Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #5 - I had this feeling that Peter David was the person writing the Spider-Man books that I could count on for something lighthearted. I don't know why that would be, especially when the Peter David Spider-Man story I know best is "The Death of Jean DeWolf", which is about as unlighthearted as you can get. Suffice to say, this issue was not all that lighthearted, at least not to me.On a certain level, a story about a person so full of themselves that they believe four encounters with Spider-Man spread out over almost 4.5 years (based on the assumption of one blog post per day, and yes, I took the time to figure that on a calculator) would mean Spidey was stalking them, could be amusing. But with the way David writes it, she's a person who's home life clearly damaged them, to the point she wants no actual human contact (note she won't shake people's hands, keeps them across her chest to ward people off), just admiration and desire from afar, is just depressing. I get that it's a comparison, that this person let some early trauma do this to them, while Peter took his trauma, and used it to make himself a better person, though you could make pretty good case a guy who dresses like a spider and fights people dressed as rhinos is clearly more messed up.
There's one other thing I want to talk about, from the event at the end of the book, but I'll leave that for tomorrow. Ultimately, it's a pretty good story, and now that we're past the stories where someone ate Peter's eyeball, I like the fit of Wieringo's art more. In fact that's probably why I figured the book would be upbeat, his bright, somewhat cartoony style. Well, that and the word "friendly" in the title. 3.5 out of 5.
Ms. Marvel #1 - I like this cover much more than the one I actually have. It's more dynamic than just "Check out how pretty Frank Cho draws her posing!" Well yes, it is pretty, but I knew that already from those two issues of New Avengers. There's some flair to this. Wait, she's going back to "Ms. Marvel"? I've said this before: Between Marvel and DC, there are too damn many people with "marvel" in their codename. Still, I guess "Ms. Marvel" is more friendly sounding to the public than "Warbird". Hmm, I haven't really discussed the book yet.So, we get a day in the life of Carol Danvers. She saves some kids, and a dude in a truck. That's all good, though that guy was a little too quick to hug her, know what I mean? She pummels lame-ass villain, including some serious payback for a bit of a diss, then goes to meet a publicist. We hear all this as a conversation between Carol and Jessica Drew, who I guess are old friends from S.H.I.E.L.D. I like the interaction here, the sense that Jessica and Carol are old friends, by the fact that Jessica knows when Carol is b.s.ing, and asks if the "be the World's Greatest Hero" thing is a "Carol-thing". I've asked that question of some of my friends from time to time. I have no idea if this friendship is something real, or if Reed and De La Torre just created it for the purpose of this story.
Anyway, I was pretty happy with this, though there are some things I'm going to be discussing later this week about this issue. Stuff happened, and it looks like more stuff is going to happen in the next issue. Good. I will say Palmiotti needs some work on faces that aren't masked. Jessica and Carol's faces looked kind of odd at times, but this might be because Palmiotti was giving some signs of these being "mature" women, who would have experienced aging, and thus might not have the flawless faces I'm used to seeing in comics. So maybe it's me.
One last thing: Jessica points out Carol at one point stopped the sun from exploding, as proof that Carol is big-time (How many Avengers can say that? Not the Sentry, for damn sure). Carol's rebuttal is she spent the next six months sitting on the couch, eating ice cream and watching movies. You know what? If I ever save the Sun from exploding, you better believe that I would spend the next several months sitting on a couch watching TV (or else I'd be trying to use the "You know, I saved the Earth" line on the ladies). In fact I might spend the rest of my life on the couch. Screw it. I did my bit for the world. I guess that's why I don't get super-powers, or a comic book. 4 out of 5.
New Excalibur #5 - Wow, even with only three reviews, this is gonna be long. Hmm, so the team, which still isn't a team, is scattered throughout London. Sage and Pete Wisdom fend off Warwolves. Did they get interrupted in the middle of some freaky-freaky, or does Wisdom always look that rumpled? Dazzler, Juggernaut and Nocturne do the same elsewhere, and Brian Braddock is trying to deal with a very pissed off Lionheart. It appears the team finally forms at the end, and much to my despair, Lionheart isn't on the roster. I didn't really expect it, but I was hopeful. Worse, she seems to be an adversary (more on her role, again later in the week). Bugger Claremont, what are you doing to me here?I do like the fact that Claremont seems to be building plots for the future, while remembering that people would like to see something happen in the "now". What a concept! Are you taking notes Mr. Bendis? On the whole, I like Steven Cummings art. However, I'm not feeling his physical confrontations. When it comes to depicting someone taking a severe hit, he just doesn't depict it consistently well. I'm still trying to figure out what Lionheart did that sent Captain Britain flying through a vehicle and a wall. I recognize she dodged his lunge, and put a knee in his gut, then I think she kicked him, it's just a bit unclear to me. Like I said, I mostly like his work, there are just a few quibbles. 3.5 out of 5.
I'll put up the other three tonight. The Punisher, Spider-Girl, X-Factor.
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