Reviewer : Tim Byrne
Editor : Tom Brevoort
Publisher : Marvel Comics
Story #1
Story Title : ‘You’re Rubber, I’m Glue’
Writer : Christopher Yost
Pencils : Drew Johnson
Inks : Ray Snyder
Colors : J. Rauch (Sotocolor)
Letter : Dave Sharpe
This light-hearted romp is a great story to take up 11 pages in an anthology title such as this. Spidey answers inane questions about his powers and weaknesses from a bunch of young children before having a laugh-out-loud battle with Electro, later punctuated with help from the Fantastic Four.
This story clearly serves as a joyful romp through a ‘day-in-the-life’ of Peter Parker, and playfully pokes fun at some of the super-hero conventions, along with the cliche of the super-powered villian, always determined that THIS scheme for world domination cannot fail.
The interactions with the kids, Mary Jane, Electro and the Fantastic Four are all well-written, and contain several moments well-worthy of a chuckle.
The art is pretty basic and old-school, but well-suited to the style of this tale. Stan Lee would approve.
Story #2
Story Title : ‘Amnesiac’
Writer : Petar Bridges
Artist : Cully Hamner
Colors : Rob Schwager
Letterer : Dave Sharpe
This story could not be more of a contrast to the first one. With Spider-Man only appearing as a marginal character, it puts us inside the head of a man who is staggering through the streets, badly injured. He has clearly just suffered a blow to the head, and has no knowledge of who he is, where he is or why he is running away from someone or something.
Petar Bridges puts us inside the head of the protagonist to a (literally) nauseating degree, with his description of the sensations being experienced actually making me queasy. The amnesia concept, thought certainly a well-used plot device, is utilised well here, and the latter turn in the story is beautifully handled.
The art here is more stylised, essentially dealing with an injured guy in an alley rather than any super-heroics. It is functional and well-done, although the injuries look more ‘lumpy’ than horrific.
All in all, two well-done and contrasting stories that are well worth your time.
