Amazing Spider-Man Renew Your Vows

It's no secret, I'm a huge Spidey fan but byass aside (if that's possible) the mini series Amazing Spider-Man Renew Your Vows was simply fantastic!  There is a ton to say about how well Dan Slott and Adam Kubert nailed the essence of Peter Parker through the art and writing in this story but instead of doing that I'm just going to say go read it and share some of my favorite panels. 

I know what you're thinking and yes I wish Stan Lee officiated my wedding too!
~Steve

Recent Reading: Amazing Spider-Man Renew Your Vows #1

This first issue of Amazing Spider-Man Renew Your Vows #1 was nothing less than amazing!  This one panel represents the very thing that drives this story line and Adam Kubert just nails Venom and Spidey.

Minimum Carnage Starring Agent Venom and The Scarlet Spider

This was a great story line for Carnage and to include the newest Spider-Men, Venom and Scarlet Spider, made this a FABULOUS event!  Carnage is crazier than ever!  Okay he's a total psychopathic murderer but you can't help but love his passion (hah).  I liked this because Carnage has never really wanted anything except to KILL people but now he's decided he was to be a God of the microverse and he has his own mini army to help.  Seriously if you're a fan you've got to pick this up, it's a ton of fun (maybe fun isn't the word here but lets go with it).

Here are just a few of my favorite pages from the conclusion issue Minimum Carnage Omega #1:

 *Spoiler Alert*
My FAVORITE part of this book is the end and happens to be the reason why Scarlet Spider continues to be a staple in my pile every month.  Kaine is the anti-hero of the Spider world.  Even though he has accepted and embraced his new role as a superhero he still holds onto his general principles and beliefs and handles things accordingly.  He sees Kasady as he is, nothing but a cold blooded killer and a dangerous man to keep alive, so he does the sensible thing and ends his life to end the murder.

How many times have you wanted this to happen at the end of a comic?  What if superheroes killed?  Well the Scarlet Spider will apparently do what needs to be done to keep people safe even if that means killing to do it.  I actually feel like this is more realistic to what would happen in the real world.  It's kill or be killed more times than not I think it would come to this.  Then again who wants to keep creating new villains?  =)

So Cleatus Kasady is dead.  But...

CARNAGE LIVES!!!

Still not sure if I love or hate that ending,
~Steve

Amazing Spider-Man Collection - Annual #6 1969

So, I just recently visited a comic convention here in my home town and while it's usually nothing too special I was able to snag some deals, including my new copy of Amazing Spider-Man Annual #6 circa 1969:

I just finished reading it and it's of course one of many classic Stan Lee, Steve Ditko team ups; also featuring the first appearance of the Sinister Six!  I love reading old Spidey comics and I can't help but hear Stan Lee's voice when I'm reading some of Spider-Man's more outlandish thoughts like, "The aura of villainy which he exudes is almost too strong to bear!  Whoever he is, he represents a grave danger!  I'd better tackle him NOW!"  Right?  Don't you hear Stan's voice?

Anyways, this is a great read and contains some amazing Steve Ditko full page portraits of Spidey battling each member of the Sinister Six!

The classics just never go bad.

Until next time,

~Steve

Spider-Man Reading - Good ole' Blue and Red

So, the original black suit doesn't last long!  In fact even before the Secret War is over (the timeless mini-series where Spidey gets the black suit) Spider-Man has returned to his iconic red and blue suit.  The issues during which this takes place are the issues I've probably read the most times out of all the issues in my collection.

Amazing Spider-Man #258 is one of my favorite Spider-Man issues, I just love everything about it.  Tom DeFalco wrote it and Ron Frenz drew it and it's by far one of the most memorable issues they did together in my opinion.  My absolute FAVORITE part is the nightmare sequence where Peter is being chased and attacked by his two Spider-Man outfits!  I think this is such an awesome concept and fits so well with who Spider-Man is and how he sees himself!  I want to read it again just writing about it haha!  Here see for yourself:

 Spectacular right?  Anyways this is what leads Spider-Man to have his suit checked out by none other than Mr. Fantastic himself leading to Spidey's wardrobe change but thanks to the Human Torch it gets worse before it gets better!  Meet the "Unknown Hero":

 So he goes on to break up a liquor store robbery in front of a news crew creating his super hero faux pas! (Don't worry it's only funny to comic geeks like me)  The next issue is the new beginning to Peter and Mary Janes relationship and we all know where that leads!  (If you don't know, wash the cheetos from your fingers, put some sunscreen on, head upstairs, crack open the basement door and have a chat with your folks)

Heading back to the real world *disappointed sigh here*,
~Steve

New Ultimate Spider-Man Cartoon

YES!  More cartoons for me to watch!  Hopefully Disney wont make it too soft but I'm really looking forward to it!

Read more about the upcoming cartoon on Disney XD here.

Setting the DVR,
~Steve

Spider-Man Reading - Black Suit!

Yes,  I am currently on a mission to read all of the main title Spider-Man issues (and lots of non-main title stuff) available to me in order.  Now you might be thinking no big deal but when you have well over 1000+ issues of Spider-Man it's kind of a daunting task.  Ok, who am I kidding I LOVE it!  So, I just finished reading Amazing Spider-Man #251 and Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #89:

You might ask: Ok, so what's so important about these issues?  I in turn would answer:  WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THESE ISSUES?!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?  Unless of course at the time we happen to be anywhere but a comic shop or a place with a population greater than two; in which case I would calmly tell you that these are the last two issues that Spider-Man dons his classic red and blues before heading off to the Secret Wars and getting his Black Spider Costume!  Which means?

VENOM IS COMING!

 Exciting right?  No?  Just me?

Oh well (I'm stoked),
~Steve

Spectacular Spider-Man #89 - Black Cat's Powers

Unfortunately, I wasn't around for the creation of many of my favorite super heroes, which means that I have an endless pile of back issues constantly awaiting my reading attention.  So, recently I've been reading a lot of Marvel circa early 1980's which brings us to today's reading of Peter Parker Spectacular Spider-Man #89, an instant classic portraying just how Black Cat gained her "super powers".

It's funny to me because I know exactly how Black Cat got her powers, even though I'd never read this issue before and do you know why?  The Spider-Man cartoons from the '90's!  I loved that cartoon and I've seen every episode many times over and the story arch of when Kingpins gives Black Cat her powers is one of the more memorable arcs.  But really only the fact that the Kingpin is the one that gives her those powers is actually the same!  In the comic the Black Cat seeks out her powers in order to be able to fight side by side with her love Spider-Man but in the cartoon they are forced upon her as an experiment to recreate the super soldier serum that created Captain America.  

Which is my favorite version?  While most geeks would insist the comic version is the ruler of all, I actually like both of these versions of the story equally.  Of course the cartoon version wouldn't work in the comic continuity but it doesn't have to, which makes it great standing all on it's own!  You can read some more about the cartoon on the Black Cat Wiki.

Fully planning on re-watching these Spider-man episodes,

~Steve

Amazing Spider-Man Movie - Suction Cups?

Ok, so I'm not on the edge of cutting edge entertainment news but I just saw the following shot from the upcoming Amazing Spider-Man movie and I'm a little confused and concerned about what I see.  Check it out:

Are those suction cups? Seriously?

Why the hell would SPIDER-MAN need suction cups?!  Spider-Man does NOT have suction cups!  Look, I'm all about creative liberties but SUCTION CUPS?!  I'm not exactly what is going on here.  I've scoured the internet to see if I can find a reason why this new adaptation of Spider-Man has suction cups but have come up short.  I'm super happy about the change from organic webs in the previous series to the web shooters to me they're a big part of the character but I cannot fathom any instance in which suction cups come into play.  I own 1000+ issues of Spider-Man titles, I SHOULD KNOW.

Historically, the only time suction cups even come close to anything Spider-Man was when the Spider-Man villain Blood Spider tried to mimic his powers and was rumored to use mini suction caps to stick to walls in a strategy to try to defeat Spider-Man.  Well guess what, HE LOST, you know why?  Probably because of THE SUCTION CUPS!!!  ARRHHGGG!!!  As you can see I'm not happy.  This is just not a worthy perception of Spider-Mans powers.  Look how fast Spider-Man takes out Blood Spider in Amazing Spider-Man #367:

Ok, I think I'm done.  I just hope that they do a great job with this movie and I'm looking forward to thoroughly enjoying it, so here hoping there aren't going to be too many weird deviations like this.

SUCTION CUPS!?! Ok now I'm done,
~Steve

Carnage USA #1 Looks Awesome

Ok, yes.  I am a sucker for nearly anything Spider-Man and that includes his villains.  In this case, even if I wasn't a huge Spider-Fan this cover would still be awesome:

After being burned out on a lot of crap limited series I don't usually pick them up anymore but I might have to get this one just because.  Check out a sneak preview @CBR.com

Doubting that Cletus Kasaday is a true patriot,
~Steve

Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man #79

What a fight!  This conclusion to the arch I posted about a few days ago was really a perfect closer.  The fight scenes in this issue are epic and easily my favorite battle against Doctor Octopus yet!  See for yourself:

Spider-Man and Doc Ock really push their abilities to the edge with this one which is apparent as they tear through the hospital.  This fight is a big reminder of just how dangerous Doc Ock is.  He uses his arms with finesse to handle delicate situations while also demonstrating the brute strength at his command.

Did anyone else know that Doctor Octopus is strong enough to throw a train car and stop a moving train coming head on without breaking a sweat?  Apparently I need to study up on my Marvel power charts.

When I read these last pages I couldn't help but wonder if the idea for the location of the final fight scene in the second Spider-Man movie, was based on this story because there are a ton of similarities.

Wishing I didn't need to sleep,
~Steve