Amazing Spider-Man #644: “Origin of Species Part 4″
Written by: Mark Waid
Art by: Paul Azaceta
Part 4 of Origin of Species, Amazing Spider-Man #645 ramped up the action and pace of the story much, part of me really thinks this story could end in a satisfying way. Then there’s the rest of me that doesn’t want to get burned so I’m trying to remain as aloof as possible.
The issue opens with narration from a police officer while we see Spider-Man who has broken into a chemical plant in order to whip himself a new batch of web-fluid (leaving Peter Parker’s camera as a trade.) This might be my only nitpick with the issue. I mean, I get that the Avengers can’t pay him a salary and he can’t live in Avengers mansion to save on rent because of his secret identity…but neither Tony Stark or Hank Pym can hook him up with a Costco sized jug of web-fluid? That’s the very least they could hook a brother up with.
Moving on.
We’re taken then to our narrator in the police station as a very scared Hypno-Hustler bursts in, followed by a webby mess comprised of Overdrive, Diablo and the Spot. Enraged by the apparent death of baby Osborn, Spider-Man has taken to the streets with a vengeance, taking down all of his foes and seeking out the location of Doc Ock. Next we see him make short work of Looter and Screwball (a character we didn’t need to be reminded existed.) I would give this scene props for being an amazing great depiction of a scary, hunter-like Spider-Man, but that honor goes to “The Grim Hunt.”
Next we get a pointless reiteration of Ock’s desire for the baby during a teleconference with Chameleon while Harry Osborn is off in some lab holding vials of goblin formula (all the goblin masks and pumpkin bombs in the room give it away.) Then Carlie finally tracks down MJ and Lily, too bad she’s got Tombstone in tow. Lily finishes him off rather quickly with a phone message to her menace glider. This is also a pointless scene.
We get a continued rundown of Spidey beating up on his foes until what might be one of the more intense fight scenes I’ve ever seen Spider-Man involved in. Shocker, Sandman, and the Enforcers, are all hold up in a warehouse on a pier. Spider-Man then swims under the peer, destroys the support for the warehouse and crashes it into the water. He then breaks Shocker’s wrist and fires a blast from his gauntlets at Sandman, who’s already having a hard time keeping himself together with all the water around. Fearing for his own safety, Shocker quickly gives up Ock’s location.
Spidey then bursts into Kravinoff mansion, stalks and takes down Chameleon, who then reveals that he doesn’t have the baby – the Lizard does.
Overall Rating: 7/10 – Damn that was a kickass ending on top of an already good issue. Plenty of action, story moved along just fine, and it didn’t waste much time with Spidey’s supporting cast (who I love dearly; they’ve just been mishandled this arc)
Given Spidey’s last confrontation with the newly bestial Lizard, hopefully it’ll be a heck of throwdown. Still, I was kind of hoping we’ve have gotten a moratorium on the Lizard. At the moment he’s probably Spider-Man’s most vicious foe and we did just see him…well damn, I dunno how long ago it was but it’s probably not as long as it seems.
