Extra! Extra! Pull List Review (Part 1: Spider-Books)

Hi all! This week's Monday post is going to focus on the Spider-titles from this month's Pull List. Throughout the course of this week, I'll post the rest. Keep an eye out to see who got cut, who might get added, and other fun things that popped up for me this month in comics.

So far, it's been a pretty good month!

Oh, and, in case you missed it, here's my review of Minimum Carnage, which I picked up with this Pull List but loved so much I gave it its own post.

Amazing Spider-Man #693 This issue has us seeing some more of the obnoxious Alpha! He becomes even more of a super-douche and then manages to get kidnapped by Jackal and his new Spider-Queen-Clones or whatever. Spidey saves the day, because Alpha is still his responsibility, and gets to watch Alpha obliterate the "Alpha Clones" Jackal cooked up (at which point Spidey reminds himself to never tell Kaine about the incident, which is a perfect line). The end result has Alpha completely striking out on his own, attempting to out douche his douchiness. And Spidey says "Alpha: No More." Because that isn't overdone. I'm... liking things. I like the slow reintroduction of MJ we're getting, I don't hate Alpha (any more than I'm supposed to), and I'm never really sure where things are going. This gets an 8/10 and is a solid read.
Amazing Spider-Man #694 Peter works on his plan to de-power Alpha while Alpha lives it up like a celebrity Alpha gets called in to defeat an invasion of the Earth, but almost kills civilians (including Jay and Aunt May) in the crossfire. Alpha's powers are obviously growing, but so is his recklessness. Spidey stops a plane crash (by acting as a replacement strut), gets thanked by JJJ (what!?), and then manages to trick Alpha into having his powers majorly regressed. Spidey couldn't remove them without killing Alpha, so he did the next best thing and made it so they'd need to grow back on their own. It's actually kind of sad for the kid. Unfortunately, there was never really any personal back story for the kid, so we can't be too attached. We just know that he hated his unimportant self, which is what he's more or less back to. Issues a bit of a cop out with Alpha, but I like the airplane scene especially... So let's give it a 7/10. Then we're told that next issue features some Hobgoblin action, and I have to say, this excited me!
Amazing Spider-Man #695 First, anyone thing the recent covers have been going back to old-school awesome quality? I've been liking them a lot. As for the issue itself, we see the New Hobgoblin and the Old Hobgoblin moving in circles, the Old hunting the New, setting up what will hopefully be a decent confrontation. We also see the Spider-Sense Jammers back-firing and boosting Spidey's Spidey-Sense, which is awesome... Until we realize that it becomes a problem the second time... Peter can't handle the over-drive of his Spidey-Sense because EVERYTHING is dangerous (and gets humorously labled throughout the issue). While Peter is losing it, he's abducted by the New Hobgob. The issue tries to make it seem that Urich figured out Pete is Spidey, but I'm sure next issue will show that Urich is only capturing Pete because of the recent Bugle article explaining Pete is Spidey's tech-guy. Pretty sure this shtick was pulled when Pete was Spidey's photographer... but oh well! I don't care for characters who can see into the future, so Julia Carpenter's storyline throughout this doesn't interest me, though she's apparently foreseeing her own doom, which may or may not have come due to the Spider-Sense Jammers (or Enhancers, if you will) that are giving Pete such a hard time too. Despite not caring about Carpenter, I really enjoyed this issue and can't wait for Kingsly to show Urich the what-for. Or for Urich (whom I've been enjoying) to pull a fast one over the pro. Whatever works, and that's why it will be good. This issue pulls in as a 9/10 for me, and I'm enjoying the current art style we've been seeing with ASM, this issue especially. I really appreciate it when attention to detail is paid to characters out of costume.
Avenging Spider-Man #12 A Spider-Man and Deadpool team-up would usually be up my alley, but I really didn't like this issue. It starts with us out of sorts and not really knowing what's going on, which is an over-used gimmick. Deadpool is, for some reason, helping Spidey fight through his dreams because someone is trying to control Spidey through them. They go through a lot of goofy lines and scenes and eventually succeed. Turns out, Deadpool was hustling Spider-Man to help free the Hypno-Hustler (why, just why?). We'll see the result of this next issue. I get that any team-up with Deadpool has to be on the goofy side, but I really dislike overly goofy villains. This issue is a 4/10 for me, though I really enjoy the cover.
Scarlet Spider #9 This issue is the finale to the recent arc featuring Scarlet and the Rangers going up against Roxxon. It's mostly just action, with Kaine using some smarts to defeat the energy monster Roxxon dug up. It's a decently pulled off heroic issue for the Scarlet Spider. Then he punches out the leader of the Rangers for offering him a position. The issue was enjoyable enough, just nothing spectacular. I'd give it a 6/10. I enjoyed the art and the writing, and I'm looking forward to seeing Scarlet's involvement in the Minimum Carnage crossover we'll be seeing next month.
Venom #24 The symbiote got possessed last issue, and looked corny as hell. This issue made it look a bit more badass and is really playing up the supernatural stint with Venom, which is kind of unusual. The demon in the symbiote wants out because it isn't kosher to inhabit someone "marked," but for some reason it can't pull away. Towards this end, Flash hunts down and ambushes Hellstrom (thanks to some info via Flash's new female reporter/informant). That's when Venom is forcefully introduced to the rest of the cornily named "Monsters of Evil," which are giant possessed animals... and things. I... don't care for the supernatural twists. I've never really cared for the supernatural side of Marvel, so I don't even have enough background to really apply to the Hellstrom character. However, the writing wasn't bad, the art was strong, and they're going in a different direction. So I'll give this issue a 7/10.
Venom #25 This issue is the close of the Monsters of Evil run. Venom has some interesting fight scenes with the more-interesting-than-I-thought possessed menagerie, and then pulls a new trick that he's discovered -- for some reason, he can tell the demons what to do. We learn that this is due to him being marked, which apparently means he's been chosen (as the hellish legend goes) to participate in something called "the Descent." This supernatural bit might get interesting after all! The legend says that, "one of the Hell-Lords will fall farther tahn the others... and in so doing will become the true devil." Venom (along with Rulk, X-23, and the new Ghost Rider) has been marked as one of Mephisto's potential heirs as he tries become the actual Devil. The other Hell-Lords are supposedly also gathering their forces... Hopefully they don't drag this one out too much and it comes after Minimum Carnage, but we'll see. This issue is an 8/10 because it was interesting, had gruesome fights, and has a cover I enjoy (something the Venom titles have been seriously lacking).
Spider-Men #5 It's the finale to Spider-Men and... And it's actually quite boring. For the length of it, barely anything actually happens. The good guys catch Mysterio. He kind of breaks free and then is quickly apprehended again. Miles sees 616 NY for a moment and Pete gives him some Spider-Advice before going home. Other than the lackluster finish, I also have a gripe that this Quentin Beck is NOTHING like the past few times we've seen him (I'm thinking mainly during the Gauntlet run), where he's actually managed to be mildly interesting. Now he's just a crazy, ineffectual nut who is obsessed with hating Spider-Man (wait, didn't we just work on getting RID of Doc Ock?). The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. Peter decides to Google Miles Morales to see what he's going in 616 and... has a really shocked expression. The end. For a run that I've been mostly enjoying, I really hated this issue. It gets a 3/10 from me for having almost no motion at all and an annoying cliff-hanger. The mini-series itself was decent, maybe a 7-8/10, but this issue really brought it down from what it could have been.
Ultimate Spider-Man #14 This cover is terrible, simply for Cap's face. The issue, on the other hand, is pretty good. Cap gets told off by Gwen Stacey and Aunt May (and MJ shows up too -- I really hope we see more from her Ultimate character), who then give Miles Peter's Web-Shooters (called it!). Despite being told he can't be Spider-Man, Miles swings in to help Cap in a fight against Rhino (after some obligatory web-swinging). The fight scene is awesome, we see some uncertainty on Miles' part when he remembers his uncle (which I think is important), and Cap finally recognizes that Miles needs training, not rejection. I... like it. 8/10, I hope they can keep up the interesting stories with Ultimate. That being said, not much is touched upon in regards to the state of the United States in this issue, which you'd think is kind of a bid deal...
Ultimate Spider-Man #15 This is a Miles issue, not a Spidey issue, and that's something Ultimate Spidey needs. We get some interesting scenes between him and his best friend, Ganke (whom I enjoy), and then we see some tension when Miles visits home to find the police waiting for him. Maria Hill, as a detective (and Ex-Shield Agent) has questions about Miles' Uncle, the Prowler. Miles is happy to learn he didn't kill his uncle, though still haunted by his death and the last words he spoke: "You are... just... ...like me." Back at school, things switch up -- the school is closing down until it is safe for students to return (due to the nation being in turmoil and all of that). Miles decides it's time to try and help out the Ultimates. The issue ends with him making a fool out of himself in front of Cap and informing the super soldier that Spider-Man is reporting for duty. 9/10 simply because we need more character driven super heroes, and Ultimate seems to be doing it right. I'm hoping next issue we get to see some more of the over-arching issues going on in the Ultimate-verse, but we'll just have to wait and see.

That's it for the Spider-Titles, check back soon when I post the rest of my pull list. This month some issues didn't make the cut, and a couple new ones will be added on, so keep an eye out for the next Pull List Review!

Pull List Review: Spiders Everywhere!

Finally made it to the LCS (Local Comic Shop for the layman) and picked up my pull list.

Seeing as how there's a decent stack to work with, I'm going to break up these posts a bit. The first will be the longest -- I'll be taking a look at all my Spider-Man related books.

As usual, these WILL contain spoilers!

Amazing Spider-Man #691 The end of our current Lizard Arc. Not a particularly exciting issue, though this is possibly related to the amount of time it took me to pick the end of the run up. Spidey makes the decision to inject the Lizard with the cure, even if it kills him. Immediately after injecting it, Peter panics and regrets his action, grovelling with a potentially too-late apology. Fortunately for Spidey, the Lizard lives, but the cure didn't work... Or at least, not exactly. Curt Connors' brain was cured and is now permanently trapped in a lizard body. Issue gets a 5/10 for me. Too many cop outs (the Horizon Lab gang turned into lizards, yes, but were non-violent because Connors wasn't mind controlling them.), and I hated Spidey regretting his action the panel after it occurs.
Amazing Spider-Man #692 The 50th Anniversary issue, made up of three smaller stories. The first story introduces Alpha, a high school kid given incredible powers due to Peter having a lab accident during a field trip. I was interested by the idea, but the product doesn't interest me -- Alpha is a swiss-army-knife hero (other examples being Superman or the Sentry) who, due to the nature of his powers, is destined to be the strongest character, ever. And Spidey has to train him. It gets a hopeful 7/10, though I assume the kid will be de-powered sooner rather than later. The second story is during the time Spidey threw out his outfit. A criminal picks it up and tries to be a hero for his sick granddaughter (via more robbery). A pointless mini-issue that I rate a 0/10. I didn't like the art and didn't find it at all relative to what's going on in the Spidey world. The last story is about Parker dealing with Parker luck, feeling down on himself, then perking up after he helps a kid understand that he doesn't have to lie to get ahead. It gets a 5/10 because I've read the same story many times. I understand why it's in the anniversary issue, I just didn't need it. I did pick up all the issues with the variant covers, something I never do. As the Wife told me, Spidey will only turn 50 once. The covers get an 9/10 from me, so all is not lost.
Scarlet-Spider #8 Kaine fights the Rangers while trying to uncover Roxxon's secrets. That's pretty much the sum of the issue, though the art, action, and writing were all on point. I especially appreciate Kaine's blunt opinions and responses to things going on around him. I'm MUCH happier with the character in his own title than I expected. Still don't agree that this character makes sense coming from the Kaine of the '90s, but I'm accepting the series, anyway. The actual secret seems to be some sort of energy-creature that Roxxon has been feeding Native Americans too as if they were AA batteries. Hoping the next issue gets explosive. Rated an 8/10 with me, and I'm eagerly anticipating Minimum Carnage.
Avenging Spider-Man #10 We see the end of Spidey's team-up with Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers' current alias). It turns out that the insane red head with a jetpack is an insane readhead prone to blowing up. There's a continuation of the argument between Carol and a character she calls "Robocop" that irks me -- it reminded me of a skit from Monty Python dealing with arguments vs. contradictions. Issue gets a 7/10. Decent writing and art, just not particularly interesting overall. I always like the connection between Carol and Spidey, though.
Avenging Spider-Man #11 Being in line with the 50th anniversary, this issue takes place at Uncle Ben's grave with Peter and Aunt May having a heartfelt reflection on the past. Personally, I'd rather have an especially interesting issue to commemorate the event, not something we've seen before that makes it look like the only thing Peter does is bash his head against a wall and forget all the good advice/acceptance he's had. That being said, we are shown a different side of Uncle Ben (a seemingly more honest depiction than we normally get) and even Aunt May is becoming more interesting (though this is nothing new -- take a look at Ultimate Aunt May). Even the sentimental story would have been acceptable next to the art, though. It is probably the worst drawn issue of Spider-Man I've ever seen. Peter looks like he's got some sort of Jersey Shore blowout and every other character is just plain ugly. Every single panel is bland and unappealing. I had to double check to make sure it wasn't a new artist -- fortunately it was only a guest artist for the anniversary issue. If it was a permanent change, I'd drop the title on the art style alone. It's THAT bad. 2/10 would be my best rating for it. What a lousy anniversary for Spidey stories. The story itself should get a higher rating, but all in all it felt lack-luster to me and the art direction is absolutely repulsive.
Ultimate Spider-Man #13 Some big changes occur in the Ultimate Universe in between issue 12 and 13 of USM, and, unfortunately, I'm ONLY caught up with Spider-Man. The "Divided We Fall" event is ongoing and the US is in turmoil -- what's left of it anyway. Somehow, the headlines are still broadcasting that the new Spider-Man is a murdered. Miles deals with the emotional turmoil over his uncles death and has a secret meeting with Aunt May and Gwen Stacy, right before Captain America crashes the party with the intent of revoking the Spidey title. I'm pretty sure Miles is about to get his web-shooters -- it's not stated, but I assume the package May is holding contains Peter's web shooters. I'd give this an 8/10. Solid title. As for the event itself, it's pretty interesting and I'm hoping actually sticks (which Ultimate is pretty good with, actually). I should really catch up on Ultimate X-Men...
Spider-Men #4 This is more of an emotional issue than anything else. 616 Peter, along with Miles, spends time with Ultimate Aunt May and Gwen Stacy, swapping stories about differences. It's a nice nod to Ultimate Peter, and I feel it was done very tactfully. May and Gwen get to say goodbye, though it does leaving you feeling bad for Ultimate MJ. At the end of the issue, Miles uses his familiarity with Brooklyn to help Shield get a lead on Mysterio, which will culminate in the end of mini-series next issue. This was a well done and well drawn story. There's no action to speak of, but that's a nice change in itself. I give this a 9/10, and would go so far as to say it's the best Spidey title I've read from this selection.

I was going to add the two Venom titles I've got to this list, but I'll lump them in the next post (or the one after that, if there's enough issues to warrant three posts).

Question for any readers: was anyone particularly pleased with Spidey's 50th anniversary?

Pull List

Welcome to this... err... well, I don't expect these to come with any regularity due to the length of time between trips to the comic book store and then the time it takes to read them, but we'll have to make do. So welcome to this moment's Pull List update!

I'll post the issues/series I picked up, do mini reviews/comments on them, then move on to a small list of other items I picked up, commenting on these items only if I have a good (enough) reason.

The Pull List:

(For some reason, I can't get this image to stay horizontal. Just tilt your head, it's an interactive blog today!)

The Ravagers #1,2 - Picked this series up simply because they are starting to integrate Gen 13 characters into the regular DC universe. So far, it's alright. I'm not as familiar with the Wildstorm characters or the DC characters in this, so it's interesting. Group of kids were captured and trained/tortured into becoming "Ravagers", specially trained killers. First issue has Caitlin Fairchild (formerly of Gen 13) and the group on the run. There seems to be some back story I'm missing, I'll follow up when I can. This will keep as long as the story pans out to be interesting.

Spider-Men #1 - New run starting this week. (Amazing) Peter Parker was teleported by (Ultimate) Mysterio to the Ultimate dimension. It will be interesting for Peter to see a world in which he died. Personally, I think this is more of a gimmick hoping to increase sales of the new Ultimate Spider-Man, but we'll see.

Star Wars: Blood Ties #1,2 - Picked these up on a whim (the tag "Boba Fett is Dead" caught my eye). Seeing as how these take place before the films, it's obvious Boba is alive and well. It's a decent revenge/hunt story, better probably if you read earlier Blood Ties runs. Interesting note: they show Boba's face. First time I've seen it (outside of young Boba in films -- and, I suppose, Jango Fett, the man Boba is a clone of). Will probably finish this series up.

Scarlet Spider #6 - This issue was a perfect Super-Hero comic issue. Good action and interesting story developments occurring. Here's hoping this continues to pan out -- Kaine as the Scarlet Spider is going better than I expected, as long as I maintain the capacity for suspension of disbelief.

The Amazing Spider-Man #687, Annual 39 - Coming to a close on The Ends of the Earth. This issue apparently sees the death of a relatively major Marvel character. Not sure how I feel about that, but we'll see how well it sticks in the next issue. Spidey may finally lose the pretty terrible tagline of "Nobody dies!"

Ultimate Spider-Man #11 - USM finally had a decent action issue. I really DON'T like (Ultimate) Scorpion. Also, the whole aspect of Miles being really new to everything is getting fairly old, they need to stop dragging it out. The (Ultimate) Prowler is interesting, and I like the family conflict, hopefully it accelerates upcoming issues.

Age of Apocalypse #4 - Not liking this series as much as I was hoping. First, I obviously missed a few major events in the AoA timeline (no clue when Jean and Sabertooth lost powers). So I need to do some back tracking. But I also don't care for the team this follows (the X-Terminated). They remind me of a watered down Watchmen. Still, I've got hope that this will pick up, and I like the idea of Wolverine as a villain. Wish the Wolverine vs Hulk fight was done in more detail here, but I suppose that fights been done before.

Avengers vs X-Men #5 - Interesting plot twist at the end. Otherwise, not much to see here. At all. They're pushing the ancillary issues from other series too much with this event, I think. The main story could have been told in three well done issues, and it's still going on. Hopefully the twist leads to an interesting conclusion (though I expect a non-conclusive reset button coming up, just like World War Hulk).

Batman #10, Annual - This series is picking up, but I guess I'm just not enough of a fan of Batman. Owl story line concludes in one more issue. Mildly interesting plot twist just occurred, I'm interested to see how it turns out. After that, though, I'll probably only give it a few more issues for it to prove itself as a Pull List item. My problem with the Bat is that there are too many series featuring him, similar to Spider-Man before the shut down most of the additional series. I'm not getting the whole story just reading "Batman", but I'm not shelling out more money to follow "Detective", "Dark Knight", etc...

Random Pick Ups:
Star Wars: Agent of the Empire #1 - Generic spy story with a super advanced robot doing the combat. Not for me, though I liked running into Han Solo.

Highlight of the Month (and probably year):

The Amazing Spider-Man #300! My wife, who obviously loves me very much, picked me up this rare issue for our "paper" anniversary gift. This issue features the first full appearance of Venom, one of my favorite villains (and characters) of all time -- and yes, I know every issue he appeared in in the 90's was pretty terrible. I love them anyway. This issue is now the prize of my collection, followed up by an artist-signed issue of Maximum Carnage number one (... incidentally, also bought by the wife... I think she has more rare comic books than I do!).

Also, just got Spider-Man vs Wolverine in the mail!! Looking forward to this issue especially!



Next time on Thunder, Like Lightning: Comics for Beginners conclusion and Suggested Reads