Hey guys and gals,JT here with a HUGE review on tap, that Dan Slott said would set up things for ASM #700 and beyond, and he was not overreacting. No more delaying, let's get straight to it.
Summary: We kick things off on the Raft with the SWAT team raining down on Doctor Octopus' cell because he's finally speaking and showing activity after being basically comatose for the last few weeks. As they move in, Doctor Octopus mumbles "Peter Parker" as we see a gold Ockbot crawling along the top of a building. From there we see Spidey, happily web-slinging around New York until he's called to stop a crime, which he does by knocking a robber loopy. Turns out the robber is just a guy in a costume trying to avoid a harsher jail sentence since super-criminals have more leniency than an armed robber, but that didn't stop Spidey from knocking the guy out like he was punching the Incredible Hulk. Spidey flees the scene and heads home, commenting on how he's got a nice apartment, boyish good looks and more, when he notices a scar on his face he got during the Hobgoblin fight, which he vaguely remembered getting, then notes he "probably heals faster than most". From there Spidey listens to his voicemails, reminding him to stop at MJ's club (which causes him to remember them meeting for the first time and he says they should get back together), a message from Jay Jameson reminding Peter to come see Aunt May at the hospital (to which Peter refers to May as "That dear sweet woman." and lastly a message from Max Modell confirming Pete's evaluation at work. Peter heads to meet with Max and basically tells him that all of his experiments thus far have been child's play, and Peter has even better tricks up his sleeve. Peter then heads to his lab and mixes up a new batch of web fluid, remarking how incredible it is he came up with such a formula while only a Sophomore in high school. Afterward, Peter stops at MJ's club and tells her they should be together, he's tired of taking the little steps they have taken in the past. MJ is caught off-guard by Peter's presumptuousness and remembers she said she's go see Aunt May at the hospital and Peter says he's going too, and as MJ goes to get her coat, Peter winks at some nearby women. Peter and MJ visit Aunt May to see her first steps since the accident, and Peter tries to talk to MJ about getting back together but he's signaled on his Avengers ID card and has to go to the Raft, Jay tries to tell him he needs to be with his family but MJ vouches for Peter's job being busy and needing him for a big project so he leaves, but Aunt May comments to Jay that Peter seemed flirty with MJ and she may finally get some grandchildren. Spider-Man heads to the raft and meets with the Avengers when he's told Doctor Octopus has been asking for him, as Peter Parker. Spidey goes to meet with him one on one and Doctor Octopus whispers "Peter Parker". Spidey unmasks and says "Yes, I'm Peter Parker." to which a crying Doctor Octopus says
he's Peter Parker. Spidey says not anymore, and reveals that at some point, he switched bodies with Peter Parker, and now Doctor Octopus, with all of Peter's memories and his body, plans to live Peter's life while Peter dies in his old, withered body, and Ock won't even reveal to Peter how he did this incredible trick. Peter (in Ock's body) flat-line's as the Medics come in and try to save him, meanwhile the NEW Spider-Man leaves, remarking he's got better things to do with the rest of his life.
Thoughts: Holy....shit. Who saw THAT coming? This issue blew my mind, so thanks Dan Slott for doing something amazing that literally shocked me. I was speechless for a few minutes after reading this comic, and seeing Peter in Ock's body, helpless and crying that he was Peter Parker was one of the saddest things I've read in a comic. Now there's a ton of ways this can go, obviously the morality that if Peter had let Doctor Octopus die, he could've avoided all of this. There's also the question of how long has this been in play? Did this start when he put on Ock's helmet at the end of Ends of Earth? How did Ock do this and how long has he planned it? Was there nothing Julia Carpenter could do to help Peter? The body change had to happen between this issue and #697 because Doctor Octopus seems to not remember how he got that scar for a second, when Peter got it fighting Kingsly and Urich. I'm interested to see if Ock stays Spidey, I mean we know Superior Spider-Man has a different Spidey but WILL it still be Octopus? And what happens now that Peter Parker is supposedly dead, although the medics could save him. Regardless of all of that, this issue was perfect. The reveal made a ton of sense and warranted a re-read as SOON as I finished it, which explained so many things. This was a perfect comic, and definitely one of the best single issues I've read, not just based on the shock value of the ending but the way it was crafted to show you that while this was Peter, it also wasn't. I look forward to seeing what Slott does from here.
Score: 10/10
Spider-Man: I've got better things to do with the rest of my life.
It was a pretty good comic with a very interesting twist.
ReplyDeleteBut not worth a perfect score. When you get right down to it nothing happened except for the last 2 pages. While I did enjoy the comic, most of the comic just felt like filler not accomplishing anything. Now it does build up the story and gets me excited for this event, the comic just acts sort of like a trailer and doesn't stand up great as it's own comic.
I actually disagree. You can't really say nothing happened until the last two pages because the last two pages put the entire book in a whole different light. It was actually teased subtly throughout the entire issue and once what happened actually happens, it makes the entire comic instantly re-readable, which doesn't happen often after you read a comic. That's why I gave it a perfect score, the shock value, the way the reveal warranted an instant re-read and it was a damn good story, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I gotta agree about the perfect score here too. The twist was mind-blowing, which adds a lot to this book, but the way Slott subtly hinted throughout this issue, from Spidey looking in the mirror, to suddenly trying to get with MJ, to his words towards Aunt May(who Ock had a thing for back in the day), to his actions at Horizon and talking about how he'd have way better inventions now, all of that culminated with the reveal. All of those little things throughout this comic added up to the reveal and didn't make the reveal seem forced. Without those little touches through this issue, the reveal would be more, "What the hell?!" but with those little touches it's more, "Ah-ha! That's why he was acting strange!"
ReplyDeleteI really liked this issue as well but I was kind of surprised by this issue not getting any negative responses with Ock being Spider-Man. After the whole Scarlet Spider mess I thought some people would really be against this. Then again, Ock has only been Spider-Man for a few issues and not for the majority of the series like the Scarlet Spider.
ReplyDeleteFrom my understanding Ock has only been Spidey since this issue started, especially considering in 697 it's clearly still Peter as he mentions Madame Web warning him and a bunch of other stuff that Ock wouldn't say internally. I'm surprised there hasn't been much backlash too but to be honest I think this is a red herring and it won't last for long. I wouldn't be surprised if Doc Ock isn't Spidey by the time Sensational Spider-Man starts, who WILL be Spidey, I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteI loved this issue too guys! I hope that it isn't a gimmick, but it don't see any way that it can't be. If ock continued as spidey/peter we would always be thinking "hhmm.. I wonder when peter will come back?" However, I still think its stinkin' awesome that Slott did it. The only reason I wasn't sad was because the brilliance outdid my sadness, and I have that feeling that it won't last long. With the promo's from superior spidey, it doesn't look like ock. Claws, 2 toed long feet. Nothing really fits ocks description but how knows.
ReplyDelete-I don't read spidey monthly. Last time I did was ends of the earth and then i jumped off only to jump back on. Is it a consistent title? Sometimes I pick up an issue and think Mehh, and then others I am thinking that it looks awesome. I MAY be able to ride this one out until 700. The fact that issue 700 is A while SEVEN dollars though really upsets me! That is ridiculous! Anyway I may shrink my pull to make room for this as it will be weekly all december.
It did show that while Peter is in Doc Ocks body he does have some control over the Ock-bots so it looks like a battle between the two.
ReplyDeleteMiles Morales (earth 616)....perhaps?!
ReplyDeleteHa, I forgot about that hint. Though that was Bendis, right? That would be interesting and very controversial at the same time.
ReplyDelete