Spider-man's Tangled Web #3

Last issue ended on a cliff hanger: Spider-man was paralyzed, tied to a chair and spiders were pouring out of his former co-worker's mouth.

This issue opens with a new kind of hero: the landlord.  He walks in just as the Thousand (what the spiders call themselves) are about to consume Spidey.  They then turn their attention toward the unfortunate guy and wear his skin like a suit.

This issue is pretty much just an extended rooftop fight scene.  The Thousand's jealous of Spider-man's life and Spider-man says he's got nothing to envy.  We then get a glimpse of how the Thousand came to be.  He ate the spider that bit Peter that fateful day.

So,the paralyzing venom wears off and they fight; the Thousand ends up getting electrocuted and falling off the roof.

One spider of the Thousand survives and is promptly stomped on in the street.  Nice ending.

The art is a touch to static - the 2 previous issues felt much more fluid.  This was a fitting ending for this story and I put the book down feeling satisfied.  Guess the moral here is the grass is aways greener on the other side.  Spidey's life to an outsider looks like a good time, but in truth it is filled with little but loss.

Might keep going w/ this series for a time - we'll see what I feel like doing when I get a free minute to read.

Until then, happy reading!

Credits:

Written by - Garth Ennis
Art by - John McCrea and James Hodgkins

Spider-man's Tangled Web #2

Last issue introduced Carl King, a bully from Peter's past who attacked a secretary at the Bugle.  After the attack, we see the secretary walk out w/ the bully's skin hanging in the closet.  Creepy.

Now, this bully know all about the dual life Peter lives, but we do know he's super jealous and super pissed.

Pete ticks off his current girlfriend, Skye, at a party and ends up walking home alone, soaked by the rain with every step.  He gets home and Miss Patton (the secretary) is waiting on Pete's door step.  She tells him some sob story and our hero invites her up to dry off.

Miss Patton - who by now we know is somehow really Carl King - off handedly says she knows Peter is Spider-man, and Pete - frozen with surprise / fear - watches as miss Patton's hear turns a full 180 degrees.  Once again: Creepy.

Carl (or Miss Patton of The Thousand) and Spider-man fight on the roof top and Pete find out that Carl's been watching him for a while - like ever since the day he was bitten on the field trip.  Carl bites Spider-man, paralyzes him, and ties him to a chair.

Upon regaining consciousness, Spider-man finds out what exactly The Thousand is - a bunch of spiders inhabiting the skin of Miss Patton and with Carl's consciouses.  They pour out of Miss Patton's mouth and creep toward our bound hero.  One last time: Creepy.

This is a nice issue of Spider-man, a little trip into the more grotesque side of things.  The scene where the spiders come out of Miss Patton's mouth is bound to give me nightmares.  Once again, I have to say do not judge this issue by its cover.  I really like McCrea's pencils - they are both sparse and chilling.  I really can't do them justice.  Guess I'll have to start posting some interior art on my posts.   This is a solid story.

The Thousand wraps up in the next issue - and who knows, maybe we'll read more of the Web Head.  Until then - happy reading.

Credits: 

Written by - Garth Ennis
Art by - John McCrea and James Hodgkins

Spider-man's Tangled Web #1

After a couple of weeks with Grendel, I need a bit of a break.  So, enter our friendly neighborhood Spider-man to tangle with the villain called the Thousand.   


This issue opens with a man sitting in a diner, sulking.  He's obsessing over Spider-man, who is fighting the Rhino outside.  Spidey cracks some jokes, hits Rhino with an armored car, and generally saves the day.

But who is this man in the diner?  And how does he know that Spider-man is really Peter Parker.

Pete tries to do some laundry and fails.

In a flashback, our mystery man bets up on a young Peter Parker.

Pete tries to sell some pictures and fails.  Miss Patton (a feature's editor, I guess) takes Pete's picture and we cut to the evening.  The Bugle is empty - except for Miss Patton.  Our mystery man shows up and attacks Miss Patton.  The last page of the issue shows the mystery man's skin hanging in a closet like a wrinkled suit and Miss Patton strutting out of the building.

First, let me say one thing: do not judge this book by its hideous cover.  The interior art is head and shoulders above the cover.  It's got a clean feel to it, polished and refreshing.  The fight scene at the beginning with the Rhino is a joy to read.  I'm kind of a novice reader of Spider-man, but this is the beginning of a good 3 part story that is just that: a story - complete with a beginning, middle and end.  Tomorrow - the middle chapter of the Thousand.

Until then - happy reading.

Credits:  Written by - Garth Ennis
               Art by - John McCrea, James Hodgkins,
                            and Steve Buccellato