Amazing Spider-Man #539 - 543 "Back In Black" Talkback (Spoilers)

[Kazuya Prower]

And so it begins with #539!

http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/7706/asm539covsmgb5.jpg


Back In Black Part 1 of 5
Look what someone found in their closet! Reeling in the aftermath of the Civil War that’s wracked the Marvel Universe, Peter Parker has got plenty of reasons to consider a change of wardrobe. Black is his state of mind. But the worst is yet to come for Spider-Man. Get on board here, True Believer, as we gear up for an event that will forever change the life of your favorite web-slinger. There IS no going back.

Comments?

[Damien]

So I'm still not sure why we saw him in black in CW # 7, but this new Amazing Spider-Man totally sold his incentive for donning it. The best line in this issue was the last one as he's swinging through the rain and lightning.

[Moto Pete]

great issue but i think it may be 2 mo's till we get another

[Stu]

#540

http://www.marvel.com/comics/onsale/covers/0307/ASM540_SM.jpg

No one’s paid the price for Civil War more than Peter Parker. Now, one of his worst fears has been realized. A tragedy from which he might never recover. And if that weren’t enough – he’s a fugitive, hunted, on the run. Black isn’t just the color of his costume – it’s a state of mind. Get on board here, True Believer, as we gear up for an event that will forever change the life of your favorite web-slinger. There IS no going back.

Comments?

[Frank Castle]

After seeing that Marvel would have the stones to kill Cap, I think they might go ahead and have Peter kill Kingpin. I know we've seen Peter pissed before and not go through will killing someone, but with Aunt May on her deathbed, I think Kingpin's gonna die.

[Leo Arcadia]

After seeing that Marvel would have the stones to kill Cap, I think they might go ahead and have Peter kill Kingpin.

I doubt it, though I wouldn't discourage it.

Even if Kingpin did die, he'd probably come back. Death in Marvel comics is like a head cold. You call in sick for a few weeks then show up good as new.

[Moto Pete]

After 2 months no real advancement in the story.

Spiderman is suppose to be a killer in Black

[wonderfly]

I dunno, I get tired of "Will Peter be pushed to the edge and kill?!?" storylines...we seem to get this kind of story once every few years. If you think about it, he's already killed Morlun, (twice) so he's already crossed that boundary years ago.

I also cannot fathom why Marvel would want to pit Kingpin against Spider-Man again. Kingpin is a Daredevil villian, who never quite fit into Spidey's rogues gallery. To really make this compelling, they'll need to make Kingpin a major figure in Spidey's life again...but as we already know, Kingpin's out of jail and overseas in the pages of Daredevil, so we all know Spidey's not going to kill him, (and it's not going to be the start of a major storyline where the Kingpin and Spidey plot against one another). So what's the point?!? Really, to make the Kingpin so petty that he's willing to hire a hitman just to kill his wife and aunt...It just doesn't feel right.

On the other hand, I like the detective work that Spider-Man did in this issue. The whole "tracking down the assassin" bit was interesting.

[Stu]

#541

http://www.marvel.com/comics/onsale/covers/0407/ASM541_SM.jpg

A sniper’s bullet changes everything in Peter Parker’s life. Clad in his black costume, Spider-Man will stop at nothing to find the man who pulled the trigger and, even more important, the man who gave the kill order. This is Spider-Man at his darkest hour.

Comments?

[Spiderman]

In the recent issue of Amazing # 541

Peter take's a page out of BATMAN's book about terrorfiying Interrogation methods .

I mean damn it the way he had Jim hang upside down with in the sewer with rats crawling all over him not to mention Peter's words .

About the The Lower Food Chain , The Predators & The Prey .

I felt like I was reading BATMAN (pissed-off) and inerrogating his suspect almost to near death .

I really like how the TPTB are exploring the Darker side of the Hero in The Back In Black story arc. Giving us an in-depth look at Spidey at his darkest hour, I really makes some great story telling has well as some great Character Devlopment for Parker etc..

But I'll be glad when Wise-cracking Red & Blue web-slinger return in One more Day.

[Xurk]

I just saw Natural Born Killers for the first time last night, so the bits with all of the prisoners getting out of their cells made me feel pretty uneasy.

One thing that I found strange was, no matter how much money was in that bag, that all of the prison staff agreed to play blind and even open all of the cell doors!!! Seriously, I don't think anyone would let all of the criminals out of their cells, it's too much of a risk.

This book is the polar opposite to FNSM, whereas Spider-Man is the most Back in Black here; actually pretty logical, as this is JMS's book and I think seeing as he has the most to say about Spider-Man [writing the main book and all], he is probably one of the Back in Black masterminds.

I'm glad the Kingpin is finally being used in a Spider-Man story again [although the premise of it was a bit strange], but I'm not really enjoying this story, I'll be glad when it's over with I think.
I am interested in seeing what Peter's unfiltered radioactive blood does to Aunt May though.

[Stu]

Ignoring JMS' nauseating take on Spider-Man for a few minutes - does anyone else think the artwork is just a poor man's take on John Romita Jr?

Back when the black suit made it's debut in the 80's, the suit really poppped on the page. It was sleek, it was sexy and it was stunning - you barely missed the red and blue suit it was that cool. Yet, with the exception of some of the recent Sensational Spider-Man covers, the suit has looked crap since it came back.

Do I sound like an old man, the way I constantly complain about how better comics used to be?

[Xurk]

Well, I think that when we first get hooked on Spider-Man [usually in our younger years] I think we view the stories differently than we do when we get older, and seeing as it was back then that we got hooked, not now, we tend to fawn on those old stories more than they sometimes deserve - I didn't start collecting Spider-Man feverishly until the Clone Saga, which left me practically drooling, whereas know re-reading some of those issues leaves me feeling embarrassed... so I guess it's just a mixture of us becoming old men the way people tend to give criticism easier than compliments [it's practically human nature].

Actually, JMS's run on AMZ is a pretty good example; I really think he saved the Spideyverse when he started his run, after the DISASTROUS relaunch, which almost killed the character [I can't resist typing that JMS was the one to literally kill him though ;)]. The first arcs were really good / interesting, but since Sins Past it's dropped in quality IMO.
This results in many people not remembering the state the Spider-Man books were in before JMS started out, only remembering the last few years [which are still better than the relaunch years]. I do think it is time for JMS to leave though, he's had a nice sit, but I'd like to see what others could do for Spidey now.

About the black costume, I agree with you. It does virtually nothing for me in AMZ, while it is pretty cool in SSM and okay [though not as cool as it should be] in FNSM.

[wonderfly]

Ignoring JMS' nauseating take on Spider-Man for a few minutes - does anyone else think the artwork is just a poor man's take on John Romita Jr?


Blasphemy! I've loved Ron Garney's artwork since he run on Captain America in the late 90's. John Romita Jr.'s a master storyteller, but Garney does some things better in my opinion, (Garney's faces are often cleaner in appearance).

He also draws a pretty cool Kingpin, if I do say so myself. Although why they want to bring back the Kingpin as a Spidey villian is still beyond me...

Moving on, I don't mind Spidey being all "dark and brooding" as he is prone to doing that every few years, but that's just it: We've "been there, done that" as far as Spidey being all dark and everything...this really adds nothing new, to me.

[Xurk]

Oh yeah, meant to comment on the Ron Garney art.

I think Garney is having a nice run on the title, I have no complaints about the artwork. As wonderfly said, the art is nice and clean. John Romita JR has a more rough and gritty take [especially on facial expressions]. He's up there with Bagley as my all-time favourite Spider-Man artists. Garney is okay, but he doesn't come close [yet].
The first artist that comes to mind when trying to compare Garney, is Mike Wieringo, but that's probably just due to the smooth features, as Garney draws slightly more realistic opposed to cartoony.

[Stu]

Amazing Spider-Man #542

http://www.marvel.com/comics/onsale/covers/0607/Sp-Man_542_SM.jpg

A sniper’s bullet changes everything in Peter Parker’s life. Clad in his black costume, Spider-Man will stop at nothing to find the man who pulled the trigger and, even more important, the man who gave the kill order. This is Spider-Man at his darkest hour.

Comments?

[wonderfly]

Okay, so.....why did Kingpin let all of those criminals out of their cells if he was just going to have them stand around and watch him get pummeled by Spider-Man?!? You would figure a guy as smart as the Kingpin would know he couldn't take on Spider-Man alone, (one punch by Spider-Man would've knocked Fisk's head off, if Peter hit him hard enough).

I just don't buy the Kingpin as a threat to Spider-Man. Kingpin should stick to being in the Daredevil books...

This issue was a terrible let down...

[Stu]

One does wonder why Fisk was the major protaginist in this issue - The Kingpin hasn't been a Spider-Man villain in years, and given how well he's recently been used in Daredevil, you'd wonder why they even bothered. Another mis-step that simply plagues the Spider-Man books lately...

I can't wait to see the new creative team on the book - this one outwore it's welcome long ago and the fact they're simply out to shock us one last time with One More Day only worries me...

[Spider-Man]

How will it end?

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #543

http://marvel.com/comics/onsale/covers/0707/ASM_543_SM.jpg (http://marvel.com/comics/onsale/covers/0707/ASM_543.jpg)

WRITER: J Michael Straczynski
PENCILS: Ron Garney

THE STORY: One bullet changed everything for Peter Parker. The black-clad Spider-Man has battered his way to the man who gave the kill order -- Wilson Fisk, a.k.a. the Kingpin. At his darkest hour, will Peter cross the line he swore he’d never cross? You won’t believe your eyes, True Believer.

Comments?

[Stu]

Apologies for not bumping the talkback.

This issue was plagued by something that's been bothering me about this book for years now - everything just seems to set up the next storyline without ever really concluding everything. I'm not opposed to having a constant ongoing storyline but this issue was simply here to fill in the gap until One More Day starts.

Peter counting his felonies is pretty stupid - he is already an outlaw for not complying with the registration act and he's been acting as a vigilante for years anyway, which is also against the law.

Still, the lack of his costume in this issue just proved one thing - it was pointless brining it back in the first place and was nothing more than a cheap cash in on Spider-Man 3. What a wasted oppertunity...

[Wolf Boy2]

I was really enjoying this story right up until this point. I didn't mind the issue until I noticed that it was #5 -- the conclusion. I was like, WTF, this doesn't conclude ANYTHING.

Yet I am still going to buy the next issue, LOL. Civil War, Captain America's death and the New Avengers/Transformers crossover have gotten me back into Marvel with a vengence.

[spidl]

For me Back in Black is a five issue story arc if you count the last issue of the Civil War story. This really is just the prologue to One More Day. I won't be checking that out. This issue just pointed out the big logic flaw that has been plaguing the story all along. That is if Peter is willing to do all those felonies why not just go to Stark/Reed Richards for help?

[Wolf Boy2]

For me Back in Black is a five issue story arc if you count the last issue of the Civil War story. This really is just the prologue to One More Day. I won't be checking that out. This issue just pointed out the big logic flaw that has been plaguing the story all along. That is if Peter is willing to do all those felonies why not just go to Stark/Reed Richards for help?
Duh! He can't trust them??

Did you read the "War at Home" arc? Stark is willing to jail anyone -- ANYONE -- who does not register. Hell, Stark tried to arrest Peter, even beat the crap out of him in the process. I'm sorry, but I don't see how going to Stark would even be an option.

[spidl]

Duh! He can't trust them??

Did you read the "War at Home" arc? Stark is willing to jail anyone -- ANYONE -- who does not register. Hell, Stark tried to arrest Peter, even beat the crap out of him in the process. I'm sorry, but I don't see how going to Stark would even be an option.

So your saying avoid jail is more important than saving his aunt's life? If it so important than why commit those crimes that would send him to jail anyway? If Peter is willing to do anything to keep his Aunt alive then personal freedom should be one of the options on the table. Besides we already know that Tony has already offered amnesty to Spidey repeatedly, the badly out of character JMS written issue notwithstanding.

[Wolf Boy2]

When did Tony and Peter meet during Civil War outside of the main Civil War series and JMS issues? Was this in Iron Man's title?

At this point, with all those felonies, would Tony still give him amnesty? IDK, but Peter is so lost at this point that throwing himself at Tony's registered feet is just about the only way out of this mess.

For some reason, this version of Spidey is reminding me of Britney Spears.

[spidl]

When did Tony and Peter meet during Civil War outside of the main Civil War series and JMS issues? Was this in Iron Man's title?

At this point, with all those felonies, would Tony still give him amnesty? IDK, but Peter is so lost at this point that throwing himself at Tony's registered feet is just about the only way out of this mess.

For some reason, this version of Spidey is reminding me of Britney Spears.

He offered Spidey a pardon at the begging of WWH. I am pretty sure he offered the same at the beginning of the New Avengers arc that should have happened after this story arc. So besides those JMS issues Tony has always offered a helping hand to Spidey.

[Wolf Boy2]

Well, eat it JMS haters. I just read "One More Day" today and Tony does help Peter (off the record, he gives 2 million dollars to Jarvis who uses it to pay May's hospital bills). IDK anything about Tony offering Peter a pardon, but in Civil War he seemed like he wanted to arrest Peter. Besides, any offer of a pardon would be contengent on Peter re-registering and helping Tony go after heroes (something he would NEVER do now).

I've never read World War Hulk. Is it any good? I've never liked the Hulk therefore I've never purchased any book of his (yet -- if its good I will buy it).

[spidl]

Well, eat it JMS haters. I just read "One More Day" today and Tony does help Peter (off the record, he gives 2 million dollars to Jarvis who uses it to pay May's hospital bills). IDK anything about Tony offering Peter a pardon, but in Civil War he seemed like he wanted to arrest Peter. Besides, any offer of a pardon would be contengent on Peter re-registering and helping Tony go after heroes (something he would NEVER do now).

I've never read World War Hulk. Is it any good? I've never liked the Hulk therefore I've never purchased any book of his (yet -- if its good I will buy it).

That sorta confirms my problem with the last issue. If they had just labeled it as a One More Day Prologue instead of the end of Back in Black it would have worked better. If you just read the JMS/Bendis takes on Iron Man I can understand your impression about Tony, but every one else seemed to take a different more accurate portrayal.

WWH is a good summer blockbuster film type of book. It is primarily an action showcase with some nice moments. I am enjoying, but I did not have high expectation coming into it. I found Planet Hulk to be an excellent read especially in the collection they have out now.