REVIEW: The Amazing Spider-Man #790: Here's Johnny!

The Marvel Legacy titles haveÂ so farÂ brought some refreshing changesÂ and nods to the past toÂ a lot of titles and so far this has been the case with The Amazing Spider-Man. Dan Slott and Christian Gage brought back to the forefront one of the best friendships in the Marvel Universe, Peter Parker and Johnny Storm in The Amazing Spider-Man #790. Â Notice I did not say Spider-Man and the Human Torch as their friendship goes beyond the world of heroes and villains.

Peter starts the issue making an apology tour to various Parker Industries sites to personally take responsibility and own up to his actions face to face.Â Norman Lyman (Osborn) accompanies him and notes that most people would not go to such lengths.Â Peter has always been motivated by guilt.Â It is his driving force in his life both as Peter and as Spider-Man.Â That strong sense of guilt is also why he could not bear to be there for the sale of the Baxter Building and went off as Spider-Man looking for any excuse to avoid the situation. With Spider-Man being loved by the city for a change Peter is able to take a temporary reprieve from his troubles as Peter Parker by hiding behind his webs.

One person who did not miss the sale was Johnny Storm, who was pretty heated about it, no pun intended (well ok, you got me).Â The fact that Peter was nowhere to be seen only made matters worse,Â Johnny took the sale of the Baxter Building personally as Peter had promised that he would take care of it until the Fantastic Four were ready to return to action. Again bowing to his familiar sense of guilt, PeterÂ realizes he has to go to the Baxter Building, but does so as Spider-Man.

Spider-Man and Johnny fight like brothers and their battle accidentally makes itÂ very easy for Dr. Clayton Cole, alias Clash, to break into the Parker Industries building to retrieve his research. The heroes put aside their issues and team up to stop the theft.Â Â Clash ends up escaping and Peter and Johnny finally get a chance to resolve things.

This issue was part 2 of The Fall of Parkrer and while it seems to be the end of an era as Parker Industries (I loved the PI abbreviation) has the last of it’s assets sold it also gives us a hint as to what the future holds for Peter Parker.Â A phone call from Joe Robertson at the Daily Bugle with a job offer indicates a return to familiar territory, According to Robertson the job would not be photography, but more science based.

Stuart Immonen’s Spider-Man is dynamic and moves with the grace of a ballerina.Â He does a great job of conveying emotion with his faces.Â Peter’s guilt and Johnny’s anger really comes across as does the frustration of Harry Osborn when Peter disappears on him and when he is finally pushed to his breaking point and quits.Â Immonen’s pencils are complimented by the inks of Wade Von Grawbadger which add a lot of depth and texture to the art.Â As an added bonus we are treated to a beautiful painted cover by none other than Alex Ross.

As a longtime Spidey fan who has lost faith a few times over the years I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for both Peter Parker and Spider-Man.

Story: 3.5
Art: 4
Overall Rating: 3.75

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(W) Dan Slott, Christos Gage (A) Stuart Immonen (CA) Alex Ross