“It means anyone can be a hero, I think.” – Ben Parker
J.J. Abrams seems to be doing for Marvel what he did for Star Trek, creating an alternate universe, could this be the Ultimates 2 Abrams Boogaloo? (sorry, I had to, I just had to!) Well, bad puns aside Abrams has a flare (I know, I did it again!) for re-imagining popular franchises. In this series, we see Peter Parker lose his beloved Mary Jane to some kind of robotic enemy but not before gaining a son, Ben Parker. It seems that there’s some strife between the two and Ben has his dad’s powers and it’s revealed to him by his great aunt May that his dad, was, indeed the web-slinging wall-crawler. Peter is now incapacitated due to losing an arm.
The Creative Team:
J.J. and Henry take Peter Parker to new depths as he grapples with the death of his wife, the alienation of his son and his checkered past. They open this issue with the young Ben Parker gripping to his Aunt about his father’s absence and apparent lack of concern for his life. May, of course, defends her nephew and assures Ben that his father loves him. The Abrams’ bring us some good conflict which makes the story intriguing. I’m enjoying the young Ben’s attempt to deal with all that’s happened and his coming of age at a time when he should be enjoying his teenage life. This, of course, mirrors Peter’s past in a way. Peter had to take on the heartache of his Uncle’s death and the responsibility of great power, as each incarnation of Spiderman reminds us, with the understanding of his powers. Great stuff includes Ben trying to get rid of the persona that he inherited only to need it to impress a girl that he wants to hook up with and Ben doing the right thing when the chips are down.
Pichelli and D’Amica give this title energy that propels it into a fine tale in a revisionist universe. Their future earth is incredibly rendered and helps us realize that this isn’t present-day Spiderman. The villain is frightening enough and a curiously familiar type though we can’t quite tell who it is. And I love the loose fitting Spiderman costume. Highlights include Faye’s makeshift costume and the splash with the robotic villains.
In Conclusion:
Ben Parker has a lot to figure out in his young life. A life which mirrors his fathers in many ways, the loss of a parent figure. The attaining of great powers and the realization that he was put here for a reason. It’s semi-comical watching him try to master these powers while he is clearly lacking in experience. I especially love the uniform that doesn’t quite fit. Just when we think Ben is figuring everything out he has to confront…to be continued. *** (8.2 rating)
SCORE: 3/5
Writer – J.J. Abrams, Henry Abrams
Art – Sara Pichelli, Elisabetta D’Amica
Colors – Dave Stewart
Letters – VC’s Joe Caramagna
Publisher – Marvel
Author Profile
- Kevin Given has studied with “ Longridge Writers Group †and “ Writer’s Boot Camp †a speech/communications major from the University of Maine Presque-Isle/Orono sites. He has created the “ Karl Vincent Vampire Hunter †franchise which includes novels and comic books. They can be found on amazon, Indyplanet and Kindle. For a limited time you can get digital copies of “ Karl Vincent: Vampire hunter †# 1 and “ Files of Karl Vincent †# 1 for free on Indyplanet. Kevin is producing the third novel in the series “ Dracula Rising †(working title) and developing “ Foul Blood †into comic book form. Don't forget to check out the YouTube show " Comics: Let's Talk " hosted by Kevin Given
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