The Ultimate Summer Blockbuster Begins...
This is really one story arc that I know i'm going to enjoy. After all that time of waiting and everything, Spider-Island has officially begun! I have to say I was totally psyched when I saw the summary for this arc! Everybody in New York gets spider-powers! WOW! Mr. Dan Slott, you are incredible genius to come up with something like that. Now let's get down to business and get ready to enter Spider-Island!
The Plot: The issue begins with in Carlie and Peter's apartment with it looking like Carlie has finally found out who Peter's alter ego is, but it turns out Peter is looking up at on Carlie on the ceiling! Carlie tells Peter that she has spider-powers and wanted to share it with him because they're really close. Carlie tests out her abilities in the apartment, while Peter wonders if he gave her a "spidey-transmitted disease". Peter tells Carlie that they should go get a doctor to help her, but Carlie asks Peter if he got spider powers, would the first thing he did be try and get rid of them? Peter decides not to go to a doctor, but decide he and Carlie will still go and drop Aunt May and Jay off at the airport. Meanwhile, in the Bowery, a crime-filed district, Madame Web watches from a roof down at a group of thugs waiting around the entrance of a bar. Shang-Chi reveals himself to be following her and Madame Web tells him that they are there because two groups of evil are going to form an alliance and cause panic around the city. Shang tries to stop them, but before he can Madame Web traps him in a psi-web, saying that he can't interfere with the future. Down by the entrance of the bar, the Jackal and his two cronies, Tarantula and Spider-King follow him towards the entrance of the bar, where inside thugs there are being checked out by Miles Warren clones. Two of the thugs there get into a fight where they both reveal they have spider powers. This breaks out a riot among all of the other thugs, all of which who have spider-powers. Jackal orders Spider-King and Tarantula to stop the riot. They stop it by killing several of the thugs rioting. Once the meeting comes to order, Jackal tells all the thugs there that they were all brought here because he gave them spider powers and he wants something in return. Jackal wants them to help him be part of his master plan. Jackal breaks one of the crates in the meeting room revealing many spider-man costumes, indicating that they are going to impersonate spiderman with their spider powers. Meanwhile, in New Jersey Peter and Carlie say goodbye to Aunt May and Jay as they leave for Boston. Back in New York, hundreds of spider powered impersonators are attacking and causing panic in the city. The Avengers arrive and start saving the public from the impersonators. Across town, JJJ lets the city know to shut down all tunnels and bridges so none of the impersonators can escape let alone other people with spider powers not working for the Jackal. Peter and Carlie are on their way back from the airport on the brooklyn bridge when they hear on the radio about all the spider impersonators overrunning the city. Carlie jumps out of the car telling Peter she's going to o help the city with her powers and swings off before Peter can say anything. Peter is very mystified about much of NYC getting spider powers too. He jumps behind the side of the bridge, suits up and swings towards the city. In the heart of the city, the Avengers are battling the impersonators still when Spidey arrives, looking for Carlie and worried about her. The Avengers accidentally think that Spidey is one of the impersonators and beat him to a pulp just like the others while Madame Web and Shang Chi watch. Madame Web now tells Shang Chi that even though Spidey has the lesson of great responsibility he now is now different from any other New Yorker as an unconscious spiderman lies on the group among impersonators, unconscious. To Be Continued...
Good Parts of this issue:
- MJ's comment about the clone saga when the impersonators are attacking
- Peter finally realizing that all of this was happening under his nose
- The Avengers confusing Spiderman with the imposters
- The two page splash of Tarantula and and Spider-King attacking the thugs
Bad Parts of this issue
- Only a minor one; where was spidey for this whole issue
This issue is a great start to Spider Island, not that the prologue wasn't. I really enjoyed it and it was great to see all these thugs attacking with spider powers finally. Ramos art is incredible and perfect for this very issue.
4.5 out of 5 stars!!
Pick it Up to watch everybody in New York get spider powers!!
