Hello everybody, this week I bring you not one, but two new reviews! Also, I've created an archive where you can check out past reviews! So, enjoy!
The Amazing Spider-Man #5
Writer: Howard Mackie
Penciled By: John Byrne
Inked By: Scott Hanna
Editor: Ralph Machhio
Summary/Review:
The cover of this issue is similar to the classic Amazing Fantasy # 15, but this time a Spider-Woman is holding the man, and Spider-Man is swinging onto the scene, visually startled. Also, the titled is spary painted over where the "man" in Spider-Man is and replaced with woman. At the start of the story, we are taken to the middle of an attempted robbery by some super-powered Y2K fearing bad guys. It seems hopeless, as the cops are considerably outclassed, but then low and behold, the Amazing Spider-Woman or Mattie appears and saves the day. After defeating the bad guys she comments on how she and the press are going get along real well and she's not going to make the same mistake Spider-Man did. Then, Jessica Drew (a former Spider-Woman) is going home after I long day, when suddenly a villain so fast, she doesn't even see it attacks and defeats her. After that, the most recent Spider-Woman, Julia Carpenter, experiences the same attack. Realizing this unseen attacker's motive, thoughts of Mattie are raised, and there she is battling some of the Mole Man's monsters with Spider-Man. After they defeat the monsters, Spider-Man starts talking with Mattie about how she's too young to be doing this and so on. Then, the much anticipated attack occurs and we are left with a closing scene of the attacker revealed and standing over a battered Spider-Man and Spider-Woman. In review, I can't say I was all that blown away with this issue. There was nothing in particular that turned me off, but it seemed that the whole story was somewhat lacking and this whole issue was one giant plug for the upcoming Spider-Girl series. Fortunately, it gets better, specifically in the conclusion which occurs in my next review, Peter Parker: Spider-man #5!
Peter Parker: Spider-Man #5
Written by: Howard Mackie
Guest Artist: Bart Sears
Inked by: Scott Hanna
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Summary/Review:
This issue picks up right where Amazing Spider-Man # 5 left off. Except Spider-Man and Spider-Woman are no longer lying in front of the new villain who claims to be the one true Spider-Woman, but clinging to the side of a building. Spider-Man manages to get inside one of the building's open windows, and there Mattie's origin is retold. We then are taken to the luxury apartment of Peter and Mary Jane, where we find MJ exercising. Then she receives a disturbing phone call from some unknown person, who was screaming, "I know you!, I know You!" when she hung up. Black Cat is then seen preparing for her nightly routine of stealing from the bad and giving to herself, when a battered Spider-Man approaches her in need of a place to stay. The evil Spider-Woman locates Spider-Man and attacks the three of them realizing she can't hold them all off at once, she throws Cat out a window and presents Spidey with the choice of saving Mattie or the Cat. The Amazing Spider-Man manages to do both and the evil Spider-Woman takes her leave and reminds them that this is far from over. The last page is of Mary Jane at home receiving another phone call at this she is considerably distraught and we leave with an image of a shaken MJ weeping on the floor. Overall, a good issue not great, but certainly much better than ASM #5. Perhaps the highlight of the issue was the dramatic sub plot developing with Mary Jane and the phone calls. Otherwise, the conclusion was decent, I especially enjoyed the evil Spider-Woman's hunting of all the past Spider-Women.
