World Famous Comics: Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 19: Death of a Goblin (v. 19)
Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 19: Death of a Goblin (v. 19)
By: Brian Michael Bendis Publisher: Marvel Comics Average Rating: Binding: Paperback Label: Marvel Comics Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 144 Publication Date: March 05, 2008 Reading Level: Young Adult
Product Description: Peter and his Aunt May have perhaps the most important conversation of Peter's life. It's a gut-wrenching, emotional roller coaster you'll never forget. And Spider-Man is on the call when there is a huge explosion in the side of the Triskelion - the side housing superhuman criminals. From the acrid smoke emerges a man seething with vengeance - a man who wants Peter Parker dead! That man is Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin! And for the web-spinner, things are about to get out of control! The artistic baton is passed from longtime penciler Mark Bagley to stunning new ongoing artist Stuart Immonen, of Ultimate X-Men and Ultimate Fantastic Four fame! Collects Ultimate Spider-Man #112-117.
Ultimate Clone Saga! The Clone Saga, from the Amazing Spider-Man books, remains at the top of the list of story arcs Marvel would rather forget. So I was amazed when it was announced that Bendis was going to tackle the epic story in the Ultimate universe. The difference, however, is that his story is thought-out, riveting, and concise. There's some pretty big and dramatic twists to the Spider-Man story collected here, and I'm not going to spoil them. It's a great read.
Fun and entertaining entry in this series The title is a tad tongue in cheek and a play on the old classic comic book title, and the first story has more variations on the fan-favorite "team-up" books. Yet, this book really is a lot of fresh fun and I really enjoyed it. It was kind of cool seeing Peter with actual friends in both worlds (super and "normal"), which the title makes reference to, and it is done in a very original and believable (for a super-hero comic) way. Just as the first Chris Reeves SUPERMAN movie used the tag line, "You will believe that a man can fly!", in ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS, you will believe that there could be such people as these, that they could hang out together, like each other and even have these kinds of problems, trying to help each other through them.
The new artist is very good, although I do miss the older artist a bit. I think I will get used to the new guy. IN any case, the art is just fine. Bendis' writing is funny, insightful and sounds real, as usual. He really has "an ear" for dialogue. He is kind of the "Elmore Leonard" of comics (developing precisely those kind of chops on the pure crime books he did some years ago).
And as per usual in almost every Bendis book I have ever read, he makes me laugh. There is always at least one line (usually a lot more), that has me laugh out loud. Never mind all the others that have me smiling. Who doesn't need more of that these days?
An entertaining read and like all of Bendis' stuff, very re-readable!
Continuing the awesome... - Shocker (as he takes out a police car during a chase): "Hey, I got one!! I got one!!" - Spidey (whilst kicking Shocker's mug in): "I got one, too! Awww, but mine's a big tool!"
Having just re-read these two trades back to back, I thought I'd try for a two-fer, double dipping on both ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN Vol. 19: DEATH OF A GOBLIN and Vol. 20: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS. Firstly, I harbor mad friggin' love for this series. With his Ultimate Spidey stories, Brian Michael Bendis has managed to reinvent and reinvigorate the Spider-Man mythos, and shiny-domed dude has even managed to stick with the thing for over 130 issues now. Artist Mark Bagley also gets massive golf claps for his extensive run, and it's no lie that his take on Ultimate Spidey has become THE definitive rendering. Having said that, Stuart Immonen, not exactly a scrub himself, has been doing righteous things with the artwork. I dig that Immonen keeps Spidey looking like a kid in tights, instead of some over-muscly bloke all of a sudden.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN Vol. 19: DEATH OF A GOBLIN collects issues #112-117 and features the escape of Norman Osborn, a.k.a. the Green Goblin, from the Triskelion's maximum security compound and the resultant wigging out of Peter and Mary Jane. As Osborn goes about his machinations to take down Nick Fury (who, following the goings-on in the Ultimate Power mini-series, isn't around much anymore), interim S.H.I.E.L.D. director Carol Danvers tries to catch up with all the crazy going down. And, lest you forget that this is a certain teen wall-crawler's book, you best believe the Goblin's not forgotten Peter Parker.
What I probably relish best in the Ultimate Universe is the sense of freshness it invokes. Not only do longtime Marvel characters get a do-over, but there seems to be more immediacy to the stuff that happens to them. And, importantly, while still steeped in outrageous fantasy, Ultimate Universe somehow feels closer to reality than the mainstream 616. Whenever an Ultimate character dies, it feels more permanent. All this leading to me saying that DEATH OF A GOBLIN is one of the best story arcs in this series.
Bendis is very good with the superhero stuff, starting off with Spidey and the newly costumed Shadowcat early on taking out the Shocker in what feels like a throwaway sequence. The stakes quickly go up with Osborn's prison breakout because, as long time readers know, Osborn knows Spidey's civilian identity and evil dude's even flung Mary Jane off a bridge. With Pete ensuring that Aunt May and Mary Jane skedaddle the eff out of town, his bump of responsibility makes him stay on.
Pete's taken on the Kingpin and Venom and sundry wacky clones, but let's face it, the Goblin has always been Spidey's traditional nemesis. Ultimate Goblin is immeasurably more powerful than Spidey, and more intelligent, and I like that Spidey always has to struggle like epic crapcakes just to eke out a win. Here, it's not even Pete who finally takes the Goblin down.
Bendis's gift for funny and insightful dialogue is on display again. Ultimate Spidey, I think, is hands down funnier than 616 Spidey. Bendis balances the colossal fighty fights with very well done character moments, with the Midtown High sequences proving to be enthralling bits. Pete and Kitty are paired up with one of those baby doll monitoring assignments (and, as one panel reveals, Kitty still isn't quite over Pete's break-up with her). I'm also getting a kick out of the school dynamics with specifics to Kitty Pryde's identity being public knowledge. On the Triskelion side, Spidey and Carol Danvers trade in some hilarious banter, the funny mostly coming from Pete's end. Things climax tragically (all you have to do is peek at the title of this trade) and there's a coda which takes place in Pete's classroom, in a moment tinged with poignancy. A great story arc.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN Vol. 20: SPIDER-MAN & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS collects issues #118-122 as, in the wake of the traumatic events in DEATH OF A GOBLIN, Bendis takes it down a notch and focuses on the personal lives of Pete and his circle of pallies. A fun story arc.
***SPOILER alert for this next paragraph***
Midtown High is still mourning the passing of Harry Osborne. To get out of their funk, Pete and his friends decide to hang out at the beach, accompanied by Johnny Storm (Human Torch) and Bobby Drake (Iceman). Night falls on the beach and the kids are chillin' around a campfire, when, shockingly, dot dot dot...
Old fogeys may get that the three-part "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends" is a fond callback to the awesome 1980s cartoon show of the same title (ah, anyone remember Ms.Lion?). So it makes sense that this arc features Iceman (come to apologize to Kitty), as well as the debut of Ultimate Firestar. And, predictably, the manifestation of a new mutant gets a "Hruh?" not only from the X-Men but from Magneto. Bendis effectively serves up his decompression style of storytelling, as these three issues generate tons of cool dialogue, with Spidey and Iceman trying their best to talk down a frantic and frightened Firestar. Not much of a superhero throwdown in this one, which is okay, as I found the conversations among the cast so much more involving. Also, seriously, Peter just ain't competent with keeping his secret identity secret. Seriously.
The last two issues in this trade are kinda one-offs. First, we learn how Pete and Kitty fare with their classroom project. It involves an arduous explanation from Peter (to his teacher, in front of the class) as to why their assigned fake baby doesn't exactly end up unscathed. However, when that farfetched explanation features Omega Red and the epic destruction of the Daily Bugle offices, well, someone's G.P.A. is bound to drop.
Issue #122 starts off sunnily enough, as Peter video-records Mary Jane as she tries to conduct Man on the Street interviews but can't even say her name right. Things take a deadly serious turn when the Shocker, "the biggest loser in Loserville," surfaces and surprisingly beats holy heck out of and then kidnaps Spider-Man. Which goes to show, even the most ridiculed supervillain is still someone not to be effed with.
As these issues demonstrate, there's more gravitas now to young Peter Parker. Wallcrawling guy has fought monumental battles and experienced wondrous things and has incured hurtful losses, but, thru all this, Brian Michael Bendis has been able to preserve the core of Peter Parker, keeping him on point while sustaining that lighthearted flavor. Nothing probably encapsulates this as much as this following bit:
- Firestar: "You're an amazing friend. You ran to help me. I won't forget this." - Spidey: "Well, just remember that with great power there must also come great responsibility." - Firestar: "Now you sound like a tool."
Hah! And you got her "amazing friend" reference, right?
The Ultimate Universe was built on the success of this title, thanks to Bendis's ability to generate pathos and to put a fresh spin on age-old Spider-Man tropes. Ultimate Peter Parker, terrific in all his teenhood and in the infancy of his superhero career, is nowadays my favorite version of the web-spinner. Mark Bagley has put in serious work, as has Stuart Immonen. With Ultimate titles getting shut down left and right and characters getting killed off everywhere (thanks, ULTIMATUM) and with #133 projected as possibly the last Ultimate Spidey issue (#130 is currently what's on sale), I'm just trying to soak it all in, brother. All the while hoping that this doesn't put a moratorium on this little corner of Marvel. That would suck immensely.
Is this series ever going to slow down? Every time I read an Ultimate Spider-Man collection, I think the series must have hit it's peak. But the stories so constantly entertaining -- intense without being bleak, emotional without being sappy. This is the first full collection with new artist Stuart Immonen after years of Mark Bagley as sole artist. Mr. Bagly defined the look and feel of the series, but Mr. Immonen steps in with his own excellent take on Spider-Man's world. It was sad to see Mr. Bagley go, but I'm looking forward to more from Mr. Bagley.
One of the best aspect of USM is seeing Peter Parker's personal life. This volume furthers the relationship with Mary Jane (just a bit) and gives us more of ex-girlfriend (and X-Man) Kitty Pride. The writing is so good that the conversations in the high school hall are just as exciting as the battle with the Goblin.
This is a great read and I'm looking forward to the next one.
Ult Spidey 20 Although the artist has switched, the transition was seamless and the storyline is great as ever.
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Trevor
Megaton Man
