Credits: Story by Tom DeFalco, script by Mike Lackey, pencils by Mark Bagley, inks by Larry Mahlstedtand edited by Bob Budiansky.
Plot: At a satellite base operated by Doctor Octopus II, men working for Jason Tso attack and are able to steal the VR visor, though Doc Ock II’s men get it back. Far above the base amongst the sky scrapers, Ben Reilly, the Scarlet Spider sees the damage the attack has called and investigates. There’s a bit of a scuffle with Ock’s goons and Ben ends up with the visor and head away, Tso’s men unhappy as well at this turn of events. Ben heads to his new job, working for the same Mr Tso.
At Doctor Octopus II’s main base, Doc Ock II speaks to her hidden partner, who announces he can track the VR visor as soon as it’s used and he is already working on recruiting some help, Norton G Fester the just released from prison villain once called the Looter. At Noir, Ben see’s Orlando (one of the goons from earlier) going to see Mr Tso. Once past Ben, Orlando tells his boss that he’s failed again) this information is passed on to Tso’s hidden partner. After Ben leaves work, he arrives at Seward’s building and is met by Carrie Bradley, one of Seward’s neighbours, there’s some flirting and both go away thinking that they’d like to see the other again. At Seward’s apartment, Ben shows him the VR visor and Seward goes to try it out. Doctor Octopus II’s partner detects the incursion in to his network and intends to deal with this intruder.
As Seward adjusts to the VR system, a digital entity called VR-37 confronts and attacks Seward. Ben, seeing Seward in distress, uses Seward’s VR prototype to join him, the VR set presenting his avatar as Scarlet Spider. VR-37 generates opponents for the two interlopers based on people Ben has faced. This version of Virtual Reality seems to be able to tap into the minds of the people logged in, please don’t ask why. Versions of Venom, Carnage, Stunner and Doctor Octopus II appear and attack the pair. Ben, goes for VR-37, who morphs into Spider-Man, leaving Seward to face VR-Carnage. As Ben beats VR-37, VR Carnage stabs Seward through the head, severing the VR connection and returning both to the real world, but Seward doesn’t wake up, in fact appears blank as though his body is okay, but his mind is gone. Ben sees this, blaming himself for the apparent brain death of his only friend.
Notes: We get a tale that moves the overall VR plot along, this keeps in time with subplots and a new character/love interest and it ends with a personal crisis for the hero, caught in between shadowy forces that are tangentially connected to him, well this is a Spider-Man title alright. The plot is basic, but well presented and the script is either someone who can’t write Spider-Man, or someone trying to show that Scarlet Spider is a different guy, based on his years of exile from both his home and his identity. I’m going to say it’s the latter. The story idea of two villains waging a shadowy war against each other and the titular hero being pulled into it, is a trick going all the way back to the Lee/Ditko era in the early 60s. It’s all very promising and we’re building to a post-Peter Parker world.
The negatives are really the over-arching VR plot. Back in the 1960’s Stan Lee was doing a lot of heavy lifting at Marvel (yes, the amount of which is very much debatable, but that’s not the issue) and not being scientifically minded, the science of silver age marvel was, lets be generous and say wooly. Magnetism could do anything and the like. However that’s scientifically accurate in comparison to what VR can do in this story. The visor can read your mind, help you generate objects and surf a cyberspace that never ended up being a good idea, let alone one that was made manifest. It’s so very weird that this was the era that has dated the most. It’s a good issue that brings you more into the story and kept my interested and still moving forward with this re-read.
Verdict: Writing 3 out of 5 – This is solid, but uninspiring plot and for a part 2 of a story that’s setting up a new status quo, that’s plenty. The writer misses out of some Spider-Man-esque feeling, but it does suit a new guy taking the lead.
Art: 4 out of 5 – It’s Bagley’s Spider-Man, nowt else needs saying really. It all looks good and feels right for a 90s Spider-title and I’m hoping that Bagley continues through this transition period, because this is one of the things that are working.
Overall: 7 out of 10 – A good issue that built on the last one and whetted my appetite for the next and I’m convinced that better is coming, or at least I’m intrigued to know who these shadowy figures are going to be end up being.
Next Time: X-Factor take the mic as the X-Cutioner’s Song continues.
My Marvel Life 