I guess this issue is better than the last one. Milgrom’s directly continuing it, which will probably wreck havoc in the monthly Spider-Man continuity over in Amazing, and he keeps his recap of the previous issue brief.

The writing is still bad–in the case of Cloak and Dagger and the Black Cat, very, very bad–and the art is still exceptionally weak, but at least it all passes somewhat painlessly. There’s nothing idiotic this time, just a bunch of bad dialogue and plotting. The pacing isn’t terrible–the issue takes a while to read because Milgrom has maybe nine different characters who get thought balloons. Lots of villains appear. It’s lame, but it’s not breezy.

Suffering through these issues, I wonder how anyone made it through this period of Spectacular. Black Cat alone would have made me quit reading the comic.

Another bonus: Peter whines less this issue.

What would I do without Al Milgrom? I’d never have been able to understand this issue, like when Cloak and Dagger talk to each other about their origin. Or when Peter thinks all about the problems he’s been having with the Black Cat and then explains their last adventure together.

But Milgrom is dealing with a beloved character and supporting cast so I guess he doesn’t actually have to be writing anything interesting. Or have any story developments–Black Cat is still a complete twit, who hates Peter Parker and only likes Spider-Man–wait, she’s mentally ill? Explains tons.

So, it’s a bad soap until the lame villain arrives (Silvermane?) and kicks Spidey’s butt.

Milgrom’s art is worse than usual. There’s one place where he reuses the same panel three times in unison (for powering on the alien costume).

The comic doesn’t have a point or any charm, eighties nostalgia or otherwise.

Milgrom sure does like some naked Peter Parker. He’s got Petey traipsing around his apartment in a too short robe, even answering the door for his landlady in it, then tossing it at the fourth wall to get into his costume.

The art this issue is rather bad, which is always a surprise. Spider-Man was the only character at Marvel with two titles to himself and they had Milgrom on it. He overwrites every line of dialogue, he has endless, moronic expository thought balloons… and his characters are completely terrible.

The only two sympathetic characters this issue are Flash’s girlfriend (Flash is a jerk) and Jean DeWolff (because she’s aware Black Cat is a dip too).

The rest of the issue is spent with Peter internally whining about Black Cat being a lousy girlfriend and bad person… just like every issue of Spectacular Spider-Man Milgrom writes.

Big yawn.

Milgrom spends the majority of the issue on Spidey and the Black Cat fighting a new villain, the Answer, who’s one of Kingpin’s henchmen. It all ties into the Black Cat getting her powers from Kingpin and… and… and I’m bored already.

The first half of the issue isn’t terrible. I mean, the art’s weak. Milgrom does a Kirby homage on Peter’s landlady and I’m convinced he drew Robbie as a white guy and let the colorist “fill” him in.

But otherwise, I guess it’s not terrible. I mean, the writing’s bad–endless exposition–but the plotting isn’t. Flash having girlfriend troubles and coming home all beat up. Interesting. Peter deciding to go into credit card debt because of his money troubles… interesting.

It’s hilarious how wishy-washy Milgrom writes Peter though. He gripes about the Black Cat being a superficial twit, but can’t resist her. It makes him ridiculous.

It takes them a while–almost the entire issue–but Milgrom and Mooney eventually get a couple good panels in here. When I say good panels, I mean good close-ups.

I wasn’t really paying attention to the art (it’s marvelously mediocre) as there’s so much else to get the reader’s attention. Like Peter Parker thinking crappy thoughts about his girlfriend, the Black Cat. These thoughts are totally justified–she is a controlling moron–but they’re really mean-spirited thoughts. Why’s Peter dating her in the first place?

In this issue he discovers she’s compromised his secret identity, pissed off everyone he knows, and then she drags him into a fight against the Blob (they basically get their butts kicked) while he’s busy comforting friend Flash Thompson.

She’s loathsome.

Also–how did Marvel expect people to read this book? You’re supposed to stop half-way through to switch to Amazing.

People used to read this comic on purpose? Like, they’d go to the store and buy it and want to read it?

Maybe this issue isn’t the norm, but something tells me Milgrom’s writing isn’t going to be much better when he’s writing Spider-Man than when he’s writing the Black Cat. I mean, the issue ends with Spidey jumping to a negative conclusion when he finds her outside Aunt May’s house.

And he should jump to a negative conclusion.

This issue reminded me of everything I used to loathe about the Black Cat as a love interest. She spent almost all of her page time griping about Peter Parker being lame. This issue it’s maybe ninety percent, since it’s her issue.

Then there’s the art. It’s pretty weak.

Maybe I’m not giving Milgrom credit. Maybe he is trying to portray the Black Cat, universally, as a completely annoying twit.