Friday, August 5, 2022

Amazing Spider-Man - Dan Slott

Amazing Spider-Man - Dan Slott
  1.  Big Time: The Complete Collection Vol. 1 - Collects ASM #648-662 of the 2010 series, with a couple of issues by Gage and Van Lente.  I read this after I read the 2014 series with Superior Spider-Ock and what came after, but it was still a delight to read.  Petey gets a real job at last in the high-tech sector; has a girlfriend (who doesn't know his identity, but is a police investigator), goes to pay his respects to the FF (because the Torch is "dead") and gets to join them on an appropriately bizarre cosmic adventure; butts heads with mayor J. Jonah Jameson; and fights enemies old and new, including an emotionless spree killer and a new, improved Scorpion, courtesy of the plotting Spider-Slayer.  Slott is at his best here, with often funny, sometimes poignant, masterfully plotted superhero story.  Slott never forgets that a Spider-Man title is at its core about two principles: no matter how well things may be going in his life, Parker is at core a relatable, lovable nerd, but also the closest thing Marvel has to Superman in terms of his noble heart and soul.  [4.5]

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  3. The Parker Luck - Collects #1-6 of the 2014 series.  Finally back in his body after Dr. Octopus sacrificed his being while occupying it as Superior Spider-Man, Parker finds himself regarded as a feared CEO and genius.  He must answer for things that Octavius did, such as kindle a romance, destroy the Black Cat's life, and torture Electro.  Trying to repair the damage, he stumbles upon Silk, a woman who was also bitten by his power-giving spider and has been living in a bunker for a decade.  Wonderful writing, allowing Spidey to be his noble, funny, wisecracking self, with lots of action.  [4.5] 
  4. Spider-Verse Prelude - this is all material from the Spiderverse collected addition.
  5. Spider-Verse - collects ASM #9-15, all material covered in Spiderverse.
  6. Graveyard Shift - Parker tries to rebuild Parker Industries with a bid to create a new supervillain prison, which alarms his coworkers and brings the worst out in his rivals.  The Ghost is hired to destroy the company.  Meanwhile, the Black Cat is back and out for vengeance.  This TPB also includes an annual with some funny stand-alone stories.  [4]

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