As much as I enjoy providing paragraphs upon paragraphs of backstory when I usually write about comics book, for this site I will try to stick to the important points of the comic book issue that I am reviewing at that specific point in time, and only if truly necessary go into the dreaded CONTINUITY-Y-Y-Y problem that plagues discussions regarding long running, ongoing comics.
Fortunately for this issue I don’t have to! The reason being that issue #648 is the start of a new story arc in the spidey universe, aimed mostly towards reaching a new fan base while at the same time resolving and streamlining some of the remaining issues from the “Brand New Day” arc for the existing true believers.
In this issue we are introduced to a world where Peter Parker is finally getting his act together; he has a good job, a girlfriend who fits his unique personality (but doesn’t know he is you-know-who), Harry Osborn is nowhere in sight (always a good thing), his rogues gallery seems to be getting a nice tune-up, we finally get so see how his Avengers life spills over into his solo adventures, and there is the ever-present ominous tingle that this is just the calm before the storm (see what I did there, I’m clever that way).
The new direction that the comic seems to be taking isn’t that bad, and unlike other comic books that have recently undergone new jump-on points (ref. Batman and Robin) it starts off with a moderately captivating story, although it will require a few issues to really get into it, mainly the issues following #651 (currently up to #654.1). The downside being that this issue (#648) feels too much like those never ending recaps/’where are they now’ things at the start of some shows, and at the end you are left a multitude of unanswered questions that may deter some of the more green readers from following the story. Hopefully you manage to stick with it, because all things considered Spider-man is still one of the best characters to come out of Marvel, and one of the few that has maintained the same level of quality and consistency in its narrative (minus the Clone Saga).
Even with this quasi tabula rasa issue the story and general feel remains true to the spider-man theme that has made the character so popular (which is slightly ironic since it was his nerdy, unlucky, and poverty-ridden life style contrasted with the incredible abilities he possessed that made the character stand out, and attracted readers in the first place), hopefully that Parker-charm we all know and love will be enough for many current readers to embrace the new changes.
Overall, the story will be less appealing to devoted readers as it comes off more like an introduction or a catch-up to the character than anything else, and it may be a bit overwhelming for new comer due to the sheer number of info and characters it crams in; but at least it offers a good read until we see any spider-reality altering events (hint- read issue 654). As an added bonus to current fans and another reason to get into this comic if you haven’t already is that starting with this issue it has become a twice-monthly release, giving you the chance to see a full story unfold in a shorter amount of time reducing the frustration brought on by the always present cliff-hangers. It will be interesting to see the effect on your friendly neighbourhood spider-man and his supporting cast after these changes start to influence his life, as well as what other plans the writers have for the much beloved character. GO WEB GO!
