digital Short featuring Spidey.  Both Hader and Myers know their stuff as well.  I remember Wizard had an interview with Hader a couple years back(not sure if it was Myers or cast member Will Forte), and he talked about slightly in depth about Sandman.  If you've read a Sandman comic, you've probably read a Spidey book before.  I read that the idea for "Short Halloween" came over drinks.  Plus, the title says it all: "The Short Halloween"?  I love it.  I hate Batman.  In a honest "love to hate" kind of way due to my allegiance to all things Kryptonian.  So I thought it's funny they chose to title the story that playing off the Loeb/Sale classic, "Batman: The Long Halloween".  Overall, I hope "Short Halloween" is a gas.

Speaking of the Dark Knight himself, is it time to close the curtains on the "Battle For The Cowl One-Shot Gamble"?  The reason I say this is because some of the one-shots for the saga were decent, and some left you with a, "Huh?"  And I know I'm in the minority in most Bat-debates, but I don't think I am in this one.  I thought "Gotham Gazette: BATMAN DEAD?" was pretty cool.  It got the ball rolling with Millicent Mayne sort of laying out the canvas of Gotham City as it were.  I liked it.  I hope that "Gotham Gazette: BATMAN ALIVE!" is kind of in the same tone as the first book.  So, now that I think about it, doesn't make this a "one-shot" so-to-speak.  So I guess it's a "two-shot".  Whatever.  I wanna see more Millicent Mayne action!  Oh, but I have to once again deal with the fact that Bats gets more of my moolah than Superman this week. 

But it's mainly for the fact that JIM LEE is showing us love for two weeks in a row.  Only this time it's the cover for "BATMAN OVER BARCELONA: DRAGON'S KNIGHT".  Mark Waid wrote the story so it's got to be pretty entertaining.  With a title like that, I'd have Batman slay a dragon.  Probably won't be happening in Waid's vision.  Damnit.

But screw Batman.  What are we going to do in a "World Without Superman"?  The story continues this week with SUPERMAN #688.  I like how they've incorporated Mon-El--now known as "Interpol agent" Jonathan Kent--within the city of Metropolis.  He's working with/for the Science Police and the Guardian clone and it's really dope.  He's the "Superman" of Metropolis currently and isn't as "clean cut" as Big Blue when handling baddies and whatnot.  I mean, Supes causes some damage during a blow out on the streets of Metropolis.  Mon-El he doesn't know his own strength, and that adds to the carnage.  I'm really enjoying this book right now.  It's probably my favorite of all the "World Without" titles currently.

Enjoy your "brightest days" while you still can.  Scar is going to "dead that" real soon.  GREEN LANTERN #41 continues this prelude to "BLACKEST NIGHT".  I have been wanting more Larfleeze in my life and this week I am treated to such.  I'm just saying, what the hell would you do if you could wield a ring as a Green Lantern, but could also be pissed off--or listening to Hatebreed--enough to rock a ring of the Red Lanterns?  Or, what if you were a sign of hope?  Would you want to be a Blue Lantern?  Ganthet and Sayd think Hal Jordan should lead the "blues".  How much is on his plate already?  I want to see the Guardians tack off some slack and rumble within the uncharted Vega System only to get wasted by Agent Orange.  Again, another "probably won't happen" but, whatever.

Then I have my X-books.  The first is X-MEN LEGACY #224.  This will be the first "Legacy" book that I have bought.  To be honest, I think that last "X-Men vol. 2" book I bought was Grant Morrison and Marc Silvestri's "New X-Men" story years ago.  Why am I buying it?  Because the cover looks like a romance novel and I collect those too.  I'm kidding.  "Legacy" is apparently about to tie into DARK REIGN with the whole "DARK AVENGERS/X-MEN UTOPIA" event coming up.  I'm a master of UNCANNY X-MEN, if it ties into that book, I'm on it.  So, we'll see what that issue has in store for my X-Men tastebuds.  I'll laugh if Gambit doesn't kiss Rouge at all. 

Next up are my two books tied into the "MESSIAH WAR".  First there's the handy dandy "MESSIAH WAR SOURCEBOOK".  Sourcebooks/Secret Files books are a necessity, especially if you may be a bit lost or on the other end, are absolutely loving every bit of the series.  I think that Deadpool is stealing the show.  And I'm sure he'll say something funny in X-FORCE #15.  The only thing that's kind of screwing with me here is all of the X-Men that are currently up to other things in the Marvel U.  Now the Deadpool in "Messiah War" is a future DP, but then you have obviously Wolverine.  This guy has always been everywhere and there's really no need to ask questions about him anymore.  But Elixir is a character that I am having a problem with because Matt Fraction's got him all up in "Uncanny", doing absolutely nothing productive.  This is part of the reason I was a bit uneasy about another X-Men, "possible future" story.  I knew little things would bug me.  Overall, it's cool to see Stryfe as f'd in the dome as ever.  He's playing "Hope"(the little girl) at the moment and I kind of hope(no pun, promise) that he kills her.  It probably won't happen but who knows, every time period must have it's Phoenix, right?  I mean, if you've got the DNA sample you can...oh, nevermind.  I don't wanna start getting bummed out.

Finally, what I think--as far as conversation between characters--is the best written book right now, NEW AVENGERS.  Will issue #53 finally hit us off with the identity of the new Sorceror Supreme?  Honestly, if all the NAs are back in an apartment talking about why "Karate Kid Part II" is better than the original for the entire issue, I'll be totally happy with life.  Bendis would write it to perfection.  DAs and NAs have been awesome books over the past four months.  While both have had better issues than others, for the most part it has been entertaining as hell.

I have a few other titles I'm grabbing as well.  FRINGE #5(of6) is coming out Thursday(because of the holiday), and I loved the first season of the show.  My roommate's kind of obsessed with the show and I have been getting the title for him mainly.  I definitely plan on reading them all once #6 drops.  Also, Babs hit us off with that video review of the current storyline in WONDER WOMAN.  I have the first two issues in regards to "Rise of The Olympian", now I'm gunna find the rest, and go ahead an pick up this and last month's books, #31 and #32.

So yeah, I'm going to be busy reading all of this at work.  Can't wait.

I'm off to get a catch of the z's.

CBR.com had an article about an abrupt change on peter Parker's status quo in the newspaper strip:

At the beginning of the year, the Spider-Man newspaper strip recieved a bit of a makeover that brought it in step with comic book continuity. Echoing “Brand New Day,” the strip reverted Peter Parker to an unmarried student living with his Aunt May. Mephisto not included, it was just an abrupt change to the status quo.

“In keeping with the new Spider-Man story line at Marvel Comics, we, too, are going back to Spidey’s roots. He’s single, and attending college. Now let the surprises begin!” the editors wrote back in January.

Well, surprise! — fans of the strip weren’t very happy with the change. The editors have decided to “bow to your letters” and return the strip to the previous set-up. Writing off the last few months as a dream, Peter Parker  woke up today to find his wife, in a Dallas-style homage, getting ready to shower:



Read the entire strip

About $24 a piece. Kinda iffy on them though. They have a nice Deadpool shirt at Hot Topic that I know I'll get. Any of you getting new stuff?