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Hey
Kids! Comics!
The
Amazing Spider-Man #47
writer: J. Michael Straczynski
artists: John Romita, Jr. and Scott Hanna
As the
legend goes, a lot of people thought that Spider-Man would
never make it as a character because, well, spiders are icky.
JMS remembers this, and has skillfully brought that idea back
into the mythos.
Facing
off against Shathra the Spiderwasp, Peter has to be careful
not to give into the spider side of himself. A year ago, he
didn't even know he had that side. And from the rage he vents,
it's quite possible he's given in quite a few times over his
career, but it never posed a problem before. Until now, Shathra
didn't know he existed. In a quite disgusting touch, Peter
wouldn't be fit for feeding to her young if a trace of the
human remained.
Though
Spider-Man and the supernatural wouldn't seem an easy mix,
JMS makes it work. Once again, questions about the nature
of Peter's powers arise, and though the answers aren't any
more forthcoming, the story is so skillfully done to make
the wait worthwhile.
Romita
also would seem at odds with the more supernatural aspects
of the story, but his art gives the paranormal a strangely
earthy quality. Maybe he's just at home with insects, but
both forms of Shathra are great designs.
And once
again - FRANK CHO COVER! Woo-HOO!
Rating:
Batman:
Gotham Knights # 35
writer: Scott Beatty
artists: Roger Robinson and John Floyd
Whether
or not you like the idea, Bane and Batman as brothers sure
seems to have people talking. Beatty has also taken the opportunity
to bring back some old wounds, such as the Nightwing and Huntress
relationship. (Remember that?)
The story
plays pretty cagily with the "are they or aren't they" question,
and after three issues, it's getting old. It may be a flaw
in the artwork, but it still remains unclear if the DNA tests
have been tampered with, so it's hard to know what exactly
we are to suspect. At least the subplot with the new Tattooed
Lady has been paced well, and gives a better explanation for
the power than any previous version. (Not to mention a far
more terrifying use for it.)
In the
back-up slot comes a story that should provoke debate. Though
I don't necessarily have hopes that it will, it would be cool
if the regular storylines picked up the question posed here.
After at least a decade of portraying Batman as urban legend,
Brian Azzarello wonders if that's the most effective way for
the caped crusader to fight crime.
Rating:
Birds
of Prey #49
writer: Terry Moore
artists: Amanda Conner and Jimmy Palmiotti
In the
DC Universe, all roads of political intrigue lead to only
one man. It's kind of a shame that Moore keeps it up in this
otherwise fun story. But if it has to happen this way, it
makes sense that the Birds would be high on the list of thwarting.
It's
also a shame that here endeth the Moore run on the book. He
brought a sense of fun to the characters to match the adventure
that Chuck Dixon gave them. If the producers of the television
show had had a chance to copy this take, they might have been
successful with it. (It's too late, but guys, Barbara just
works better without self-pity.)
Matching
Moore every step of the way is the Conner and Palmiotti art
team. Not only are their storytelling powers top-notch, but
they give every character a really strong sense of identity.
Interestingly, Conner draws Talia far more Asian than she
appears in other books, but considering her heritage, that
might be the way to go. The only drawback to it would be people
confusing her with Lady Shiva when drawn badly. But believe
me, that isn't happening here.
Hey,
DC, how about an inexpensive collection of this arc?
Rating:
Daredevil
#39
writer: Brian Michael Bendis
artist:
Manuel Gutierrez
Once
you get past the District Attorney's disturbing resemblance
to the pre-op Al Roker, this courtroom drama proves pretty
compelling. Bendis makes it at least seem as real as any topnotch
lawyer TV show, which is hard to do considering that the defendant
is a superhero. True, a third-rater, but still�
Just
as Alias tends to deal with obscure corners of Marvel
history, this trial may send some fans scouring back issues,
or at least Marvel trivia websites. By using the White Tiger,
Bendis deftly illustrates how little the man on the street
would actually know about so-called superheroes; their powers
would readily become the stuff of urban myth (unlike their
actual existence, Batman).
Gutierrez
turns in another stellar job with this issue. If Bill Jemas
had used him on Marville, some of his jokes might have
worked. I emphasize the might.
Rating:
The
Rest of The Week...
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