Whew, Mary Jane recovered immediately. What drama.

Whose idea was it to turn the Green Goblin into an evil Hulk?

Anyway, I suppose this issue is all right. It seems like Bendis has good intentions, with Peter trying to showdown with the Goblin (a couple times) only to discover anger might not be enough to beat him.

I think I just summed up the entire issue, dramatically. Oh, wait, I forgot about Harry. Harry apparently has these encoded keywords to make him do stuff. So far, following this issue, it’s clear Norman can make him pass out. What’s not clear is if Ultimate Hobgoblin is in the mix or not.

But Bagley. It seems like I’m frequently hard on Bagley, but he makes this issue. He makes it move with all the action, all the different settings, all the different pacing.

When Bendis’s writing is lazy, Bagley makes the comic.

CREDITS

Circles; writer, Brian Michael Bendis; penciller, Mark Bagley; inker, Art Thibert; colorist, Transparency Digital; letterer, Dave Sharpe; editors, C.B. Cebulski, Brian Smith and Ralph Macchio; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Really, Brian Michael, really?

Makes him sound like a teenage pop star.

So this issue was either written with the eventual trade in mind–since half of it is a retread of the previous issue (more on that aspect in a bit)–and the other half is a really boring chase sequence, only to end with the Goblin using Mary Jane in the Gwen Stacy bridge toss.

And Brian Michael, bless him, sucks the emotion out of the scene, deemphasizing it being Mary Jane in any way other than a damsel in distress.

Very disappointing.

But maybe I was primed for it because of the lame retelling of the Spider-Man conversation with the Goblin. Bendis tells it from the Goblin’s perspective, revealing Norman is hearing lots and lots of voices. Except these voices don’t seem to influence Norman’s dialogue or decision making, so it’s just more filler from Bendis.

CREDITS

Plasmids; writer, Brian Michael Bendis; penciller, Mark Bagley; inker, Art Thibert; colorist, Transparency Digital; letterer, Dave Sharpe; editors, C.B. Cebulski, Brian Smith and Ralph Macchio; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Another half on, half off issue. Bendis writes this great scene between Peter and Nick Fury (Ultimate Nick Fury should definitely go undercover in a high school in a Bendis written series, it’d be hilarious), but then he skips out on finishing it.

He’s then got a way too fast scene between Peter and Aunt May; he uses it to resolve a situation he creates at the beginning of the scene, making the whole thing pointless. Lazy…

And when he does get to Peter’s internal dialogue, it’s fine enough, but it’s a lot of words, killing pages until Bendis has a full enough issue to get to his cliffhanger–the Goblin grabbing Mary Jane.

Also funny–as in not right funny, not ha ha–is Peter’s conversation with the Goblin. It’s like Bendis knows the Goblin isn’t a strong villain either. He’s basically just nuts. There’s nothing else to him.

CREDITS

Ultimatum; writer, Brian Michael Bendis; penciller, Mark Bagley; inker, Art Thibert; colorist, Transparency Digital; letterer, Dave Sharpe; editors, C.B. Cebulski, Brian Smith and Ralph Macchio; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Again, not a fan of Ultimate Norman Osborn. Given I’ve never read the original series’s version of Norman Osborn, maybe I just don’t like the character. He seems like the “Saturday Night Live” version of Lex Luthor.

Only one who turns scaly and green.

Anyway, Norman isn’t the focus of this issue. Instead, it’s about Peter, Aunt May, Mary Jane and–to a smaller extent–Gwen. It’s about Gwen as she affects Peter and Mary’s relationship.

In other words, this issue is Bendis doing what he does best, bringing the human component into all facets of the Spider-Man thing, not just Peter, but how it affects those around him. It’s so strange how Bendis’s version of Ultimate here doesn’t fit with Marvel’s other Ultimate titles.

Great cliffhanger too.

I just wish Bendis could turn in whole great issues, instead of half great, half okay. Or even a balanced good.

CREDITS

Responsible; writer, Brian Michael Bendis; penciller, Mark Bagley; inker, Art Thibert; colorist, Transparency Digital; letterer, Dave Sharpe; editors, C.B. Cebulski, Brian Smith and Ralph Macchio; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Bendis gets a double-sized issue–almost–and what does he with it? Well, he uses about the first part, twenty or so pages, to write a full comic book. Then he uses the second half to do some more of his speed storytelling.

The whole Bendis “decompressed storytelling” term is so wrong–if it’s decompressed, it should take me longer to read it, not less time.

The issue has a bunch of great stuff on it (terrible cliffhanger), including some high school stuff, with Peter, Mary, Harry and Gwen forming this fantastic group and I hope Bendis continues with that one–though I’m very worried for Ultimate Harry Osborn.

Speaking of Ultimate Osborns, Norman is back and is he ever a killjoy. Bendis overdoes it on the ominous, especially when Norman comes off more like a creepy jerk than a monster.

So much good stuff, such a weak cliffhanger.

CREDITS

Reflections Of…; writer, Brian Michael Bendis; penciller, Mark Bagley; inker, Art Thibert; colorist, Transparency Digital; letterer, Dave Sharpe; editors, C.B. Cebulski, Brian Smith and Ralph Macchio; publisher, Marvel Comics.

I can’t believe I forgot the Kraven outcome. I also forgot about Doc Ock remembering Peter is Spider-Man. But I did remember, somewhat, the argument with Aunt May.

Aunt May’s been something of a cursory character these last issues I’ve been reading, so it’s nice to see Bendis give her the attention she deserves.

He also lets Peter feel good, for a second, about the heroics, as the news crews talk Spidey into an interview. Again, very funny, very solid Bendis dialogue.

The only problem with the issue is Bagley. He does an adequate job, but the talking heads scene between Peter and Aunt May shows off his deficiencies. Especially when compared to his action scene between Spider-Man and Kraven.

And that last page, with a full panel of Doc Ock, ouch. Bagley’s not ready for full page closeups. It plays counter to the very mature, reasoned writing.

CREDITS

Hunted; writer, Brian Michael Bendis; penciller, Mark Bagley; inker, Art Thibert; colorist, Transparency Digital; letterer, Dave Sharpe; editors, Brian Smith and Ralph Macchio; publisher, Marvel Comics.

Oh, if only Stan Lee had thought of Spidey pulling down Doctor Octopus’s pants.

Bendis doesn’t do a lot this issue. About half is dedicated to Spider-Man fighting Doc Ock–I can’t remember if his victory in any way resembles the one in Amazing–while the other half goes to Kraven getting ready for the hunt.

Bendis is filling here. He even wastes pages with someone doing an intro to Kraven and then having to redo it. The dialogue’s amusing, but it’s all just filler.

The story starts with Spidey and Doc Ock, even if it is all just a big long fight scene. It’s an amusing fight scene (and maybe the first time anyone–in this case the television news crews–comes out in support of Spider-Man).

Even with all the pacing and plotting shortcuts, it’s hard not to like the issue. Bendis makes it very likable.

CREDITS

Live; writer, Brian Michael Bendis; penciller, Mark Bagley; inker, Art Thibert; colorist, Transparency Digital; letterer, Dave Sharpe; editors, Brian Smith and Ralph Macchio; publisher, Marvel Comics.