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Amazing Spider-Man #550
The Menace Of... Menace!
Credits
Writer: Marc Guggenheim
Artist: Salvador Larroca
Colors: Stephane Peru
Letters: VC’s Cory Petit
Assistant Editor: Tom Brennan
Threat and Menace: Stephen Wacker
Executive Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Spidey’s Braintrust: Gale, Guggenheim, Slott, Wells
Synopsis
The Blue Shield stands over Spidey demanding that he stand down and face SHIELD! After a short scuffle, Menace arrives! Spidey leaps out of the grasps of the two registered heroes and latches on to Menace’s glider.
Menace is dressed in a red hooded tunic, metal arm plates adorned with blades, a horned, grey goblin mask, bright yellow eyes and red hair. Spidey grapples with him on the glider and tries to remove his mask but Menace electrocutes Spidey and knocks him from the glider. He plummets into the river and is fished out by Menace who tells him that this is his only warning! To convince him how serious he is he slices his chest with the blades on his arm and leaves him unconscious on the dockside…
Early next morning, Jackpot returns and finds Spider-Man. She came back to check out Menace’s warehouse. Spidey asks her for her real name, saying that she reminds him of someone. He tells her that he is Flash Thompson and, after thinking about it, she reveals that she is Sara Ehret. In the warehouse they find blueprints to The Apollo Theatre in Harlem and wonder what Menace wants…
Later, Peter phones Lily Hollister to ask whether Harry was with her last night. He is checking that a Goblin-like persona has not reappeared within his psyche.
First Interlude: JJJ is ready to kill Peter Parker and get back to his paper but Martha calms him down. However, she still hasn’t told him that The Daily Bugle has been sold…
Second Interlude: Mr. Maxwell, one of the workers knocked off The DB! (last issue), meets with his lawyer who recommends that they sue the man responsible… Spider-Man!
At The DB! Peter returns with some poor quality snaps of Menace that Dexter Bennett refuses to pay the $10,000 for. Peter takes this opportunity to use Betty Brant’s computer to check for information on the spider-tracer killings. He sets up a meeting with Detective Quentin Palone, the investigator, who promises not to call SHIELD.
Later, in the evidence locket at the precinct, Palone shows Spidey the tracer and he identifies it as an old model. Palone reveals that there have been 6 different murders where tracers have been found and that he needs Spider-Man to remain for questioning as a murder suspect!
Meanwhile, at The Apollo Theatre, an election debate between Parfrey and Crowne is taking place. It is crashed by Menace who clears the theatre of everyone, but the two candidates, and approaches them with a new topic…!
Back in the station, Spidey argues that he did not come here to be arrested. He hears a massive explosion and works out that Menace has struck the electoral debate at the theatre. He readies to leave via the window… but helicopters and armed NYPD officers wait for him!
Highlight
The pure volume of content is handled neatly and moves a lot of things on quickly.
Comments
Have we not had Spidey vs. the police/authority/SHIELD for the last year or so, since the unmasking? Now I know that Guggenheim actually creates a viable and intelligent threat in the NYPD, and even Salvador Larocca pulls out the stops with the stunning final page, and I also know that Spidey pushed to his limits is the characters at his best, but I am a little tired of this scenario.
I love that the spider-tracer subplot is picking up a pace, written perfectly as Guggenheim distracts us with it whilst Menace’s plan reveals itself. There is a great moment of story-telling timing when the two threads meet at the end and I find myself not disappointed with any other aspects of Guggenheim’s hold on characters, plot, pace, dialogue and setting. In fact “not disappointed” is not very fair, I’m excited by his writing and thrilled to have him working on my favourite character!
He handles the Jackpot situation with open honesty and a lack of flamboyancy which is exactly what is needed, and suitably put as the third plot in this arc. More revelations are to come and feel that the teases we are getting now are to be enjoyed and pondered over, but not to be taken too seriously. I like revelling in the mystery quietly.
I don’t want to harp on about the subplots (again), apart from saying (again), that the use of one-page interludes, inclusions of supporting cast and importance of minor characters is superb and my favourite outcome of the recent changes!
And on to Menace. More is revealed, there is a definite connection with the mayor candidates that I am looking forward to unravelling soon and there is less pomp and foolery of other Goblins. This guy is more physical than psychological, which I like and there is just something about that outfit that is far more realistic than any imagining of any Goblin so far.
Larocca’s art is more consistent this issue with the bold shadows still striking, detail in setting creating superb atmosphere (the theatre and dockside) and excellent movement through simple blurring taking place with subtle style and effect. The colours, from Peru, lift the pencils more than last issue, with greater emphasis on hue and blend making the pages memorable and clean.
Rating
Cover –   
Overall –
NB. It is with great sadness that I note that the colourist on this issue, Stephane Peru, died aged 26 on 10th February 2008.
Reviewed by Adam Rivett
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Ultimate Spider-Man