Product Description: Venom returns for the "War of the Symbiotes!" When Spidey's most fearsome foe strikes, it looks bad for the outmatched web-slinger, but Silver Sable and her Wild Pack may turn the tide! Have they come to save Spider-Man or is their motive something more sinister? Plus: this story adapts, expands and incorporates the hit Ultimate Spider-Man video game (which Brian Michael Bendis just happened to co-write) into Ultimate Spider-Man continuity! So be like Venom and return to ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN to find out why folks like Wizard are saying it's "the best Spider-book on the stands right now." Collects Ultimate Spider-Man #123-128.
Bendis and Immonen provide Book 21 in Marvel's "Ultimate" Universe Spider-Man series This twenty-first trade paperback of the long running Marvel series collects Ultimate Spiderman issues 123-128. Brian Michael Bendis has been the writer from the book's 2000 start. Stuart Immonen started his USM penciling run in #111 and continues through these issues. As in previous arcs, much of the story is adapted from Amazing Spider-Man continuity (for example, the return of a Gwen Stacy clone) with a high-school aged Peter Parker as Spider-Man. According to the back cover, Bendis also adapted his own plot from a recent USM video game. It features appearances from Venom and the Ultimates superhero team. I've missed the last few USM trade paperbacks but picked this up when I saw it at the library. I'm glad that I only borrowed this quick read rather than owning it. The opening segments are told in confusing flashback for little apparent reason. Immonen gives the characters a manga look, one that I did not particularly appreciate. Fans of the series and/or Bendis will probably enjoy this volume, but for everyone else I'd recommend several other current comic book titles instead of this one. I've lost interest in the Ultimate Universe and probably won't continue reading the series.
only one gripe My only gripe about the return of Ultimate Venom and Carnage is that at least half the story presented here is the story from the Ultimate Spider-Man video game. Marvel has long said that the video game (written by Bendis) was part of the Ultimate continuity and that story is collected, presented, expoudned upon, and wrapped up here. It's one part sequel to the game and one part re-telling it for those who didn't play it. I, being one who played it, wished that some of the video game moments had been left to flashback or exposition thought-bubbles instead of being presented again. But it's still a great story and serves as the redemption of Gwen Stacey.
Spiderman Bendis goes from strength to strength. His take on Spiderman is refreshing and crafts together memorable stories from the mainstream Spiderman mythos. In this volume he returns Gwen Stacy to the fold as well as introducing the armoured villian the Beetle to the comic.
not bad It wasn't bad at all. I've been collecting the TB's of Ultimate spider-man for a while now. This set could have been better, story wise, but regardless of story, I did enjoy the art. I'm glad I bought it.
Wake me up when the next story arc starts... *Yawn* I really, really, really, really don't care about Venom, the symbiotes or any of the various Spidey-clones that we've seen over the years. These overblown, overused plot twists killed the Spider-Books in the 1980s and '90s and have not become any more interesting since then. If Venom were to disappear -- forever -- it would be one of the greatest things to ever happen in the history of comicbooks. (Axton)
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