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[Zechs]

Amazing Spider-Man #626

I read it twice, hoping beyond hope that there would be something in this that I actually enjoyed. There was... one word: "Sup?" One panel, one word, and it actually made me chuckle. That's something that Amazing hasn't done for me since the later part of the twentieth century.

Let me say first and foremost that the art and coloring of this book has never been worse. That's not to say that I don't think there's a place for this art - I believe there is; but it's not this book. This would work in one of Marvel's Noir series rather well.

Story wise, I'm bored. I know Peter has a hard luck life. I knew it back in the early 1970's when I started reading this title. Sure some of the characters are new (and rather boring) but it's the same old song folks. The best story I've read during this Gauntlet is the Rhino's, and it wasn't the new dud that was interesting, it was the next step in the original that had me wanting to read it.

I tried... I really did. Spidey was my first comic, my first love of animation. But this run ranks second worst ever to me, with Devin Grayson and Bruce Jones' run of Nightwing being first.

Story: 1 (only for the 'sup panel)
Art: 0
Final Score: 1 (That 'sup was pretty funny)

[meme]masterrace[/meme]

[Zechs]

No because you have to actually "review" in order to join the group fool.

I did. I'm an unofficial member.

[******]

I did. I'm an unofficial member.

No, you're an official member, you're just not currently active.

We have exceptionally low standards.

[Starlord]

Brian I love you man, your a good guy but giving Michael Gaydos artwork a 0 is beyond insane.

It just SO doesn't fit this book for me it's like throwing the old lady from Throw Mamma From the Train into a group of supermodels and trying to convince me that she belongs with all the others.

I'm sorry...

[doombug]

It just SO doesn't fit this book for me it's like throwing the old lady from Throw Mamma From the Train into a group of supermodels and trying to convince me that she belongs with all the others.

I'm sorry...

It's just a total for me. not angry at you or anything. he's one of my favorite artists.

[******]

Amazing Spider-Man #626

I really like post-Brand New Day Spider-Man. I like it a lot. There's just more of it than I can keep up with so I've fallen way behind. Maybe I need to start reading it in trades or something because between this and that Rhino issues we reviewed a couple of months back, the revolving door of Spider-Man creators are turning out some fan-freaking-tastic comic books.

I haven't read a lot of Fred Van Lente's stuff and what I have read has been more than a bit underwhelming. This comic though was pitch perfect. I haven't read an issue of ASM since that Rhino issue and I didn't feel lost even a tiny bit. Between the recap and the tiniest bit of exposition, Van Lente caught me up on recent events and made it feel perfectly fluid and natural. It was a lot like reading a comic from 20 years ago before the industry became story arc dependent and it was very refreshing. As for the story itself, it's just a great Peter Parker story. The job/money stuff, the relationship with his roommate, that's just classic Spider-Man comics right there.

When I saw Gaydos on the solicitation for this issue, I thought it was kind of an odd fit. Wrong! Outside of Martin and McNiven, this was the best looking Spider-Man comic I've seen in forever. Spider-Man doesn't have to have traditional comic book art all the time and this wasn't an issue that relied heavily on people in costumes so Gaydos made perfect sense for this story. It's been a while since I've seen a Gaydos comic, but damn I forgot how great a colorist he is. Every panel on every page of this was just beautiful.

For comics like this one, that deal with the devil was totally worth it.

Story: 10
Art: 10
Overall: 10

[******]

I bet if Starlord and spidertour had read this after 4thy's Time Lincoln book, they would have given ASM a 10 too.

[spidertour02]

Amazing Spider-Man #626

I really like post-Brand New Day Spider-Man. I like it a lot. There's just more of it than I can keep up with so I've fallen way behind. Maybe I need to start reading it in trades or something because between this and that Rhino issues we reviewed a couple of months back, the revolving door of Spider-Man creators are turning out some fan-freaking-tastic comic books.

I haven't read a lot of Fred Van Lente's stuff and what I have read has been more than a bit underwhelming. This comic though was pitch perfect. I haven't read an issue of ASM since that Rhino issue and I didn't feel lost even a tiny bit. Between the recap and the tiniest bit of exposition, Van Lente caught me up on recent events and made it feel perfectly fluid and natural. It was a lot like reading a comic from 20 years ago before the industry became story arc dependent and it was very refreshing. As for the story itself, it's just a great Peter Parker story. The job/money stuff, the relationship with his roommate, that's just classic Spider-Man comics right there.

When I saw Gaydos on the solicitation for this issue, I thought it was kind of an odd fit. Wrong! Outside of Martin and McNiven, this was the best looking Spider-Man comic I've seen in forever. Spider-Man doesn't have to have traditional comic book art all the time and this wasn't an issue that relied heavily on people in costumes so Gaydos made perfect sense for this story. It's been a while since I've seen a Gaydos comic, but damn I forgot how great a colorist he is. Every panel on every page of this was just beautiful.

For comics like this one, that deal with the devil was totally worth it.

Story: 10
Art: 10
Overall: 10

[Zechs]

For comics like this one, that deal with the devil was totally worth it.

[guitarsmashley]

Oh most definitely.

good, the preview art makes the book look like a monster.

[thefourthman]

Brian I love you man, your a good guy but giving Michael Gaydos artwork a 0 is beyond insane.

I'm not giving Gaydos a 0, but I agree he is a bad match for the book.

[thefourthman]

Amazing Spider-Man #626

Written by Fred Van Lente
Illustrated by Michael Gaydos

I love Spidey. I'm a bona fide junkie. I got the fever for the flavor of a... well you get the idea.

The Spidey Trust has its ups and downs. The problem with having a rotating stable of creators on a book is that voicing becomes an issue. This is not as big a deal when there are three different books - you can get different insights to the character. The problem with there only being one book is that you are trying to generate one narrative and any discrepancies become glaring.

Gale was the first big problem. His issues generally brought down the average for Brand New Day - his stories were tired, his Peter all wrong and his ideas generally felt out of place with everyone else's. Next Guggenheim became the whipping boy. Oh, by no means were his stories as bad they just lacked the same level of fun as the remaining trustees. Now Van Lente takes his turn at the bottom of the heap.

I like Van Lente. Action Philosophers and Comic Book Comics are pure geek thrills. His Hercules has been on of Marvel's hidden joys - well until he got overly wordy recently.

Here, though, Peter is just off. He's trying to be the goof that we all know and love, but it just doesn't work. The dialogue is clunky and the inner monologue clumsy.

Then there are the problems with the story. Why would the recently ruined Parker be going to take pictures he won't be able to sell? (You could write it off as Michelle not knowing about his job woes, but she makes it clear that she knows later on.) Why does Michelle give in so easily to Parker's charms after years of being aggravated with him? What the hell is all that Hood stuff about anyhow?

Then there is Gaydos. My Spider-man is a four color marvel. He jumps out of the page. The lines are crisp and exact. It is supposed to be a fun book and the art accentuates that - whether it is Ditko, Romita or Martin behind the pencil.

Gaydos does none of these things. Spider-man almost seeps away in the book. He hides in the dark. I know I sound like a fuddy duddy, but I don't get making Spidey a dark book. Sure, for a arc or a mini, it is fine. I loved me some Dark Reign. Gaydos just exudes gritty noir to me and at the end of the day, Spider-man is not a grimy crime book. It is wise cracking spandex euphoria with a hint of relativism (druggie friends, job woes, girl troubles). The dark should be on the outskirts of the book trying to get in, not overwhelming the entire attitude of the book.

To be honest, I feel like an American Idol judge. The writing isn't that bad. The story not unusual or out of place. The art is even good in its own way. All of it certainly sounds good on paper, but there is something about the execution that I just don't get. It feels like a train wreck to me and it's all just painfully average.

Score - a unanimous 5

[******]

:smt011

[Punchy]

I thought this was a typically strong issue of Amazing, not as good as it has been, but still very enjoyable.

[MrBlack]

While I normally frown on this sort of thing, I am not reviewing another Amazing Spider-Man book. We just reviewed this two and a half months ago and after seeing how that utterly predictable story played out I am not supporting this title in any way, shape, or form again.

EDIT: I hope you take no offense to this Dragavon. I know that some people have really loved this title since Brand New Day, but it has never clicked with me on any level.