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The
Secret Is Out:
The Amazing Spider-Man #37-45
A Marvel Comics extended story arc review
By Jamie Tarquini
Writer:
J. Michael Straczynski
Pencils: John Romita Jr.
Inks: Scott Hanna
Colors: Dan Kemp
Letters: Richard Starkings and Comicraft's Wes
Abbott
Covers (#37-39): Kaare Andrews
More
Info: www.marvel.com
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Spider-Man
may be the hottest character in comics today. With the motion
picture raking it in at the box-office and the DVD setting
records as well, it is certainly safe to make that assumption.
To go along with this Marvel has been doing a good job of
putting out a ton of products that are affordable and easily
accessible to new readers and other comic geeks who have been
hesitant to try the forty-year old title until now.
Helping
to get new readers on board is the creative team attached
to Spidey's longest running comic, "Amazing Spider-Man," are
long-time artist John Romita Jr. and creator / writer / producer
J. Michael Straczynski. JMS is well known for his work on
"Rising Stars" over at Image and his sci-fi series "Babylon
5" while Romita has drawn every major character in the Marvel
Universe over the course of the past 25 years and just gets
better with each assignment. Since being paired up together
(starting with issue #30) they have been telling fun and exciting
stories while making important changes to the classic Spider
mythos, which has brought Spider-Man back in the spotlight
of the comic book world.
Here
I'll discuss the last nine issues covering the last two story
arcs. I'll cover the arcs independently as there is a trade
being published of the first story. The second arc that just
finished more or less blends in with the first part of this
review anyway making all nine of these issues perfect to look
at together.
The
issues being reprinted this week in trade format are great
reads, and the source of major changes in Peter Parker's life
(issues 37-39). At the end of the previous arc Peter's Aunt
May discovers that Peter is Spider-Man, so the bulk of the
content in this trade is dealing with out fallout of that
- hence the name "Revelations" for the collection (but more
on that later). These first two issues were fantastic, with
the better being the second because that's when Peter and
May have "the talk." This is a situation that long-time fans
have been dreading almost as much as Peter, mainly because
it could have easily been handled badly, but it flowed very
smoothly. All of the major issues that pop up as a result
of hiding a secret of this magnitude for years are discussed
and a surprise or two is added to the conversation.
JMS
is also the first writer in ages to give Aunt May an important
role in Peter's life other than chef or worrywart. Her character
in "Amazing" is not only natural, but also humorous. If anyone
was skeptical of Peter's ability to teach they should be well
satisfied in his abilities after the first issue. We all know
how much he loved school, and it's cool to see him share this
passion with his students.
The
third issue is the silent issue from Marvel's silent month,
where there was no use of dialogue anywhere in the story.
JMS used this issue to bring back the tension between Peter
and his wife Mary Jane as part of the storyline. The other
plot thread that JMS introduces has to do with one of Peter's
students and his discovery that she is living on the street
and some of her friends are disappearing.
All
of these stories are great, even the silent one which was
one of the better of the silent issues, but I do have a few
issues with this trade. First of all it retails for $8.99,
which is MORE than cover price. Granted, these issues are
getting hard to find but that's just wrong. Marvel could have
put more issues into this compilation to make the price per
issue drop making this a better buy, which brings me to my
next problem - why only three issues? They have already reprinted
issue numbers 30-35 in the "Coming Home" trade, so why not
make this one go from 37-45?
The
other reason this would make sense is because neither the
Mary Jane issue nor the disappearing children issues are resolved.
We are given a few plot threads, then dropped of and left
waiting. A trade should be able to tell a complete story,
and making this compile the most recent 9 issues would have
done that. Not only that, but the title "Revelations" has
already been used for a Spider-Man trade! It's the name of
the storyline that ended the clone saga and brought back the
Green Goblin in costume. This one could have easily been called
"Secrets" or something to that effect.
(FYI
- Issue 36 was the World Trade Center issue and has been reprinted
many times already in other places. It also does not go along
with any Spider-Man plotlines).
The
second story arc (what really finishes the first arc discussed
above) resolves the missing children issue with a cameo appearance
by Dr. Strange. Spidey makes a new friend in the police force
and thwarts a new criminal called Shade. This issue leads
into the marital problems with MJ, which sends Peter and May
to Los Angles to visit MJ on the set of a film she is starring
in. But what would a visit to LA be without some action? This
brings us to an interesting Dr. Octopus plot, where his technology
is stolen from him and boy is he pissed!
JMS
perfectly grasps the characterization for each member of his
cast. Dr. Strange's arrogance is only outdone by the mystery
he shrouds himself in. Doc Ock's rage is relentless when toyed
with, but may be secondary to the anger of MJ when her emotions
are played upon. Also interesting was the tidbits of future
JMS stories dropped; one was a Dr. Strange story (that we
learn hasn't been written yet - but will be) and the other
is a based on an event that happens while Spidey is on the
astral plane.
The
art in the issues is fantastic. John Romita Jr. is one of
the greatest all-time Spider-Man artists. He gives Peter a
look and feel that emulates exactly what he is feeling at
any given time. Occasionally (and I know that this is nitpicking)
the lips on a few of his characters seem really big. This
may have something to do with the thicker inks from Scott
Hanna, who otherwise does a bang up job, but I'm not sure.
I really dig the thick inks on Spidey's costume and the way
you can only see the red parts of his outfit when he is in
the shadows. He also never looks too muscular because he's
really only supposed to be a little over six-feet tall and
170 lbs, a fact many artists choose to overlook. The use on
paneling and storytelling are fantastic, as epitomized by
the last issue of the Doc Ock tale where Spidey is trapped
under a few tons of rubble. JMS provides a few cool action
sequences, including the brief stint in the astral plane where
Romita embellishes on the ideas that Steve Ditko created.
I
would also prefer Romita covers on all of these issues and
the trade to Kaare Andrews's pinups. Romita actually starts
doing his own covers starting with #40 and I'm happier for
it. The only issue I have with his covers is that not one
of them gives you and indication of what is going on in the
story. Yes the images are striking and the colors are fantastic,
but nobody on looking at the cover on the rack would have
a clue of what was going on.
These
issues are great reads, and I highly recommend getting them
in one form or another. However I wouldn't blame you for either
waiting for another larger trade or waiting to find the new
Revelations on sale. But if you can, I suggest going and scrapping
up every back issue you can find and get this in monthly doses
- especially because "Amazing Spider-Man" is aiming for 18
issues a year! Now how can you compete with that?
Jamie
Tarquini used to annoy his Mom when he was a kid by climbing
the walls. Visit his website at http://www.pmpknface.com
or drop him an email at: pmpknface@hotmail.com
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