Amazing Spiderman #665

        I also picked up this comic because of my rereading of Marvel comics. Due to a mix up my subscription for Amazing Spiderman ended after Big Time Spiderman which was one of the best arcs that I have ever read. So because of that this was a natural choice if I wanted to pick up Marvel Comics again.
        This issue started off by describing the Movie Night situation involving Peter Parker and Betty Brant. But then when Betty Brant wanted to see a certain movie Peter never had the time, between being Spiderman and his job he never was free. Finally after both Peter and Flash say "no" to her during its last week in theaters Betty goes to see the movie in the last theater that's playing it. The problem is, is that the theater is in a bad neighborhood. Betty get's attacked by a thug named Harlan Finch. Upon hearing this news, instead of running to the hospital, Peter as Spiderman went on a man hunt for Harlan Finch. After tearing through New York, Spiderman finds Betty's locket and then when he is really close to finding Finch he get's a call from Aunt May telling him to "Get to the hospital" and how she was never as disappointed in him as the day Uncle Ben died, because instead of comforting Aunt May he ran after the killer which hurt Aunt May. So Peter turned away and went to the hospital. It was movie night so he sat and watched a movie with Betty Brant.
        I loved this issue. This issue was absolutely jam packed with emotion. Dan Slott took something as simple as movie night and brought it to a whole new level. I have said many times that the appeal of Spiderman is Peter Parker's life. This was no exception. I also loved how powerful Spiderman looked when he was looking for Harlan Finch. That definitely looked like a lead up to Spider Island. If  Spiderman can look like that in just one issue, then in the event he is going to be beyond powerful. So the story was definitely a 10 out of 10. I especially liked how Aunt May told Peter off about the day Uncle Ben died. In that part I could practically feel the sadness that both Aunt May and Peter were feeling. So I recommend this comic to anyone, even people who aren't die hard Spiderman fans will enjoy this.




Grade: 10/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

FF#1

         I have stated many, many times that Fantastic Four number 576 is the worst comic I ever read. Because I read that I stopped reading Fantastic Four, and didn't even pick up the issue where Johnny Storm died. I heard he died a very"superheroy" death, which almost assures that he will come back. (I do plan on reading this issue soon to see it for my self) I didn't plan on reading this  but a friend of mine assured me it would be great.
        In this issue Sue Storm explains everything that has changed to Peter Parker. Including that Reed's dad is back. Ben blames himself for Johnny's death and has become antisocial. At P.A.V.L.O.V some people freed the Wizard. The Wizard escapes and the Fantastic Four goes back for dinner. Reed puts forth a plan about the Inhumans, and his father says that it's a bad idea, which is different for the Baxter Building. Then Reed's father and Valeria take Reed aside and tell him that Dr. Doom has to join the team, and after a little he agrees.
       My expectations were low for this issue, so this book exceeded them, but that isn't saying much. Originally I that the costume change was (put bluntly) stupid, but then when Sue explained that she just wanted a change of pace I thought that it was fine, because that is a genuine reason, but then it was ruined when she said something about a black and white world. I did like Ben Grimm's reaction to everything, and I'm also glad he didn't welcome Spiderman with open arms. I also like Valeria and Reed's dad taking charge, it was a nice change in pace, and was perfectly done. Bringing in Dr. Doom now was a great idea. If you have a new outlook on the Fantastic Four, might as well have a new outlook on Dr. Doom, and I'm so happy Hickman didn't wait five issues to bring in the FF's big bad guy. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a little more on the Wizard, because that really is the main event of the issue, but that isn't a huge thing, because I know that he's going to appear real soon. My real complaint is that with the exception of Franklin Richards and the Thing, the other members of the FF didn't really acknowledge Johnny's death, it was a little different, but shouldn't the Sue and Reed's emotions be a little different? So that bugged me, but over all this was a very good comic, and very enjoyable.
 



Grade: 8.5/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

X-Men #8

          This is a decent series, I thought the whole vampire thing was premature, and not handled very well, but the last issue of this series, was also decent. The X-Men public relations thing, is kind of interesting, but it's not "WOW" stuff, I think that it's going to effect the series for now, but as soon as this arc ends they'll do what they always do.
       In this issue Spiderman teams up with the X-Men to take on the Lizard. People were disappearing mysteriously, but then the disappearing stopped, but then it started again, but only with children. The X-Men find that someone is going on a "creepy/stalker website" and is talking to "nerdy" kids and telling them to go to a special place. When the kids do so, the Lizard grabs them. Wolverine made it in time to try and rescue one of the kids, but lost. Then you see that the children are all in a cage, and someone is controlling the lizard, making him grab the children, so that he can do experiments on them.
      I love Spiderman, he's a great character, and when he teams up with... anyone really it's usually a good comic, most of the time that is due to his witty banter. It was the same in this comic. Spiderman had is witty banter, but he also had some serious moments to. No just about his life, or someone in his family, but about the world. I read Amazing Spiderman: 297 and there was a scene where he was to upset, that children were taking drugs, that he couldn't even say the witty things he does. The same thing happened in Amazing Spiderman: 96, and Stan Lee said that the reader didn't feel like Marvel was giving them a lecture, it was just an incident in a story. This was the same basic principle, but it isn't about drugs, it's about bullying. I am a little sick of the Lizard because of SHED, but this was a good comic. The X-Men were good, Spiderman was good, Gischler just wrote the comic well. This comic does leave you in suspense, wondering who is controlling the Lizard, but there is the possibility that this is a new villain, this would be a good way to introduce a new villain, but it would be very disappointing for this arc. I want to here it's someone else I've known forever and suddenly is even more powerful, but It is most likely an X-Men villain, because this is an X-Men comic. I'm excited, I can't really predict this comic, and I'm looking forward to the next issue.






Grade: 8/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Amazing Spiderman #650

          I honestly can't say enough good things about the past couple issues of Amazing Spiderman. The re-structuring of Spiderman is something I've been wanting since last April. His story got more depressing and complicated every day, it became dull. Now with this arc he's fun to read about again, it's the Spiderman I've always wanted, plus he gets to show scientific things, which is always good to read about.
          In this issue Spiderman is still fighting the new Hobgoblin. When he was paralyzed by Hobgoblin's sonic scream, Bella Fishback played music really loud to counter the scream. Hobgoblin goes and steals a bit of Reverbium. He gets a way and brings it to Kingpin. Kingpin thinks that the new Hobgoblin is better than the old one and hired him. Phil Urich brings the tape of him robbing Horizon Labs to Norah Winters.  Peter Parker wants to steal the Reverbium back, so he calls Black Cat to help him. When the meet Spiderman is waring a suit that bends light and sound around him, so he's invisible.
          This issue is great. It shows how it's still hard for Peter Parker to keep his identity a secret, but possible. Dan Slott monitors how much time he spends talking about Hobgoblin perfectly. If there was an issue with little Hobgoblin, before this conflict is resolved, then I would wonder where he went, but if there was too much Hobgoblin I would want to hear more about Spiderman.
           The new Spider suit is just cool. It bends light and sound around him to make him invisible, that is just cool. The suit would have to be temporary, otherwise future comics would be very boring, if Spiderman just appeared out of nowhere and arrested the villain, but he can't just say that it's a temporary suit, there needs to be a reason. The black suit was powerful, but controlling. This suit needs something like that. If one day he puts the suit away, and just says he's finished with it, that would be very disappointing. It'll be interesting to see how Dan Slott disposes of the suit.
            This issue, and this arc have both been perfect, I could not ask for anything else. Not only is this arc amazing, but I really want to see what the long lasting effects do to other arcs. It should be interesting. But in terms of this issue, it's a must buy.




Grade: 10/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Amazing Spiderman #649

           I can't even describe how much I loved the previous issue in this arc. Gave Spiderman his life back, and showed so much hope for the future of Spiderman, and the Amazing Spiderman series. Before it was always something I got in the mail, and read, but it wasn't exiting like getting a Legion of Superheroes, or Captain America, but now I'm constantly looking forward to the days when I find Amazing Spiderman in my mail box.
           In this issue the original Hobgoblin is working for the Kingpin. Hobgoblin goes down to Green Goblin's stash of high tech toys. When he gets their Phil Urich is hiding there. Hobgoblin is about to kill him, but then Urich uses his sonic scream and cuts his head off, and then he becomes the Hobgoblin. Spiderman beats up some Green Goblin worshipers with a reformed Black Cat. Aunt May walks Peter into work. After a unproductive day, Hobgoblin breaks into Horizon Labs, and starts fighting Spiderman.
          Another near flawless issue. The "revamping" of spiderman continues, not he has a place to work on being Spiderman. I'm pretty impartial about killing off the Hobgoblin and replacing him with another Hobgoblin because I've never really had much Hobgoblin experience. I don't really know why Marvel decided to make Hobgoblin into an evil Black Canary. It kind of works because it's Hobgoblin, but then making it the Sonic Scream seemed unnecessary, instead to just having him just steal a piece of Green Goblin tech. It would have made more sense, but that is only a little part of the story, so I'm not to worried about it. I loved the scene with Aunt May looking back on a conversation with Peter Parker. Especially during the revamp, it's always good to go back, it made the issue so much better, and gave emotion to the issue. I also like that Black Cat is being revamped simultaneously with Spiderman. I would say that this was a good issue, but it's not entirely about that, it's about making Spiderman the great character he once was. So I'm incredibly exited for the next couple issues, and the arcs that come after this with the improved Spiderman.





Grade: 9/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Amazing Spiderman #648

          Amazing Spiderman has only been a decent series, the last arc was an improvement but it still wasn't enough to make this a great series. Spiderman is one of the more brilliant characters ever developed, and the only reason I've stayed with Amazing Spiderman as long as I have is purely because of the character, not the stories or the writing.
          In this issue Spiderman leads the Avengers into a city full of Dr. Octopus giant robots.But this is all a diversion for Chamilion and Electro to brake into an army base and plant some weird Doc Oc toys. Doctor Octopus then sets all of the giant robots to explode, and while Iron Man and Mr. Fantastic are trying to figure out what to do, Peter Parker (science wiz) figures it out. Michelle moves out of her apartment, and by doing so also kicks Peter out. At Raft Maximum Security Prison they are ripping the Venom from it's host for examination, and Peter gets a job at Horizon. Also Fisk sends the Hobgoblin to Horizon.
           I don't even know where to begin when I'm trying to describe how good this issue was. This is the issue I have been waiting for. The issue where Marvel says, here is Spiderman, here is Peter Parker, here is his life. Mainly what Marvel did was give structure to Spiderman again. While trying to make him relatable Marvel only succeded in making him complicated. He was hated by the mayor, an out of work photogropher, the whole thing with MJ, plus the whole thing with Michele and all of the evolving villains, somewhere along that road I just stopped caring. But now that his life is put back together I'm very happy. I also like that the "nerdy" part of Peter Parker is being shown again, it disappeared for a while, and with it part of Spiderman, but like many other things this issue, it's back. This issue also established a couple main villains are back in action, like Venom and Hobgoblin, and the little bit in here about Green Goblin. Besides that the writing in this was really good, and the art was extremely well done. This was a funny, happy issue, and I'm going to put it on the must buy list.




Grade: 10/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Amazing Spiderman #641

          This is the concluding issue of One Moment in time. This is some of the greatest writing, and story telling I've ever seen. As I've said before Spiderman was created to be entertaining, not just his wall climbing alter ego, but also the nerdy, teenaged, photogropher. Now he's not nerdy or a teenager, and he's not really a photographer, but his alter Peter Parker is supposed to be just as interesting as Spiderman, and thats why I love this arc.
          In this issue Doctor Strange consults with Ironman and Reed Richards, and they find a way to hit the "cosmic reset button." MJ is alive and well, Aunt May is fine, everything is back to the way it should be, but MJ is upset that Peter didn't let her forget, she wanted to forget. So finally MJ and Peter (back in the present) decide to be friends and move on with their lives.
          I really like the use of Doctor Strange, it's a believable way to put everything back to where it was. Sometimes when writers try to put things back to where they were, writers come up with some very convenient way, like Doc Strange had some magic time elixir. It was Tony Stark and his conflicting moral views with it that really did it for me. That's what made this sound genuine. Plus it was interesting. I also liked that MJ wanted to forget, that also made it better. Stark and MJ was the difference between this being a kids book and a serious comic.
         I'm very interested to see how this efects the sereis, and the character, now that they (MJ and Peter) have gotten this off their chests, I'm very curious to see what changes. On top of that, both styles of art were done really well in this series. And even on top of that this is a great cover. I'm exited to see the next story arc, and the rest of the series.
        This was a great arc, and it ends with a fantastic issue, that can only lead to better ones. This is a must buy.
        




Grade: 10/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Avengers #4

          This has been a solid series. Although It has been a little confusing, but when there is a brake in the time stream, thats all you can really expect. I'm very happy that John Romita Jr. is drawing this series, I  love his work, he's a great artist. I do like this arc, but I'm exited for the next story arc, when things have calmed down a little.
          In this issue Wolverine, Noh-Varr, Captain America and Ironman are in the future, and the rest of the Avengers are in the present. The man who appeared last issue is apparently an old friend of Spiderman named John Killraven, who was shot back in time and now is slowly coming back. The team that went to the future are knocked out and brought to the old Hulk, and an old Tony Stark, Hulk is holding Ironman and the future Ironman is about to stab him.
         First off, I have to address the cover, nothing was bad about it, it's just so close to the cover of Secret Avengers #4 (review coming soon) If that was done on purpose, cool, if it was done by accident, I guess it's still cool.
        In every issue that has been in this series so far, Bendis writes an okay comic, and then at the end he has a scene that makes the comic so much better. This one definitely had that. The rest of the story was okay, it was just one weird thing after the next, and when that happens there are to many thing going on the plot gets to complicated, I get confused and suddenly the comic doesn't live up to its potential. I could have done without  John Killraven, and just getting rid of that would have made this comic, and this series much better.
        So right now there is a huge, uncontrollable battle in the future, and there is a huge, uncontrollable battle in the present. I wish that Bendis would focus on the future more. His sections about the present were dull. They should be there, otherwise people would wonder what happened, but I just wish Bendis would focus just a little more on the future.
        This issue was a disappointment, last issue was the best issue in the series, and this I'm afraid is the worst one. The future stuff was good, actually it was great, there just wasn't enough of it, and the rest of the comic was complicated and boring. Buy this one if you really, really want to, but otherwise don't waste your money.
       Just one more thing, on the next issues cover there is a picture of Vision, I really hope he's not just on the cover and then doesn't appear in the comic, but if he does appear in the comic, it's going to be really good. I'm very exited for the next issue but this one was a disappointment.



Grade: 5/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Shadow Land #2

           Shadow Land one was one of the best comics I've ever read. I really liked the story, art, panels, dialogue, and... well just everything about it.  I really hope that Shadowland is what it will take to put Daredevil back to the state is was in a couple years ago.
           In this issue Moon Knight puts himself in prison so that he can infiltrate Daredevil's castle. Kingpin goes to Luke Cage and Iron Fist because he wants Daredevil taken out as well. Then he goes home and summons something that brakes everyone who was in Daredevil's prison, out. At the end Luke Cage, Iron Fist and others go to talk to Daredevil, which turns into a fight.
          This issue was just as good as the previous one. Daredevil did look like a oppressive tyrant last issue, but this time it was very thick. As I've said before I enjoy when authors take a brake from fights and add something else, weather it be some more character insight, development, or personal conflict. All of those are included in Shadow Land. Diggle voiced all of his characters. Sometimes it's just perfect. In this issue the standout was Kingpin. He sounded like he should, and was just the perfect amount of stuck up that he should have been. That and I alway love the funny banter that comes via Spiderman, and in this issue it was great. I've only seen the banter done flawlessly in two series, surprisingly not in Amazing Spiderman. The two series are Shadow Land, and Avengers. I want a little more Spiderman in both of those series.
          Story wise this comic was mainly fallowing Luke Cage and Iron Fist. I really didn't know much about them until I looked them up a couple of days ago, but Diggle did a good job with them in this series. This is the issue where Daredevil goes totally over the edge, and I really like that, because even though I want Marvel to go in the other direction, I can see a path that gets rid of Black Daredevil and brings back the classic red one, but not the sort of path where DD sees the error of his ways and comes into the light again.
         I was shocked to read that some people didn't like Shadowland, and I advise you to disregard all bad reviews for this comic or any other issue in this series and read them.



Grade: 10/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Amazing Spiderman #640

           This series is exactly what Spiderman is supposed too be. His personal life is just as interesting as when he is Spiderman. That is the main reason I love this arc. When I go back and read Amazing Spiderman from around the 70's and the 80's I am entranced throughout the entire thing. Everything is there, what his problems are, his alibis, and just events in his day to day life that some how are just interesting. Recently when I read many comics  (not just Amazing Spiderman) I have found myself skimming the comic until the person is dressed in their costumes. I am now happy too say that the past couple issues where Peter Parker has barley dressed as Spiderman and I have read and enjoyed the entire thing.
         In this issue, Aunt May is at the hospital, alive due to Parker in the last issue. MJ and Peter are both pretty shaken up by the whole attack. MJ gets a call from her aunt saying that someone might be in her house. When she gets there her aunt is unconsciousness on the floor and a man (working for King Pin) looking over her.
         The art is extraordinary, after I read the comic I went back and just looked at all of the panels. It did improve the comic a lot. I can't stress, that this is how Spiderman was supposed to be written, enough. I'm just very happy too see the series revert back to where the series was in the 70's and 80's. The story was good too. Just like in the last issue it was powerful, and entertaining. That is a combination that is hard to find in a comic but when I do find it I get very exited and I talk about it as I'm doing now. In this issue there was another shocking thing at the end of the issue that was one of the better parts of the comic, and of course set up for some more great issues. These next couple issues are going to change the world os Spiderman as it is right now, and I'm glad too know that at least it's a change I like, and happened in an arc that I liked.



Grade: 9/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Amazing Spiderman #639

               I know I never reviewed Amazing Spiderman number 638, but I am going to review this issue and just touch on the previous one. One Moment in time is just going back to see what happened on the day that Peter Parker and MJ Watson, and what did MJ say to Mephisto? The previous issue was cool because they used parts of the issue where they did get married and tied it together with what happened in this new reality. I really didn't think much of the earlier issue, it was just another comic to be filed away, and thats probably why I forgot to review it. But I really liked this one.
               Opposed too just the endless doubts that Parker had, this focused more on what actually happened, MJ and Parker are talking about what happened and how unmasking was the worst thing that Peter ever did. But the main thing that got my attention in this issue is when aunt May got shot and then started dying in the hospital. That is what effects a good seventy percent of the grade, that moment was one of the most powerful moments in comics.
               If Amazing Spiderman ever reverted to what it was like in the seventies and the eighties I would be very happy. I did like that this issue show cased one of the things that was really revolutionary about Spiderman when it first came out, and still later into the Bronze Age, and that is Peter Parker's life is just as interesting as Spiderman's. A lot of the time when I'm reading a book, I'll just sit there and wait for the person to get dressed up and start fighting villains again, but Spiderman was supposed to be enjoyable even during the times when he was a photographer.
           I have had my troubles with this series before, like SHED, I hated SHED, but this story arc has so much potential, and fallow through that this might be a long term great thing. When it ends I hope that effects the series and puts it back in to the state it was in, in the Silver and Bronze ages.



Grade: 8.5/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Avengers #3

          This series has been just okay, and when you are talking about the revivle of the Avengers okay just isn't good enough. This is a group that I have wanted back for ever, not the New Avengers, not the Ultimate Avengers (1, 2, or even 3) I just wanted the Avengers with Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, and Spiderman. Even if Captain America is only a minor character. I am a little disappointed that Hulk isn't on the Avengers, but I get that. He's too much of a loose canon for the spin that Bendis is putting on the Avengers. Just one more thing before I start the review, Bendis is doing a great job with Spiderman, he has his funny qualities and he's still powerful, and thats what I really want to see in Amazing Spiderman, but I've been disappointed.
          In this issue the Avengers are battling it out with Apocalypse and his Horsemen when all of the sudden Apocalypse and the Horsemen disappear. After that Ironman studies what just happened, and then goes on the rebuild the time machine with Noh-Var. At the end a knight and a dinosaur appear, so I really got confused.
         I know I might sound hypocritical when I say that I really liked this issue, even though most of it was a fight scene. It was a John Romita Jr. fight scene, and that really does make a difference. Spiderman has been done well just like I said at the top of this post, but in this issue the person who really shined was Thor. He was written perfectly and it showed his raw power which just made this issue so much better. I was a little upset that there was no more development on the elder Hulk thing. It was the best thing about the first issue and now they just kind of forgot it. But besides that my only complaint is that Hill is still in the series, she's not really doing much, and I kind of hate her character so I just want her to go.
         With out a doubt this is the best issue in the series, and was just an outstanding issue overall.



Grade: 9.5/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Amazing Spiderman #634

             Grim Hunt, it is exactly what it sounds like, it is a hunt that is... well... grim. This series is the aftermath of SHED,  this does not matter in the story arc, but as someone who hated SHED, it matters to me. I will admit my standards were lowered for this issue, but either way it was still great. Kelly did a great job, with every part of the book. I will say that a character dies in this issue, and when (he/she) does it is a combined force that needed this author, this penciler, this inker, this colorer etc. When I saw it...I was blown away, it was the best death scene I have ever seen. It was absolutly fantastic. It took, this issue, and series to a whole new level. This arc alone is making me reconsider canceling my subscription to Amazing Spiderman.
              The Synopsis of this issue is that the Hunters: Realitives of Kraven, are hunting down Spiders. (guess who they are)  That includes Spiderman, Spiderwoman, Spidergirl, and even Kaine. Spiderman learns of this hunt when Ezekiel comes back from hell to warn him, and to help him. Also Spiderman is teamed up with Spiderwoman.
              The Hunters are using Madam Web (by torturing her) to find all the Spiders. By sacrificing a Spider, the Hunters bring some sort of wolf creature back from the dead. (they were trying to bring back Kraven) Oh... and during all of this Spiderman has H1N1
            The writing was fantastic, the Hunters were made to sound like Harley Quinn, and Kelly made it work with out making them a complete knock off. A love the art in the Captain America comics, this was much like that (the penciling wasn't that good, some characters looked deformed) so it added to the creepy aspect of the story. This arc alone (so far) could be made into a movie, and I bet it would do pretty well. The first horror/superhero movie.
             This comic also had a little short story about Kraven in the back, if you want me to review it leave a comment.


Grade: 9/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Amazing Spiderman #633

                "SHED" is finally over, thank god. This is one of the worst story lines I've ever seen. It messed up one of the better Spiderman villains there is. Zeb Wells killed off the best part about him, and that was his alter ego. Connors is dead, why? Why would he ever do that? I understand he is trying to leave his mark on the Marvel universe,  but don't deface villains. Anyway this issue concluded it. The Lizard, who has mind powers is making everyone act like a lizard, so Spiderman drinks some of Connors' formula so that his mind didn't get (for loss of a better word) foggy. So he runs up and stabs the Lizard with Connors' formula and makes him relies (mildly) of what he had done, and made him more human. Then something weird happens to Aunt May, she starts yelling at Peter, then it went away. Then a couple of people walk down into the sewers, turns out a couple of people were still under the Lizard's control and he's keeping them as pets.
               When Lizard took over people's minds they became very Walking Dead Esc. They would wander around and bite people. I'm no zoologist but I don't think lizards walk around biting people. So he made a world of really messed up lizards. Other than that this was a  beat 'em up comic. Again it is understandable because this is a final issue of a story arch where the problem is a villain, but I still would have liked to see something more. In Justice Society of America #39 the plot was to kill and escape, but the thoughts of Mr. Terrific were poetic and made the comic more interesting then several pages of fisticuffs. It was kind of  cool when the Lizard zombies were ripping Spiderman suit apart they showed his web shooters, and that was kind of cool but the rest of the comic was just plain, old fashion bad.


Grade: 4/10
Buy at: www.mycomicshop.com

Amazing Spiderman #632

               All right, Shed continues in this issue (unfortunately). Billy is dead, Connors is dead, and the Lizard is new, improved, and smart.  He is bringing out the lizard in all the warm blooded creatures brains. Making them attack random people, and take what they want.  Also Parker has given up his jokes and is acting seriously. This happened when he saw Billy die, and his foster parents.

              I didn't think there has been a worse comic in the history of comics. It's terrible, the entire story arch is terrible. If I had to read this a second time, I would try to legally classify it as torture. I hate this new Lizard. Lizard was the Killer Croc of the Marvel Universe, now he is just another psychic, megalomaniac. Also I mentioned in an earlier post the words of John Romita Sr. he said: If you have Spiderman standing on the ground, you are wasting Spiderman. I said this about another comic in this arch. The arch has been bad, but this is awful. 
There was one good thing about this comic, and that was the paneling. The way the panels were put together was like a perfect game of tetris. I have never liked the paneling so much that I raved about it, but you have to see it to believe it. But nothing is good enough to make up for that disgrace to comics. I hope something happens after the end of Shed that puts everything, or most things back to the way they were, other wise I don't think I'll be able to read Spiderman for a while. Also what happened to all the side stories? Like Kaine, or Madame Web? Did they just create a bunch of side stories for one issue and leave them unfinished? This was one of the worst comics I have ever read.


Grade: 1/10
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Amazing Spiderman #631

                SHED continues. In this issue all it is, is Peter Parker being stood up by Charlie, because she had to do some investigation on a murder (see last issue) at Curt Connors' lab. (when he became the lizard) So Spiderman goes to investigate, and also goes to save Connors' son, Billy Connors. Of course he meets the Lizard out side of the house (insert big fight scene hear) when he finally gets inside and the Lizard is going away, he sees that someone had already been there, maimed Billy's foster parents and took Billy. Meanwhile this girl takes on Kaine, when he gets away the girl's brother comes down and says that the hunting game doesn't start until the Gauntlet is complete. This girl later appears as the person who took Billy, and hands him right over to the Lizard.
               I understand with the whole "The hunt doesn't start until the gauntlet is complete" thing, but it kind of bugged me. I like the classic Spiderman, not this new version of his comics. I also liked that through out the book, with the Lizard's personal captions, there was also a caption for Connors talking to the Lizard and telling him to stop. Lastly Emma Rios drew the Lizard badly, she made him to animalistic, the Lizard is like Killer Croc just with a long nose, this comic made him look a lizard with a jacket. Overall not a great comic. Oh... one more thing, in this comic Spiderman does a lot of standing around, and I remember a interview with John Romita Sr. where he said: If you have Spiderman standing on the ground, you are wasting Spiderman.

Grade: 6/10
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Amazing Spiderman #630

                This is an oasis in the middle of a desert, I had excepted Amazing Spiderman as just okay so my standards dropped (thats why my grades for them are hight) but this was really good. It started with Spiderman and Blackcat talking about their relationship, but that doesn't take long. I do like that this comic did Parker's personal life, but I really didn't want to here about Spiderman "having fun" with Blackcat. This comic was mainly about the Lizard, and it went into how he was recovering. He still marks his territory and has flashes of "Lizardness" in him, but he is surprising it like Harvey Dent did in Batman: Face the Face. But when his assistant sleeps with his boss, he interprets it as his territory is being taken and turns into the Lizard. Meanwhile Spiderman talks with Harry, and asks Charlie out. (kind of)
               As soon as Harry walked into the story I was happy. It brought me back to when they were good friends, and people wrote Peter's personal life, in moderation, and as well as Stan Lee. I also liked the Lizard surprising his "challenges" it made for an interesting story and will make for some interesting fallow-ups. Oh... I forgot to mention Madame Web made an appearance. I can't predict what her role will be, but again it will be interesting to find out.

Grade: 8.5/10
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Amazing Spiderman #629

               This comic was good, but it did one thing that I really don't like. But I'll get to that later, what happened here was the city is getting confused because of all the tremors, and Captain Universe is messing with Spiderman and the Juggernaut . So in this comic Captain Universe finally says what Juggernaut did to ruin his life, apparently Juggernaut and Spidy were having a big fight and smashed through a building, and because of the damages Captain Universe's alter ego William Nguyen was fired. Then his wife left him, then he was kicked out of his apartment, then he tried to kill himself. On the way down he was rescued by the Enigma Force (again horrible name) and became Captain Universe. Juggernaut said he didn't know suffering because Juggernaut was stuck punching his way underground for a month with out food or air. Later when Juggernaut is attacked by Captain Universe the Enigma Force comes down and takes the Uni-Power away from Nguyen and gives it to Juggernaut. Turns out that when he was smashing his way underground he left holes in it and that was causing the earth quakes. After that he comes back up and wants to kill Nguyen but Spiderman convinces him to become a hero.
             Right there thats what I didn't like about the book. Juggernaut can't be a hero it just doesn't work. I hope Marvel fixes this fast. but otherwise I saw no other problems with this book. Color was great, the dialogue was great, it wasn't boring, it would have been perfect if Juggernaut threw Nguyen into a river and walked away, but alas.

Grade: 7.5/10
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Amazing Spiderman #628

                  This issue did not have a clever little plot, it was a guy named Captain Universe trying to blow past Spiderman and get to the Juggernaut. That was it really, except that you learned barley anything called the Enigma Force. I'm a huge DC fan, so I really like the Riddler, so I know what the word Enigma means.

enigma |iˈnigmə|
noun ( pl. -mas or -mata |-mətə|)a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand.• a riddle or paradox

Really they just called them selves the Puzzling force, or the Difficult to Understand Force. I can put up with names as lame as Mr. America, but the Enigma Force, come on! But besides the lack of creativity that Marvel has, this comic was pretty good. I spend allot of my time trying to understand a difficult story, and it was nice to have just a random "beat-em-up." This issue reminded me of Superman Dooms-Day, and epic battle that goes across many cites with an indestructible man. One thing that I didn't like was that, after Captain Universe knocked him senseless, the Juggernaut lost his helmet, so he took an arm restraint and fashioned himself a new one. For one this restraint was not red, yet somehow the Juggernaut made it red, and second, it was absolutely perfect, smooth and everything, and I never imagined him to be a master sculptor. But those were only minor details, the rest of the comic was very good, and I was glad to see Parker's humor back. Lastly, Marvel always has this very block of color thing, and for some reason it really stood out to me this time and was easy on the eye, and ever since I thought that Marvel had messed up it's series I have been reading only DC, and they don't have that kind of color.


Grade: A-
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Marvel's Blackest Night

            I don't know what has gotten inside the head of the people at Marvel, but they need to straighten out and quickly. Hulk being red, and not Bruce Banner, Bucky being Captain America and Peter Parker being fierd. I don't know if Siege is their attempt at bringing back the old Marvel Universe that I used to know and love. (I used to like Marvel better than DC, now it is the opposite, and very, very in favor of DC) Manly I want the recreation of the Hulk, Now that Abomination out of the way, it will be easier to make him his own villain, but before we get their, Marvel has to make Bruce Banner the Hulk again. After that they have to fix the main characters of Marvel: Spiderman, Captain America. All I want, are two comic universes like the original ones.