nathalia

Join me as I comment on the solicitations for June 2007 released by the Big Two.

The solicitations for Amazing Spider-Man #542 imply that Aunt May is really dead.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #542
Written by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
Pencils and Cover by RON GARNEY
"Back in Black," Part 4
A sniper’s bullet changes everything in Peter Parker’s life. Clad in his black costume, Spider-Man will stop at nothing to find the man who pulled the trigger and, even more important, the man who gave the kill order. This is Spider-Man at his darkest hour.
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99

I’m not happy about it.
Actually, when I formed my thoughts (I tend to speak to myself when I’m alone), I stuttered somewhat and that is really strange.
I just don’t think it’s the right moment to kill of Aunt May, especially not by having her shot by a sniper. May I point out that that’s how Steve Rogers was killed in Captain America #25?
Killing off an iconic character is a very daring thing to do, but if you kill two very famous characters within this short timeframe ... I just don’t think it’s appropriate.

Okay, I continued reading the solicitations and found out that May is not actually dead.

SENSATIONAL SPIDER-MAN #38
Written by ROBERTO AGUIRRE-SACASA
Penciled by LEE WEEKS
Cover by CLAYTON CRAIN
"THE LAST TEMPTATION OF EDDIE BROCK" Part 1 (of 2)
He used to be one of Peter Parker's most vicious foes: Venom. Now, though, Eddie Brock is weak and powerless. But fortune has smiled on Mr. Brock, putting him in the right place at the right time: The same hospital where May Parker is fighting for her life. With Peter at his most desperate and completely overwhelmed, will Eddie have one final chance to destroy the man he blames for all his life's woes?
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99

So May is in a fight between life and death. At least she didn’t have a heart attack;)
Eddie Brock isn’t connected to Venom any longer if I recall correctly. There was an issue of Marvel Knight Spider-Man in which the symbiote was auctioned off and this kid, Arthuro Fortunato bonded with it. In the end, Mac Gargan, the former Scorpion, became the symbiote’s new host.
Or I least I think this is more or less what happened.
Eddie Brock is dying of cancer in the same hospital as May.
I hope Venom doesn’t show up in this storyline. I’m not a big fan of the character. But I’m pretty sure we will see Venom, after all these are the solicitations for the month after the release of the newest Spider-Man movie.
The cover to this issue is beautiful though.

FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN #21
Written by PETER DAVID
Pencils and Cover by TODD NAUCK
BACK IN BLACK continues as Spidey finds one his oldest friends in the fight of her life. Could this be the end for Betty Brant!?
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99

Peter David has been doing a great job reintroducing Spidey’s supporting cast, that has been neglated in the past few years and that made the Spidey books that interesting. I really hope that he’s above bringing back an old character like Betty just to kill her off.

SPIDER-MAN FAIRY TALES #2 (of 4)
Written by C.B. CEBULSKI
Painted Cover and Art by NIKO HENRICHON
The legend of Kwaku Anansi, the First Spider, melds with the Marvel Universe as Anansi learns a valuable lesson about power and responsibility. On his quest for the legendary Spider-Orchid, Anansi is challenged by four elemental beings who seek to stop him from reaching his goal. Will Anansi be able to overcome the villainous forces of air, water, sand and fire to complete his journey and take his next steps in life? Beautifully painted by Niko Henrichon (Pride of Baghdad.)
32 PGS./Rated A…$2.99

I’m not a fan of these fairy tales thingie. There have been a few of these things for X-Men and probably other franchises, but I really don’t care about them. In my opinion it’s a way to recycle an Asian fairy tale that the American and European public isn’t familiar with and adding some spider elements to it, making it fit the Spidey imprint. And besides, I really don’t like my American comics to be influenced by manga or Asian culture in any way. I don’t want anime-like drawing, I don’t want these over the top things that are typical for manga just because they have become more popular since the 90ies.

SPIDER-MAN/FANTASTIC FOUR #3 (of 4)
Written by JEFF PARKER
Pencils and Cover by MIKE WIERINGO
The new Silver Society has had enough interference from the F.F. and Spider-Man, and The Imperator unleashes some strong deterrents in response. While Reed Richards searches the galaxy for answers, our heroes find the situation so dire they have to make a deal with the devil — or worse, Doctor Doom!
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99

I’m not a fan of these limited series that have a meeting of sorts between different teams. The FF and Spidey have been friends for an eternity now, they could tell this story in the core FF book. Also, I don’t like Spidey being involved in cosmic stuff because Spidey is a street-level hero, he shouldn’t be involved in space adventures because it doesn’t fit his style.
I’m not a fan of Wieringo’s art either, it is too cartoonish. And heck, this isn’t even a story that fits into the recent events. Sue and Reed are shown with the FF and Spidey’s in his red and blue costume.
Doom as the last hope has been used was too many times now.
I believe this is another "trick" to get new readers as both FF and Spidey will be on the big screen this summer.

SPIDER-MAN FAMILY #3
Written by PAUL TOBIN & FRED VAN LENTE
Penciled by PIERRE ALARY & LEONARD KIRK
Cover by PIERRE ALARY
Remember back in the day, when super heroes would fight other super heroes? What? That still happens? Civil…what? Well, ANYway…we’re taking you back in time, when Spidey was pretty new at all this super hero stuff, and would make silly mistakes, like, oh, say..knocking out the Invisible Girl! I think her friends might want to have a talk with the web-crawler…
Also! We’ve got a backup story featuring TWO Scorpions, Spider-Man J and classic Spidey archives !
104 PGS./Rated A …$4.99

People are bitching about the spider-marriage and so we get this title where Peter is still single and carefree. And it takes a look at the beginnings of the friendship between the FF and Spidey. This sounds like a family book (maybe because of the book), somewhat cute.

SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE #19
Written by SEAN MCKEEVER
Penciled by DAVID HAHN
Cover by TAKESHI MIYAZAWA
Flash's grades and playoff hopes are in danger, and the only person he can talk to about it is Mary Jane. Also, more on Spidey and Firestar, Peter and Gwen, Peter and MJ, and MJ and...Spidey?
32 PGS./All Ages …$2.99

I LOVE McKeever’s work on Spider-Man loves Mary Jane. This isn’t set in continuity, I know, I know, but I love the way he tells the story with MJ as the main character and reuniting all of the supporting cast of the times when Peter was still in high school / starting college. It takes a different spin, is a book for both genders.

AMAZING SPIDER-GIRL #9
Written by TOM DEFALCO
Pencils and Cover by RON FRENZ
"Spider-Girl, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." Part 1 (of 4)
When Spider-Girl stumbles on to a S.H.I.E.L.D. mission that’s about to go bad, she inadvertently sets free the deadliest (and most requested) foe that Spider-Man ever faced—Carnage!
32 PGS./Rated A …$2.99

After Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD, Kitty Pryde, Agend of SHIELD and whoever else has a storyline involving them becoming agents of SHIELD (probably a fifth of the Marvel characters), Spider-Girl jois the ranks as well.
I don’t care about Carnage, in my eyes, he is nothing more than a Venom rip-off. But hell, what else do you expect?

MYTHOS: SPIDER-MAN
Written by PAUL JENKINS
Painted and Cover by PAOLO RIVERA
Continuing the prestigious series showcasing the origins of the greatest heroes in the Marvel Universe! Find out how Spider-Man’s super hero career began in a fully-painted recounting of the origin of the original hard-luck hero.
32 PGS./Rated A …$3.99

This basically retells Spidey’s origin. They got two hot artists for this one. And I know this is mainly a tool to introduce new people to the title who have found the movie interesting and want to know more about the character.