Customer Reviews

Marvel Knights Spider-Man (v. 1)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The title of this review was a little difficult for me to admit - the first two arcs of Paul Jenkins/Hunberto Ramos' "Spectacular Spider-Man" were phenomenal reads that perfectly captured everyone's favorite wall-crawler (check out "The Hunger" or "Countdown" if you dont believe me). So what sets Mark Millar's 12-issue paced-for-the-trade stab at the Spidey universe so good? Sometimes, bigger is better.

Spider-Man is the ultimate hard-luck hero: he's been getting his butt kicked since Amazing Spider-man #4, Doc Ock's first appearance - and he usually wins with a heroic combination of brains, braun, and sheer tenacity. Millar understands this, and reacts accordingly: the story opens with Spider-man beaten and nearly dead, the Green Goblin barreling down on him. After narrowly pulling out a victory and saving another ungrateful group of spectators, Spidey finds his Uncle's grave desecrated and his beloved aunt kidnapped by someone who knows his secret identity.

The book then goes on a wild trip throughout the Marvel Universe and the classic Spidey rouges gallery, as Peter tries to solve the mystery: who now knows his greatest secret?

Millar's writing is top notch - fun, witty, suspenseful, and staggeringly violent when neccesary (re: Venom's appearance). Though the artist changes more than once on the twelve issues collected, the style remains intact, and the story doesnt feel puzzle-peiced together, which is a good thing.

If I have a complaint about the book, its that it wouldnt feel nearly as satisfying if I'd been reading it issue by issue: the story is definitely paced to be digested in one extended sitting. But even then, its worth the read.

Collecting his entire year long run, this handsome hardcover collects the first twelve issues of the newly launched Marvel Knights Spider-Man, with none other than Ultimates scribe Mark Millar at the helm. Within these twelve issues, we witness the wall crawler take the biggest beatings the character has ever endured in years, and the villains here are written more fearsome than they have been in some time. It begins with Spidey and the Green Goblin in battle, and soon enough Peter Parker's beloved Aunt May is kidnapped, and presumed dead. The kidnapper is hiding in the shadows, and the conspiracy surrounding it involves the Black Cat, the Owl, the Vulture, Electro, and many, many more. We also witness Eddie Brock auctioning off his Venom symbiote, which births a new villain Spidey must contend with, and there's something very wrong with Doc Ock. The Avengers and the X-Men are also on board, and Millar's storyline is filled with colorful nods to Spidey stories of the past; namely the classic Death of Gwen Stacy saga but it all works superbly. The art by the team of Terry and Rachel Dodson, with a few chapters done by Frank Cho as well, is excellent, with Cho's rendering of Mary Jane looking incredibly luscious. All in all, this hardcover collection of the first run of Marvel Knights Spider-Man is one of the best stories of the character in years (Amazing Spider-Man scribe J. Michael Straczynski wrote some great stories too, but don't get me started on his latest Spidey works), and this is definitely worth picking up for web-heads who missed out on the single issues or would rather have one volume instead of the seperate three TPB's which are also available.

I like Spider-Man but I have never read the regular comics because of the convoluted history and cross-over disease they have always suffered while I was a kid.

This book offers a BRILLIANTLY written and better than average drawn story which is so entertaining and most of all, complete!

It doesn't start at the beginning, but rather, the middle of Spider-Man's career. There's no wasting time on the origin here. It's all action and characterisation in a great balance.

I was also grateful the themes in this book are a little more adult than the regular comics. Like Mark Millar's exploration into domestic violence in THE ULTIMATES, he looks at the uncertainty within a less than normal marriage while under extreme stress with great success. I feel like I've grown up (now I'm in my mid 20s) and this is where Spider-Man is now in his world too 15 years later.

This book is right on par with Mark Millar's work on Ultimate X-Men and Wolverine too. And the gorgeous oversize hardcover is a nice addition to anyone's bookcase.

Marvel Knights seems to be aimed at a more adult audience (and thank God for that) with a more gritty presentation in the art, story and dialogue. Seeing Electro and the Vulture score hookers is just not something you see everyday. The bottom line is the writing is compelling and very well done. I wish the other Spider titles read as maturely as this one.

WRITING: Mark Millar, superstar writer of Authority, Ultimates, and Civil War, takes a turn on what is perhaps Marvel's signature property. In a break from his usual method, Millar gives us an internal monologue for Spider-Man, a look into what he's thinking. This is highly effective given the premise of the story: Spider-Man has had the original Green Goblin, Norman Osborn himself, arrested. And very soon thereafter, Spider-Man's Aunt May is brutally kidnapped and the reader is left to wonder if it is or is not connected to the Goblin (who's long known Spider-Man's secret identity as Peter Parker).

What follows, originally told in 3 arcs over 12 issues in Marvel Knights Spider-Man, is part mystery, part re-examination of what it means to Peter Parker to be Spider-Man. Guest-stars include the Avengers (pre-Disassemblage) and X-Men, as well as the required full ensemble (sinister twelve, if you would) of Spider-Villains, including Venom, Scorpion, Electro, Vulture, Hydro-Man, and others. Indeed, although not fully integrated into the story, Millar makes use of the opportunity to play around with the concept of super-villains as a counter-balance to super-heroes, manufactured by the military industrial complex--something to wink and nudge at the repetitiveness and seeming obsession of the comic-staple "rogues gallery".

Indeed, if there is one drawback to what is, in my opinion, one of Millar's best realized and most compelling runs to date, it's his need to somehow rationalize or poke fun at the conventions of the genre--the masks, the capes, the secret identities--and treat them as somewhat juvenile. And it pulls the reader out of the story. Millar is clearly one of the best writers in the medium today, and if he would only accept and embrace this, most modern, North-American of hero mythologies, without apology or self-consciousness, it would make the reads even stronger.

Still, Millar knows his Spider-Man, knows how to make us care, and knows how to hurt us by hurting him. From the classic angst and self-doubt of the original Lee era to the terror of the modern techno-age, and from past tragedies (and defining moments) like the deaths of Uncle Ben and Gwen Stacy to fresh, new ideas such as identity auctions and the aforementioned super-villain conspiracy, Millar draws the reader in and holds them tight (around the throat).

ART: The majority of the art is provided by Terry Dodson and his wife, Rachel (currently on Wonder Woman), with two issues filled-in by Frank Cho (Mighty Avengers). Usually, I find different artists to be a negative on collected editions, but in this case the art is similar enough not to draw attention away from the story. Both the Dodsons and Cho are renowned for their women--The Dodsons more angular, Cho, rounder--and Mary Jane and Black Cat are given the full, voluptuous treatment all around. However, Spider-Man and the villains don't suffer for lack of attention. The story-telling is clear and concise, the background detailed without being distracting, and the lines clean and powerful. Gorgeous stuff overall.

BONUS MATERIAL: Although hardcover collections still have a long way to go to equal the goodies provided on a similarly special edition DVD, there is a nice sampling of character sketches and designs, pencils, cover samples, etc. The introduction by Stan Lee is--wait for it--marvelous as is to be expected.

OVERALL: A great read, incredibly rendered.

The art alone is worth the price of this book. The story is not bad, but could get a bit too much for me at times. All in all just buy the book and you will not be disappointed overall. The story really just depends on your taste, if you dont like the art then you need to get a catscan.

This is a must-have spider-man volume. The story telling is tight, the art-work wonderful, and the emotion cranked up as high as possible. For an adult, this is a brilliant comic.

One of the best Spider-Man story arcs in recent years, after reading this it is hard to find a Spider-Man story that is better.

As a big Spidey fan i appreciate the tone of this book. It is really rare to find a Spidey graphic novel of high caliber.

With out a doubt the most engaging Spider-Man story i have ever read. Period.