Teresa breaks into a prison near Latveria called The Hiding Place which is basically Guantanamo. After taking down the guards she breaks into the prison of the Chameleon who has, among other things, created impersonations of the Parker parents (way back in the Bagley era) and killed Teresa’s boyfriend David. The Chameleon keeps Teresa from killing him by promising to reveal more about her parents and this all leads to the revelation that Karl Fiers the Finisher, who killed Richard and Mary Parker, is still alive and in the prison with them.
Peter Parker spends the issue with a very different mystery with Betty Brant arriving far into a pregnancy. After much shock she adds to it by letting Peter know the father is the supposedly dead Ned Leeds. Peter worries that this was the clone of Ned created by the Vulture. Peter knows this clone also died and worries he must tell all of this to Betty. All this is set aside at the end of the issue as Betty introduces Peter to a very alive Ned Leeds.
Peter’s lab partner Jaime is working with him on a future-predicting project known as the Clairvoyant. Jaime is desperate for the project to work as he’s out of cash with a sick mom at home. He owes massive gambling debts and they’ve sent super-powered enforcers who want the Clairvoyant as payment. Jaime tells them that he needs an energy source to get the Clairvoyant working and recruits them to help him steal an energy source called The Catalyst. Somehow Silver Sable and the Foreigner are also getting mixed up with all of the fun.
This issue jump starts a new story with a number of threads that promise to tie together. Sable’s story seems to tie in with the Symkarian government where Chameleon is imprisoned as well as the Foreigner having ties to the villains hassling Jaime. Whatever is going on with Ned hints at the possible return of the Vulture.
The stories are clearly building up and building together, but at this point they just feel more like plot points being laid out like a laundry list than an interesting, cohesive comic. There is a distinctive lack of humor, energy and personality to this issue which is very unlike writer Nick Spencer. This is balanced against some incredibly superb art by Marcelo Ferreira and Carlos Gomez with inks by them and Wayne Faucher. It varies perspectives, highlights a massive range of characters and emotions, plays up the conspiracy feel by playing shadows. It’s incredible how kinetic the issue feels for a story very light on Spidey action.
Writing: 3.0 of 5 stars
Art: 4.2 of 5 stars
Inks: 4.0 of 5 stars
Overall: 3.7 of 5 stars
Writing: Nick Spencer
Art: Marcelo Ferriera and Carlos Gomez
Inks: Wayne Faucher, Marcelo Ferriera, Carlos Gomez
Colors: Morry Hollowell and Andrew Crossley
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Author Profile
- M.R. Jafri was born and raised in Niagara Falls New York and now lives with his family in Detroit Michigan. He's a talkative introvert and argumentative geek. His loves include Star Wars, Star Trek, Superheroes, Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, Transformers, GI Joe, Films, Comics, TV Shows, Action Figures and Twizzlers.
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