Sensational Spider-Man #41 Writer: J. Michael Straczynski
Artists: Joe Quesada & Danny Miki
I don't think this third part of "One More Day" is terrible. I think it's just a bit "Deus Ex Machina."
Questions:
1. After all he's been through, doesn't Peter Parker know that making a deal with Mephisto is a Bad Idea?
2. After all he's been through, hasn't Peter learned enough about life that he can accept his aged aunt's death...or at least not make a deal with the DEVIL to save her, a deal that will destroy all the potentiality he can have with his wife? Is there any balance at all between the Past and the Future with this guy? The death of an elderly close relative is awful...but would you contaminate the life of your spouse with a deal with essentially Satan to bring this relative back? You don't know what's going to happen. Mephisto could turn Mary Jane into a Nerf Ball and drop kick her into the pit of Tartarus?
3. Wouldn't May be absolutely horrified and disgusted that Peter could even THINK of doing this?
4. Out of ALL the intelligent & superpowered & cosmic beings Spidey has befriended over the years, is Meph is the best he can do in terms of help?
That said, I fear that in the tizzy about "OMD" what will be overlooked is Joe Quesada's art. He has obviously poured his heart into drawing this story. There are many touching moments, like Peter talking to his Daughter That Will Never Be -- simply beautiful, tender characterizations of this young girl. And Loser Peter -- overweight, alone, and with his head in a text book. Just the ultimate look of regret on his face -- it's the type of art that communicates more in one wistful panel than the whole issue of Straczynski's scripting.
But it is in his renderings of Mephisto that Quesada's work really shines. It is the sort of detailed, powerful linework that takes a lot of care and enthusiasm to execute.
So it's a 50/50 with me. I find this a beautiful book to flip through. The story is a little weak.
And if I was MJ on this story, I'd be slapping Peter in the face and saying: "HE'S THE FRICKING DEVIL! WHAT ARE YOU, NUTS?"
Because you know Lois would have done that.
Rating:
Story: C
Art: A
Teen Titans #53 Writer: Sean McKeever
Art: Eddy Barrows & Rob Hunter
I don't blame McKeever for this issue. Or the ones before it.
There is no consistent voice, no consistent artist, and no consistent direction on this book. These are all, ultimately, editorial concerns.
I tried to give Teen Titans a chance for four issues. But I feel as if I have read the same fight scene over and over again.
Are things going to get better? Should I spend another $2.99 on this title?
I really want to know.
Rating: C-
Archibald Saves ChristmasWriter: Dwight L. Macpherson
Artist: Grant Bond
This quirky holiday one-shot by Image Comics was a pleasant little diversion. Mickey prototype Archibald Aardvark has a nasty habit of being connected to horrible bloody murders. He meets Santa. Hilarity ensues. Rendered in a classic animation style punctuated by grainy film-stock effects and bright splashes of red. I laughed too much at inappropriate times with this one.
Rating: B+
The really upsetting part of OMD 3 was that they added reprints because JQ could only produce 22 pages of content and Marvel still wanted to get $3.99 for it.
ReplyDeleteI have heard tell that McKeever's run finally becomes HIS starting with issue 54. I suggest you give it one more issue before you throw in the flag.
I liked the Archibald story - except the title is misleading. He didn't really save Christmas, or Santa for that matter. But still kind of fun and I enjoyed the splashes of red on the otherwise black & white comic.
I think Teen Titans has been moving along fine, actually. ^^
ReplyDeleteAlso, while I'm still against the whole concept of One More Day, bear in mind Peter was the one who shouted out first, "No deal, no deal at all" to Mephisto, but it was MJ who told him she wanted to hear the pitch.
I have to agree that the "deal with the devil" solution of OMD is really just stupid. The character of Peter Parker is simply too smart to give up the future in order to cling to the past, which is the essence of the proposed bargain. Plus, IT'S THE DEVIL. No good can come from it, and the character is smart enough to know that even if the current writer doesn't want the character to think about it. Marvel should have had the guts to just kill MJ if they wanted the marriage to end rather than produce a story that requires their flagship character to act like with such uncharacteristic stupidity. It is simply a bad idea. Nuff said.
ReplyDeleteCompletely 100% agreed with on #3. Aunt May would be horrified if she knew.
ReplyDeleteI have been trying and trying to get into McKeever's run on Teen Titans. I really WANT to like it but travel stories and me mix like oil and water. I loathe time travel stories, LOATHE them. But on the other hand, I love McKeever's writing. I'm really hoping after this time travel nonsense clears up, we'll see what McKeever's really capable of. I think if he was given free rein and not having to be forced to write by any kind of editorial mandates, he would wow us all.
The gutsier move would have been to have Peter offerred a choice by Mephisto. His family life and security assured, secret restored, but at the cost of his spider-powers and memory of his life as Spider-Man. No one would know, and if anyone tried to tinker with the deal, Peter's life will unravel in ways that'd make Spider-Man Reign look like a children's birthday party.
ReplyDeleteWhat can Peter do but agree? And so the world loses Spider-Man seemingly forever. Peter has no idea who he was, he's just a lucky photographer who used to get the exclusive pics of Spider-Man, but he doesn't exist anymore.
But. . .
If that's the case, who's the webslinging wonder swooping between the skyscrapers of Manhattan, cracking wise and beating the bad guys? It can't be Peter, but if not him, then who?
And therein lies a good six-months worth of fun you could have with a blissfully happy wedded Parker couple, a safe Aunt May, but a mystery that lingers. A mugging on his way back from teaching at high school stirs feelings of frustration and guilt he has no reason feeling. Uncle Ben was murdered in a senseless break-in. No one could have known. . .right? Add to things his restlessness, dreams becoming increasingly arachnid-centric, and you have the makings of an intriguing storyline to say the least.
But eh. That's just me from the cheap seats. What do I know?
And didn't JMS do a story a while back where Spider-man helped Loki with something and Loki promised made a big deal about owing him? So, wouldn't Loki be the more logical choice for Magical Reset Button God Man in this case? He'd also be (marginally) more trustworthy than Mephisto, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteJust a bit of fanboy wankery, but I honestly thought they were setting up Loki at the end of the last issue.
I stopped buying all Spider-Man and Spider-related titled with OMD. Joe Quesada's vision for Spidey--perpetual teenager, lovelorn, forever downtrodden in a manner unbecoming of an adult male in his thirties--is just a dealbreaker for me.
ReplyDeleteI also actually kinda like this Teen Titan arc, mostly because of how well McKeever writes Blue Beetle...sorta like another youthful bug-themed hero in love. I wonder why...
ReplyDelete@Superheroine: Thank you for the wonderful review of "Archibald Saves Christmas!" I appreciate you purchasing and reviewing it. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDelete@lisa: That was the purpose of the title: to mislead. Don't you think that perhaps the character of Archibald as portrayed throughout much of the book is misleading in light of the ending? Good times. I thank you for purchasing the book and I'm extremely happy you enjoyed it!
-Dwight L. MacPherson
Co-Creator/Writer "Archibald Saves Christmas"
I want everyone to stop buying OMD, personally. At least Ultimate Spider-man is still a kid-- having Grown-up Spider-man be a big fat sissy is really just a let down. For my money, I think Grown-up Spidey should have his ducks in a ROW, & should be the most together guy in the Marvel U. "Hey, I've had my powers since I was a KID man, I've come to terms with it!"
ReplyDeleteInstead he's editorially mandated to by the manchild fucktard. PLEASE STOP.
@Dwight_L_MacPherson I really did enjoy it. Fun and twisted! I just found the whole cover funny as it said SAVES Christmas and looks all happy, and then inside is death and psychosis - good stuff.
ReplyDeleteI do find it entertaining that "Mephisto shows up and uses magic to find a solution to the whole thing" was one of the original ways they planned to end the Clone Saga. (He was going to send Peter back in time, so he would become Ben, so neither one would have been the clone.)
ReplyDeleteThey rejected it because they thought Mephisto just didn't work as a Spider-Man villain, because it would still leave too many unanswered questions (because Mephisto is, after all, an evil liar), and because it seemed like a cheat.
Plus ce change, plus ce meme chose...
@lisa: Well, I'm very happy to hear it! We're actually hard at work on an Archibald book for Easter, so be on the lookout. ^_^
ReplyDeleteIf you thought ASC was twisted, wait till you get a load of our Easter special! Hahahaha!
Thanks again,
Dwight L. MacPherson
Co-Creator/Writer "Archibald Saves Christmas"
Sigh. Personally, I'm still pissed about One More Day, Part 2. In the ENTIRETY of the vast and wonderful Marvel Universe, MEPHISTO is the only one who can save an old lady with a gunshot wound? Only black magic can do it? None of the good stuff or the radically advanced science that allows men to become cyborgs or stretchy or whatnot?
ReplyDeleteNot to mention the fact that both Peter and Mary Jane should be like "Er, fuck that," as soon as Mephisto shows up. And if this comes to pass, the FIRST thing Aunt May should do upon hearing about this is to slap the shit out of Peter for being such a raging dumbass (REED is the smart dumb one, NOT Peter!).
I have a feeling that the conclusion is just going to piss me off more, and I fear that my worry of ending my Spider-Man reading career will come to pass with the next issue.
All I have to say is that if Marvel does get rid of the Ultimate universe, they'll be ending the only Spidey title worth picking up any more. Dear Lord, will no one stop the mad beast Quesada?
ReplyDeleteWell, I for one want to thank Joe Quesada. Why? Because of the all money I'm saving due to his boneheaded editorial decisions.
ReplyDeleteFirst Civil War, one of the worst written mini-series I've ever had the displeasure of reading or wasting my hard-earned (ok, slight exaggeration) money on and now Spider-Man and this whole OMD nonsense, not to mention the switch to a 3x a month schedule which, at least to me, is 2x too many.
Unfortunately, Marvel isn't losing out at the cash register and in the end that's all that matters so we're stuck with Quesada. He'll leave when he wants to leave. In the meantime, we're stuck with him and piss-poor storytelling in the MU.
Thanks, but no thanks.
Thank God Joe Q is doing the whole OMD thing - now maybe kids will stop pelting Dan DiDio's house with eggs as we all move on to another comics company VP whipping-boy.
ReplyDeleteAm I the only one who views OMD and thinks "Grow the fuck up, Quesada (and company)"? Spidey has a fair few miles on him now - time for him to man up, buy a house, get an office job, raise a family and stop being such an emo pussy. Most comics readers are in their thirties anyway - kids don't relate to mainstream Marvel Spidey, and it's time to accept that, move on, and grow the character that already exists, rather than regressing to franchise templates and alienating readers who've stuck by the character and are in danger of being alienated by OMD.
Teen Titans is just snore-inducing - I know the average teen pretends to be an adult, but this is taking the whole analogy too far. How many times do they need to travel in time and meet their future selves anyway? That was never entertaining as a story, so I'm flummoxed why so many seemingly sensible writers keep revisiting it as a plot device - only DC One Million and Peter David's Hulk break the rule.
As others have stated, once McKeever gets going it might be entertaining, but he's not got going just yet, apparently.
OMD is a fucking insult.
ReplyDeleteSave an old woman for a couple years and lose your wife who youve been with forever and ever. It's so fucking stupid.
"MEPHISTO is the only one who can save an old lady with a gunshot wound?"
ReplyDeleteThe only way this makes even a lick of sense is if Mephisto has actually been hanging around since a good bit earlier in the story, perhaps even impersonating Dr. Strange and others. Otherwise, when Strange did the 'try everybody' fugue on Peter, and Peter was asking Hank McCoy for help, he would have remembered that the X-Men have at least two team members who could heal May in a minute flat, not to mention Shi'ar medtech if either Angel or Elixir is absent.