Skip to main content

Extra Thick Spidey Books

I could not wait for August 6th to get here because Amazing Spider-Man Family #1 was released. So I walk into my comic shop on Wednesday and there it is... with the frickin' Brand New Day logo splashed across the top. Ugh. I already know ASMF has BND content in there, the last thing I need to see is the blasted BND logo. Enough, Marvel, we get the dumb point. You're proud of your botched attempt to fix Spidey.

Annnnyway, the ASMF's first story kicks off with a trip to the past where we see Peter dealing with the death of uncle Ben and learning the ropes as hero. Yes, the beginning of Spidey's career has been milked to death over the last few years, but this is still a good story, done by Spidey veteran JM DeMatties. The art has a retro feel to it and from the way everyone's dressed, it evokes the look and tone of the Lee/Ditko era. Being new to the hero gig, Peter naturally makes a few mistakes his first two nights out as Spidey. These screw ups don't feel forced and these are really the kind mistakes you'd expect a 15-16 year old hero to make, not like the constant rookie blunders you see in BND. First story in ASMF and we've already got the goods. Towards the end of SMF's life, the opening stories were disappointing so I'd love for ASMF's openers too keep this excellent moment that ASMF #1 has started.

There's a Marvel Monkey's short with Spider-Monkey lifting the big weight off his shoulders a la the Master Planner Trilogy in ASM #33. Uh, what to say here... NEXT!

Mr. and Mrs. Spider-Man. I'd hope these stories would be more than 12 pages, but I'll take what I can get. If you want to read stories about a married Spider-Man, you need to buy ASMF. These stories will serve as the prequel to the Spider-Girl series. Aunt May? Still dead and buried 6 feet under ever since ASM #400. And baby Mayday is just so cuuuuuuute! Since Peter has a family he struggles with the burden he puts on MJ and Mayday. During his fight with the Lizard, Peter thinks of what his family would do if he was killed in battle. If that's not an everyday, realistic, I-can-relate-to-that-guy hero, I don't know what is. I personally didn't think it was a spectacular story, but it wasn't bad either. It worked for me and I'll be back for the next story in ASMF #2.

Next story is some cow dung from BND about aunt May. Sucky as it was, I miss Spider-Man J. NEEEEEEXT!

A reprint of ASM #300, Spidey's first battle with Venom. Even if Brock's reasons for hating Spidey have never made sense, I still enjoy Spidey & Venom's first battle. A good choice to reprint.

The King Size Spider-Man Summer Special (man, that is one loooong title) features a few different Spider-Man stories and not a lick of them have anything to do with BND. Nice.

I've always wanted a girls night out story with MJ and I got just that with the opener. Unfortunately it wasn't everything I was hoping for. Basically MJ teams up with other Marvel heroines to stop Enchantress. There were a number of laugh out loud moments but I felt the story was merely OK.

Story two is a two page short where Spidey breaks Modok's chair and helps him find a new. Cute.

Story three has Spidey teaming up with the Falcon. Lots of witty banter between the two. Good stuff..

Finally, there's a Mini Marvels story that isn't just a single page. No, sir, this story is roughly the size of a regular 22 page comic! About time! I've always wanted a Mini Marvels story that was more than one page. Spidey and Venom have difficulty delivering a paper to the Green Goblin (because he always tries to kill them) on their own so Jameson makes them deliver the paper as a team. Spidey and Venom put their differences aside and get the job done in the end. Along with the rivalry between Spidey and Venom, I really got a kick out of seeing Norman actually give a rat's butt ox about Harry. When was the last time you actually saw that?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Super Hero Secret IDs & Their Friends

I've always felt Clark Kent has had one of the poorest disguises of all time for a secret Identity. All he does is straight up his "S" curl so it isn't visible and put on some glasses. Well, also depending on the era, Clark is either goes out of his way to be a bumbling idiot so people don't suspect he's an alien from another world, or here's the non-clumsy modern version. Personally, I like both, but if Lois is indeed a star reporter then she'd have to see through that disguise. Let's be realistic here. No one is that clumsy unless they are trying to be. I actually read a post on a message board that Lois finding out that Clark was Superman takes away from the whole dynamic. Seriously? The dynamic of making Lois look like a complete idiot who is unable to see what is right in front of her? I didn't miss that one bit. In fact, one of the few problems I had with Superman The Animated Series is that Warner Brothers didn't allow the creators t
2 comments
Read more

Hooray for Reprints!

The Green Goblin has often been touted as Spider-Man's deadliest foe. He is what the Joker is to Batman. I wonder if Stan knew back when Gobby first appeared in Amazing Spider-Man #14 that the Goblin would become the menace that he is to Spidey today. What makes the Goblin such an interesting foe isn't the costume. No. Much like Spider-Man, Gobby is such a great villain because the man underneath the suit is fascinating. Norman Osborn is one effed up dude to say the least. He was so annoyed with Spider Man getting in his way that he the battle between the two of them personal. He discovered Spidey's secret ID, revealed his own identity to the wall-crawler and would later go on to make Spidey's life a living nightmare. Gobby not only screws up Spidey's life, he screws up the lives of those Spidey cares about like Flash Thompson or if your name is Gwen Stacy, thinks ain't lookin' too good for you. I've read every early Spidey/Gobby story except one and it
8 comments
Read more

Marvel Wants to Hear From YOU!

In the letter page of Amazing Spider-Man #565, Spidey editor Steve Wacker filled the page with nothing but negative letters from readers that hate Brand New Day. Who says Marvel doesn't listen to the fans? And what's more, Mr. Wacker has even asked us to write in and tell them how we feel. Can you believe that? It takes class to run nothing but angry letters and a couple of those to the right are pretty nasty. My mother actually suggested I write to the editor and state my feelings on the molestation of Spider-Man in ASM. I'd been meaning to write them, but I just never sat down to do so. With the editor of the Spidey books kindly saying that the letter's page is "the place to vent," I think the time has finally come for me to express myself. I don't know if it will get printed since I've stopped reading ASM, but if they take my letter and many others that are outraged by BND to heart, then that's all that matters. Dear ASM Staff, Do you know what
6 comments
Read more