Another Review Wednesday

Two comics today plus looking at the NFL free agent frenzy and analyzing the big trade the Cleveland Indians made before the deadline. 

Avengers Academy #17



Another week, another strong Avengers Academy issue.  After the emotional end of #16 with Veil, the kids get a chance to stop fighting and relax before the real storm hits. Though Pym isn't shown in this issue, he is the catalyst for Absorbing Man and Titania going to the Academy and attacking the kids during their "relaxing" time.  There were two great moments in this issue both involving Reptil. The first one was when he went to take on Absorbing Man and Titania by himself. That was an epic moment but there was an even funnier moment when Striker and Reptil have a brief discussion about Tigra's breasts. Was not expecting that at all but it made me laugh for a good bit of time.  Sean Chen's art on this issue was excellent and I really dig the rotation between him and Tom Raney. I'm really pumped up for the next issue in two weeks as we draw closer to issue #20, where the shake ups start.

Grade: A

Ultimate Fallout #4



Even though the big news from this issue was spoiled yesterday with the reveal of Miles Morales as Spider-Man, there is still another big shocker from this issue.  The other big surprise in this issue was the reveal that Reed Richards is still alive and he returns to Earth with big plans.  The other story in this issue dealt with mutants and their tie to the government.  Unfortunately, that section was kinda boring, as nothing much really happened to increase the interest after two big reveals previously.  The writing was good on this issue but the star was the art. The three artists on this issue were Sara Pichelli, Salvador Larroca, and Clayton Crain. All three of them brought their A-game for this issue and, in the case of Sara, makes me more pumped for the relaunch of Ultimate Spider-Man.

Spider-Man Grade: A+
Reed Richards Grade: A
Valerie Cooper Grade: B-
Overall Grade: A-

Sports Stuff

The NFL is back and crazy as ever. Though all this stuff happened a week ago, my computer has been down and I have been unable to get my views across. My Patriots traded for not one, but two head cases that may be turned around. They would be Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco. I know that Belichick has done amazing things before but if he can straighten these two out, he is a master.

On the flip side, the Browns have done no big moves which really pisses me off. They had a chance to go after some really good line men but decided to go with what they have. Which is crap, pure crap.  Someone on a local radio station mentioned how Cameron Heyward, the Steelers first round pick, is their third string lineman while Jabaal Sheard, the Brown's second round pick, waltzes into camp as the No. 1. Bull crap. The Browns needed to make some moves but didn't. Get ready for a rough season, Brown fans.

The Cleveland Indians pulled a shocker when they traded for Colorado Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez.  However, they gave up the farm for him, trading three great prospects for the pitcher, who is having a rough year after his astounding year last season.  As much as I like Jimenez, I think the Indians gave up a little bit too much for a pitcher when they really should have gone for a bat to bolster their line-up. That being said, I am pumped for Ubaldo's first start, rumored to be Friday.

Well, I've rambled on for a while now. I've got a nice post coming up this weekend about the Ultimate Spider-Man TV show and if it can live up to the great, great, great Spectacular Spider-Man.

And the New Spider-Man Is...

If you are reading this right now and have not read the news about who is the new Ultimate Spider-Man, please click the little 'X' button right now. Honestly. I don't want to spoil it for you if you do not know.

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You gone yet? If not, let's continue then.

After weeks and weeks of speculation, the new Spider-Man was announced today. Thankfully, my computer got fixed just in time to figure out who he is. It is Miles Morales, a half-African American, half-Latino gent who will don the threads and save the world as Spider-Man.



Just like the Death of Spider-Man, this surprised people when it shouldn't have had.  Though I am disappointed that it wasn't Miguel O'Hara, Bendis combined the theories of Ben Reilly and Miguel to create Miles.  Though this reveal seems anticlimatic to me, I'm also pumped for the new Spidey. 

So, how is Peter like Miles' "Uncle Ben"? Well, the preview art does not show Miles using the webbing so I suspect that Aunt May, Gwen, and MJ give him Peter's web shooters and their blessing. How does he get his spider powers? That I have no clue about. Maybe Captain America uses the Zodiac Key to try to bring Peter back but instead Miles gets Peter's powers.  So, seeing as how Cap feels guilty for playing a part in Peter's death, he will offer to be Miles' mentor.

Something that I would like to see, even though it probably won't happen, would be the return of Lana aka one of the Bombshells.  I know that Miles is younger than Pete (and, in return, Lana) but I would love to see those two develop a relationship in their civilian guises while disliking each other in their costume lives.  Will it happen? Probably not, but a guy can dream, right?

I'm also looking forward to seeing the reaction of some of Peter's villians to the new Spider-Man. What will Mysterio think when, once he thinks he's won with Peter out of the way, Miles shows up to stop him.

Though I thought that Ultimate Spider-Man would suffer without Peter as Spidey, I am starting to believe that having Miles as Spider-Man will suffice. Be back tomorrow with reviews.

Rapid Reviews

Haven't reviewed any comics in a while. So seeing as I got a few comics, it's time for a rapid reaction review post.

Amazing Spider-Man #665

The issue before the summer blockbuster "Spider Island" goes down, this issue takes a look at Peter and Betty's friendship, something we haven't seen really in depth since #583.  After Venom #3 and #4, this is the next issue where something bad happens to Betty.  After Betty is ambushed after Peter flaked on her, Pete goes into full blown kick ass mode, with a beautiful two page spread by Ryan Stegman. As good as the main story was, the two big reveals come in the back up story, which reveals that Aunt May and Jay are moving to Boston and shows that Carlie will have a large part in Spider Island, seeing as she is getting spider powers.

Grade: A

Avengers vs New Ultimates #6



What happened? This mini series started off great but these last two issues have been clunkers.  Thankfully, the final issue of this series is better than the last but it still leaves something to be desired.  The Spider and Gregory Stark are both killed and while I don't care if the Spider was killed, I'm sort of upset Gregory died. He seemed like he was poised to become a big time threat in the Ultimate Universe. Alas, that will not be happening. The art by Leilil Yu is impressive as always but it's a shame that the story wasn't up to par. I honestly don't know why it carried the "Death of Spider-Man" banner on it, as the only time Spidey was brought up was when he got shot and a short mention in the past two issues.

Grade: C+

FF #6



Honestly, I don't know about this issue. I'm still catching up on the Fantastic Four's history so this issue kind of confused me. However, the issue, which did not show a panel of the Future Foundation at all, is easy enough to understand that I needed only a little bit of further backstory. Obviously, bring back Black Bolt is an interesting move and, though it was a good issue, I don't see the connection to the last issue and the overall story arc. However, I believe in Hickman and that it will all make sense by the time it's over.

Grade: B

Ultimate Fallout #1



Last but certainly not least, we get to the gem of the week. I thought that I would never get teary eyed over a comic and Ultimate Spider-Man #160 proved me wrong. Another week, another Ultimate comic making me tear up.  Though a very simple issue, the feelings that the characters have get sent to you, from MJ's scene with Fury to the scene at the church between May and the young girl. Bagley was yet again at top form, absolutely destroying this issue. I cannot wait to see the resolution from this cliffhanger and to finally see Peter's grave and put the literal nail into the coffin of ever seeing Peter ever again.

Grade: A+

Next time: I take a look at the Death of Spider-Man as an overall arc and the bright future of the Ultimate Universe.

10 Things-Ultimate Spider-Man Arcs

Hello everyone. Welcome back to the Random Blog, where I will be celebrating the Death of Spider-Man in a few different ways. Today, I will be going over my top 10 favorite arcs. And awaaay we go.

10) Ultimate Knights- Not only was it an action-packed arc, but it was also an arc that introduced a team that I wish would get back together. This arc was filled with epic moments, like Daredevil showing up at Peter's school, crazy betrayals, and an epic finale where young Peter Parker is the voice of reason for Daredevil.  For some reason, I especially liked the ending montage of the team after the Kingpin is caught. 

9) The New World According to Peter Parker- The first arc of Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, the first arc after Ultimatum, and the first arc for David Lafuente.  Not a lot of people liked this arc, mainly for David's art, saying it was too much like "anime". I actually enjoyed the art and the overall arc in general. Mysterio is probably my favorite 616 villain and my love for him carried over to the Ultimate world, as this Mysterio is poised to become a big time threat.

8) Public Scrutiny- A darker arc that involves someone copying Peter's dual identity.  This was one of the first arcs that I fully read when I started reading comics and it remains one of my favorites. While I was never a fan of Spidey being on the outs with the cops, this arc was different for some reason.  Peter being shot and in the process of being arrested really upped the anty of the impostor. And, of course, there was the heart breaking finale, with Captain Stacy dying in the line of combat, thanks to the faux Spider-Man.

7) Warriors- After a few hard hitting arcs, Warriors brought Spider-Man back to the street level with a free-for-all fight between every street level hero and villain.  I was always interested by this universe's Black Cat/Spider-Man relationship and it ended on an interesting yet funny note.  The final fight with everyone involved was very cool and Bagley drew the heck out of it. 

6) Death of a Goblin- Stuart Immonen's first arc was one crazy ride.  Not only did the arc bring back Norman Osborn, but it also displayed a Green Goblin/Doc Ock fight, an awesome Spidey/Electro chase and fight, and, ultimately, the death of Harry Osborn.  One of the things I enjoyed most about this arc was the issue dedicated to showcasing the insight of Norman's mind. Though I was not sold on Stuart's art in the beginning, by the end of this arc, I knew that the book was in safe hands. 

5) The Clone Saga- A re-imagining of a classic and widely disliked Amazing Spider-Man arc, Bendis knocked this arc out of the park. It introduced Jessica Drew aka Spider-Woman to the world and she was embraced by the fan base. The arc had a great twist with the Richard Parker clone and it also revealed Peter's secret to Aunt May.  The other reveal to the Fantastic Four was good as well, even though it added to the number of people who know Peter's secret.  The only down side to this arc was the death of the six armed Spider clone.  But overall, this arc was amazing.

4) Hobgoblin-  This arc finally gave Harry Osborn the exposition that he needed so badly.  It also created one of my favorite comic book villains of all time: Ultimate Hobgoblin. I enjoyed that Harry was being guided by a figment of his imagination and that he remembered Peter's secret.  The arc also ended the Peter/MJ relationship for the time being. Though Harry wasn't in the book for that long of time, this arc was definitely worth the wait.

3) Ultimatum- Tying into the big Ultimate event, this arc was arguably better than the main event.  Bendis and Immonen were able to capture what Loeb was trying to do.  Peter was thrown into a situation that was way beyond his comfort zone and he did what he did best: save people.  Even though his team-up with the Hulk turned out bad, Peter continues to do the heroic thing.  The cliffhanger that lasted two Requiem issues was killer, but the end result was worth it; Peter was still alive. Issue #133 was the cream of the crop, being a silent issue and it made the reader imagine what was being said and with what emotion was displayed.

2) Death of Spider-Man- The best "Spider-Man" arc, this arc was an emotional rollar coaster.  Peter defines the term "hero" in this arc, not only saving his family from the Sinister Five, but also taking a bullet for Captain America.  Bendis and Bagley reunited for this monumental arc and they did not disappoint what-so-ever.  Peter's last stand against Osborn was epic and, during the issue, I thought that three separate people were going to die at different times. Ultimately, Peter passes away in his aunt's arms, doing what he was unable to do with Uncle Ben: save her.

1) Tainted Love- Otherwise known as the Chameleon arc, this is the best "Peter Parker" arc. To look at it, this arc and DoSM are basically 1A and 1B.  The Chameleon arc was essentially two small arcs put together. The first part dealt with Kitty lashing out and attacking anyone not named Kenny.  Then came the Chameleon part. Peter is kidnapped by the Chameleon who, in return, takes over Peter's life and completely screws it up.  This arc was beautifully drawn by David Lafuente, who really stepped up his game and delivered.  Even though Spider-Man barely makes an appearance in this arc, it still remains my favorite because of the Peter/Jonah scenes, the Chameleon/MJ scenes, and the final fight between the Chameleon twins and the Amazing Friends.

Next on the Random Blog, I'll be going over my opinion on the entire Death of Spider-Man arc, giving the pros and cons of it and why Avengers versus New Ultimates is even part of the overall storyline.

See you later.

A Sad Day

A hero died recently. He died honorably and heroically. This man is Peter Parker and he died saving the people he loved the most from his most hated enemy, Norman Osborn aka the Green Goblin.  Sure, he wasn't the main stream version of Spider-Man and there are a good number of people who don't know about this version of Peter. But that doesn't matter; this version of Peter was my main stream version.  I grew up with this Peter and I was and still am devistated over his death. I hope that Peter will return at some point but I trust Bendis. 

I've read the issue enough times now so I believe it is time to give my review on this monumental issue.

Review

Well, I went to my local comic book store right when it opened and sped home to read this issue.  Boy, it did not disappoint.  We start with MJ trying to sneak out to go find Peter but her mom won't let her.  Meanwhile, Peter is swinging May and Gwen away from the Goblin and pleads with Gwen to get May out of there. Pete, getting weaker by the second, wakes up Johnny and starts Goblin versus Human Torch round 2. Unfortunately, the Goblin easily wins this round, absorbing the fire power Johnny had.  Peter and Osborn continue to throw down until MJ conveniently shows up with a dump truck and subdues the Goblin. After a quick kiss, Peter uses the truck to pound Osborn into a pulp. The truck explodes and Peter is flung away from the scene. One by one, Johnny, MJ, May and Gwen show up at Peter's body as he gives his last words.  Peter tells May that what's coming is perfectly fine, as he did what he couldn't do before; he was unable to save Uncle Ben but he saved her. And with that, Peter passes away as the burning corpse of Norman Osborn smiles, knowing that his mission is complete.

Heart-wrenching. That is the only word that comes to mind whenever I read this issue.  This is one of the most powerful issue of a comic that I have ever read.  And, honestly, I believe that this issue is in the top 5 of my all-time favorite comic issues, despite the tone and outcome.  Bendis and Bagley knock this finale out of the park. I can't believe that there was a time where I dreaded the return of Mark, but now, I'm so happy that he came back for this arc.  What else can I say about this duo that hasn't been said? Absolutely nothing, as this is, in my opinion, the perfect comic book. I cannot grade this issue due to the fact that the emotional ties are too strong. If you are reading this and have not read the Death of Spider-Man arc, DO IT. You won't be sorry. Especially seeing as all the cool varients are coming out this week. 

More Death of Spider-Man stuff to come this week, including Top 10 arcs, my opinion on the overall arc, and my theories for the future of Ultimate Spider-Man.

RIP Peter. You will be missed.








 

A Comic You Should Be Reading

It's well documented on this here blog that I love Spider-man comics, both Amazing and Ultimate (and probably soon to be Avenging).  But, just recently, I discovered another comic that has become a new favorite of mine.  That would be Avenger's Academy, written by Mr. Christos Gage and illustrated by Sean Chen and Tom Raney. 

When they introduced the Avenger's Academy, it was when the Heroic Age started and they rebooted the entire Avengers line, having the Avengers, New Avengers, Secret Avengers, and AA.  I went for Avengers for Bendis and John Romita while also going for New Avengers purely because of Stuart Immonen. Secret Avengers really wasn't in my interest and AA seemed like it wouldn't last. However, it did. I dropped New Avengers a few months ago when Immonen left and, while I still get Avengers, I needed something else to get. Then Amazing Spider-Man #661 rolled around.

When it was announced that the AA was going to be in ASM #661, I was ho-hum about it. I never read the book and really didn't know what to expect. To put it nicely, I was blown away by the two issues. I found myself thoroughly enjoying the kids of the Avengers Academy. That led me to picking up Avengers Academy #14.1 a few weeks ago. Now here I am, adding Avengers Academy to my pull list.

For those who are not reading this book, pick it up. It is the best $2.99 book on the market these days. Gage is writing the heck out of it and, though I have only seen one artist's work on the book, I know that the art is amazing.  I'm looking forward to getting the past issues of AA and for the future, which looks to be a really fun ride.

Throwing My Hat Into the Ring

Well, in two weeks, Spider-Man will die.



This will be the look of the new Spidey, drawn by Sara Pichelli. However, will it be Peter Parker under the mask? It all depends on who you ask. Some say that it is the death of "Spider-Man", not Peter so there is no way he can die. Others believe that Peter will bite the dust. Me, I'm hoping that Peter lives and there are a few hints that Bendis has given that support this view.

- Gwen is said to be having a big year. Why would she still be in the book if Peter is dead?
-As I stated early, it's the death of "Spider-Man", not Peter. So Peter could technically "kill" Spider-Man but remain among the living.
- Captain America will have a big part in the book. This will be explained more later.
- The Zodiac Key was introduced and really hasn't played a big part in anything. What was the point of introducing it during the prelude to DoS and not do anything with it?
- Peter has yet to have trained with Thor. Why introduce the super hero schooling to only kill the character who is being taught?

So, what's going happen in Ultimate Spider-Man #160? Well, the cliffhanger in #159 was the Goblin leaping at Aunt May and a beaten down Peter.  So Pete, being as hurt as he is, tries to get himself and May out of the way but cannot, having May get burnt to a crisp and Peter, in a rage, beats Norman to death.  However, with his neighbors and possibly the paramedics and police watching, Peter must go on the run, possibly leaving New York for a bit.  Fury learns about what happened and, thanks to the Spider, has a way to make it look like Spider-Man has died and allow Peter to don a new suit, ala "Back in Black". Since Peter has nowhere to go, Captain America offers to be his guardian/mentor since he feels guilty for May's death. 

So to summarize my theory. Aunt May dies. Peter kills Norman. Spider dies. People think it's Spidey. Peter dons black costume. Cap "adopts" Peter.

More than likely, I'm way off. But that's the fun part about theories. You can be way off and it makes you think "why didn't I think of that?" and Bendis is a master of those situations. I cannot wait for Ultimate Spider-Man #160, whether it be for better or worse for Peter Parker.