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5 (14) 4 (51) 3 (28) 2 (12) 1 (5) 3.7 starsAverage score of 75 user reviews
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Poor Villian. Poor Story. 2
One of the fatal flaws with these new characters of the 90s are they learn about themselves way too quickly to have even the faintest hint of realism. Granted, with a 3-issue mini-series and the character's debut at the end of the second issue, some liberties need to be taken. Some, not a lot. The story ends on a rather sad note, leaving it open for a villain to make his return one day but who will ultimately disappear into the obscurity of comic limbo.Overall, it was a great idea but mistakes w...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
A Bit Silly 0
The coloring was an improvement over the previous issue, but the origin for the newest villain, Pyre, was a tad ridiculous. Someone without a clear scientific background decides to take a chance using equipment that may or may not work in a process that may or may not work to gain superpowers for protection? And his motivation was because he was forced to kill undertaking a task to further his own career, he takes out his guilt on Venom. Not to mention his powers conveniently are able to hurt hi...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
Badly Portrayed Punisher 0
The artwork in the story was good, but the coloring left a little to be desired. Some scenes looked way too bright considering the tone of the tale and were basically inconsistent throughout the book.The plot is a little simplistic, but the thing that really throws it is the mischaracterization of the Punisher. His mission is to eliminate scum; he takes all possible precautions to reduce civilian casualties. No way would he say the reporter deserves to die because he's running with a gang. That ...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
EPIC 0
Well, you shouldn't really be reading this to decide whether you should buy this one or not. If you're a Spidey fan, that decision is already taken. This is an epic. No star rating, may it be a 5, a 6 or a 20 can translate how great this story really is. It's wonderfully written, wonderfully drawn, wonderfully penciled, and the result is sublime. Each time I read it, I find some new delightful detail I never noticed. By all means, READ IT. These are the stories that make being a reader worth it....
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
Good Old Evil Goblin 0
Wow. Harry is back as the Green Goblin and just as scary as his father used to be. I love how DeMatties shows the internal dilemma Harry goes through before he puts on the suit. It really adds a new dimension to the character.Another thing I love about this issue is how it twists the whole Green Goblin / Spider-Man feud. Whereas Norman Osborn was just a guy trying to become a crimelord who Spider-Man kept foiling, this new incarnation makes it personal – it's a fight between two old friends who ...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
Epic 1
The Harry Osborn situation reaches it's peak, and culminates with a bang. Sal Buscema art is at it's best. J.M. DeMatteis is at his usual level, perfect. This was the most classic death in the Spider-Books since Gwen Stacy, and until Aunt May (curiously also by DeMatteis and since then undone by Bob Harras).Harry's redemption was one of the most touching moments ever, and his death right in the next page topped it. Also, Normie's presence in the final scene is great, because it opens a very inte...
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
A Story Of Sinister Proportions 0
Another solid issue to this arc. Though Peter's continuing jealousy of not being in the spotlight is getting a little annoying. Especially when he starts getting jealous of his own wife. Come on Peter, you're not doing this for the fame.Doctor Octopus continues rounding up his members for the re-formation of the Sinister Six. A new addition to the group this time around, Jason Macendale's Hobgoblin, who took some convincing to join. It was great to see Ock face him down with ease. Great to see M...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
A Sinister Start To A Great Arc 0
What a great start to the Return of the Sinister Six story. Doc Ock has covered all the angles gathering up his old partners. From duping Electro into meeting him, to black mailing Sandman into joining him. He is indeed the Master Planner. MJ's plot angle is very intriguing. Who deliberately injured her director on the set of her soap opera?? And why?? And then there's Aunt May's boyfriend Nathan. What is he up to with a bag full of cash?? As for Spidey himself, it's nice to see him get a little...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
One Of Scorpion's Better Stories 0
Overall a great issue. The upgrade to the Scorpion's arsenal is done very well. The pacing is excellent, although a few sequences could have been extended. It seemed a bit rushed in places.The "3 AM" sequence with MJ in (and almost out of) her lingerie is a nice surprise. Just enough to make you take notice without being overdone. I'm surprised the Comics Code accepted it. I'm not complaining mind you. I would've guessed that they would've said "no". Maybe that's why.There are a few minor critic...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
If You Think A Radioactive Spider Is Far-Fetched, Get This! 0
Ok, let me get this straight. Wes was bitten by a radioactive JACKRABBIT?!?! Granted we're reviewing the exploits of someone who gained superpowers from a radioactive spider, but this is a bit much. After an impressive introduction, we are let down with the rabbit explanation. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be a funny or serious story. If you're going to do wacky, be wacky. If you're going to do serious, be serious. This way readers know if you're a bad dramatic writer, a bad wacky writer, ...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
No Hope For Boomerang, But A Good Issue Overall 2
The story arch closes, and we still get only a glimpse of the truth behind Cardiac (I know he doesn't return for a fair few issues so for now we are left wanting): an artificial heart, ties with Tony Stark, and a sick-if-not-dead son. I must say I find him an interesting character - particularly the way he chooses to sink the boat rather than destroy the chemicals thus financially destroying Sapirdyne Industries. But for every good character, there is en equally bad one: Boomerang. Not only was ...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
The Fountain Of Youth 0
Ok. Personally, this is one of my favourite Spider-Stories. I know that I may be one of the few people who like it (I think there's two of us), but I don't really care.Just one catch: there was, in fact, someone behind the Chameleon. It was Harry Osborn, the recently dead Green Goblin, who gave him the suggestion to create the fake parents (in Amazing 369 he has a strange reaction to the news of their return). But the Chameleon said nothing about it in this issues. Only in the next issue, 389, w...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
Pursuit - Conclusion 0
I liked this entire arc. It was good to see how the Friendly Neighbourhood Spidey is like when we has no reason whatsoever to be friendly. It just shows a Peter who forgot about the "Power and Responsability" motto, and just wants revenge no matter who's in his way.If you want to know more about the Tracer, just go to his profile, at the The Appendix of Marvel Universe website, by Jeff Christiansen, where you can find all the info you can dream of about obscure characters.Anyway, there's one big...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
Standard Story, Big Build Up 0
The main story followed the basic introduction, explanation, and resolution with a believable ending. Anyone with an addiction is not going to be able to go "cold turkey" even if they have a good reason to quit.I particularly like the common household items Nathan used to combat the shark's enforcers. I support all efforts to remind people that a disabled individual is not entirely helpless. Had he been able to beat all of them with a can of "Raid" it would have been ludicrous. He held his own a...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
A Great Build Up 0
The build toward the final confrontation with Spider-Man is handled very well. The overall pacing is excellent. The fight - if you can actually call it that - with Felicia (Black Cat) is brutal. He slams her - nose first - into a wall and demands she tell him where Spider-Man is "while she still has a face". That's pretty hardcore. However it does establish the character as a violent, sadistic individual that is a real threat for Spider-Man.The sub-plots involving Jonah and Glori's boyfriend inv...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
A Great Package 0
This, for any reader's information, was my first Lizard comic and has more in it too, good deal. Spider-Man #1-5, which was referred to, got me on expanding my collection and so on. I really liked this story, it's a little mushy, but the idea behind it is a good one. They needed to do something about Billy, he had to show involvment in his father's "curse" and he got a chance to. I love this Lizard look, it's the best one I've seen. Not like the McFarlane stuff, but it's a nice way to bring The ...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
Spidey VS Dr Doom 0
A great milestone issue. The opening fight between Spider-Man and Doctor Doom is amazing. Larsen outdoes himself with the action sequences at both the beginning and end of the book. Michelinie tells a good story that has a little bit of everything that makes Spider-Man a great character. The sudden appearance of the Arcane Order and their plan to rematerialize the swarm was a little out of left field, but it did allow a nice wrap up to the Black Fox - Spider-Man dilemma.This was Erik Larsen's la...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
Venom Gets His Vengence 0
There really isn't anything I can write about this issue without restating what I've previously written for the previous issue - namely; fantastic art, hardly anything to side-track form the main focus, a forward thinking and monstrously designed Venom, realistic peril for the webbed-wonder...the list goes on. The only thing this issue has the other (and to this point, few others) issues didn't was a sense of closure. Spider-Man is finally free of Venom, and there is no need (but we know they wi...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
V is For Vile, Vengeance, and Venom! 0
More-so than ever before is Spidey at Venom's complete mercy, making for a great cliff hanger. I gotta say, there isn't a thing wrong with this whole issue. The story never fails to get side tracked with side plots that would detract from the main issue - namely, the cat and mouse game between our two main players. Venom is finally using his brain and know-how as a reporter, something I always felt a bit lacking in the characters previous appearances considering Brock's back-story. Spider-Man is...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Venom At His Best 0
WOW. This issue delivers it all. Drama in spades, peril, characterisation - particularly with an interesting back story for a Z-listing villain, and action, action, action. From the opening shot of Venom watching Parker through the window, to the last shot of the dead black costume, this story had me gripped.All my hesitations towards Styx and Stone in the previous issue are no more; they convincingly come across as a genuine threat. I like the fact that Stone is the brains of the group and that...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
If Styx and Stone Don't Break Spidey's Bones Venom Will! 0
Like most of the first parts of early Venom stories, Venoms actual presence is scarce in this issue - the writing style tailored instead to setting up the oncoming fight and re-establishing back stories. This is Venoms third appearance and is a good reminder as to why he is such a well loved character. Before all the "I'll eat your brains," and symbiote saga stuff, Venom was an obsessive, rage-fuelled maniac who would stop at nothing to achieve his ends. His twisted sense of morals and excessive...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
VENOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2
Hmmmm...my impressions on this story? Great. A really great double sized, anniversary issue from the Spidey team! David Michelinie creates a scary Venom at the beginning then when the fighting starts makes him seem a very formidable foe for Spidey! This is Venom before his 'over-used' years when all he knew how to say was "I'll eat your brains". And Spidey used his brain when he couldn't use his brawn to defeat Venom. My ONLY problem with this issue is that I don't like reading pages of origin s...
3 out of 4 found this review helpful. -
Wild Pack 0
The resolution of the "Kansas, here we come" subplot ended in a believable manner. It seemed unnecessary because taking a hero out of their city doesn't work, however they didn't drag it out for too long.The capture of the neo Nazis seemed a little rushed. Granted Silver was using two super powered operatives, but I expected it to take a bit longer. Marvel Nazi stories usually involve ... an army. This one had 16 people including Kraus. I'm seeing this as a repeat of issue 299 when Spider-Man an...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
A Good Start to Carnage's Bloody Career 0
Not too bad an issue. It's basically a set-up for the entire arc and as a way to get Venom back into active duty. Bagley's artwork is as awesome as ever and really compliments Michelinie's story. The sheer randomness of Carnage's actions mixed with his brutality really showcases what kind of unfeeling psycho he is. Imagine if Jack the Ripper or Son of Sam had a symbiote, or even Charles Manson. Got chills yet? Good. And, of course, the classic Parker guilt: feeling the responsibility for Carnage...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
The Enigma Force Thwarts All! 0
In the Biblical context, Nimrod was a Mesopotamian ruler and mighty hunter. Therefore Project Nimrod should strike fear into the mutant population because "mighty hunters will track them down and capture them". However in a modern context, the name takes on a completely different meaning. I wonder which names were rejected before deciding on this one. I guess "Project Doofus" or "Project Knucklehead" was considered too silly by the government.Oddly enough the negative meaning of the word may ori...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
Goblin Wars! 0
Ok, I have to admit I'm biased about this issue. It's one of my absolute favorites, so it's difficult for me to be too critical about this. The only item that seems a bit too unbelievable is the fact that Harry got very good with the equipment very quickly, specifically the glider. Good enough to even take on a second-stringer like the second Hobgoblin. It never mentioned how long he practiced with it when he was crazy, but the "riding a bike" analogy applies apparently. What works for me is the...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
The Worst Thing About This Mini-Series... The Sequel AHHH!! 0
So what's good? Well, there's plenty of complexity in the story. Bringing back the Sinister Syndicate is a fun idea. Bringing back the Ringer's wife is a funky idea too, even though it's never completely convincing how when person A kills person B, it's always person C that gets blamed, i.e. Leila develops a mad-on for the Beetle, not for Scourge, who actually pulled the trigger!But that's about where the good stuff ends. To start somewhere, the art is a disappointment. Firstly, it's brightly-co...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
What If.. The Fantastic Four had Lost the Trial of Galactus? 0
This was a great story that could blend almost seamlessly in continuity. Even though it goes by too fast to let you feel for the characters' emotions at the start, the quality of the tale more than makes up for it.The characterizations were also spot-on. Sue's personality definitely fit along the lines of the tougher persona she adopted when she took over leadership of the team in the 90s. Not to mention the heroic end that they went out on. Sure, rage got the best of them and made them do somet...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
An Epic Battle 0
The start of this book is really great. The silent monologues to introduce both characters really are spot on. Often, there is a fine line with these things between excellence and just being plain corny. The dialogue here though is superb - especially for Spider-Man. His own disgust at what he does - taking pictures of misery is a side of the character not explored in the core books for a long time.The real triumph of this book is Jim Owsley's words. For a GRAPHIC novel, that's really saying som...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
The Prowler Mini-Series, Part Two 0
Read Part One FirstDespite all of this, the series is pretty decent. It is understandable why it didn't get picked up as a regular series however; the character's background is just not made compelling enough, the supporting characters are not developed enough; it would have been interesting to see what Frank Miller would have done with the story. However, perhaps it is just as well he didn't; the Prowler as presented in this series has too many similarities to the Batman: Year One series.It is ...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
What If... Spider-Man's Parents Destroyed His Family? 0
A fantastic "What If", at least on the story side of things. Spider-Man is really put through the wringer in this issue, and supposedly pays for it in the end. We see how the city reacted to Spider-Man's supposed murders, the heroes and the villains and the normal people like Jameson and Flash Thompson. The downbeat ending really ties everything together, and helps escalate this above most "What If" stories.My only problem with the art was that the first half of the book seemed to be too cartoon...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
What If... The Punisher Had Killed Spider-Man? 0
From the cover to the ending, the story hit all the targets. The Punisher, indeed, is an angry man, hunted and betrayed. Chuck Dixon builds up a good amount of suspense before delivering the story's premise, and then paints a wide picture of the ripples it would cause through the Marvel Universe. We see Spider-Man's amazing friends seeking vengeance, Spider-Man's deadly foes seeking friendship, and the media escalating Spider-Man to legendary proportions. A very good story. The art is also super...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
What If... Spider-Man had Kept his Six Arms? 0
This issue was quite good, with only a few flaws overall.The story managed to show the reader the full effects of Spider-Man's mutation, as unbelieveable they might be. The art was competent, overall, though in a few panels Spider-Man looked kind of fat. Perhaps it's a good thing he lost those arms if it would have meant a fat Spider-Man swinging through New York.Spider-Man's characterization was true to form, save for his decision to become Peter Parker no more and to fully forgo a normal life....
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
What If.. The Fantastic Five Fought Doctor Doom & Annihilus? 0
Man, was this wordy. The art was fine and as far as I know accurate to the time period the story takes place in. All the characters act as they should, as well. The story itself was nifty, as it was nice to see the Fantastic Five again. However, it's clear that the real story isn't about them, it's about Uatu and the Time Keepers. The story suffers because of this."What If?" was designed to be self-contained stories showing us what could have been. However, this issue is the beginning of a five-...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
What If... Daredevil Killed the Kingpin? 0
A great tale with an unforeseen twist. Everything that was Matt Murdock was taken away during the Born Again storyline, and then Matt Murdock himself was removed from the picture paving way for a misguided man to change his ways. Everything in this story interconnected so nicely you could almost forget this isn't how it played out in the end. Amongst all the tragedy there was a tale of redemption. You could feel for the characters and the tale was perfectly crafted within the confines of a singl...
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
What If... Kraven the Hunter had killed Spiderman? 0
This was a very good story. It was well written with good artwork that definitely left you believing that this is what could have happened.Mary Jane was a strong character. Many writers in the regular Spidey comics choose to push her to the background and not use her to her full potential. But, since the weight of the book fell on her with Spidey dead, it was truly a shining moment for the character and a testament to the strength she's always showed over the years.My only problem with it really...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
What If... The Alien Costume had Possessed Spider-Man? 0
I won't even get in the whole symbiote divagation. Well... maybe just a bit. We know that the symbiote is vulnerable to some sound frequencies, then vulnerable to bells tolling, than invulnerable to a heavy metal concert, then vulnerable to someone blowing a horn (!), all this in regular continuity. While some say frequency (acuteness) is the key item, others say amplitude (loudness) is. Someone should clear that up.The re-cap has one fault, that is the mention of the story in Web of Spider-Man ...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
What if Spider-Man Had Kept His Cosmic Powers 0
A good story with some good art. It was interesting to see what Spidey would do with all that power. Instead of becoming a bad guy trying to do good things, he just kept doing good things until it got to the point he was forcing himself onto others. A nice refreshing change from how stories like this usually go. It's also cool to see that instead of merely traversing the following Spidey arcs from the Tri-Sentinel story, they explored the full-scope of the uni-power and threw him into arcs from ...
3 out of 4 found this review helpful. -
The End! - NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! 1
I didn't like this issue because...it was the last one!!! Phil has been a good hero, up until this issue. If he was REAL hero material, he go find Daredevil and ask to be trained!!! Oh well, I guess you can't have everything. Marvel gave us the Goblin for a while, and then took him back. Oh well, they can have him because I'm sure they'll use him again (and soon, I hope).The issue, I have to give two webs. The whole tone was one of surrender, and the gratuitous appearance of Spider-Ben was nothi...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful. -
The End Of The Green Goblin? 0
Oh no, Phil's source of power, his mask, is trashed! What's going to happen now? This issue is one-hundred-and-eighty degrees from last issue in terms of attitude. We get to witness a great turning-point in Phil's life, where he learns to accept responsibility for his powers, and his actions! Sentinels are great enemies, huge and inhuman, with no real discernible agenda except destruction. The art is okay, but the style is much more straightforward than previous issues. But blended together, all...
0 out of 0 found this review helpful.
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