This Post Will Not Be Followed With a New #1

It wouldn’t be accurate to say that the post-clone titles bombed.  I think “languished” would be a better term.  Most of the books were decent sellers, but Spider-Man still wasn’t competing with the X-titles, and there didn’t seem to be much enthusiasm from the fans.  What worked and what didn’t?

The Art

All of the artists assigned to the books in late 1996 would seem to be commercial draws.  Steve Skroce and Luke Ross were coming from the X-titles (okay, they did X-Man, but that’s still an X-title), Mike Wieringo had done some fill-ins for the X-titles and had built a name for himself at DC, and John Romita, Jr. was a Marvel legend with lengthy stints on Amazing Spider-Man, Uncanny X-Men, Iron Man, and Daredevil in the past.  Cracks develop early on however, with Skroce dropping out of Amazing a few issues in and Ross’ cartoony style not meshing with DeMatteis’ psychologically dark stories in Spectacular.  In addition, Wieringo seems to struggle to find a style that fits Spidey for a while there, and Romita’ title is given some extremely disappointing fill-in artists.  On any given month, the average quality of art in the Spider-Man books could only charitably be called “inconsistent.”  It’s a shame that the most consistent writer wasn’t paired with the most consistent artist -- why didn’t Ralph Macchio pair DeMatteis/Romita together on Amazing Spider-Man?

The Villains

The Clone Saga concluded with the “shocking” reveal that the original Green Goblin, Norman Osborn, had been behind the entire fiasco.  And even though Norman apparently died yet again in the closing chapter, there was no doubt that he would be returning soon.  Marvel actually showed some restraint and waited a year before giving Norman his big comeback in Spectacular Spider-Man #250.  There is a sense that the creators were often spinning their wheels while waiting for Norman’s return.  Dr. Octopus was revived, Electro got a power-up, and the Chameleon fought off insanity long enough to learn Spider-Man’s secret ID, but none of those storylines were sold as Big Important Events.  It’s obvious that Marvel considered the original Green Goblin to be the villain with the most marketing potential, and to be fair, his return issue in Spectacular is executed very well.  

Within a few months, however, it’s clear that the creators have no real interest in doing Norman Osborn stories, or at the very least, can’t think of anything worthwhile for him to do.  He buys the Daily Bugle, threatens some cast members, and tries to sell “m’boy” as a catchphrase, but he doesn’t seem to do an awful lot.  The creators even seem reluctant to have him don the Goblin disguise again, leading to an utterly pointless mystery surrounding the new Green Goblin.  (I thought we were supposed to be psyched to see the original Green Goblin!)  The books have an awful lot invested in Norman’s return, and when that eventually flops, the dearth of credible villains becomes even more obvious.  Even when one of Spider-Man’s foes actually accomplishes something, like in the Chameleon story mentioned above, the story just exists in the vacuum of one title.  Spider-Man never seems particularly concerned in his other titles about this villainous loon learning his secret identity, and within a few issues, it’s even forgotten in Spectacular Spider-Man itself.

The Supporting Cast  

Everyone knows Spider-Man has the greatest supporting cast in comics, right?  So why is it that this two-year period brings us only one memorable storyline featuring a supporting cast member?  Inserting Flash Thompson into an alcoholism storyline probably isn’t the greatest use of Flash, but J. M. DeMatteis does generate a lot of credible character work out of the idea.  Yet, if you followed any of the other titles, you wouldn’t even see an acknowledgement of the ongoing storyline starring Peter’s oldest friend/rival.  Instead, each book seems to claim a supporting cast member or two and keep exclusive focus on those individual stories.  

Allowing every creator to follow the character of his choosing might seem like a nice way for each writer to put his unique mark on each title, but in practice, it’s a mess.  Peter Parker’s interest in the lives of Robbie Robertson, Flash Thompson, and Billy Walters seems sporadic at best.  And most of these character subplots are absolute duds.  Robbie’s conflict boils down to his wife nagging him into retirement…a misguided concept that drags on for months.  And the rich, new supporting cast members that the Empire State University setting was supposed to bring us -- do the names Shantal Wilsk and Marina Caches ring a bell?  No, of course they don’t, because they’re ciphers that no one ever developed into believable personalities.  

Speaking of ciphers, the issue of the Stacy family has to be addressed.  Added to the titles at the urging of editor-in-chief Bob Harras, but with apparently no guidance on what to actually do with the characters, the Stacys languished in the background for a few months and predictably contributed nothing.  Eventually, it’s simply declared that Jill Stacy is MJ’s best friend, although no creator seems willing to explain how exactly one explores a friendship with a piece of cardboard.  Paul Stacy is allegedly Peter’s academic rival, a role that serves no real point since none of the writers are invested at all in Peter’s college life.  And Arthur Stacy makes a few empty threats to investigate Spider-Man, a plot that’s referenced in a surprisingly great issue of Unlimited, and then pretty much disappears.  Marvel promised a revived focus on the supporting cast upon Peter Parker’s return, and this is what it delivered.

The Marriage

I’m not interested in debating whether or not Peter and MJ should be married.  Everyone has his or her opinion on this and it’s hard to see anyone budging by now. However, Peter and MJ are married at this point in the titles, and since Marvel has no nerve to separate or divorce the couple, then the stories should contain a genuine focus on the dynamics of their relationship.  And almost none of them do.  J. M. DeMatteis steps up once again and puts in a real effort, while Todd Dezago’s stories in Sensational occasionally hint at the fun, sexy side of their marriage.  To the other creators, the marriage seems to be a subject to be avoided at all costs, or an excuse for Spider-Man to endure another lecture from his unsympathetic wife.  More annoyingly, MJ’s personality shift seems to happen overnight with no real justification within the stories.  

The Status Quo

This era of Spider-Man begins with Peter and MJ returning to New York.  The baby, as far as they know, was stillborn.  Aunt May is dead.  They can’t afford a place in Manhattan so they live in Aunt May’s old home with MJ’s Aunt Anna.  Peter returns to work at the Daily Bugle.  Both Peter and MJ enroll at ESU and try to start their life as a couple over again.  There’s clearly an effort to go back to a situation that the readers are familiar with, while not outright pressing the reset button.  The lost baby is always a thorny issue, but there is the occasional scene that manages to broach the subject in a tasteful and poignant way.  Aunt Anna initially comes across like a replacement Aunt May in this situation, and never seems to outgrow the role.  (Anna’s considered such a nuisance by the writers that she goes several months at a time without even making an appearance.)  

Having Peter and MJ move back into Aunt May’s old place is an idea I’ve always liked, and it’s a shame that more isn’t done with the Forest Hills neighborhood.  The new neighbors introduced in Sensational seemed to have some potential as recurring characters, although we’ll never know what might’ve been.  The return to ESU always comes across as something Bob Harras thought was a great idea, but none of the people working day-to-day on the books had the slightest interest in.  There is the occasional “Chaos on Campus!” plot, but for the most part, the college is a background element that adds nothing to the stories.  The idea that MJ is suddenly desperate to study psychology also comes across as arbitrary.  The Daily Bugle makes a welcome return, although it’s hard to think of any particularly great stories that use the setting.  Jonah Jameson has his moments in Spectacular Spider-Man, but the grand mystery involving him and Mad Jack fizzles out in a, well, spectacular fashion.  

In retrospect, this setup should’ve produced several memorable stories.  The only elements that don’t fit into the “classic Spidey” mold are holdovers from the clone days that would’ve eventually faded away.  At some point, the status of Peter and MJ’s baby would have to receive a definitive answer, and someone needs to find a unique role for Aunt Anna; outside of those issues, there’s no obvious reason why this status quo shouldn’t work…unless you’re absolutely adamant that a) Aunt May shouldn’t be dead and b) Peter shouldn’t be married.

The End of Spider-Man (?)

From 1996 to 1998, the post-clone era usually remained under the radar.  As I mentioned earlier, not bad sellers, but certainly not great ones, either.  Perhaps the die was cast when Wizard (still rather powerful within the industry in the mid-90s) printed an article in late 1997 detailing the ennui that surrounded the Spider-Man titles.  In another piece from this era, Wizard stated its belief that Aunt May shouldn’t have been the one to die in Amazing #400…it should’ve been MJ!  Yes, that pesky marriage is the problem, along with a series of issues the magazine claimed were holding the titles back.  Wizard’s solution seemed to boil down to “go back to the Roger Stern days.”  Marvel was thinking retro, but not in the way Wizard probably expected.  (You can read the article on the "What Would Spidey Do?" blog. It's typical of Wizard’s writing of this era -- arrogant and ignorant simultaneously. I have a hard time making it through the piece, even though I agree with many of their points.)

Marvel tried to revive interest in the titles with two connected crossovers, “Spiderhunt” and “Identity Crisis,” but before the second crossover was even finished, the big announcement had been made.  The Spider-Man line was getting relaunched with a series of new #1s.  John Byrne was coming over from DC to reboot Spider-Man’s first year with Twice Told Tales (later renamed Chapter One), and Howard Mackie would be the sole present-day continuity Spider-Man writer.  The reboot/relaunch turned out to be a critical flop, and after an initial sales bump, the Spider-Man titles were no better off than before.  

The Chapter One/Next Chapter era was so hated for so long that memories of the preceding era seemed to fade away.  In most fans’ minds, Spider-Man goes from Clone Saga to reboot to J. Michael Straczynski, with no gap in-between.  There is an era nestled in there, though.  I wouldn’t argue that it’s best forgotten -- there are numerous stories in there that are true to the character and worth any fan’s time -- but perhaps it is easily overlooked.  Let’s face it, the titles rarely interacted with one another, there seemed to be no overall direction for the line, and no title seemed to generate a momentum that could last for more than a few issues.  It’s hard to name one element that defines this era, and even though individual story arcs can be singled out for praise, overall the Spider-line was so unfocused and aimless that it feels as if there’s nothing to hold on to.  It’s a quirky, brief blip in the character’s overall history, doomed to obscurity.

Does the Post-Clone Era Even Have a Name?

I’m not quite sure what Marvel expected to happen when Peter Parker returned to the Spider-Man books in the fall of 1996.  Yes, it’s easy to make the case that the majority of fans wanted the Clone Saga over and Peter reinstated as Spider-Man (even though Ben Reilly turned out to have a more dedicated fanbase than anyone could’ve predicted), but Marvel’s approach to the return seemed strangely low-key.  There wasn’t a new title with a fresh #1 issue.  No multi-title crossover to herald his first month back.  No cover gimmicks.  No variant covers that I’m aware of.  Heck, the creative teams even stayed basically the same.  The only new addition was J. M. DeMatteis on Spectacular Spider-Man, and by “new” I mean “back after a year away.”  Marvel’s assumption seemed to be that by simply giving the fans what they claimed to want, all eyes would return to Spider-Man and things would work out okay.  

Looking back, I wonder now if Marvel was reluctant to give the Spider-Man titles a large marketing push so soon after the launch of the “Heroes Reborn” books.   Perhaps someone thought that pushing a new Spidey #1 just a month or so after Avengers, Fantastic Four, Iron Man, and Captain America received new #1s would’ve been too much for the market to bear.  That doesn’t really sound like Marvel, though, does it?  Also, “Heroes Reborn” was famously hated within the halls of Marvel’s offices (due to the titles being farmed out to Image creators), so it’s hard to imagine Marvel making a conscious effort to downplay one of their brightest properties in order to appease creators that were still viewed as the competition.  Honestly, I think it’s entirely possible that Marvel believed that a quick sweep under the rug of any clone silliness was all the books really need at the time.

So, by late 1996, the Spider-Man line consisted of Amazing Spider-Man, Spectacular Spider-Man, Peter Parker: Spider-Man, Sensational Spider-Man, Spider-Man Unlimited, Spider-Man Team-Up, and one title set in the past, Untold Tales of Spider-Man.  In addition to this rather lengthy list, Marvel also published a monthly series of Venom miniseries, and numerous one-shots featuring Spider-Man.  The only real marketing push I can remember for the post-clone titles were a few blurbs in the Bullpen Bulletins, boasting that the titles would have more of a “classic” feel, with Peter and MJ returning to college and new supporting cast members like the Stacy family possibly creating some fresh conflicts.

Did it work?  I’ll continue the retrospective in my next post, concluding my Spider-Man review series (which stretches all the way back to, geez, 1985!)

SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #33 - November 1998

The Gathering of Five - Part Five: Gifts

Credits:  Todd Dezago (writer), Joe Bennett (penciler), Al Milgrom (inks), Tom Smith (colors), Comicraft’s Liz Agraphiotis (letters)

The Plot:  While Aura lays near-death in the hospital, Override decides she needs a nest egg if he dies during the Gathering of Five ceremony.  He robs a bank and is eventually caught by Spider-Man, who’s swung past the panic he’s caused in the streets.  The police are unable to hold Override, however, and he quickly retrieves the hidden money and returns to the hospital.

The Subplots:  MJ talks to Peter about quitting college, but he refuses to believe that she values modeling more than her degree.  After selling the photos of his fight with Override, Peter is able to buy the expensive textbooks MJ needed.  When he hands her the books, MJ confesses that she withdrew from college earlier today.  Peter realizes that MJ needs to be happy and tells her that he supports her decision.

Web of Continuity:  MJ is still undecided about returning to modeling this chapter, even though she visited the agency and signed a contract in the previous chapter.

I Love the ‘90s:  Spider-Man sings the lyrics to the Fastball song “The Way” while pursuing Override.

Production Note:  This issue is forty pages, as opposed to the standard thirty-two.  You might assume that some extra pages are thrown in because this is the last issue of Sensational, but that’s not the case.  The story runs twenty-three pages, and there’s one page of letters.  The rest of the pages are ads.

Miscellaneous Note:  The Statement of Ownership has the average sales for the year at 94,643 copies, with the most recent issue selling 89,299.

Review:  It’s hard to argue that as a cohesive storyline, “The Gathering of Five” has been a success.  The various chapters contradict one another, plot threads disappear at random, and the only real conclusion to any arc is to a subplot involving MJ’s career choices.  I doubt this did an awful lot to build excitement for the new direction; knowing that the weakest chapter of the crossover was written by the main writer of the upcoming relaunch had to give many readers pause.  And labeling this the “conclusion” of the storyline, when it seems as if the previous chapter actually takes place after it, is just typical of the lax oversight the titles seemed to have during this era.

Todd Dezago probably could’ve hacked out anything as the final chapter, given that this is also the title’s last issue and it doesn’t seem as if there’s much of an emphasis on quality control anyway.  Thankfully, he once again produces a solid issue that stands on its own, putting to shame some of the other chapters of this storyline.  The Override fight isn’t that compelling, Spider-Man even stumbles upon the villain the exact same way he did last issue, but Dezago excels at the human element.  Not only do Peter and MJ feel like fully realized characters, but even Override and Aura are treated with genuine care.  I’ve never given a second thought to these Clone Saga leftovers before, but Dezago manages to make them feel real for the first time.  Aura, living in constant pain, wishing to end it all but not knowing how to tell her husband…Override, racked with guilt over what he’s done to keep Aura alive, unable to let her go while there’s still a shred of hope.  These aren’t easy scenes to execute, but Dezago handles them extremely well.  The Peter and MJ scenes are also among Dezago’s best work on the title.  Both characters feel real, neither is allowed to turn into a caricature of the nag or the screw-up, and the drama and resolution don’t feel forced.  Yes, MJ’s returning to modeling as a part of the “back to basics” edict, but the script does a decent job of selling this as a legitimate choice for MJ to be making.  And that bit with the textbooks is classic Spidey.

Sensational Spider-Man was created as a replacement for the rather superfluous Web of Spider-Man series, but two and half years later, it’s also cancelled due to its own perceived redundancy.  With four monthly titles, it was always hard for the title to stand out, and it seems that the focus on lighthearted adventure just added to the perception that it was a book that didn’t “count.”  Amongst diehard Spider-Man fans, however, Sensational was regarded as one of the highlights of the franchise during this era, and I don’t disagree.  My major complaint about the series was that it often seemed too light for its own good, but this issue shows that Dezago certainly does posses a talent for writing rather complex characterizations and significant emotional dilemmas.  Who knows what a Todd Dezago/Mike Wieringo run on Amazing Spider-Man could’ve been if Marvel had given them a chance?

SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #32 - October 1998

The Gathering of Five - Part One: Acquistions

Credits:  Todd Dezago (writer), Joe Bennett (penciler), Ralph Cabrera (inks), Tom Smith (colors), Comicraft’s Liz Agraphiotis (letters)

The Plot:  Spider-Man swings past Override as he causes a traffic jam outside of the Aleister Building.  He follows Override inside the building and discovers that Override is stealing an ancient relic from the Technomancers.  Override is able to cover his escape by releasing the Technomancers’ menagerie of strange creatures.  Later, Override convinces Norman Osborn to let him participate in a mysterious ceremony known as the “Gathering of Five.”

The Subplots:  A Scrier reports to Osborn that the “package” has been delivered safely.  Robbie Robertson locates Alison Mongrain in Paris.  MJ receives a call from a modeling agent, asking her to return to the business.

*See _________ For Details:  Override’s wife Aura was nearly killed in Sensational Spider-Man #25.  He hopes that this ancient ceremony will give him the power he needs to heal his wife.

I Love the ‘90s:  Spider-Man swings past a movie theater promoting Wesley Snipes as Blade on the Marquette.  

How Did This Get Published?:  “Man, there is just nothing better than catching the web-line express home after a long day of snapping pictures for the Bugle as freelance photographer Peter Parker.”  I’m glad Spider-Man’s secret identity was smoothly inserted into that thought balloon, or else I would’ve been lost throughout the rest of the issue!

Review:  Marvel’s ready to pull the plug on this era of Spider-Man, although two poorly-received crossovers remain.  “The Gathering of Five” is an attempt to seed a few storylines for the upcoming relaunch, and…that’s pretty much it, really.  It would be nice to say that this era of the titles is given a proper sendoff and the various storylines in the ongoing titles are wrapped up in a neat little bow, but that’s clearly not the motive of the crossover.  Ultimately, the Gathering of Five is a plot device that will lead to a few storylines in the early days of the relaunch, and after that, the story’s simply forgotten.  

I will say that Todd Dezago handles the opening chapter with as much grace as could be expected, creating a link between the dangling Override plot and the gimmicky Gathering of Five concept.  If you’re not aware of any of the behind-the-scenes drama, this might even read like any other issue of Sensational.  It’s more than likely that Dezago would get around to Override and the Technomancers again, and this search for mystic artifacts plot could charitably be viewed as the latest scheme by Norman Osborn.  MJ just might get a subplot that has her contemplating a return to modeling, and hey, it looks like this Alison Mongrain nonsense is finally getting resolved.  There’s no real indication this issue that the entire line is being primed for an extremely awkward “back to basics” reboot, even though that’s exactly where it’s all headed.  I doubt Dezago was particularly thrilled to be closing out his run on a crossover, but his work here is perfectly competent.  He introduces all of the elements needed for the next chapter, never forgetting to throw in those human moments, such as MJ’s reaction to an old acquaintance who doesn’t know she lost the baby.  He also gives the artist several cool things to draw, like the horrific beasts hidden inside the Technomancers’ lair (even though Joe Bennett seems to be strictly in fill-in mode, so they don’t look especially menacing).  Everything that’s wrong with the crossover is still in the background, leaving the reader with an opening chapter that’s actually good enough to trick you into buying the next issue.

SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #31 - September 1998

More than a Feelin’

Credits:  Todd Dezago (writer), Mike Wieringo (penciler), Richard Case (inks), Gregory Wright (colors), Comicraft’s Liz Agraphiotis (letters)

The Plot:  The Rhino launches into a rampage, destroying everything in sight.  Spider-Man attempts to stop him, and discovers that Rhino is only doing this in order to provoke the police into hurting him.  Due to the body armor bonded to his skin, he feels no sensation.  Rhino is desperate to feel anything.  During the chaos, the Lothridge School for the Deaf’s bus is trapped in front of downed power cables.  Using the sign for “friend,” Spider-Man calms Hope and her classmates and helps them escape.  He then uses the power cables to knock Rhino unconscious.

The Subplots:  Billy stops by the Parkers’ home and apologizes for being rude to Peter earlier at the Daily Grind.  Billy explains that he’s moving out of New York City to spend time with his sick mother.

Web of Continuity:  

• This story is based on the premise that the Rhino can’t remove his armor, even though it’s been removed and replaced a few times over the years.  
• Billy reveals details of his past to Peter.  Billy was an only child, his parents divorced when he was young, and he feels as if his mother blamed him for the divorce.  He’s left the Bugle and is moving back to Port Jervis to be with her.

I Love the ‘90s:  Doing repairs around the house, Peter compares himself to Bob Villa.  MJ counters that he’s more like Tim Allen.

We Get Letters:  The next issue blurb in the letter column lists Mike Wieringo as next issue’s penciler, even though a brief goodbye note for ‘Ringo was published just one page earlier.

Original art from this issue, as seen on http://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1039380

Review:  Todd Dezago sticks around for one more issue (a chapter of the not-fondly-remembered “Gathering of the Five” crossover), but this issue marks his final Sensational collaboration with Mike Wieringo.  I wish I had something poignant to say about their run together, but there aren’t too many ways to say “it’s a fun, lighthearted superhero adventure with nice art.”  There is a bit of historical significance to their run, simply because this style of art was still rare in a mainstream comic of the era, and the emphasis on back-to-basics superheroics makes it an early entry in the neo-Silver Age revival of the late ‘90s.  It’s also worth remembering that the Dezago/Wieringo run had its own cult following, and at least a few fans were adamant that Sensational was the best Spider-Man book of this era and didn’t deserve cancellation.

I wouldn’t say Sensational was the highlight of the post-clone days, but more often than not it was an entertaining read.  I think the title often coasted on Wieringo’s art, making any of the fill-in issues feel a bit shallow, and that the dearth of ongoing character subplots ultimately worked to the book’s disadvantage.  The two major subplots from the Dezago/Wieringo run are resolved this issue, and it’s a bit telling that both of them involve new characters that have yet to be properly fleshed out as strong supporting cast members.  I liked the idea behind Hope’s story and think she and her mother had potential as recurring cast members, but even after several appearances, all we really know about Hope is that she’s a cute kid who happens to be deaf.  Her scene with Spider-Man this issue is great, and a nice payoff to a subplot that began several issues ago, but it’s hard to argue that Hope really needs to appear again.  And Billy Walters…did a real point ever emerge out of this?  Billy’s best scenes were the ones that hammered some guilt into Peter for consistently ditching Billy, but was Billy himself that interesting?  Billy’s arc consists of him being overly friendly, getting his feelings hurt, then making up with Peter before going back home to be with his mother.  A mother, we discover this issue, that seems to be emotionally abusive, or darned close to it.  What kind of an ending is that?  Even if Dezago’s ideas weren’t cut short by the reboot, I have to wonder if Billy would ever evolve past his status as the Daily Bugle’s Jimmy Olsen and stand out as a character in his own right.  

It’s a shame that this title never quite struck the balance between the Spider-Man action and the supporting cast.  With more subplots, and a bit more pathos, this potentially could’ve been a classic run.  As it stands, it’s a pretty good run that shouldn’t be forgotten.  If you’re a Spider-Man fan, I would say it’s worth tracking down.

SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #30 - August 1998

Cat & Mouse

Credits:  Todd Dezago (writer), Javier Saltares (art), Gregory Wright (colors), Richard Starkings & Comicraft (letters)

The Plot:  Spider-Man and Black Cat awake in Murderworld.  Arcade promises them that if they can make their way through Murderworld, he’ll release Dougie from captivity.  Spider-Man and Black Cat outwit his traps, and eventually dupe Arcade with the robotic replica he’s created of the Black Cat.  Arcade tells them where to find Dougie, before Spider-Man leaves him webbed up for the police.  They discover Dougie inside a room filled with deceased drug dealers.

The Subplots:  Billy Walters gives Jonah Jameson a paper trail that connects Norman Osborn with his corporate spy, Allison Mongrain.  When Jonah tries to thank Billy, Billy informs him that he isn’t going to like what he says next.  Later, Peter talks to Hope and realizes that she was actually afraid for him when she saw Spider-Man leave his bedroom.  Relieved that she never suspected his secret identity, Peter explains to her that Spider-Man is a hero.

Web of Continuity:  The drug dealer that Arcade’s trash truck caught along with Spider-Man and Black Cat is never mentioned this issue.

How Did This Get Published?:  Hope’s handwriting is clearly a computer-generated font.  It’s also so off-center that it’s falling off of her notepad.

Review:  How is it that a trip to Murderworld results in such an utterly bland issue?  You would think that the previous chapter, which mainly consisted of Spider-Man and Black Cat trashing drug dealers in back alleys, would’ve been the dull setup, but instead it’s the finale that reads like wallpaper.  For some reason, the story avoids almost all of Murderworld’s unique attributes, leaving Spider-Man and Black Cat to fight their way out of an indistinct landscape that Javier Saltares can’t seem to stay awake drawing.  (Saltares, by the way, has an annoying tendency to draw Cro-Magnon faces this issue.  The difference between the Saltares art inked by Scott Hanna in PPSM #93 and what’s printed here is staggering.)  I judge all Murderworld stories by the standard set by the Claremont/Byrne two-parter in Uncanny X-Men #123-124, and to say that this one isn’t in that league would be an understatement.  Murderworld is supposed to be a carnival of death, not a series of empty rooms and random speedlines filling in the background.  This is a massive waste of a fantastic setting.

The tone of the story is also a problem, with Dezago making the peculiar decision to throw in a dark ending after an issue’s worth of low-stakes superhero adventuring.  Yes, Dougie is saved, but did we have to discover that he’s been trapped in a room filled with dead drug dealers this entire time and that he’s probably scarred for life?  Also, what drug dealer hires Arcade to take out his rivals?  This might not initially seem ridiculous in the Marvel Universe, but the issue reminds us that Arcade’s price is a million dollars a head.  Arcade’s killed a few dozen dealers at this point, all for jobs that Bird and Wee-Bey could’ve easily pulled for a fraction of the cost.  That’s just bad business.  

SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #29 - July 1998

Back on his Game!

Credits:  Todd Dezago w/Andy Zefowicz (writers), Roberto Flores & Tom Lyle (pencilers), Juan Vlasco & Robert Jones (inkers), Matt Hicks (colors), Comicraft’s Kiff Scholl (letters)

The Plot:  Spider-Man investigates the disappearance of local drug dealers.  He runs into the Black Cat, who is searching for a missing drug mule, Dougie.  While they spy on a dealer who allegedly knows what happened to Dougie, a suspicious trash truck pulls into the alley.  Spider-Man recognizes it, but is caught in its trap before he can rescue Black Cat and the dealer.  Soon, they realize they’re captives of Arcade.

The Subplots:  Peter feels uncomfortable around Hope, now that he suspects she knows his secret ID.  Peter and MJ meet with Desiree at the Daily Grind.  She tells Peter that she felt a psychic connection to Ben Reilly as he died, and she wants him to know that Ben’s last thoughts were of Peter.  While at the Daily Grind, Billy refuses to sit with Peter and MJ.  

Web of Continuity:  Black Cat has a detective agency at this point in continuity.  She’s been hired by Dougie’s parents to locate him, after he disappeared from home to pursue life in New York.

I Love the ‘90s:  Spider-Man tells Black Cat she talks “just like Sipowicz.”  Later, Arcade declares that he feels luckier than Bill Clinton on “Let’s Dismiss the Paula Jones Case Day.”  (By the way, when I searched for co-writer Andy Zefowicz's name, Google suggested I search for Andy Sipowicz instead.)

Review:  The title of the issue is a reference to how Spider-Man feels after reclaiming his original superhero identity, a sentiment that would’ve had more meaning if “Identity Crisis” didn’t end so incoherently, and if there weren’t a half-dozen other Spidey comics coming out simultaneously.  So Spider-Man’s thrilled to be back in his real costume, a thought that’s conveniently missing from most of his other appearances from this period, just like Spidey doesn’t seem concerned about Hope knowing his dual identity or Desiree’s secret in the other titles.  And it’s not as if he’s given much thought to Flash Thompson’s alcoholism, Paul Stacy’s snotty attitude, or the mystery surrounding MJ’s criminology professor in Sensational, either.  I think it’s safe to say that the Laissez-faire attitude towards cross-title continuity in this era has been a mistake.  Peter Parker’s life feels segmented into even more than four areas a month, when you consider how often the subplots appear and disappear in their home titles, along with the addition of the specials, annuals, and quarterly Unlimited title.  I can’t necessarily argue that any of the regular writers don’t get Peter Parker as a character, but numerous story threads running in various directions make the entire line feel unfocused, which means the reader doesn’t get the sense that he or she’s truly following the life of Peter Parker.  The subplots highlighted this issue actually aren't so bad (with the exception of the Desiree plot, which had an intriguing beginning but somehow turned into more Ben Reilly nostalgia), but the fact that Peter couldn’t care less about any of these events for 3/4th of the month automatically diminishes them.

Ignoring the larger question of how subplots should be addressed in a franchise title, the issue’s main story follows the Sensational tradition of reviving underused characters and placing them in fairly straightforward superhero adventures.  Black Cat seems to have a dedicated fanbase, so I’m kind of surprised she hasn’t appeared more often during this era.  David Michelinie had already carved out a role for Felicia as the recurring jealous ex, one who just so happens to be able to participate in Spider-Man’s adventures, years earlier in Amazing.  That’s a simple and effective set-up for the character, one that’s also utilized in this arc.  Black Cat’s debut in the story highlights its biggest failing, however.  She jumps into frame on one page, looking like something straight out of dubbed anime, and on the next page she’s virtually identical to Mark Bagley’s interpretation from 1993’s “Revenge of the Spider-Slayers.”  No sane human being thinks Roberto Flores and Tom Lyle are compatible artists, yet here they are, not even segregated to separate scenes in the comic.  Since Roberto Flores is clearly the more “cartoony” artist, he would seem to be a logical choice to fill in for ‘Ringo, but if he wasn’t able to complete the issue, would it have been so hard to find someone like Pop Mhan to step in?  Conversely, if Tom Lyle wasn’t available for twenty-two pages, couldn’t he split them with Steven Butler?  At the very least, have the two artists divide the action and the subplot pages.  The issue would still look like a mess, but less of a schizophrenic one.