Comic Reviews

Amazing Spider-Man #648

The first issue of Slott’s “Big Time” arc begins here in #648, and also serves as a jumping-on point as well. (For the record: the last Spider-Man arc I was completely involved in was Back In Black. I loved it. And then One More Day had to come along and ruin everything. I’m not one to whimper and tantrum over what happens when creative areas change for a character, but I felt One More Day was very reminiscent of the whole Clone Wars era, where too much was changed, too quickly, too nonchalantly; not a lot was answered that needed to be. So, saddened, I kind of gave up on Spider-Man. Until now I’ve sort of read news on Marvel.com and paid attention to what Parker was up to from a distance, waiting for the right moment to jump back in. At Remi’s suggesting, I’m back on board with #648.)

Dan Slott is a pretty good writer: good dialogue, good character connection, good pacing; but he’s an even better Spider-Man writer. He gets the character. In and out of costume, Parker is cracking jokes and is his usual witty self, all the while being presented with a myriad of obstacles both as Spidey and Peter Parker. The best writers of Spider-Man know how to keep the mask bogged down on the edge of defeat with enemies, and keep the alter ego socially flustered beyond belief, whilst still managing to make both come away (relatively) unscathed in the end. This new arc does a bit of both for each side. The (new) Sinister Six is back in action, as well as a recently re-throned Wilson Fisk (check out Shadowland to see what he’s been up to in other areas of NYC), meanwhile Parker loses his apartment and fears running back to Aunt May for help.

I enjoyed it and I'm glad. It's great to say that about a Spider-Man title again. There’s a lot of good material here to begin with for a new Spidey arc, and I hope Slott can flesh it out as well as Ramos can (Did I mention he was doing the pencils? Superb as always.).