Credits: story and art by Howard Mackie, Gil and Tom Palmer and edited by Bob Budianksy.
Cast: Peter ‘Spider-Man’ Parker, Ben ‘Scarlet Spider’ Reilly, Mary Jane Watson-Parker, Doctor Seward Trainer, Carolyn ‘Doctor Octopus II’ Trainer.
Plot: Peter is riding an expectant father high. MJ sends Peter out as Spider-Man to burn off the excess energy and let her sleep. As Spider-Man, Peter swings around the city fighting crime. Meanwhile at Seward’s Ben (as Scarlet Spider) is still reeling from the revelation that the new Doctor Octopus is Seward’s daughter. She continues trying to force him to hand over his virtual reality research /act on her daddy issues. Seward and Carolyn back and forth with one another as Ben tries to keep Seward alive. to that end he jumps them both out of the window,
As Carolyn follows and attacks Ben, Peter senses the danger and swings across town to get involved in the fight. It doesn’t go well, it ends with Peter dangling off a building, with a tentacle around his neck and Carolyn demanding her father in exchange. Ben uses his impact webbing to get around the forcefield Carolyn has and she drops Peter. Ben leaps after him and saves him, but Doctor Octopus has already escaped. Peter realises how close he came to dying and that’s different as an expectant father and he realises, he has a decision to make.
Notes: This felt like a very retro issue. It played up the melodrama, lengthened the fight and had a villain got away moment right at the end and I did like that. We get more of Doctor Octopus II, however now she’s been reduced to a tantrum throwing child screaming her I hate daddy routine everywhere. I’m often a fan of rebooting or renewing characters who often don’t work, or need a boost. This however is not the way to go with Doctor Octopus. Still it had a bronze age frenetic energy to it and I did love how well the Peter and Ben stories meshed almost flawlessly. I found that I’m enjoying the post Jackal Clone Saga quite a bit and feel that we’re heading for something of a status quo shift very soon.
Verdict: Writing: 3 out of 5 – Lacking the characterisation of earlier issues, it still was a fun story that moved at a good clip and still highlighted how the personal life affected the spider stuff, with Peter only out because he was too excited over upcoming fatherhood to stay in bed. The writing worked well, but ultimately it was the art that needed to make this all work.
Art: 4 out of 5 – Gil Kane has been a Spider-Man artist since the 1970’s and slotted into that period between John Romita snr and Jim Mooney. His pencils make this look really retro, but in a fun and nostalgic way, rather than feeling dated. We don’t get the up-nose shots, so we get to see his panel work, story telling and emphasis on action and it reminds you why this man was a silver age legend. The colouring also gives it a pop art look that borders on cartoony and I was on board for all of it.
Overall: 7 out of 10 – A solid issue that leads you into the end of an era, but welcomes you to being hopeful for the new one.
Next Time: The Age of Apocalypse, goes out with a bang.
My Marvel Life 