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July 24, 2002
Amazing Spider-Man 43
It's a short review, firstly because there's only three mediocre comics not really worth much commenting on, and secondly because i'm rushing so that i can be done in time to give these to adam and still have time to prepare for D&D.
Amazing Spider-Man #43
Solid stuff. Nothing spectacular, but solid. I like that Peter is finally tackeling his marriage problems head-on instead of angsting about it for another four years. I like the downtime Peter Parker scenes with his co-workers and with his aunt. The dialogue is good. The character interactions are good. The art is great. I don't really like the "Dr. Octopus is a loser so we need new villains to spice up the Dr. Octopus legacy", also used recently in Jenkin's Peter Parker. This attempt smacks of the younger, hipper version of The Vulture from the 90s. It's possible that this guy is being set up as an easy win for Otto to come back and knock around, but with the amount of build-up he's getting, it doesn't look like it. The new Doc Ock's costume design stinks. The joke at the airport with the webspinners was lousy, and required a lot of leeway for the set-up (did Spidey really think he'd get them past security)? Overall, this is a quality comic in a sea of crap, so it stands out for me even if it isn't completely on the ball, but that sort of reasoning really makes me question why i'm bothering to read monthlies anymore.
Infinity Abyss #4
I don't know. I really think the narration is killing this for me. The plots are sorta kinda starting to come together, but i'm still feeling "eh" about it, even though when i think about it, it is a neat idea. I can't find anything wrong with the dialogue, Starlin has a decent handle on the characters' current personalities, and i love the art, but this series just isn't clicking with me. I do know that Pip, who is normally obnoxiously, offesively funny, is just kind of lame, comic-relief-in-an-action-movie sort of funny in this, which is definitely a problem since he's been placed in the plot with Adam, who is an absolute bore. I should just dump it, but i've got a soft spot for it for some reason, thinking that it will turn around in the end, or that it will read better in one sitting.
Spider-Man's Tangled Web #16
A great concept that is ruined by going on for too long, in additon to horrendous artwork. The prison stereotypes lose their punch when they are focused on for too long. The ridiculous characitures (Tombstone's crew, Kangaroo, Captain Sangese, the midget) distract me from the plot, and yet there's not enough here to make me think it's a satire, either. Could pull through in the next part and end up being ok, but right now... blah. |