Title : The Last Stand : Part 3 of 4
Author : Mark Millar
Art : Terry Dodson & Rachel Dodson
Colors : Ian Hannin (Avalon)
Letters : Cory Petit (VC)
Editor : Axel Alonso
Publisher : Marvel Comics
THIS REVIEW WILL BY NECESSITY CONTAIN SPOILERS
The penultimate issue of this year-long story line roars into gear, and the action falls thick and fast.
We resume with Spidey as he is surrounded by the ‘Sinister 12’, among who is Mac Gargan, aka The Scorpion, who has now merged with the symbiote to become the new Venom.
After some initial bickering between the villains, the cavalry arrives to take the heat of Spidey and the Black Cat, while Norman Osborn takes off to make Peter’s life that much more difficult by targeting his family.
This was an extremely visceral story-line, with many appeals to the reader’s gut emotions. Millar really succeeds in getting us into Spidey’s head, and being aware of the things at stake, making this more than just another punch-up with a super-villain.
The danger caused by Venom to innocent civilians is a neat story-telling device, used too rarely in urban battles between hero and villain. The thoughts of Spidey (or, to be more accurate, Peter Parker) tell us all that we need to know about why this man is considered a hero.
However, there were a few story-telling deficiencies that seem a result of Millar shoe-horning several plot devices into the narrative, in an attempt to have the characters end up in the places where he wanted them to go.
The intervention of Mary Jane rang a little untrue, when we recall that she knew nothing of the situation in which Peter and Felicia had found themselves, or the need for such hefty reinforcements. The scene with Venom was well-written, but overly brief when you consider the massive build-up of the new Scorpion / Venom hybrid which has taken place over the last few months.
As for the conclusion: hasn’t this story-telling idea been a little played out? Isn’t there any other place or any other event which has a significant event on Spidey’s psyche? What about referring to moments that relate to his history with MJ? Or Ben Reilly? Or Aunt May? Nope, nothing doing.
As for the art, it is certainly generally impressive, particularly in the depictions of Spidey, Venom and the Goblin. Spidey’s determination and fatigue simultaneously come through in the art of the Dodson’s, and the evil and malicious nature of the two others is clear.
However, in a diversion involving Doctor Octopus, the depiction is waaay off base. This is a guy that nearly married Aunt May (which is referred to in this story) but in the few pages in which he is featured, he looks like a long-haired graduate student!
Anyway, the conclusion is next, and I will be interested to see what continuity-based developments from this story-line are ret-conned at a later time…
