The Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Volume 5 Review

Writers: J. Michael Straczynski & Joe Quesada
Artists: Ron Garney, Tyler Kirkham & Joe Quesada

A few months ago I started going through my Spider-Man collection, re-reading, and reviewing them, starting with the The Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection. I have took some time getting back round to them, but I finally have, and this is the last review on that series, but I will be continuing onto the stories that would follow this run.

Plots

Civil War

Whilst the superhero Civil War is going on, Spider-Man (Peter Parker) has to decide which side he's one, which would lead him to revealing his identity to the public, and suffering the consequences.

Back in Black

Aunt May has been shot, and is dying, and Peter goes somewhere he hasn't gone before, wanting vengeance on anyone involved in the shooting.

One More Day

Peter is desperate to save Aunt May, and will go to any lengths to save her.

Review

This was a brilliant book, but probably the most inconsistent in the run, having one brilliant story, a average/good story, and a questionably poor story. J. Michael Straczynskii did an amazing job during his run on Spider-Man, and this book showed that, but it also showed inconsistency as well. I did however enjoy how all three stories from this book go great together, as you'd be able to enjoy this book, without reading the previous ones. I also loved the emotion throughout this book, and enjoyed seeing Peter become a bit dark as well. Joe Quesada would also contribute to the writing in this volume, co-writing the final story, One More Day. Now Quesada always seems to jump on board whenever there's a controversial idea, and this was a very controversial one. I personally didn't like that story myself, but unlike most people it's not really the drastic change that I didn't like, but the way it was handled.

The art on this volume would main be from Ron Garney, but Tyler Kirkham would have art feature in the Civil War prequel, and Joe Quesada would do the artwork on One More Day. Now I wasn't really a fan of any of these artists work on Spider-Man, as although I've enjoyed their art on other series, there were things that I disliked about their Spider-Man art. Garney's art however was probably the best, as it was very dynamic, and dark, showing plenty of emotion. It also had some amazing action sequences, also having a brilliant layout as well. Kirkham's small art contribution was also good, but I felt that his art was a little too rough at times. Quesdada's art was also not as good as I've seen it in other stuff such as Daredevil, as although it was realistic at times, I wasn't a fan of how he drew Peter. I did however like his drawings of Peter in the Spider-Man costume, and there was a huge amount of detail in his art as well.

Now I usually talk about certain things I liked throughout the graphic novel, or comic at this point, but due to this being a collection of three stories I felt that it'd be appropriate to talk about them individually, also rating them individually. I won't however be taking more on the writer, and artists unless absolutely necessary, as I've talked about there work in general throughout this entire book, and feel it unnecessary to add anything more.

Civil War

Civil War changed a lot in the superhero world, but individually Spider-Man would be one of the most affected by this. Both the Mr. Parker Goes to Washington prequel story, as well as the main Civil War story itself were great, and although they weren't special, they were a good tie-in to the main event. The build-up in the prequel story was just brilliant, as although it was nothing special, the interaction between Peter, and Iron Man (Tony Stark) was amazing, and I found it interesting how Tony had a different view on the Super-Human Registration Act in this.

The main thing that would change in Spider-Man's life during Civil War was that he revealed his identity, something that he has guarded closely all his life. Now this was a risky decision to make, but ultimately a very interesting one. I did however feel that the way Peter thought over it in this wasn't brilliant, as although it showed him contemplating the pros, and cons, I thought it would've taken him longer than it was. I was however in two minds over this showing of it, as although it's nice that they didn't copy the Civil War sequence completely, it made it feel a bit broken, as if it wasn't a whole sequence, but only part of one.

The consequences for this would be shown quickly, with civilians being very upset with this decision. I personally enjoyed this, as it gave a more realistic, and gritty tone to the story, also allowing it to be very unique compared to the other Civil War tie-ins. I also enjoyed seeing Peter contemplate whether he's made the right decision, which added more suspense, and drama to the story, as did the interaction between him, Aunt May, and Mary Jane.

This story would also see Spidey go up against Captain America himself. I just loved how this was handled, and how it was clear that Spider-Man had nothing but respect for Cap. I also enjoyed the interaction between Cap, and Spidey throughout this encounter, and how both characters didn't want to fight, but gave it their all, making for something really exciting. I also loved the art during this sequence, as it was so majestic, being truly awe-inspiring.

Verdict

This is a brilliant tie-in story, as although it isn't amazing, having a few holes in the plot, it was still very entertaining, having some outstanding interactions, as well as some exciting sequences.

Rating: 7/10

Back in Black

WARNING: THIS WILL SPOIL CIVIL WAR!

Back in Black has to be one of Straczynski's best stories during his magnificent run, as although this book is inconsistent overall, this story was phenomenal. Spider-Man going back to the black suit was also cool, as it showed that he was in a totally different mood now. I've also always loved seeing the black suit, as I think it's nice and sleek, also adding plenty of mood, and tone to the story, whilst helping with the overall atmosphere.

The reason that Peter is in this mood is due to his Aunt May getting shot, and put into a coma. This just goes to show the consequences of revealing his identity, and that the fears he had were justified. It was also interesting to see Peter beat himself up due to this, as it added so much emotion to the story. It was also nice to see how Mary Jane reacted to this, and how the two of them managed to get her into a hospital was very interesting.

This story would also see a darker side to Peter, something that I loved, as although when I first started reading this story I questioned whether it was the right path for Spidey to go down, as the darker side of being a superhero has never done him any favours in the past, I ultimately feel that it was as good thing. It was especially good for the story, as giving the circumstances it'd be hard to make something out of the situation. I also ultimately felt that this darker side was what made this such a great story, as it was so emotionally brilliant.

WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD!

I try to avoid spoilers as much as I can, but this next part is hard to avoid, so I thought I'd warn anyone who knows nothing about the story. The person revealed to be behind the shooting of Aunt May was none other than the Kingpin, with this actually being revealed at the end of Civil War. I though this added the perfect villain to this story, as although during Straczynski's run we've seen mostly new villains, with the only other classic villain being Doctor Octopus, it was nice to have another classic make an appearance, and who better than the Kingpin? There would also be a great fight sequence between Spidey, and Kingpin in this story, which was truly awesome, being both exciting, and entertaining, as well as emotional, and dark.

Verdict

This was an amazing story, and possibly the best that Straczynski would produce in his run on the series, being very emotional, and dark, with great drama, and brilliant depth.

Rating: 10/10

One More Day

This story would see the continuation of Peter trying to save his Aunt May, being willing to go to any lengths to do so. Now when I first read the sequence where Aunt May getting shot, as well as the story of her in hospital up until now interesting, I felt now that it was going on a little long. I do however feel that it was a good decision not to have resolved it in Back in Black though, as it would have taken away from the story's mood, and was happy that it was to be finished in this story.

This story has become pretty famous over the years, but not in the way you'd hope, as it's one of the most controversial stories in the last ten years, causing a lot of Spider-Man fans to drop the series. I myself wasn't very happy with this story, but to be honest it wasn't as much down to the controversy, as although I personally wasn't happy with the decision, there have been others that I have seriously been upset about. I was however not happy with how this controversial change was made, as it was in a very sudden, and dull way, which wasn't nice.

This story would also feature a certain magician named Doctor Strange, who Spidey goes to for help in saving Aunt May. Now I'm not the biggest Doctor Strange fan, but I do like it when he makes an appearance, and although this wasn't the best, it was still a good choice, even if slightly obvious. The interaction he had with Spidey during this was also brilliant, and I loved how it worked itself into a flashback, as I always enjoy flashbacks.

Another character that would appear in this story was Mephisto, who makes Peter the ultimate deal to save Aunt May. Mephisto is a great villain when used properly, and although like Doctor Strange this was far from his best appearance, he was handled brilliantly. What I loved most about Mephisto's part in this story was that it was classic Mephisto, with him wanting to make a deal. I also enjoyed the sinister tone he added to the story, as well as the elaborate illusions that he place throughout the story.

Verdict

From one of Straczynski's best stories to one of his worst, this was a story full of controversy, and although that isn't what I disliked most, it didn't help make it any better, as with the story being dull, with poor pacing it's sad to see another problem with it.

Rating: 5/10

Final Verdict

Although probably the most inconsistent book in Straczynski's run this was still an amazing volume, having some brilliant moments. It also would have some bad moments, but the amazing moments made up for the poor ones. The volume itself had some brilliant action, and a lot of emotion, as well as a lot of drama, and some suspense. I am however torn on recommending this book, as although it's brilliant, and I would do, I'd probably only really recommend the Civil War, and Back in Black parts (especially Black in Black), so if you can get them cheaper than this book I'd recommend that.

Rating: 7/10

The next Spider-Man book I'll be reviewing will be Spider-Man: Brand New Day Volume 1.

Superman: Earth One Volume 2 Review

Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artist: Shane Davis

My Superman buzz continues, as after seeing Man of Steel I've decided to go through some of my favourite Superman stories again, as well as trying to obtain some that I've not yet read. Anyway whilst re-reading Superman: Earth One Volume One (reviewed here) I decided to buy this, the second volume, and have been excited about reading it, as I loved the first volume.

Plot

Clark continues his life as a reporter for the Daily Planet, moving into a new apartment, where he meet's a beautiful young woman named Lisa Lasalle. Life isn't all roses for Clark, as his other life as Superman gets in the way with a Tsunami hitting the Island Borada, and the emergence of a new enemy dubbed Parasite.

Review

This was yet another amazing book, and although there isn't much between this book, and the first, this one came very close to being the best of the two. J. Michael Straczynski continued to show that he could make awesome Superman stories, and although he disappointed me with Grounded, he has since made up for that with these two graphic novels. What I loved most about Straczynski's writing was that although he continued to amaze with some awesome action, he also continued to delve more into the character developments, giving more depth, and feel to the character's. Straczynski also introduced some new character's, and developed the start of a relationship for Clark which was nice, and although I'll go into more depth later on in my review on this subject, I felt it was worth stating how this shows Straczynski's skill as a writer, and how he plans ahead, without them plans having to necessarily take effect. The emotion, and symbolism that Straczynski put into this story was also brilliant, and I loved how he made this story feel so different from the first just by having a different pace, and speed to the story, which was wonderful. There was however one small thing that made this story not quite as good as it could have been, and that was the fact that the story really slowed down in the last 30 pages, and if it wasn't for that this story would have been better than the first. Straczynski did however leave us with some teasers for the future, and I seriously can't wait to see them developed in a third volume.

The art in this story was phenomenal, and Shane Davis once again produced some of the finest Superman artwork that I've ever seen, as although there are better Superman artists, Davis' art isn't far behind. The detail in Davis' art is simply outstanding, and although there were some rough, and imperfect details, most notably in a couple of panels on the first page, most of the art was perfect, and felt very dynamic. He also once again did an amazing job of drawing both Superman, and Clark, as well as the other character's that featured in the first volume. Davis did however also draw some fabulous new character's including Clark's new flatmate, Lisa Lasalle, who looked beautiful, and the new villain Parasite. Talking of Davis' art on Parasite I have to say when the character first turned into Parasite I wasn't too sure if I loved the new look for the classic character, but after seeing him in action, as well as getting bigger I loved it, and I especially loved the organic energy-receptor's, which made his abilities feel more natural, and modern. Davis also once again gave some amazing action during this story, especially when it came to Parasite, and the fights between Superman, and Parasite in this story made the spectacular fight Superman had with Tyrell in volume one look small. Besides all these great points, Davis also showed the character's emotions well, especially between Clark, and Lisa, and overall this added more depth, and drama to the story.

Near the start of this story we see Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen talking about Clark, and how Lois feels that there's something not right about him. This would lead in Lois obsessing over Clark, wanting to know more about him, without Clark knowing this. Overall this was a brilliant addition to this story, and I loved that it didn't just kick off right near the start of the book, but that it wasn't in your face, and felt like the side story that it is. It was also nice to see Lois' intuition's come in early in the overall Earth One story, and how she already has a feeling that there's more to Clark than meets the eye. As to whether this is due to jealousy (over him getting the Superman interview), or whether it is her reporters intuition, it made for an interesting side story, and I hope it continues through any possible sequel books.

As I said earlier we got a new character introduced in this story in the form of Lisa Lasalle, who made short work of trying to start a relationship with Clark. Some of people say that Lisa is Earth One's version of Lana Lang, and although I can see similarities, I have to disagree. Lisa to me is a much different type of character, and the only real thing her, and Lana have in common is that they are love interests of Clark. As for her characteristics, I loved how she was a strong headed woman, and not afraid to show how she feels. I also loved how she acted sexy, as although this can sometimes be over the top (as it is in Catwoman), Straczynski handles this well, treating it as a playful tease for Clark, which adds more drama, and suspense. The chemistry between Clark, and Lisa was also brilliant, as although they both had different personalities, like Clark, Lisa seemed like a good person, and the way they interacted was just golden, and although I still feel that the Clark/Lois relationship is the relationship that defines Superman, it's nice to see him with someone else in his earlier days, and I hope Lisa stays for a while longer.

During his first date with Lisa, Clark had to go off and be Superman to help out people caught in a Tsunami on the Island of Borada. Superman is however stopped in his tracks by the leader of this Island, General Samsa, and is forced to leave. Now this is the first time in Earth One that we see Superman try to help a foreign country, and get involved in politics. I found this an interesting addition, as he stated in his interview with Clark that he'd not get involved in politics, whereas he's placed in a positions where he politics stop him from helping the innocent. This also gave Superman his first dilemma, and the way Straczynski let it play out was brilliant, and very interesting, showing the development of his character, as a hero.

There was naturally a new villain in this story, and this time Straczynski went for a classic villain in the form of Parasite. Now I've never been the biggest Parasite fan, but he was nothing short of awesome in this story, and both Straczynski's writing of the character, and Davis' art was perfect. There was two things I loved most about Parasite this time round, and that was that he had a decent, and deep backstory, and that he was a serious threat to Superman. I'll start with his backstory, which I loved, as never having the chance to read the original backstory for Parasite, it was nice to see it in this story. I also liked how it showed him as a murderer, who had a troubled life growing up, and that he only thought of one other person bar himself (his sister, Theresa). Now onto the other reason I loved this Parasite, and that was the fact he was a serious threat to Superman. Most recent stories I've read involving Parasite have Superman beating him easy, whereas with his powers that shouldn't be the case. I also loved how this type of villain was added so soon, showing that Superman can be weakened, and that he can't win everything with raw strength.

The military return in this story, continuing their role from the last volume, with Major Sandra Lee continuing her research into Superman. This time instead of examining the spaceship that he arrived in (which is now in the Arctic, and acting as his Fortress of Solitude), Sandra's working on finding a way of stopping Superman if necessary, as well as trying to find out how to kill him. It was obvious that she wasn't going to give up hunting Superman, and it was obvious that she'd try to find a way of neutralising him at any cost, so it was nice to see that in this story. I did however once again love that like the Lois angle that this didn't take up a great deal of time, and acted like the side story that it is, and the teasers for the future of this side story are very interesting, and I look forward to seeing it developed.

Final Verdict

This story was awesome, and it's hard to tell what's better between this, and Volume One, but this story was very close to being better than Volume One. Straczynski, and Davis continue to give us excitement, and emotion, as we have more fabulous action, as well as great character development. Clark also gets a love interest which was nice, and the villain Parasite was handled perfectly, being a real threat to Superman, like he should be. Due to all this as well as other teasers I would highly recommend this to anyone, and although you can read this without reading Volume One I'd recommend reading that also, and I hope Straczynski, and Davis continues to make these wonderful graphic novels.

Rating: 5/5

Superman: Earth One Volume 1 Review

Writer: J. Michael Straczynski

Artist: Shane Davis

Since watching the Man of Steel a couple of weeks ago I've been in a big Superman mood, and decided to start my Superman reading with Superman: Earth One. When I first bought this book I was sceptical, as although J. Michael Straczynski is a good writer he wasn't doing that good on the normal Superman series at the time, as Grounded was simply disappointing. I did however decide to buy it, and was very happy to have.

Plot

Having arrived in Metropolis Clark Kent looks for a job that will make him enough money to look after his mother. He soon however learns that he can no longer keep his secret, and has to do what he must to save the world from the evil Tyrell by becoming Superman.

Review

This was a phenomenal book, and I love it even more with each read. I've always been a fan of J. Michael Straczynski's work, having loved his runs on Spider-Man, and Thor, as well as his first series of Supreme Power (second series, re-named Squadron Supreme wasn't as good), and although he disappointed me with Grounded, I still had faith that he could write a great Superman story. This book was just that, giving the level of quality I knew Straczynski could produce, and the same quality that should have been in Grounded. Staczynski showed that he understands Superman perfectly, and although we saw this in Grounded, we didn't get as deep as story, or as much excitement in that as we have here. Straczynski also did a perfect job of taking Superman's origin, and making a modern story out of it, as it feels like the origin story we all know, but set in the 21st Century. I also loved how he modernised Clark, having him go about in a hooded jacket, which shows that this is a young man, in the current world, and time, which is very different to the young Clark from old. Straczynski also did a great job with all the character's involved, showing that he truly understood them, whilst adding his own twists, as well as depth to their character. The action that Straczynski added also made this story that much more exciting, and explosive, making it feel like a film in a book, which I loved, and overall Straczynski did a wonderful job with this story.

Now when I originally read this book I hadn't seen much of Shane Davis' art, having only read a few comics that featured his art. I did however love his art on this book, and felt that along with Straczynski's great storytelling that his art was the reason this book was so brilliant, and fun to read, and DC really chose the right creative team for this story. His art was simply stunning, and the detail was perfect, with little to none imperfections. What I loved most about Davis art however had to be the way he showed the character's emotions, and reactions to certain actions, as it made the story feel much more alive, giving it more drama, and excitement. Talking of excitement, the action sequences that Davis drew in this story were epic, and were very explosive, and exciting, and it was truly awe-inspiring. The redesign of Superman, as well as the design of the villain, Tyrell, and his alien fleet were also brilliant, and although there was minimal change to Superman's look, he made Clark look much more modern, and Tyrell looked very menacing, and calculating, which is perfect for a villain. The way he drew the other character's, making minor adjustments to make the more well known character's look slightly more modern was also fantastic. The layout of Davis' art was also spectacular, adding yet more depth, and drama to the story, and overall his art was outstanding, and I'm happy that both Davis, and Staczynski returned for Superman: Earth One Volume Two, and look forward to reading it.

Near the start of the story Clark goes looking for multiple jobs, including American Football, Science, Business, and Construction, before going to the Daily Planet for a reporters job. Now I understand that Superman has all these super abilities, and some of these jobs make sense, but I question how he's all of a sudden so good at science, or business, cause as I've never seen any signs of this in the past, although I'm not the hugest Superman fan so I may be wrong, but I believe I'm a big enough fan to think that I'm right. I did however slightly like the idea of the Superman being able to do everything better than others, but deep down I'd rather he kept to his normal traits, as if it was just sport jobs he went after I'd accept that, as he's considered a sports background in the past, but avoided due to his abilities.

As I said he finally decided to try the Daily Planet, which allowed for the introduction of the famous Planet staff, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Perry White. Now it was obvious that these character's would feature in this story, as a lot of classic Superman stories have the Planet involved. I did however love seeing them at a younger stage, as although we've had this since in the New 52, when I originally read this I can remember loving the daringness of Lois, and Jimmy, as although we saw this in the pre-New 52 series, they also seemed more mature, as they developed over the years, so it was nice to go back to this less developed state. I also loved the way that they all interacted with one another, and how their individual charm's came through. The thing that I liked most about the Planet in this story however was that they were the underdog, being in a bad patch, as although I can't recall if this has happened prior in Superman's history, I enjoyed seeing it in this.

The military was also shown in this story, as a research team headed by Major Sandra Lee study the ship that Clark landed in. Now the military have always been an interesting addition to Superman stories over the years, and this is no different. Now we don't get a lot from these scientists, but it does show that there are people who know of the possible existence of Clark, and that he's an alien. I also find it interesting how Sandra Lee is obviously smart, but still a military person, who thinks like a soldier. I do however look forward to seeing more of these scientists, and mainly Sandra in the second volume, as with the events that happen in this story they're bound to still be on Superman's heels.

As with most Superman origin/opening stories we get to see both his Earth parents, Jonathan, and Martha Kent and his Krypton parents, Jor-El, and Lara Lor-Van. Superman's parents have been the thing that I feel have shaped who he is as a person, as you have his good nature, and heart from being brought up by the Kent's, whilst also the lust for knowledge of his home world, and real parents, due to them not being able to bring him up. Straczynski did a good job of both, but focused more on the Kent's. I loved how we had the Kent's in the form of flashbacks during this story, as it allowed the pace of the story to be much quicker at the start, allowing the reader to get into the story easier. I did however wish that Jor-El, and Lara Lor-Van would have featured longer, but loved that their message was cut short, leaving a hint of mystery.

With all great stories comes a great villain, and although Tyrell isn't the best villain that I've ever seen, he was still very interesting, and really acted like a proper villain, making sure that Superman, and the world knew who he was. Now personally I saw Tryell as a cross between General Zod, and Brainiac, as he had all the soldier, and leader skills that Zod possesses, but looks more technology advanced. I also loved the fact that Tyrell came from a planet that shared the same sun as Krypton named, Dheron, and how they were bitter enemies of Krypton. The things that Tyrell would later reveal also made him that much more interesting as a character, and left me asking questions, which is brilliant, as it gives suspense to the series. Tyrell's army was also awe-inspiring, and they really had a presence in the story, adding more depth as well. The fight that would embroil between Tyrell, and Superman was also phenomenal, and really exciting, and although not the best fight that I've ever seen, whether in a Superman story, or elsewhere, it was still a fantastic fight, and the dialogue really helped with that.

Final Verdict

This was a great way of introducing Superman to a new audience, as although the New 52 is very modern, I feel that this is even more so, being more in touch with the modern world. As a story it was also exciting, and dramatic, whilst also having some deep character development, and some brilliant dialogue. The art was also fantastic, and the paring of J. Michael Straczynski, and Shane Davis has truly been magical. Due to all this I'd easily recommend this book, and can't wait to finally read Volume Two, which I'm about to do next.

Rating: 5/5

The Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Volume 4 Review

Writers: J. Michael Straczynski, Reginald Hudlin & Peter David
Artists: Mike Deodato Jr., Mike Wieringo & Pat Lee

I've recently been going through as many of my graphic novels, and comic series as I can, and reviewing them, whilst also planing on reading the Marvel events as they fit in. Anyway I then realised that I should really make a start on my second favourite superhero Spider-Man, especially considering I've been disappointed in the current Superior Spider-Man series, and what better place to start than The Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection.

Plots

New Avengers

Spider-Man (Peter Parker) , along with his wife Mary Jane, and Aunt May move into Avengers Tower. Also Spidey, and the New Avengers have to deal with a remeasuring HYDRA, and their collection of rip-off Avengers, current, and old.

The Other

Spider-Man learns that he's dying, and the appearance of a new villain called Tracer, as well as Morlun returning from the dead isn't helpful, as to survive Spidey will need to go to drastic measures.

Review

This was yet another brilliant book, but probably one of the weaker in J. Michael Straczynski's run. Overall Straczynski's run was fabulous, and although this was still a couple of good stories, it wasn't quite to the same level of quality as some of his earlier work. The fact that there are only two stories in this volume opposed to three in the other volumes, due to The Other crossover being twelve issues long it gives less room for error, and only needs one of the stories to be poor to bring the book down, and that's the case here. Although Straczynski did a brilliant job on both stories, the New Avengers one was much better, as it was exciting, and entertaining, as well as dramatic, and at times funny, whilst also having some serious notes in it as well. The Others crossover, which would feature the first four Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man issues, as well as the last four issues of Marvel Knights Spider-Man before it'd be renamed The Sensational Spider-Man, which also had writers Reginald Hudlin, and Peter David working on it on the other hand wasn't as good, and although it was still a good story, it wasn't as good as I'd expect from a long crossover story that's meant to be the biggest story to date. Don't get me wrong, as I said it was good, and I loved how it was the perfect ending point for Straczynski's development on Spidey's mythos, it's just that it was a little too slow, and at times dull, and although it needed the time for realistic development, it simply felt too long. Overall however the writing from all writers was very good, and although not quite phenomenal, still better than a lot of other stories, whether Spider-Man related, or other.

The art in this volume was brilliant, and Mike Deodato, Jr. once again did a phenomenal job. I've always liked Deodato Jr.'s art, but his work on Spider-Man has to be some of the best artwork I've ever seen, as although his art on the various Avengers titles has been more impactful, his art here has been much more realistic, and emotional. The way he draws the character's is nothing short of phenomenal, as they really look amazing, with every minor detail being accounted for. Like always Deodato Jr. also drew the Avengers brilliantly, making them look amazing, and it was nice to see a cross of his art from Avengers, and Spidey mixed into this volume. I also loved how Deodato Jr. handled HYDRA's fake Avengers, as they looked really similar, whilst also being unique, and uniformal, as they looked like a team with matching uniforms, but also like the Avenger members they were impersonating. Dodato Jr.'s action sequences also once again blew me away, and his art overall is amazing, adding more depth, and drama to Straczynski's brilliant scripts. Like the fact that more than one writer worked on the Other crossover story, there was also more than one artist, as although Deodato Jr. would still do the art for the The Amazing Spider-Man issues, Mike Wieringo would do the art for Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man, and Pat Lee for Marvel Knights Spider-Man. Now both these artists also did a fabulous job, and there art is perfectly suited for a Spider-Man series, but unfortunately for them their art was shown next to Deodato Jr.'s, and there's simply no competition, as Deodato Jr.'s is much better. If I had to choice between the two over who's better, I'd have to give it to Wieringo, but there honestly isn't much between them, as they were both good.

Now I usually talk about certain things I liked throughout the graphic novel, or comic at this point, but due to this being a collection of three stories I felt that it'd be appropriate to talk about them individually, also rating them individually. I won't however be taking more on the writer, and artists unless absolutely necessary, as I've talked about there work in general throughout this entire book, and feel it unnecessary to add anything more.

New Avengers

This story moved swiftly from the previous story, Skin Deep, as with both Peter and MJ's flat, as well as Aunt May's house burnt down they're invited by Iron Man (Tony Stark) to move into Avengers Tower. The fact that they're now moving into Avengers Towers shows that not only MJ, and May are finally becoming fully apart of his world, but it also shows how high Spidey's risen in the world, as if a writer decided to burn all his possible living places to the ground a prior to this they'd have to make him fend for himself, and find his own living arrangements, as well as feel responsible for finding May a place to stay. The fact that MJ, and May moved in was also brilliant as we got to see them interact with Spidey's hero friends, the New Avengers, which gave a very inserting, and fun take of all the characters involved.

This story would also mark the return of HYDRA, with this group appearing to be different, having different motives, seeing themselves as the true HYDRA. Now HYDRA's probably the biggest villain organisation in Marvel comics, being the polar opposite of S.H.I.E.L.D., so it's always nice to see them involved in a story, assuming their handled properly. They were, and this was probably one of the more unique showings of HYDRA, as although their overall goals appeared to be the same as ever, they were going in a completely different direction than usual, which lead for a more unique, and dramatic story.

I was ecstatic when Spidey joined the New Avengers, as to have my favourite Marvel superhero join my favourite superhero team was amazing, and for Staczynski to utilise this in this story was brilliant. I also loved that this story started with a very New Avengers feel to it, with them working as a well oiled team against HYDRA, but I also liked that it'd then switch gears, focusing on Spidey, which is the way things should be, as after all it's still his series, and if people wanted to see a fully fledged New Avengers story they'd buy that series. It was also nice that although he felt like the new guy to the team (as some have been Avengers in the past), he was still embraced, and soon felt at home, loving the respect that came with being an Avenger.

This story would also have a fake Avengers team from HYDRA, featuring fake versions of, current Avengers, Captain America, Iron Man, and former Avengers Thor, and Hawkeye. This was a brilliant thing to include in this story, as what better way to have a Avengers story then to have the enemy have their own set of Avengers. What I really liked about these fake Avengers though was that they didn't only have the retro Avengers look, but they were all in similar uniform, with them all being in green, and yellow, with a huge HYDRA symbol featured somewhere on them, in clear view. It was however also nice that their personalities were nothing like the Avengers they were copying, as that would be a little too predictable, making the whole idea of fake Avengers a bit rubbish, whereas the way Straczynski handled them was brilliant, and perfect for this story.

With MJ, and May moving to Avengers Tower with Peter it also allowed them to meet new people, and May in particular seemed to like the Avengers butler, Jarvis. When they first met it was brilliant, as you have this strong minded woman in May forcing Jarvis to take a break and allow her to do something for him. This would then lead into what looked to be the start of a relationship, as Jarvis would occasionally put his arm around her, and it even started to hold hands at one point. I think this is nice for both characters as May has been lonely for years, and as far as I know Jarvis has never had a romantic interest, so it's nice to see this possible relationship grow.

Verdict

Although not the best story in Straczynski's run this was still an amazing story, and the best in this volume. It was also a very fun, and exciting story, and the mixture between Avengers and Spidey was perfect, with Spidey still controlling the series.

Rating: 4.5/5

The Other

As I said earlier this story would feature three writers, and although I've not went into more detail about the writing of individual stories so far in my reviews of Straczynski's run I felt that this was an exception. I liked how the writers were spread out into groups with each writer writing a group of three issues, one for each series, then a final issue of the series their mainly working on. Now as well as this there were clearly three different styles, and it appeared that these were three different acts, and although this was interesting it didn't really help the story, as I personally felt that it slowed it down a little, whilst also making it slightly weird, and confusing at times, mainly between writers changing.

The story itself centred around Peter getting the news that he's dying. This was actually speculated in the New Avengers story, but to see it worked on more in this was brilliant, and the idea of a story being centred around that intrigued me, just a shame that the story itself was too long, and a little slow. Anyway, the thought of Spidey dying isn't something that should be taken lightly, as comic book deaths are usually frowned upon, especially if they've been handled wrong. The fact that Spidey was supposedly dying was however a good thing for this story, and probably one of the best things about the story. The way Straczynski, and the other writers handled the possibility of the death was also brilliant, and the emotion, and drama, as well as suspense really helped make this story as good as it was.

This story would also feature the introduction of yet another new villain, and a return of an old one, but lets start with the new one first. The new villain was called Tracer, and although he wasn't the best villain to be created during Straczynski's run, he was still very interesting, and brilliant for the opening part of this story. The name itself was ironic, as with Spidey having his own Spider-Tracer's, it's weird that he should face a character named Tracer. The thing that was probably most unique about Tracer, which was also the thing I liked the most, was that he appeared to be the type of villain that's only really added as a bit of fun, being washed under the carpet in less than one issue, whereas he was actually very formidable, and interesting, and not easy to beat. I also felt that he added fun to this story, which was nice, especially considering it would become very serious, and emotionally driven.

The villain that returned was none other than the first villain Straczynski created, Morlun. Now I wasn't entirely sure if I liked the return of Morlun, as although I loved him in the Coming Home story, I wasn't sure if bringing him back was a good thing. I say this as he had a brilliant battle with Spidey in that, and although he also had a good fight in this story, I felt that his presence was a bit forced to help the background of the story, as there wasn't a huge explanation as to how he's back from the dead, and the way he exited the story was also a bit too sudden. Overall I liked that he made an appearance, just wish he'd have been used a bit better than he was.

WARNING: ONE MAJOR SPOILER AS WELL AS THE ODD SMALL SPOILER THROUGHOUT REST OF THIS PART OF THE REVIEW!

I don't like spoiling anything in my reviews, but sometimes it's just too hard. This paragraph will contain the big spoiler, although it's not that big to people that follow Spidey. The only spoilers after that will be minor, and again people that know their Spidey knowledge will know about it already. Anyway Spider-Man does die. Now obviously he doesn't stay dead, as he was in comics just before the start of the year, and also featured in the Civil War story that followed straight after this, but there was a point in this where he died. I found this very interesting, and besides the minor fighting that was involved in this story, this was probably the best bit, as Straczynski took his mythos development to another level, and although I won't go into full details as to avoid spoiling everything, but I will say that it was brilliantly thought out, and very clever.

This story also saw Tony talking to Peter about redesigning his costume. This was a brilliant speculation, as the Iron Spider Costume that Tony would go on to create for Peter was amazing, and one of the more spectacular variant costumes that Spidey's had, and although when I first saw it I wasn't 100% fond of it, it's grown on me throughout seeing it in other stories, so to see the root of the costume in this story was nice.

Verdict

Although this was slow, and dull at points, this was still a good story, but just a little too long. It had a lot of emotion, as well as some action, and fun, and it's a shame that it wasn't better, as with the core story it should have been.

Rating: 4/5

Final Verdict

Although this wasn't the best volume in Straczynski's run it was still very good, as although the Others was a bit disappointing, New Avengers was brilliant. The volume also had it's fair share of action, fun, and emotions, and although at times it could have been better it was still overall better than a lot of other books. I would still highly recommend this book, as it was still very good, and and overall this collection's the perfect way to collect Straczynski's run.

Overall Rating: 4/5

The next Spider-Man book I'll be reviewing will be The Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection Volume Five, which contains Civil War: Spider-Man.

Before that however I'll be reviewing Civil War itself.

The Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Volume 3 Review

Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artists: John Romita Jr. & Mike Deodato Jr.

I've recently been going through as many of my graphic novels, and comic series as I can, and reviewing them, whilst also planing on reading the Marvel events as they fit in. Anyway I then realised that I should really make a start on my second favourite superhero Spider-Man, especially considering I've been disappointed in the current Superior Spider-Man series, and what better place to start than The Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection.

Plots

The Book of Ezekiel

After Morwen comes back to the world seeking to reward Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Loki intervenes, and offers his help in stopping her. Spidey also helps a kid from making a horrible mistake, and Ezekiel returns, and warns Peter about the coming of the Gatekeeper, but Ezekiel doesn't appear to be entirely honest.

Sins Past

Peter gets a shocking letter from his dead ex-girlfriend, Gwen Stacy. Also there's the mysterious appearance of two strangers seeking revenge on both Peter, and Spider-Man for what they did to Gwen.

Skin Deep

When an old school friend of Peter's named,Charlie Weiderman makes a visit, Peter agrees to give a reference of his work to Tony Stark but things go horribly wrong.

Review

This was a phenomenal book, with three extraordinarily good stories, and this volumes been the best in J. Michael Straczynski's run so far. Overall Straczynski's run was brilliant, and had an awesome start, but the level did slip slightly in the last volume, with some dull fillers, and although they were still brilliant, they weren't as good as the first volume, or this. Anyway this volume was brilliant, and Straczynski managed to give three stories that were unique, as well as interesting, and although there were obviously ones that were better than other's, they were all amazing. I've loved how Straczynski continues to develop the mythos of Spidey that he started during his first story, and that although he gives Spidey a break to tell other stories, he always comes back to it, and in a big way. Straczynski also manages to show a lot of emotion in this volume, and that's where I think it excels, as although there's been emotion in the previous volumes, not quite as much as in this one, and not at the same level. I've also really enjoyed the mystery that Straczynski puts into his work, and that he manages to give funny, and/or emotional stories, whilst also making you question certain aspects that may arise. Straczynski also knows how to give suspense, and drama in his stories, as they are brilliantly paced, also having interesting twists, and although some are more obvious than other's, they were all entertaining. The way Straczynski knows when to add action is also amazing, as although some of his stories have more than other's, they always have the perfect balance, giving excitement, and depth.

This was the first volume in Straczynski's run to have more than one artist working on it, as John Romita Jr. finished his time on Straczynski's run with Book of Ezekiel (he'd return to do the odd story following Straczynski's departure). The even more talented Mike Deodato, Jr. would however take over, doing amazing artwork on both Sins Past, and Skin Deep, as well as working on the series until the end of The Other story arc. Now although I'll start by saying that I much preferred Deodato Jr.'s art, I'll talk about Romita Jr.'s final contribution to Straczynski's Spider-Man run. Romita Jr. gets a lot of bad criticism over his work, and I'm sometimes one of them, but I always try and give him a chance as he's done great work in the past on things like Kick-Ass, and World War Hulk, but some of the best artwork I've seen from him has been on this series. He draws Spidey magnificently, and although he's not the best, he knows how to make this character look lifelike, and dynamic. Even the problem he usually has with facial features isn't as bad on Book of Ezekiel, as although there's still the odd problem, it's overall a huge improvement. The way Romita Jr. draws action sequences is also brilliant, as although this wasn't necessarily his best example to date, it was still very explosive, and vibrant, showing plenty of excitement. Deodato Jr.'s art however was out of this world, as it was beyond phenomenal. I've always enjoyed Deodato Jr.'s work, especially on the various Avengers titles he's worked on, but his work on Spidey is simply outstanding. The detail is fantastic, and everything looks realistic, and I mean realistic, as if it wasn't for the colours, and the inks (which are amazing) it'd almost look like a photograph instead of a drawing. The way Deodato Jr. lays out his artwork, as well as the way he draws the character's facial expressions are wonderful, and really add ton's of drama to the story, whilst also giving depth. Deodato Jr.'s also brilliant at action sequences, and although Romita Jr.'s good, this man is outstanding. The art from Mark Brooks on the flashback sequences in Skin Deep were also brilliant, and the style really suited that part of the story.

Now I usually talk about certain things I liked throughout the graphic novel, or comic at this point, but due to this being a collection of three stories I felt that it'd be appropriate to talk about them individually, also rating them individually. I won't however be taking more on the writer, and artists unless absolutely necessary, as I've talked about there work in general throughout this entire book, and feel it unnecessary to add anything more.

The Book of Ezekiel

The first story in the Book of Ezekiel showed Spidey teaming up with Loki to take on Morwen. Now I have to be honest, I don't really know much about Morwen besides the fact that she was a sorceress, so it was interesting to see her featured in this story. The main thing that was interesting was that Spidey had help from Loki (surprisingly). This was before Loki became a child, and he's very intelligent as well as ruthless at this time, doing what he see's is needed, so it was nice to read him like this again. I did however find it also ironic, and interesting that Loki used the guise of a child to lure Spidey into helping him, and although this would be nothing much at the time, now that Loki's actually a child it's kind of funny. The way Loki and Spidey interacted was also very interesting, especially when it came to dealing with Morwen.

There was then a one issue filler before the main Book of Ezekiel story where Spidey helps a kid from making a terrible mistake. I won't go into details as to avoid spoilers, but this was actually one of the better fillers, and was very fun. The way Spidey interacted with this kid was also interesting, and very emotional, as well as having the odd bit of humour, which was what made this as dramatic, and good as it was. Even if it wasn't the Loki/Morwen story as well as the main Book of Ezekiel story was brilliant enough, but it was still nice to see a half decent filler.

The final, and main story in Book of Ezekiel story featured Ezekiel warning Peter about his greatest foe to be connected to the spider, the Gatekeeper. Now this new villain was very interesting, and although this wasn't the best villain to have come out of Straczynski, it was different, and suited the story. Basically the villain was a giant entity made up of spider's, and it really made for some brilliant artwork, and Romita Jr. handled them perfectly, making something that looked cool, grotesque, and menacing all at the same time.

WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD!

Now I've managed to avoid spoilers in my reviews on Straczynski's Spider-Man run so far, but it'a a bit hard with this story, and the next as well. The key thing in this story, which is also the most interesting thing is Ezekiel's betrayal of Peter. Now the betrayal of Ezekiel was a big shock for me, and although I wasn't surprised that it happened it was a massive twist. It maid so much sense having Ezekiel turn on Peter, as with the build-up that's happened over the last few stories Ezekiel's appeared in, as well as him always being a bit shifty, and mysterious makes him the perfect character to turn from good to bad. I won't go into any more detail about what Ezekiel actually does, but I will say that it was very interesting, as well as dramatic.

Verdict

This was a brilliant way to end Romita Jr.'s time on Straczynski's Spider-Man run, with an awesome story. It was mysterious, and exciting, as well as being very shocking, and dramatic.

Rating: 5/5

Sins Past

WARNING: THIS WILL HAVE A FEW SPOILERS!

As I said in the Book of Ezekiel part of my review, I try and avoid spoiler's, but it's really hard with this story, so I'll just warn you the now that there may be the odd spoiler. Anyway this story sees Peter receive a letter from Gwen Stacy. Yes his dead, ex-girlfriend. Now Straczynski did an amazing job with the Book of Ezekiel story, but this was the best story to feature in this volume, and possibly his entire run. The way Straczynski wrote this story was so brilliant, and the emotion just leapt out of the page, as this brings some hard thoughts back to Peter, and also makes for a painful subject. I for one loved the time Gwen, and Peter spent together, and although Peter's relationship with MJ has been what I've preferred more (grew up with it) it's nice to see Gwen remembered, and used in such a brilliant story.

The more interesting thing about the letter was that it was sent recently from New York City, but the return address said Paris, France. Peter would then be stalked by two strangers that want revenge on Peter, and Spidey, believing that Spidey caused Gwen's death. Now there will be more spoilers ahead, as it's very hard to talk about anything in this story without spoiling something. Anyway now that you've been re-warned, it's revealed that these attackers are Gwen's twin children, named Sarah, and Gabriel. The revelation of this is brilliant, and their motives for attacking Peter even more so. Now having a story that brings up secrets that Gwen kept is interesting enough, but revealing that she has children is really something else, and Straczynski did something brilliant here. There were also problems with the twins, and although I won't spoil this (don't want to spoil everything), it did make the story much more interesting, adding more depth, and drama.

This story also involved Norman Osborn in some way. I won't go into details about this as I've spoiled enough, and will probably land up spoiling more, but the way that Norman was involved was brilliant. Although I won't say much I will say that he doesn't make a physical appearance, only appearing as a background puppeteer, who's set things into motion, as well as appearing in flashback sequences. Now Green Gobin is one of my favourite Spidey villains, just falling behind Mysterio as my altime favourite, so to see him used wass amazing, and I think the way Straczynski used him was brilliant, and that it was righ not having him make a physical appearance in the present.

There were also other secrets revealed in this story, and although I won't go into detail as to avoid spoilers, it did make the story much more emotional, and dramatic. I also loved how they were thought through carefully, as although you could argue that they were added to force more excitement into the story, Straczynski thought of the perfect reasoning for them, showing that they meant something, and although you can still argue that they aren't all necessary, you can't argue that they were brilliant, and emotional, adding much more depth, and drama to the story.

On a positive note this story actually started in a joyful manor, as Mary Jane finally got an acting job on stage. This was nice, and also very emotional, but in a much more lightheartened way, as you could see the joy in both MJ, and Peter, as well as seeing just how much it meant to MJ. I also liked how the adition for the part was thought out, and very unique, showing a different side to acting aditions, as although I wont' go into details as to avoid pointless spoilers, it was unlike the other aditions that MJ's had, where she goes in and barely has a chance, which was nice.

Verdict

This was probably the best story that Straczynski wrote during his run on Spider-Man, and defiantly the best so far. It had everything from emotion, to drama, as well as plenty of action, feeling very dynamic, and exciting, and although Straczynski did many amazing stories during his time on Spidey, this one was phenomenal, and if it isn't his best, it's not far off (I can't remember if the stories that followed were better, although I don't think they were).

Rating: 5/5

Skin Deep

This story saw a visit from an old school friend of Peter, called Charlie Weiderman. Although this hasn't been the most exciting character, or story to feature in Straczynski's run, Charlie was still very interesting, and unique. What I loved about the way Charlie was added was that it was done in such a brilliant way were it made me question if this was a new character, or a minor one that's being re-introduced. The answer is that he is new (at the time anyway), and this was what made it so brilliant, as the character development was handled in such a way were it'd be easy to believe that he's been around for years.

This story featured a lot of flashbacks, showing how Charlie was bullied at school, and how Peter didn't really do much as it kept the bullies away from him. This was a very dramatic, and emotional sequence, and it really gave a lot of insight into Charlie's character, showing why he's a little odd, as being bullied his entire life would be hell. Like a lot of people I was bullied at school, so know the feeling, and although I've gotten over that it wasn't a nice experience, so I can still relate to Charlie, and see why he acts the way he does. I also liked how we got to see the type of person Peter was prior to becoming Spider-Man, and how this shows just how much of an affect become Spidey, as well as Uncle Ben's death had on Peter.

Tony Stark also featured in this story as Charlie convinced Peter to give Tony a reference of his work, so he could work on his skin armour, getting the Vibranium he needed to continue. Now although Spidey's my favourite Marvel character, I also like a good Iron Man story, so the fact that Tony featured in this was brilliant, and what made it more interesting was that he only appeared as Tony, not Iron Man, which was nice for a change. I also felt that this was a fitting appearance, as it would make the bridge between this story, and the New Avengers story that followed much smoother, and natural.

This story would also feature yet another new villain, as after a horrible accident someone is covered in Charlie's skin suit, and goes on a rampage, attacking innocent people, as well as Spider-Man. Now I won't go into to much detail on this character as to avoid spoilers, as although there'll be a lot that either already know about this villain, or can make a guess on who he is, I'll still not spoil for anyone that doesn't. Although not the best villain in Straczynski's run, he was still unique, and interesting, and his fights with Spidey were very entertaining, and exciting. I also loved the impact that this villain would leave, as although I won't give any spoiler's, it was impactful, and would have a big affect.

Verdict

Although probably the worst story in this volume it was still very interesting, and unique. It also had ton's of emotion, and action, being both exciting, and dramatic, whilst also having ton's of depth, and was a brilliant way to end this volume.

Rating: 4.5/5

Final Verdict

This was a phenomenal volume, and although there were obviously certain stories that were better than other's, they were all very enjoyable, and this was easily the best volume in Straczynski;s run so far. Each story was also very unique, being very different from the others, as some were more action orientated, and other's more emotional, but the thing they all had in common was that they were brilliant. I'd highly recommend this book as it was outstandingly amazing, and this collection's the perfect way to collect Straczynski's fabulous run.

Overall Rating: 5/5

The next Spider-Man book I'll be reviewing will be The Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection Volume Four.

The Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Volume 2 Review

Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artist: John Romita Jr.

After I decided to got through most of my graphic novels, and comic series I decided that I should really make a start on my second favourite superhero Spider-Man, especially considering I've been disappointed in the current Superior Spider-Man series, and what better place to start than The Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection, one of the best runs on Spider-Man ever. Anyway following my review for the first volume I'm now onto the second, and hope to get through these as soon as possible, knowing that I'm going to enjoy it.

Plots

Life and Death of Spiders

After his recent visit to the Astral Plane Spider-Man (Peter Parker) is stalked by a creature that's escaped from there called Shathra. Also during this Mary Jane comes to New York City to try and make things right with Peter, but he's not at home.

Unintended Consequences

After a gamma bomb brings dead mobsters back to life in the same body, Spider-Man gets the job of protecting a mobster named Forelli from this creature that's getting called Digger. Also Peter helps yet another student that's having a rough time, and realises that not everything he's done as Spider-Man's been good in the long run.

Happy Birthday

It's Peter's Birthday, and how does he spend it saving the world. After the Fantastic Four, X-Men, and Avengers accidentally bring Dormammu into our universe Spider-Man and Doctor Strange get took into the void, and Spider-Man has to relive his life to get back to the present, and make things right. Also Aunt May's in the park talking about how she feels about Peter, and a tailor to hero's, and villains tells Spider-Man about a villain that's about to kill the DA.

Review

This was an amazing book, and although not quite as good as the previous volume, J. Michael Straczynski continues to show his unique style of storytelling. Straczynski continues to produce some amazing stories, and although they aren't quite at the same level as the first three, they are still amazing, and well worth the read. The thing I liked most about Straczynski's writing, and the thing that I've really liked in his writing on this series in general is that he's given us something that hasn't been done before, making for unique, and entertaining stories. At the same time these stories seem to end with slightly poor filler stories, and although they're still interesting to a certain point they don't wow, or amaze, and aren't much more than the fillers they are. I have however also loved that Straczynski's continued developing the mythos of Spider-Man in this series, as it was a subject that he touched on in the previous volume, he continues to expand it throughout this one, whilst also showing that there's still more to come. Another thing I really liked about Straczynski's writing is that he really knows how to write Spidey, as he can write both the nerd side, and the jokey, chatty side perfectly, with the right mix of both, knowing what's needed when. Straczynski's also not been easy on poor Spidey so far, and continues to put him in harsh situations (even on his Birthday), and although these may not be nice for Spidey himself, they do make for exciting, and interesting stories.

The art from John Romita Jr. was once again brilliant, and although it's still not perfect, he continues to show that he can draw Spider-Man amazingly. I've not always loved Romita Jr.'s art, actually hating it sometimes, but like his art on Kick-Ass, and World War Hulk, I love his art on Spidey, and although there's the odd thing that looks weird I can overlook that as the rest is spectacular. The main thing that I've not always liked in Romita Jr.'s art over the years is the way he draws people's face's, but he manages to do a good job on this series, and although there are still a few people that look a bit weird the main character's like Peter, and MJ look realistic. I also love the way Romita Jr. draws Peter as Spidey, as it's simply perfect, and he really knows how to draw him, especially when swinging or hanging from a web, crawling up a wall. There were also other parts that helped, and hindered Romita Jr.'s art as with the unique character's like Digger his rough style suits perfectly, but at the same time there's a few panels with just a little too much happening, which doesn't really help Romita Jr., as although parts of it look good, there are others that look terrible, making the panel itself overall poor quality. The more compact fighting however was amazing, and when Spidey was only fighting one person on his own it looked fabulous, and Romita Jr.'s art showed a lot of drama, and excitement. The character emotions were also shown brilliantly, as although Romita Jr. isn't the best at drawing emotions he's still not the worst, and does a very decent job of them.

Now I usually talk about certain things I liked throughout the graphic novel, or comic at this point, but due to this being a collection of three stories I felt that it'd be appropriate to talk about them individually, also rating them individually. I won't however be taking more on the writer, and artists unless absolutely necessary, as I've talked about there work in general throughout this entire book, and feel it unnecessary to add anything more.

Life and Death of Spiders

This story continued from Until the Stars Turn Cold, as during that time Shathra escaped the Astral Plane. The introduction of yet another new villain was brilliant, and although not quite as interesting as Morlun, she was still an interesting character. The thing I probably liked most about her was that he introduction continued the development of the Spider-Man mythos, showing that Morlun wasn't the only Spider linked character to come after him. I also liked how instead of putting others in harms way to draw out Spidey that she trued slandering his name, as it showed that Straczynski wasn't repetitive, which was nice. Naturally there was also a fight between Shathra and Spidey, and again although not quite as good as the fight with Morlun it was still very exciting, and unique.

With the development of Spidey's mythos there also came the return of Ezekiel. I found Ezekiel a very interesting character during Coming Home, so to see him return was nice. To be fair he was really needed for this story, as with him knowing the most about Peter's power's, and mythos, he is the only one that can help him, and out him on the path to defeating Shathra. Besides that it was also nice to see Ezekiel and Peter interact again, and the conversations between them were very interesting, especially when Ezekiel revealed more of the spider's history. I was however also interest that despite all the new things we learned, Ezekiel still appeared to be slightly mysterious, as it appeared that there was still more to be revealed about Ezekiel.

This story also continued to develop Peter, and MJ's relationship, as with things being complicated they try and make things up. Basically when Peter is returning from his journey with Ezekiel he decides instead of going home to New York to go and visit MJ in Los Angeles, but at that same time MJ is planing on visiting Peter in New York. There is actually an entire issue that deals with this (issue 490), and although it was something interesting and unique, there were times were it was slightly slow. They did however land up meeting each other in the next issue, as when they both decide to go the other way they are both stranded in Denver, Colorado after a storm. Getting to see them talk things out was nice, as although I'm not overly fussed on comic book relationships, and who's with who I've always seen it that Peter, and MJ should be together. Anyway, this sequence between the two was also very emotional, and dramatic, and really made the last issue more worthwhile.

The issue were MJ, and Peter meet each other also features an appearance from both Doctor Doom, and Captain America. Now it's not what you think, Cap, and Spidey aren't fighting Doom, in fact they are protecting him. The fight between Cap, and Spidey, against Dooms attackers was very entertaining, and I loved how Straczynski was able to keep all the emotions from the Peter/MJ moments, as well as giving excitement, and action. The appearance of Doom however was slightly disappointing, as although the fact that he's not the enemy was more unique, I'd have liked to have seen more of him. I was however still happy that he made an appearance in the first place, and the Cap appearance was as good as I'd have hoped, and I'd rather a better Cap appearance that a better Doom appearance.

Verdict

This was a fantastic story, and continues the mythos that Straczynski's been developing brilliantly. It also had plenty of excitement, and action, as well as emotion. Overall although not the best story in Straczynski's run it was still brilliant, and not the worst.

Rating: 4.5/5

Unintended Consequences

The main part of this story revolves around dead mobsters coming back to life in a collected body, getting referred to as Digger. Although probably one of the worst characters Straczynski would create whilst on Spider-Man, Digger was still in his own way interesting, and the background, and story that he was involved in was interesting, just not too exciting. The fact that Digger was a collection of dead mobsters was probably one of the things that interested me the most in this story, and with the use of gamma, and the reference to the Hulk was also nice. Also the fact that Digger was basically a cross between Hulk, and Frankenstein's Monster was also interesting, as although Hulk himself is heavily inspired from Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde, this character being similar to Hulk, as well as a Frankenstien style monster is something else, and although he's not even close to be considered a better character than Hulk he was still interesting.

The fights between Spidey, and Digger throughout this story was also brilliant, and although not the best fights Straczynski's written, it was still very clever, and entertaining. The main thing I liked about the fight was the way Straczynski had Spidey thinking through what he was doing, and that although there were times he used brute force, he still tried to assess the situation. The way Digger also seemed to remember what life was like during the 50's compared to now was also interesting, and the way he brought it up during fights made for some interesting dialogue. Another thing that was interesting was that whilst fighting Digger, Spidey thought of how he may have fought the Hulk (if the situation arisen), which was very interesting, and clever.

During this story Spidey's also protecting a rich mobster named Forelli, who's asked him to protect him, and his family during this time, paying him $10,000 each day. I'll get back to the money part in a moment, but Forelli as a character was also interesting, and although he was your typical mobster type, he still had the odd we things that made him unique. His daughter however was more interesting, as she saw no wrong in her father, seeing Spidey as a bad guy. Back to the money. The way that Straczynski had Spidey thinking over whether or not to accept money from a mobster was interesting, and in the end I felt that Straczynski handled it in the best possible way, and that it helped the story, as well as making it so that Spidey won't have to worry too much about money any time soon.

The last couple of issues in this story dealt with Peter helping yet another student that's fallen on hard times, this time a girl who's finding life hard since Spider-Man put her brother in jail. Now this story alone was actually a bit poor, and slow, and although it had it's interesting points, it was this that let this story down, as the Digger part was much better. The thing that was interesting was that it showed that Spidey doesn't really think of the bigger picture when he captures a criminal, and that was an interesting point that Straczynski made. I liked that Peter would deal with this as both a teacher, and Spider-Man, and the way it developed was interesting, especially with the fact that Ezekiel would make the odd appearance throughout (now sporting a beard), but I still couldn't pass the fact that it was slightly slow, and at the end of the day it felt nothing more than the filler story that it was, all be it an interesting filler story.

Verdict

Not the best story in Straczynski's run, but still very unique, and interesting, and full of action. It also had plenty of emotion, and depth, and although it is one of the worst stories Straczynski wrote during his run on Spider-Man it's still worth the read, and goes to show just how good his run is if this is one of the worst stories.

Rating: 4/5

Happy Birthday

This story centres around Peter's Birthday, and what a better way to spend it than saving the world, as when Mr. Fantastic accidentally causes the arrival of Dormammu, it's up to Spidey, and Doctor Strange to fix things. Although not necessarily the nicest way for Spidey to spend his Birthday, it did make for a brilliant story, and a fitting one to end on the 500th issue, as it was epic, and unique, whilst also paying great homage to the earlier Spidey tales (but I'll talk more about that a little later). Finally getting a more involved appearance from Doctor Strange, as although this would mark his third appearance during Straczynski's run, it was the first time that he stayed for a period of time. The fact that this story involved the likes of the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four, as well as a villain like Dormammu was also appropriate for a landmark Spidey story.

As I said this story paid homage to some of the earlier Spidey tales, as Spidey is faced with seeing a glimpse of his future, as well as revisiting his past. Now this was what really made this story special for me, as having read most of the stories that were referenced in this (through Marvel Masterworks: The Amazing Spider-Man Volume One) it was nice to see them re-shown, as well as in a fresher style of art, and both Straczynski, and Romita Jr. did a fabulous job at this. The small glimpse into Spidey's possible future was also interesting, as with the main focuse being on the past, it's only right that there's a small glimpse of the possible future, especially considering the stories centred around being in a time flux.

After the main part of this story, we got two filler issues, with the first one being centred around Aunt May, and her talking about Peter's life as Spider-Man. Now like the filler from Unintended Consequences this was still an obvious filler story, but it was much more emotional, and interesting, as the way Straczynski's showed the way May's handling Peter's secret's been the best part about her knowing it. I also liked how the story cut at certain points switching to what Spidey's actually doing, as not only did this prevent the story from becoming slow, and dull, it also gave variaty, and the way it transitioned between May, and Spidey was perfectly handled by Straczynski. Also without spoiling anything I also loved the way this short story ended, as it was very fitting, and appropriate.

The second filler at the end of this story featured a tailor telling Spidey about an assassination attempt on the DA. Now although not quite as good as the Aunt May story, and also despite the fact that this was yet again an obvious filler, this was still a very interesting story, and very unique. The idea of a superhero tailor isn't exactly new, as is the idea of someone providing the same service to both hero's, and villains, but to have them both together is something that I personally haven't seen before, and it was quite interesting. I also found it interesting that the tailor had morales, and that he tried to be loyal to his customers, but at the same time it showed his true character that he'd go to someone like Spidey for help in this matter, and what would fallow was both interesting, and entertaining. I also liked the reference to the main story as the tailor would give Spidey a design for a possible new suit, the one that was shown on his future self.

Verdict

An appropriate way to celebrate the web-slinger's Birthday, as well as his 500th issue. The story itself was also very interesting, and exciting, and paid homage to some of the earlier Spidey tales, in a brilliant way. It also had two interesting side stories to follow, and overall was a fantastic read.

Rating: 4.5/5

Final Verdict

Not quite as good as the previous volume, but still an amazing book, and a brilliant way to continue Straczynski's sensational run. It had it all, excitement, action, drama, and suspense, as well as being at times mysterious, and interesting. It also celebrated Spidey's Birthday, and 500th issue perfectly, and was well worth the read. I would obviously highly recommend this book, as it was simply astonishing, and this collection's the perfect way to collect Straczynski's phenomenal run.

Overall Rating: 4/5

The next Spider-Man book I'll be reviewing will be The Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection Volume Three.