|
Amazing Spider-Man #575
Family Ties Part 1
Credits
Writer: Joe Kelly
Penciler: Chris Bachalo
Inker: Tim Townsend
Colors: Bachalo & Fabela
Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Asst. Editor: Thomas Brennan
E. D. I. T. O. R.: Stephen Wacker
Executive Editor: Tom Brevoort
Editor-In-Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley
Spidey’s Braintrust: Gale, Guggenheim & Slott
Synopsis
Spider-Man is in the middle of saving a disgusting homeless woman, Greta, who has adopted a rat with a supercomputer in his brain (SIMON) and under attack from a bunch of clowns on gliders who want the rat back! Spidey tries to avoid her face as she stinks but, when he successfully saves her and swings them both into a car wash (where Greta gets a necessary clean), she kisses him and he barfs into his mask!
In Chinatown, Hammerhead returns from his recuperation in Ecuador to Mr. Negative. Negative tells Hammerhead that he is here to break whatever he needs but Hammerhead says a hammer can be used to build as well…
In the offices of Front Line, Peter meets Norah Winters. He is then accosted by Ben Urich about his “relationship” with Lily Hollister and asked to pursue a story on her. Peter denies having a relationship and lies to Ben to get out of it, saying that he is working on a story with Norah.
Somewhere in The Bronx a gang known as GFL2K is about to initiate Dunk into their gang. Hammerhead turns up, kills one of the leaders and tells the others that they are part of a new family now!
At a Community Outreach Fair, Peter and Norah bump into Aunt May. Norah and May tease Peter about liking Lily so he avoids them, finding young Anthony pouring over a science exhibit. Anthony’s brother, the gang member called Dunk, turns up in a stress and drags Anthony off. Peter asks if everything is alight and Dunk says that he’s the only thing that can protect his brother and shoves Peter down!
Later that night in an apartment, Dunk and four other GFL2K members arm themselves to fight against Hammerhead. Spidey has tracked Dunk down and webs him out of the window where (Spidey trying to talk like a gangster!) they talk about what is going on. Suddenly someone from the apartment screams and Spidey swings in to find Hammerhead standing over the dead GFL2K members! Shocked, Spidey punches him but ends up breaking his hand on Hammerhead’s face and, in a violent and quick attack from Hammerhead, ends up with broken ribs and a broken ankle! Hammerhead tells Spidey that it’s a brand new day and he has some new moves! He holds Spidey and head butts him with a shuddering “Thokt!”
Highlight
Chris Bachalo’s Hammerhead. You just feel that Thokt!
Comments
I cannot fault this issue.
These two, Joe Kelly and Chris Bachalo, cement their place as ones to look forward to.
Joe Kelly’s second Spider-Man issue should be heralded as fun, funny, dangerous, very clever and very engrossing. There are moments when the reader has to question certain things but this only makes the reader feel more involved. There are more moments where Kelly wastes no space and gets straight to the point of the scene. I like his portrayal of Norah and the overly aggressive, energetic Hammerhead, who is now far more serious and deadly than the cheesy gangster he used to be, is excellent. The opening sequence is a good use of time to clarify the quirkiness of Kelly’s style as is the focus on Dunk and Anthony. I find it surprising and daring for Kelly to inject so many new characters in one issue but it’s a great move as he grounds Spidey with perfect characterisation and shows that Spidey should swing in and out of lives where he’s necessary.
Bachalo returns to the title with excessive amounts of quality! These clear and tight pencils mean that his characters and action are completely clear but you get this lovely confusion and speed when Spidey and Hammerhead finally meet. The brilliant opening sequence is made all the better with the expressions going on through Spidey’s mask and I’m loving the stocky, heavy Hammerhead.
That ending certainly does pack a punch. Spidey gets injured quickly and gets a broken jaw through a sickening head butt. And it’s Bachalo that makes it sickening with excellent visual timing, the horizontal line of Hammerhead’s head and the desperate Spidey hands that just flail as he’s hit. Brilliant selling that sets up a desperate situation for next issue.
Rating
Cover – 
Overall –
Reviewed by Adam Rivett
|
Ultimate Spider-Man