Reflections #20 - Spider-Girl #99

I mostly enjoyed this issue. The fact that in true Parker tradition May is simultaneously having problems with friends, family, and webslinging. The fact that the Hobgoblin is kicking even more ass than I thought he would. That Peter is probably busy at the police lab trying to come up with something to destroy the symbiote, which raises a question: Phil Urich is Pete's coworker, and he knew that Normie had kept the symbiote. Did Pete chew him out like he did May? Phil's an adult, that's true, but he should have known better, right?

On a related note, I'm less convinced that Phil is going to bite the dust here in the last few issues. That's because I think his role of "Martyr" has been filled by Raptor. The Hobgoblin took out four of Spider-Girl's friends/associates, but Raptor is the only one we saw bleeding. Second, the eyes in her mask do a very good impression of lifeless doll's eyes, giving her that "dead" look.. Third, of all the heroes Hobgoblin tied to the fence, Raptor is the only one whose head is tilted at a really noticeable angle (one of the Ladyhawks' head is tilted, but considerably less that Raptor's), which makes her stand out, like that Beatles cover where Lennon is out of step with all the others. She's the only one we didn't see fighting (the Ladyhawks were only taking out some goons, but still did some fighting). Finally, she just got engaged to Normie, who's bonded to a symbiote that he swears he has under control, but gee, couldn't you just imagine that the symbiote has been biding it's time, waiting for an opportunity to assert control, and golly, I'd bet Normie won't be very much in control after finding his fiancee dead, now will he?

Sigh. Would this mean Brenda would need to be added to the Women in Refrigerators list? If Phil Urich died as well, would that remove her from it, demonstrating that two people had to die, and those two were simply the one's whose numbers came up? I don't know.

On still another note, I'm thinking the Black Tarantula is going to convince the Scriers to back off Spider-Girl, given his interest in her. I'm thinking by the time that order comes through, Hobby will be busy battling an insane Normie-Venom, with May trying to keep anyone from dying. Peter and Phil will show up, probably as Spider-Man and Green Goblin. Peter goes after Normie, Phil probably gets destroyed by Hobgoblin, May gets very angry at the death of her "Uncle Phil", and beats Hobgoblin into the ground, while Normie's lost to the symbiote forever, escaping into the night, blaming the whole thing on Spider-Girl, thus continuing the endless cycle of Osborn/Parker violence, not to mention Parker/Symbiote conflict.

Man, that's really depressing. Let's try again:

Brenda Drago is not dead. Normie-Venom keeps Hobgoblin busy while May frees her friends and gets them to safety. Phil Urich does show up, and is injured, but doesn't die. His presence divides the Hobgoblin's concentration enough for May and Normie to pound Hobgoblin into the ground, at which point a messenger from the Brotherhood of Scrier's arrives, informing them there won't be anymore trouble from said Brotherhood. Peter and Normie bury the hatchet at Brenda and Normie's wedding. May makes peace with Courtney, everybody's happy.

That's much better, don't ya think?