The Spectacular Spider-Men #13 Review

 

Writer: Greg Weisman

Artist: Emilio Laiso

Colorist: Edgar Delgado

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Production: Gabriel Mata

Editors: Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Cover Artists: Emilio Laiso & Edgar Delgado; Carmen Carnero & Nolan Woodard

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 5, 2025

 

The Electros are charged up and ready to fry. Peter and Miles may be used to electrifying experiences, but Max and Francine reduce Elementary to a puddle and still Anna Romney’s cheating heart. Will the Electros finish off their spider prey, or will the Lizard rush in to save the day? Let's grab a "Parker" from Max Vinck, thwip into The Spectacular Spider-Men #13, and find out!

 

Story

While Peter and Miles mended their broken lives with their friends in the Coffee Bean, Max and Francine came to blows in The Bar With No Name. Peter Parker and Miles Morales happily share their moniker. Yet Max and Francine contested for ownership of their supervillain brand. Peter and Miles' teamwork prompted Max and Francine to work together to defeat their mutual enemies. In Spectacular Spider-Men #13, the joys of partnership make Max and Francine contemplate a long-term team-up.

 

Shelly and Kenny were the glue that bonded the Spider-Men's weekly meetups. But Max Vinck has ascended from the bemused barista who insisted everyone buy something to imagining a future with Juliet. When Anna lies in a pool of the girl he's strictly friends with, Max shines in Greg Weisman's story. Max Vinck even engages in humorous dialogue once the Spideys awaken. (You didn't think they would die, did you?) He's not ready for superlative quipping yet, but with Max demonstrating heroism, perhaps he will follow in the splashy footsteps of Juliet (aka Elementary).

 

Speaking of Elementary, she has already endured enough pain and loss to justify her superhero status. In Spectacular Spider-Men #13, Juliet discovers another downside to defending people against supervillains. Her newly minted status comes with no guarantees, though. If the perils of superpowers overwhelm her fragile feelings, the most formidable person Ben Grimm has ever trained could end up drinking alongside Max and Francine at The Bar With No Name.

 

 

 

Art

Emilio Laiso gives Curt Connors a stone-cold demeanor. After exposing his fears when the Electros kidnap his son, Curt shows no emotion as the Lizard sinks his teeth into Max Dillon's arm. While the Lizard's green hide links him with the villains, his glowing eyes and Connor's frown while phoning make clear they're not intent on turning the other cheek.

 

As Peter and Miles play a version of Who’s On First In The Spider-Verse with Max Vinck, Elementary's brown form recalls her earliest transformations in the Coffee Bean. When tears stream down her face, Elementary's blue uniform suggests the mentors she most identified with. While Edgar Delgado delivers a loaded palette on this nighttime adventure in Spectacular Spider-Men #13, yellow and green dominate, and white proves the most shocking.

 

Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase letters into white and colored balloons and narrative boxes while Max and Francine hold hands. Dialogue grows bold and swells when Francine designates Max as her partner in crime. Balloons get cloudy when heroes arise. The Lizard may have helped Misty Knight and Peter battle vampires. But his growled, italicized words show he's nobody's hero. Red growls and roars join white sizzling. The names and descriptions in white boxes remind us why we care about heroes and villains, whether their power comes from their personalities or caring for others. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

As action and humor vie for attention, drama demands the spotlight as Juliet Marcos (aka Elementary) suffers the aftereffects of Arcade and Mentallo’s manipulations. But far from dwelling on a love triangle, Spectacular Spider-Men #13 is all about love: how we find it, how it threatens other relationships, and what we will do to protect those we cherish.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

The Spectacular Spider-Men #12 Review

 

Writer: Greg Weisman

Artist: Emilio Laiso

Colorist: Edgar Delgado

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Production: Gabriel Mata

Editors: Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Cover Artists: David Baldeón & Edgar Delgado; Alessandro Cappuccio & Mattia Iacono

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: February 5, 2025

 

Juliet Marcos decides to do more with her powers when the Electros attack. The superpowered community rallies around to train their latest hero. But will Juliet, aka Elementary, follow Peter and Miles’ example? And how will she fare in a rematch with Max Dillon and Francine Frye? Let's grab a "Parker" from Max Vinck, thwip into The Spectacular Spider-Men #12, and find out!

 

Story

Peter and Miles enjoy Wednesdays at the ESU Coffee Bean. While sheltering his superhero career behind a veil of anonymity, Peter Parker exceeds his dream of becoming a regular. His coffee preference becomes a phenomenon. Flavor Fav Peter still isn’t sure how to define his relationship with Shay Marken. But showing her off makes the ladies in the Coffee Bean view the "Parker" creator as a catch.

 

Shay's relationship with Peter in The Spectacular Spider-Men #12 makes an interesting comparison with recent developments in Amazing Spider-Man. Miles and Kamala also tread the same ground differently than in Miles Morales: Spider-Man. While Brooklyn’s Spider-Man struggles post-Arcadium, Juliet Marcos transcends the trauma of losing an illusory lover.

 

Greg Weisman interweaves past and present and tackles drama with humor. While Miles treads emotional water, most who played Mentallo and Arcade's game have swum the shore. Juliet's lover in Arcadium didn’t know her in real life. But like Peter, Juliet’s joy attracts admirers.

 

As Coffee Bean regulars strive for improvement, Turk Barrett continues his decline. We didn’t glimpse his life before Turk called the number on the Coffee Bean's bulletin board. But Turk got so hooked on easy victories that he seeks any opportunity to get something for nothing in The Spectacular Spider-Men #12.

 

Art

Curtis and Martha Connors look as different as night and day. But despite his light flesh and her green skin, they share similar interests. Ben Grimm’s yellow hide aligns with the yellow Coffee Bean logo, suggesting his belonging with the regulars. When Ben teaches Juliet, her muddy skin turns bluish as if echoing her instructor's apparel. He claims Elementary may be one of the most formidable people he ever trained. Johnny Storm's tutelage echoes Ben's assertion when Juliet's eruption evokes a yellow-orange phoenix.

 

Emilio Laiso parcels three story threads into a nine-panel page that tracks individuals vertically. While customers fill the Coffee Bean, this page follows the primary heroes' emotional journey in The Spectacular Spider-Men #12. Edgar Delgado drains Juliet of her color as she winds through the streets with Peter and Miles, suggesting that a Friendly Neighborhood Elementary may not be in Juliet’s future.

 

Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase letters into white and colored balloons and narrative boxes while Juliet trains. While dialogue emboldens and italicizes for intonation, balloon shapes change with Juliet’s mentors. Letters swell and change color when Juliet channels her gifts. Words threaten to burst balloons when Electros sizzle. Juliet pops once but doesn’t dissolve when she clutches Anna’s hands. After Elementary scrunches and shatters, an animal’s chittering fills the ESU Coffee Bean. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

While the Coffee Bean crowd works on their relationships, villains enter the dating game. Max Dillon and Francine Frye find bonding more appealing than battling over branding. Their strategy to sizzle the spiders and complicate Elementary's life could detune their electrifying infatuation in The Spectacular Spider-Men #12.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

The Spectacular Spider-Men #9 Review

 

Writer: Greg Weisman

Penciler: Andrés Genolet & Emilio Laiso

Colorist: Edgar Delgado

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Production: Gabriel Mata

Editors: Kaeden McGahey, Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Cover Artists: Emilio Laiso & Edgar Delgado; Dave Johnson; Josemaria Casanovas

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: November 13, 2024

 

The gang from the ESU Coffee Bean still gathers each Wednesday. But now, instead of taking individual tables, they circle their chairs and share their grief. Real or imagined, everyone lost a friend, loved ones, or a dream career when Arcadium died. How else might Arcadium have affected its captives? Let’s grab a latte to keep Max Vinck happy, thwip into The Spectacular Spider-Men #9, and find out!

 

Story

Juliet Marcos traveled the world with Anna Romney. Perhaps Juliet suspected their relationship was too good to be true. Even so, Juliet adored Anna and cherished their time together. But their whirlwind romance was an Arcadium fantasy, and on the ESU campus, Anna doesn’t know Juliet. So when Juliet's crush walks into the Coffee Bean during their weekly session and fails to recognize her, Juliet drops her coffee and turns into a water spirit.

 

In The Spectacular Spider-Men #9, Juliet disappears into a puddle. Before the friends can wipe up the spilled coffee, the liquids merge, and Juliet's coffee-stained water form rises. Anger transforms her into flames, and reassurance returns Juliet to her human form. As Dr Sierra Sinclair realizes she isn't qualified to help Juliet master her new abilities, Max wonders if he should have agreed to host the therapy sessions.

 

Greg Weisman's story forces Peter and Miles into leadership roles. Becoming Spider-Men and helping orchestrate the next phase of Juliet's life removes "Peter" and "Miles" from the weekly Coffee Bean session. Peter must put his grief over Gwen Stacy and his Arcadium family aside to help Juliet. When a special guest asks Ms Marvel to join them, Miles confronts his feelings about Kamala Khan. In the real world, Tiana Toomes is his loving and supportive girlfriend. Yet in the Arcadium, Miles wanted Kamala by his side.

 

As Juliet transitions between water, vapor, mud, and fire, she navigates the rocky first stages of a real relationship with Anna. With her forms changing beyond her control, the Spider-Men must find the right mentor to help her. And then there is Max Dillon and Francine Frye. Max saw Spider-Man and Silk defeat Francine on the TV in The Bar With No Name. It irks him that someone else is using his villain name. But for the spider-heroes to quash Francine on TV is bad for his brand. Like Max in the ESU Coffee Bean, Deke gets stressed when two Electros bump into each other over drinks. But then, that's why baristas and bartenders get big tips for serving delicious drinks, right? 

 

 

 

Art

While Andrés Genolet & Emilio Laiso bookend The Spectacular Spider-Men #9 with high-flying action, they supercharge the drama in the ESU Coffee Bean and The Bar With No Name with dynamic layouts and changing camera angles. Panel shapes change from rectangles to pie wedges, while Juliet owns the corners of a two-page spread in her four glorious forms. Superheroes treat the Coffee Bean like Avengers Tower, while sparks fly in The Bar With No Name. Juliet shows all the trauma of losing control of her body, and school teachers dealing with unruly classes will sympathize with Max and Deke.

 

Edgar Delgado makes the ESU Coffee Bean a beacon of light. Overhead lights make the greenish-blue floor gleam as Juliet turns from blue, gray-brown, to yellow and orange. Viv Vision's vibrant skin shines amid the apple green walls while Max Dillon sashays into The Bar With No Name in a darker green jacket. Amid the deep, rich colors of The Spectacular Spider-Men #9, Adam Blackveil’s pink shirt and Juliet Marcos' pink jacket link the superpowered college students.

 

Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase letters into white and colored balloons and narrative boxes amid Juliet's spectacular shapechanging. While dialogue emboldens, italicizes for intonation, and rarely shrinks, dozens of red-edged white boxes remind us of ongoing characters and introduce new ones. Amid all the splashing and spraying, Juliet pops more than a pan of Jiffy Pop popcorn. Yet even in her liquid form, Juliet savors the flavor of her favorite coffee. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

As Peter and Miles ponder the criteria for the perfect mentor in The Spectacular Spider-Men #9, a potential hero and a longtime villain struggle with how others perceive them.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

The Spectacular Spider-Men #8 Review

 

Writer: Greg Weisman

Penciler: Emilio Laiso & Andrés Genolet

Colorist: Edgar Delgado

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Production: Gabriel Mata

Editors: Kaeden McGahey, Kaitlyn Lindtvedt, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski

Cover Artists: Humberto Ramos & Edgar Delgado; Cory Smith & Edgar Delgado

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: October 16, 2024

 

Sha Shan Nguyen requested Professor Raymond Aaron Warren’s help to find Peter Parker, Miles Morales, and her other missing friends. But Miles Warren, aka the Jackal, was masquerading as his brother. The Jackal used Sha Shan’s tip to find Arcadium and help it achieve its ultimate form. As Peter and Miles defeated the Jackal’s forces and KNAIVE, the robot AI child of Arcadium, Sha Shan, and Detective Shari Sebbens arrived to arrest Miles Warren, Hammerhead, Arcade, and Mentallo. Now, everyone from the Coffee Bean can thank Sha Shan, Peter, and Miles and resume their lives, right? Let’s grab a latte, thwip into The Spectacular Spider-Men #8, and find out!

 

Story

Professor Raymond Aaron Warren is dead. He was the incinerated corpse Peter, Miles, and Seymour Krepps discovered in Miles Warren’s lab. Unlike his brother, Raymond devoted his life to inspiring others. So, the friends from the Coffee Bean gather to celebrate his life with other former students and ESU faculty. Yet they have much more to mourn in The Spectacular Spider-Men #8.

 

Perhaps they should mourn the passing of KNAIVE, a newly born lifeform. They likely would if the AI infant hadn't tried to kill them. But the human relationships they lost weigh more heavily on their minds. Unlike the Avengers, the participants can't reclaim the friends they lost. Perhaps Coffee Bean newcomer Adam Blackveil feels this most acutely, as he used Arcadium to battle Thanos alongside his late friend Kevin. As for the rest, promising careers and marriage awaited them. Even the Infinity Stones can't help the friends reclaim those losses.

 

In Greg Weisman’s story, the friends convert their weekly meetups at the ESU Coffee Bean into therapy sessions. Peter’s friend Cindy Moon helps them find a therapist. But while Peter, Miles, and the others share their feelings with Sierra Sinclair, the villains aren’t sitting on their hands in The Spectacular Spider-Men #8. Unlike most participants, Turk Barrett used Arcadium to garner riches, defeat superheroes, and thumb his nose at society. So, after Turk pulled free of Peter and Miles' webbing, he helped Arcade and Mentallo evade Detective Shari Sebbens’ forces. Turk may lack Hammerhead's deep pockets. But as an enthusiastic beta tester, Turk wants to help Arcade and Mentallo rebuild and improve the augmented reality game in every conceivable way.

 

 

Art

Peter Parker claims two spaces on a Tic-Tac-Toe of torment before overtaking the entire board. The spider-men watch as Shari Sebbens’ officers force Hammerhead and Jackyl into a PDNY police van. Lights shine behind Sha Shan as she requests help finding Peter and Miles. So, two quick changes follow in The Spectacular Spider-Men #8. First, Manhattan’s Spider-Man “finds” Miles Morales. Then, Brooklyn's Spider-Man escorts Peter to his former schoolmate. While mourners gather across two pages to memorialize a beloved teacher, a smaller panel shows Shift celebrating a new life with the Vermin, the newly birthed Jackals, and the Unhoused in New York City sewers.  

 

The reds, blues, and blacks of the spider-men, Detective Shari Sebbens, and uniformed officers show off against the gray evening illuminated by blue-and-red lights. Mourners dress in gray and black to commemorate their fallen friend. Shades of yellow and green fill the sewers as Spider-Man and Silk battle a green-and-yellow-clad villain. Their teamwork precipitates an explosion of blue-white light evoking Estrella Lopez's rebirth as Supernova, while the primary colors of red, blue, yellow, and green accompany the emotional energy swirling through ESU's Coffee Bean.

 

After Emilio Laiso & Andrés Genolet's soulful portrayal of people in pain and Edgar Delgado’ sensitive, celebratory, and electrifying colors, Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase letters into white balloons and narrative boxes in The Spectacular Spider-Men #8. While dialogue emboldens, italicizes for intonation, and rarely shrinks, dozens of red-edged white boxes remind us of ongoing characters and introduce new ones. As the cast swells, sound effects accentuate a villain's rising anger and the sorrow of a departing friend. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

As friends regroup in ESU’s Coffee Bean to assess the wreckage of their lives, the threat of new villains and Arcadium hangs over them. The Spectacular Spider-Men #8 addresses the families we create and the joys and pain we experience as relationships evolve and end.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Amazing Spider-Man #55 Review

 

Writers: Zeb Wells

Artist: Emilio Laiso

Colorist: Bryan Valenza

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Editors: Kaeden McGahey, Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Cover Artists: John Romita Jr, Scott Hanna & Marcio Menyz; Michael Cho; Donald Soffritti; Luciano Vecchio

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: August 14, 2024

 

The first time Peter Parker took out Shay Marken, Mary Jane's aunt Anna tricked him into a date with her favorite nurse at Ravencroft. Peter enjoyed their dinner but had to bail before dessert. The second time Peter stepped into the date knowingly, ditto. Did his second attempt express interest or an apology? Why should he try again? Is Shay even interested in him? Let's thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #55 and find out!

 

Story

Peter arrives late. He's surprised Shay waited. She wants to know why Peter arrived without shoes and with a black eye. He tries to palm her off by saying he has responsibilities to others. But Shay isn't letting him off that easy. Shay works in the Ravencroft Institute, after all. She knows what it means to devote her life to the betterment of others. Shay has seen how people's pursuit of wealth, fame, or whatever they valued turned them into villains.

 

In Zeb Wells' previous story, Kraven said his father feared the monster inside Spider-Man. Given what she deals with daily, Shay imagines the worst: Peter preys upon people's need for love and belonging. Late in Amazing Spider-Man #55, Peter Parker discovers a surprising symmetry with supervillains. Zeb Wells seems to ask if Kraven was correct. Is a man who regularly puts the needs of people he doesn't know over the people he has made commitments to a hero or a villain?

 

In its bid to defeat the Green Goblin, the Living Brain gave up everything it was to save Peter Parker. In Amazing Spider-Man #55, Peter must ask himself if Peter Parker was worth that sacrifice. Or was Peter only worthy of the Living Brain’s sacrifice because he was Spider-Man? The story makes for a brisk, thought-provoking read, alternately uncomfortable and charming. Given the series' history and title, it may only provide a glimpse of what could be. Or it might signal a new direction for our titular hero. One thing is unarguable. Shay understands that dating is hard. But Shay expects Peter to prioritize her and do his best for her.

 

 

 

Art

Emilio Laiso opens this issue with Spider-Man flying through the night. He looks lithe, fit, and elegant in his costume. When Peter reaches the restaurant, he finds Shay looking stylish and dressed to the nines. Yet Peter Parker arrives in casual attire. Unlike Shay, he has more than a few hairs out of place. His clothes cling to his limbs and torso as if he is out of shape, making you wonder how well Peter is attending to his fitness and how much of Spider-Man's appearance is due to the suit.

 

Compared with Shay, Peter looks awkward and childlike. Yet he gains the upper hand when he responds honestly and can't explain his tardiness. Shay momentarily relaxes. She knows employers often force employees to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements, and some personal issues must remain private. Peter is also masterful with the waiter. Yet Shay remains the dominant partner.

 

Bryan Valenza lavishes yellows and browns on the background behind Emilio Laiso's characters. The art exhibits a dreamlike luminosity outside and inside the restaurant. Much of Peter and Shay's conversation occurs in six- or eight-panel Old School page layouts. Highlights and shadows play across the couple's changing expressions. Shay rests a brown hand on the blue-white tablecloth when hope fades from her eyes. When Peter lays his hand atop hers, her flesh tones warm, and the tablecloth changes color to match Peter's hand.

 

Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase lettering into dialogue balloons and narrative boxes. The fonts grow bold for inflection, swell for increased volume, and shrink for lowered voices. Jolting red letters accompany a closing door, suggesting the end of a chapter of Peter Parker’s life in Amazing Spider-Man #55. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Peter Parker always means well. But his friendships suffer, and every voyage across the sea of love ends in a shipwreck. In Amazing Spider-Man #55, Shay forces him to look into the mirror and reassess his life. Will his costume and Uncle Ben’s words always define him? Or could he become the Amazing Peter Parker?

 

Rating 9/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Jackpot And Black Cat #4 Review

 

Writer: Celeste Bronfman

Artists: Emilio Laiso

Colorist: Brian Reber

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: Phil Noto, Betsy Cola & Skottie Young

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: June 26, 2024

 

Mary Jane and Paul boarded a streetcar named Detention. When their captors realized MJ and Paul weren't into bondage, Mary Jane transformed into Jackpot to battle assailants on a train. Paul and Mary Jane slipped through the doors at the next stop, but instead of finding hardware, children’s ware, and ladies’ lingerie, they see Tracer, Squid, Rocket Racer & Black Cat. Will Black Cat defend her friends against her lover’s hitmen? Or are Mary Jane and Paul going down? Let’s spin our fruit machine reels, extend our claws, leap into Jackpot And Black Cat #4, and find out!

 

Story

Amelia Morrow worked in a pressure cooker business environment. Her boss denied her credit and a bonus for developing a popular phone app, so Amelia stopped playing by the rules. She stole the source code and developed Obscura. Amelia used her new app to blackmail people into trying to kill her former boss. Since then, she used Obscura to force Mary Jane to steal bank codes so she could rob the Owl and frame her old boss for the theft.

 

Black Cat adores Amelia. But Amelia prizes money and success over others. Felicia’s girlfriend has endangered Mary Jane's life before. So in Jackpot And Black Cat #4, Black Cat takes no chances. She rushes to Mary Jane and Paul's aid and helps Jackpot give the Z-List villains an early night. Black Cat may be a loner, but no one likes being alone all the time. Mary Janes helps Felicia understand that Amelia's recent corporate experiences have warped her into someone incapable of being a caring and committed life partner.

 

In Celeste Bronfman’s story, Mary Jane encourages Black Cat to think more highly of herself. She also allows Mary Jane to explore her powers. After the way Madame Masque enslaved Leland Owlsley during the gang war, the Owl is anxious to assert his status as a crime boss by sinking his claws into Amelia and Black Cat. But Bronfman also lets Paul show why he's Jackpot's Man In The Chair.   

 

 

 

Art

Emilio Laiso delivers a bevy of high-flying action as Jackpot and Black Cat dispatch Tracer, Squid, and a wannabee member of Griff's hoverboard gang while Paul cowers behind two pillars. The lovely ladies talk in an alley, where people have plastered faded posters over a roll-up door. An owl sculpture sits unperturbed as the Owl rises from his wooden throne. The tablet on his desk displays black cat wallpaper. Yet the real fun comes when Mary Jane evokes a scene from the favorite movie of a long-time Spidey scribe and Miles Morales’ cocreator. 

 

 

 

Brian Reber lavishes a loaded palette on Laiso’s exciting action sequences, guarded conversations, and heart-to-heart confrontations. Abundant use of white highlights the sheen of Black Cat's costume, the circuitry running through Amelia's jacket, and the power Jackpot wields. Her armbands also turn green and turquoise when battling the green-suited Owl and his men in black. But a lasting impression from Reber’s work in Jackpot And Black Cat #4 is how the power Jackpot wields through her golden armbands and her shiny red and gold suit recalls another popular Marvel superhero. Let's hope Mary Jane's fondness for champagne breakfasts and her children's vanishing act doesn't incite a drinking problem.

 

Ariana Maher spins black uppercase dialogue into white balloons and orange narrative boxes in Jackpot And Black Cat #4. Raised voices enlarge letters and contort balloons. Sound effects heighten intense fight scenes, a vehicle skidding off the road, and Jackpot damaging New York City property.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

Smartphones rule our lives. In addition to providing news, weather, and sports, they are our music and entertainment portals, connect us with others, and tempt us to do things we might not otherwise attempt. In Jackpot And Black Cat #4, Paul pits his technical expertise against the avaricious Amelia and aids Mary Jane and Felicia by finding someone who resists the almighty allure of smartphones.

 

Rating 9/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Jackpot & Black Cat #3 Review

 

Writer: Celeste Bronfman

Artists: Emilio Laiso & Giada Belviso

Colorist: Brian Reber

Letterer: Ariana Maher

Cover Artists: Pablo Villalobos; Javier Garrón & Jesus Aburtov; Elizabeth Torque & Tríona Ferrell

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $3.99

Release Date: May 29, 2024

 

Mary Jane Watson disapproves of Felicia Hardy's criminal endeavors as Black Cat. Still, Mary Jane values her friendship with Felicia. Felicia has supported MJ’s burgeoning career as the superhero Jackpot. But Felicia’s new friend, Amelia Morrow, encourages Black Cat’s criminal activities. Will Amelia Morrow tear Mary Jane and Felicia Hardy apart? Let’s spin our fruit machine reels, extend our claws, leap into Jackpot & Black Cat #3, and find out!

 

Story

Last year, Amelia Morrow developed a popular phone app. When her employer refused her the credit and compensation she wanted, Amelia stole the source code and developed Obscura. Amelia adopted the supervillain name Bandwidth and used her new app to blackmail users into doing her bidding.

 

Amelia has little in common with Mary Jane or Peter Parker. Yet Amelia has spun Felicia into her web of criminal intrigue. Mary Jane wants Felicia to accept the truth. But Felicia adores Amelia and clings to the fading hope that Amelia cares for her. In Jackpot & Black Cat #3, Felicia excuses Amelia's behavior and insists she wouldn’t scare citizens into employing deadly force. Even as Felicia asserts that Mary Jane is wrong about Amelia, Felicia knows her friend is right. So why is Felicia denying the facts and the instincts that have allowed her to pursue her career without ending up in prison?

 

So far, Amelia has conned Felicia into fleecing Chance’s Flying Casino. She ordered app users to kill Mary Jane. Amelia threatened to harm Paul unless Mary Jane robbed White Rabbit’s money laundering operation. Mary Jane and Paul force Felicia and Amelia into an impromptu breakfast double date in Celeste Bronfman's story. Mary Jane wants to take down Amelia while protecting Felicia. But despite Felicia’s pleas, Amelia has no intention of playing nicely.

 

Felicia Hardy has made some strange friendships with Peter Parker and Mary Jane. While Peter cooled on Felicia, Mary Jane strives to reform her. Amelia accepts Felicia for who she is, and Black Cat enjoys playing Bandwidth’s games. But in Jackpot & Black Cat #3, the stakes get higher. People could die amid Bandwidth’s fun. Even if Mary Jane and Felicia survive, the consequences of Amelia’s actions could leave their lives in ruins.

 

 

Art

Felicia and Amelia look relaxed together in their apartment. But tensions rise as Mary Jane saunters in. Mary Jane sits across from Amelia while Paul faces Felicia. If looks could kill, they'd be lying on the floor. Felicia's hostility vanishes in the bathroom as MJ slips into teacher mode. Felicia sits on the bathtub and stares down at her knees before regarding MJ while supporting her head with her hand. But MJ doesn't soften before Felicia's Baby Don’t Hurt Me No More look. Instead, Mary Jane adopts a fighting stance and gestures while she argues her case.

 

Emilio Laiso and Giada Belviso turn on the heat when Paul and MJ leave the apartment. Paul hunches as he follows his lady love. But Paul stands beside MJ when enemies surround them in Jackpot & Black Cat #3. And Paul charges into danger at Mary Jane's side when supervillains appear.

 

Brian Reber paints Black Cat's apartment in gray, tan, pink, and purple. Mary Jane's purple top blends with Felicia's interior better than Amelia’s bright blue pajamas. Amid all the colorful passengers, Reber paints the subway train interior in gray and orange, flattens foregrounds, and adds a haze to lighten backgrounds. Little outshines Jackpot's red, gold, pink, and white suit, but a green-and-yellow multilimbed villain tries.

 

Ariana Maher spins black uppercase dialogue into white balloons and orange narrative boxes in Jackpot & Black Cat #3. Sound effects enliven the subway scenes as Jackpot's reels spin, MJ's powers manifest, and bodies slam into walls. Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

 

Final Thoughts

Amelia and Black Cat’s antics ruffle the Owl’s feathers and could incite another gang war. Events also force Felicia to confront her fears and doubts about Amelia. She's straddled the fence for too long. In Jackpot & Black Cat #3, Felicia Hardy must choose between friendship and love.

 

Rating 8/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

Amazing Spider-Man #38 Review

 

Writer: Zeb Wells

Penciler: Ed McGuinness

Artist: Emilio Laiso

Inkers: Mark Farmer, Wade Von Grawbadger & Ed McGuinness

Colorists: Marcio Menyz & Erick Arcinega

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Ed McGuinness & Marcio Menyz; Valerio Giangiordano & Mattia Iacono; Dike Ruan & Alejandro Sánchez; Steve Skroce & Richard Isanove; Victoria Yang

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: November 22, 2023

 

Madelyne Pryor sent her Repossessor to capture Rek-Rap. But her Re-Po Man made plans without her. He kidnapped Peter's friend Randy Robertson. When Peter tried to save Randy, Re-Po swallowed him. Now he’s getting sucked down to the supermax section of Limbo. Can anyone liberate Peter Parker from another internment in Madelyne Pryor’s domain? Let’s thwip into Amazing Spider-Man #38 and find out!

 

Story

Although Peter abandoned him, Rek-Rap is in a forgiving mood. Why not? He's got his show: Rek-Rap Storytime Adventure! He turns everything into a positive and rewrites disappointments and failures into startling successes.

 

Madelyne Pryor took Re-Po’s soul. Then she planted him in her garden of jagged souls. She thought she could use him like a slave. But memories of his past linger. Bereft of conscience, he resumes old habits. 

 

 

 

Peter abandoned Rek-Rap to Re-Po's less-than-tender care. Now Peter is imprisoned alongside the ever-lovin symbiote slugger. After deriding Rek-Rap's abilities, Peter needs his demon-fan's help. Thankfully, Rek-Rap forgives everyone and admires Peter! A day in Limbo opens Peter’s eyes to Rek-Rap’s greatness in Amazing Spider-Man #38. Rek-Rap may twist his tales in a misguided attempt to gain admirers, but he’s got talent. He'll gladly mobilize a Great Escape attempt to help Peter save Randy. I wonder: will Peter remember that?

 

All this casts Madelyne Pryor in a poor light. The X-Men debated her personhood. She allied with Ben Reilly after the Beyond Corporation stole his memories. Yet she strips souls from people and treats their fragile remains like automatons? Bad Goblin Queen! Bad! Bad!

 

 

 

The Gang War Chapter

Hammerhead's stirring more unrest among his crime lord fraternity. While his machinations pit gangs against each other, the warring factions threaten Hammerhead's domain. Janice Lincoln dreamed of a life with Randy Robertson, but Randy is pushing to rescind Wilson Fisk's antivigilante law in Amazing Spider-Man #38. Along with the gang war, it feels like another attempt to destroy everything her father built. It's a heartbreaking irony that exposes the fallacy of Randy's belief that love conquers all. But shouldn't a good person try to reform those who do wrong?

 

I wonder: is that what Madelyne tried to do with Re-Po?

 

 

 

Art

Ed McGuinness, Mark Farmer, and Wade Von Grawbadger bring us more Rek-Rap craziness in Amazing Spider-Man #38. His insidious cousins may be suffering, but the Web-Whanger looks more invincible than ever, both in body and spirit. White lines radiate his positivity, while white energy crackles off Spidey after his rapid arrival. Camera angles shift, and panels tilt as Re-Po threatens Randy, while scenes of Spidey and Rek-Rap's rescue play against Re-Po's continued menacing. Backgrounds may suffer, but the energy never flags as the crew in red and blue race to combat Madelyne’s Monster Menace.

 

Emilio Laiso’s Hammerhead lacks grandeur, and some panels cry out for backgrounds, yet Laiso packs four compelling scenes into his six panel-stuffed pages. We witness the smoky aftermath of Jake's attack on Lady Yulan's grunts. Janice's sorrow deepens as she dons her Beetle suit and flies into the air. When a cyborg and a costumed supervillain come to blows, readers will question who's pulling the strings in this manufactured Gang War. 

 

 

 

Marcio Menyz proves a multi-hued wonder in Amazing Spider-Man #38. While purple seems the background of choice, gray also serves as a backdrop to the blue-and-red Web-Whangers. A yellow and brown wall contrasts with Randy's green hoody and Re-Po's gray face, while white and yellow suggest reflections on his sharp knife. Re-Po's toothy maw burns like an inferno, yet Rek-Rap's epic save casts the next panel into the shade. The festive, holiday lighting of the final page reminds us that—given time--the demon symbiote can turn every negative into a positive.

 

Erick Arcinega turns the first panel of The Gang War Chapter into an airbrushed lithograph. Color tones shift as rapidly as the gangs switch allegiances. Janice's lavender suit contrasts with the gray-green hospital room as we glimpse Silvermane and Nefaria through a red-and-yellow holographic map.

 

Joe Caramagna’s black letters in white balloons and boxes vary in size in Amazing Spider-Man #38, while their larger cousins denote how time flows differently in Limbo. Sound effects play off Rek-Rap and Parker Pete-Man's biological surroundings, and the giant, colorful words of the penultimate page evoke a popular 1960s superhero TV series. Thud! Crack! Pow!

 

Thanks to Marvel for providing this issue for review.

 

Final Thoughts

As Rip-Rap's relentless positivity wins new converts and the Gangs Of New York go to war, Re-Po and Madelaine remind us how results often oppose ethics in Amazing Spider-Man #38.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.