The Good
'United We Stand' is rooting itself in the pages of ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN. It's important to see the connection and continuity in the Ultimate Universe as big things are going down. Miles Morales has a lot on his plate. He's still adjusting to being Spider-Man. He may have received the blessing from some but he's not in the clear with the authorities when it comes to the death of his Uncle.
When Maria Hill turns up to discuss his uncle, we get a great sense of the other side of the story. Normally we always see the story events from the perspective of the main characters. Rarely do we see how others interpret them. The same goes when there is discussion over the crazy events in the city at Miles' school. When the city is under attack in comics, we pretty much only see the heroes in action. Brian Bendis shows us how the threat of danger affects others.
With each issue, Bendis also strengthens the characterization of Miles and his supporting cast. Whether it's his best friend Ganke or his dad, Miles becomes more and more interesting each time we see him in and out of costume.
David Marquez feels like he owns this book. He has easily made his mark upon the characters and his visuals help to add life to everyone. Now that Miles has web shooters, you would think Marquez has been practicing drawing webs for some time.
The Bad
Crossovers and big events can always be a cumbersome factor in storytelling. Even though we've had members of the Ultimates appear in this comic, it's managed to retain a separate feel. It is important for there to be continuity since this takes place in the Ultimate Universe so it'll be interesting to see how the events of the bigger story affects this title. Because of 'United We Stand,' we have pages that deal with Miles trying to figure out where he fits into it all rather than focusing on more immediate concerns. It ended up making the comic feel as if it were split into two parts.
The Verdict
Miles is just getting used to being Spider-Man but with 'United We Stand' seeping into these pages, the possibility of big changes are looming on the horizon. This weighs down the issue a little and takes away from the usual fun and storytelling Bendis has been giving us month after month. David Marquez continues to handle the art duties with ease, making this little corner of the Ultimate Universe more vibrant. Ending on a cliffhanger will make you rush to your calendar to count down the days until the next issue. I continue to be amazed at how easily Bendis has made me forget about Ultimate Peter Parker. Miles Morales is Spider-Man.