Amazing Spider-Man #533 is a Civil War tie-in. Normally, I don’t enjoy tie-in issues with a major mini-series. However, this issue is an exception to that rule. Spider-Man has been such a central character in the Civil War storyline that it makes sense to tie-in his solo title with Civil War. Plus, I have really been enjoying Civil War so I don’t mind any tie-in issues. Unlike that pathetic House of M. I hated the tie-ins to that mini-series. Anyway, let’s go to the review.
Creative Team
Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Penciler: Ron Garney
Inker: Bill Reinhold
Art Rating: 6 Night Girls out of 10.
Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10.
Overall Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10.
Synopsis: This issue starts with J. Jonah Jameson still soaking in the news. J.J. said that despite everything that he always thought of Peter as a son. That Peter was the last honest man in New York City. But, Peter is nothing but a liar and was probably laughing behind J.J.’s back. Jameson says that since they have vouched for Peter’s photos over the years that they will have to make some kind of statement. Jameson says that their competitors are going to have a field day with this. J.J. says that over the years Spider-Man may have annoyed him, embarrassed him and infuriated him, but Peter is the person who has finally succeeded in actually hurting him. And that there is a hell of a price for that. (Wow. Nice scene. And what an enemy J.J. is going to be now. Even worse than before.)
We cut to Peter throwing up over having just revealed his identity. Tony Stark tells Peter that he did the right thing. Peter then tells Tony that if anything happens to him to promise that he will take care of MJ and Aunt May. Tony agrees. Peter then tells Tony that if anything bad happens to MJ or Aunt May and Peter is still alive then Tony is going to be in trouble with him. Tony then tells Peter to go home to his family.
Peter steps outside the building to get to his limo and is greeted by numerous protestors yelling and shouting at him. Once in the limo, Peter calls MJ and she tells him how proud she and Aunt May are of him. Peter then gets a call on the limo’s phone from Reed Richards. Also on the line is Sue Richards. Reed commends Peter on his press conference and tells Peter that he can come to him for anything. Peter then gets stuck in the middle of the two phone calls going back and forth and ends up webbing the two phones together and ignoring both parties. (This is actually a pretty funny scene.)
We shift to Peter Parker exiting his airplane. He is greeted by an attorney for the Daily Bugle who is suing Peter for misrepresentation, fraud, breach of contract and several other charges. They are seeking damages of no less than $5 million.
We then cut to Peter walking from his limo to the Avengers Tower. There are tons of reporters and TV crews camped out around the Tower. We see Flash Thompson watching it all on news. Flash doesn’t believe it and thinks that Spider-Man has staged it all to throw off his enemies.
We then cut to Eddie Brock and the Culture watching the same newscast with the Vulture commenting that this is going to cause Peter problems. The newscast comments how this is going to impact Spider-Man now that all his enemies know his identity.
We slip over to Peter and MJ have a private moment when they are interrupted by Aunt May. May tells Peter to come watch Tony Stark’s press conference. Tony addresses the super heroes who have failed to sign the Registration forms. That the deadline has passed and that they will be hunted down, arrested and imprisoned without exception. Tony states that he will use whatever means necessary to apprehend these super heroes. Tony says that he has a strike team consisting of Henry Pym, (Wait, didn’t Bendis write in New Avengers #21 that Pym has refused to fight his friends?) Reed Richards and Spider-Man. Peter freaks out when he hears this. He and MJ sneak out the back of the Avengers Tower to get some fresh air. Peter has no desire to lock horns with friends like Captain America. Suddenly, the press spies Peter and they descend on him with cameras rolling and flashes popping. A crazy man wearing a Captain America T-shirt yells that he is Captain America’s biggest fan and that Spider-Man is a traitor. The man pulls a gun on Peter. Peter webs up the gun and it explodes in the man’s hand.
We then shift to Spider-Man meeting with Iron Man on the roof of the Tower. Spider-Man yells at Iron Man for not telling him first about using his name in connection with the new strike force. Iron Man apologizes and then they both enter the building to meet their new strike force. We end with a one page splash shot of Iron Man’s team consisting of Atlas, Doc Samson, Wasp, Yellow Jacket, She-Hulk, Thing, Invisible Woman, Mr. Fantastic, Ms. Marvel and a bunch of other heroes I don’t recognize off hand. End of issue.
Comments
The Good: This was a well done issue. I loved the beginning scene with J. Jonah Jameson. That was played perfectly. Jameson’s reaction was excellent. I liked that J.J. admitted how highly he thought of Peter. You knew that no matter how gruff J.J. was to Peter that he always had a soft spot in his heart for Peter. J.J. actually admitting that Peter has hurt him was a surprise. J.J. is not a character that ever shows weakness like that. I also like how by the end of the scene J.J. had been transformed from just a minor annoyance to Spider-Man into a very serious threat to Peter Parker personally. The Bugle’s lawsuit was no surprise. I’m interested to see what JMS does with J.J. in the upcoming issues.
I enjoyed the limo ride where Peter has phone conversations with Aunt May and MJ on one phone and Sue and Reed Richards on the other phone. JMS does a fantastic job with the dialogue in this scene. Not only was this scene hilarious, but it was also well needed. This comic book has been very dark and somber and it desperately needs funny scenes to lighten the mood and keep it from being too overwhelmingly dark.
Of course, you knew that villains like the Vulture were going to see the news and immediately start thinking of ways to attack Peter and to hurt him. There is no way that it doesn’t become open season on Peter Parker.
The scene with the crazy Captain America fan also shows that Peter’s life is pretty much in total chaos now that his identity is public. I think that this type of incident will continue to happen. There is absolutely no way that Peter and his loved ones can have anything resembling a normal life.
I think that JMS did a nice job writing Amazing Spider-Man #533. JMS delivered some strong dialogue. The dialogue is entertaining and has a nice natural flow. Plus, I like the way that JMS writes Peter.
I think that JMS is doing a very good job of showing the impact of Peter going public on his personal life and his family members. Basically, the media is going to stalk him wherever he goes. His villains are going to be gunning for him and his family. Plus, you have to throw in your random crazy people who are going to try and hurt him and his family. This decision has so many far reaching and complex effects on Peter and his family. JMS really gives the reader a feeling of how overwhelming all of this is for Peter. Personally, I don’t think that this storyline makes any sense given Peter’s past. I think that Marvel is forcing a square peg in a round hole with this storyline. However, JMS has done a fantastic job fleshing out the results of Peter going public.
Amazing Spider-Man #533 is basically covering the gap between Civil War #1 and #2, but it is doing it in a much more interesting and engaging manner than done in New Avengers #21. I am enjoying Peter’s transformation that is taking place during Civil War. And it isn’t done yet. You know that Peter has to end up switching sides at some point.
The Bad: I still don’t buy that Peter would ever reveal his secret identity. There is absolutely nothing at all in Spider-Man’s history that would indicate he would do this. Nor is there anything in Spider-Man’s personality since the first Spider-Man comic that would suggest he would support the pro-registration side over the anti-registration side. Marvel just desperately wanted to do something controversial so they shoehorned in this plotline without thinking if it made any sense with Spider-Man’s character and history.
Also, the lawsuits and constant threats to Peter and his family show that it makes zero sense for him ever to reveal his secret identity. The problem is that now there is practically no way Peter can return to being an “everyman” living a normal life in some average apartment in some average area. Peter pretty much is a celebrity like the Fantastic Four and is going to have to live in some high end Tower like the Fantastic Four for security purposes. And that simply is not Spider-Man. Marvel has really painted themselves into a corner. It will be practically impossible to return Spider-Man back to what he was prior to revealing his secret identity.
Also, I think that JMS made Peter look a little dumb with how shocked he was by everything. He really should have known this was coming. Of course, thinking something versus actually experiencing it are two different things.
I also dislike the lack of consistency between the titles. In the end of Civil War #1, Hank Pym looks menacing and spoiling for a fight with the anti-registration people. In this issue, Hank Pym is on the strike force designed to take out these rogue heroes. But, Bendis writes Pym as a half-hearted follower of the pro-registration side who has stated that he won’t fight his friends. So, which is it?
I’m also not a big fan of Ron Garney. His style does nothing for me. It is sketchy, hurried and simplistic. It doesn’t make for an appealing comic book to look at.
Overall: Even though I strongly disagree with Marvel’s move to publicly out Spider-Man, I think that JMS wrote a very strong and entertaining issue. I thought that Amazing Spider-Man #533 was an enjoyable read. I’m definitely looking forward to the next issue.