It’s that time of the week faithful Beat readers where we go over this week’s Marvel books. Yep, welcome back to The Marvel Rundown! This week’s main review goes over the start of “The Eight Deaths of Spider-Man” with the return of collaborators Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness. Warning there are mild spoilers ahead so skip to the end to read our verdict. Our rapid rundown reviews focus on the X-Books with a look at Psylocke #1 and the conclusion to Gail Simone and David Marquez’s first arc on Uncanny X-Men.
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Amazing Spider-Man #61
Writer: Joe Kelly
Penciller: Ed McGuinness
Inker: Mark Farmer
Colorist: Marcio Menyz
Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna
When was the last time Spider-Man went from one creative team to the next? Was it the transition from the Dan Slott run to the Nick Spencer/Ryan Ottley run in 2018? After Nick Spencer’s run as writer, there wasn’t a regular team on the main Spider-Man book. Instead multiple writers and artists tackled the long running “Beyond” story involving the Beyond Corporation and Spider-Man clone Ben Reilly. It appeared to function like the comic book equivalent of how late night talk shows trying out a new host from new talent while occasionally putting in some talented ringers.
Well per the back matter this issue, it looks like a post Zeb Wells/John Romita Jr. Amazing Spider-Man book once again will rotate talent to tell one big story. Like “Beyond”, instead of refocusing the book or having Spider-Man fight friendly neighborhood threats, Spider-Man once again gets involved in cosmic nonsense. Even more frustrating, unlike “Beyond” which at least still was a Spider-Man focused story, “The Eight Deaths of Spider-Man” basically leads in to next year’s “One World Under Doom” event. Basically Amazing Spider-Man gets hijacked to feed the Marvel event machine.
At least, Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness’ opening issue is engaging in some parts when it’s an actual Spider-Man book. It opens with Spider-Man chasing after a new villain high above New York City. Getting back to being Peter Parker, being a hero naturally screws his ability to perform very basic tasks. This is all very much the platonic ideal of a Spider-Man comic.
Then the actual plot kicks in though when current sorcerer supreme Doctor Doom shows up and demands Spider-Man complete a task for him. Spider-Man knowing both not to deal with Doctor Doom and this is outside his wheel wisely rejects the task. Because it’s Spider-Man though, cosmic nonsense still ensues. Now everyone’s favorite wall-crawler has to deal with it because Doctor Doom can’t be bothered. No, really he can’t.
Kelly’s script works best in the parts where Spider-Man and Peter Parker juggles his heroics with the mundane. The scenes where Parker navigates the disappointment of various people in his life are the most enjoyable here. Where this book becomes less interesting is when cosmic nonsense rears its head. Spider-Man fighting godlike entities is so far removed from a character whose best stories parallel the personal with the super heroic.
It’s not that Spider-Man stories can’t be about him facing impossible odds. One of the best Spidey stories involves the character getting beaten to pulp fighting the Juggernaut. It’s just the last couple of years have had Spider-Man face demonic menaces and get involved in massive crime wars. What happened to Peter Parker having trouble balancing his personal life with being Spider-Man? Why are those stories now seen as less compelling?
Kelly fills so much of this comic with Peter Parker and Spider-Man self pity. Yes, Peter Parker having an emotional or existential crisis as he fights a physical is the root of the characters. But the Spider-Man fighting an existential crisis as he fights a cosmic crisis never comes across as compelling. Even the superhero/life balance here never seems like the old “Parker luck” of everything going wrong at the same times. It just seems like what awful thing can we dump on Peter Parker and Spider-Man. The comic at least lives up to its title. Spider-Man does die and come back, but even that just feeds into the rest of the misery in this comic since it’s apparently the worst experience ever.
At least the art team of McGuinness, inker Mark Farmer, and colorist Marcio Menyz deliver one exciting action sequence after another. McGuinness really is one of the most dynamic superhero artists of the 21st century and perfect for Spider-Man. His rendition of Spidey gets weird poses, while his page compositions are funky (look at his use of fisheye perspective in those opening pages!) and Menyz’s colors balance the superheroics with the regular stuff better than the writing. If you’re going to open an arc where Spider-Man basically fights one god after another, this is the visual team you want tackling that. The biggest surprise here is artist Niko Henrichon throwing out some really beautiful flashback sequences involving Dr. Strange that truly stand out this issue
After a few years of Spider-Man getting tossed around both physically, let the hero get a break. Let this character have a supporting cast and reason to fight. Stop having him get tangled up in conflicts way bigger than a character whose problem should be if his dinner reservations get ruined by The Vulture. But the status quo is now the friendly neighborhood super hero fighting unfriendly cosmic menaces. Hopefully a permanent team gets announced sooner than later to put him back in a neighborhood not another dimension.
VERDICT: Weak BROWSE
Rapid Rundown
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Art by Mamud Asrar Psylocke # 1
- There’s no two ways about it. The star of Psylocke is artist Vincenzo Carratù. Psylocke as a character has long been defined by her cool look and ninja style—so much so that it was relatively painless when the character and codename switched from a body swapped Betsy Braddock to the current antihero Kwannon. (Don’t worry about it). It’s totally at the forefront here, and the book is a blistering action spectacle. I’m dubious about all of the solo X-men spinoffs coming but one thing this issue made clear was how much of the Cyclops-led team is staffed by characters with very similar hard edges and drive for violence. Taking Psylocke out of that group gives her an opportunity to showcase what makes this assassin-turned-hero-turned-freedom fighter an interesting character in her own right. Alyssa Wong’s script grounds the action in some compelling character drama and colorist Fer Sifuentes-Sujo leans into the violet and cyan color palette for some interesting visuals. I am not an X-pert, and have not followed much of Kwannon’s story but this gives you all you need to know about her and makes it fun, sexy, and exciting. It’s hard to say whether that’s worth five dollars to you or not but it’s certainly worth your time whenever it’s collected on Marvel Unlimited or your library. – TR
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Art by David Marquez Uncanny X-Men #5
- Gail Simone and David Marquez’s first arc on Uncanny X-men wraps up this week with Uncanny X-men #5. As Rogue’s confrontation with Sarah Gaunt comes to a close, the remaining X-men and Outliers attempt to defend Haven and hold the line against Gaunt’s marauding cult. All in all this was a satisfying conclusion to an engaging first arc. Simone’s characterization of the X-men feel in line with where most of the characters were at the end of Krakoa. Simone has a lot of fun playing the X-men off each other in this issue namely Wolverine and Gambit. That said Simone’s strength is with Rogue. Simone does a great job exploring the character’s psyche and motivation. This is accomplished with narration boxes throughout the issueS. It was also nice to see Simone focus the story from Jubilee’s perspective. I always appreciate seeing that mall rat on the comic page. The resolution of the plot does come off a bit rushed but seeds are clearly laid out over the prior issues that don’t make it feel too cheap. David Marquez’s art style continues to be delightfully dynamic and fluid. The range of emotion and action on display here shows why Marquez is one of the best artist at marvel. Matthew Wilson’s colors are beautiful and rich. The story maybe a bit rushed, but it is enjoyable conclusion that leaves you needing to know more. – JJ
Next week sees new issues of Daredevil, Immortal Thor, and the conclusion of Predator vs. Black Panther!
- Gail Simone and David Marquez’s first arc on Uncanny X-men wraps up this week with Uncanny X-men #5. As Rogue’s confrontation with Sarah Gaunt comes to a close, the remaining X-men and Outliers attempt to defend Haven and hold the line against Gaunt’s marauding cult. All in all this was a satisfying conclusion to an engaging first arc. Simone’s characterization of the X-men feel in line with where most of the characters were at the end of Krakoa. Simone has a lot of fun playing the X-men off each other in this issue namely Wolverine and Gambit. That said Simone’s strength is with Rogue. Simone does a great job exploring the character’s psyche and motivation. This is accomplished with narration boxes throughout the issueS. It was also nice to see Simone focus the story from Jubilee’s perspective. I always appreciate seeing that mall rat on the comic page. The resolution of the plot does come off a bit rushed but seeds are clearly laid out over the prior issues that don’t make it feel too cheap. David Marquez’s art style continues to be delightfully dynamic and fluid. The range of emotion and action on display here shows why Marquez is one of the best artist at marvel. Matthew Wilson’s colors are beautiful and rich. The story maybe a bit rushed, but it is enjoyable conclusion that leaves you needing to know more. – JJ
