Spider Classic

Our friendly neighborhood together with the certifiably insane Merc-with-the-Mouth! It's a delight to see writer Joe Kelly use his peculiar brand of humor and creativity playing off and ol' webhead against each other "in such a free-wheeling, irreverent and unapologetically manic fashion." I'm neutral with regard to Artist Eric Canete's over-the-top cartoonish contribution, however. This issue serves as prologue to the upcoming Spider-Man story "The Gauntlet" and it's definitely great fun. One little complaint is that the editors seem to be trying too hard to live up to Deadpool's fourth-wall-breaking reputation. Instant suspension of disbelief helps.

first appeared in the comic book (Aug. 1962). The series was canceled with that issue, but response to the character was so positive that a solo title, , was launched with a March 1963 cover-date. is the character's flagship series. Most of the major characters and villains of the Spider-Man saga have been introduced here, and it is where key events occur. The title was published continuously until 1998 when Marvel Comics relaunched it with a new issue #1 (Jan. 1999), but on Spider-Man's 40th anniversary, this new title reverted to using the numbering of the original series, beginning again with issue #500 (Dec. 2003). No. 595 starts a five-part story arc entitled "American Son" that serves as a countdown to Amazing Spider-Man's landmark 600th issue.

is an ongoing superhero comic book series published by Marvel Comics beginning October 2000. It is a modernized re-imagining of Marvel's long-running Spider-Man comic book franchise as part of its Ultimate Marvel imprint. Ultimate Spider-Man exists alongside other revamped Marvel characters in Ultimate Marvel titles including , , and , and it was the first series to be published in the Ultimate Marvel line. It came about when then publisher Bill Jemas wanted to reinvent the Marvel Universe because he felt that, with over 40 years of back-story, it had become inaccessible to new readers, and he wanted to start with Spider-Man. Issue #133 is the conclusion to the 5-part storyline tie-in, notable for being a "silent" issue; i.e., completely without dialogue or even sound effects. Also includes the February 2009 bookslut.com interview of Ultimate Spider-Man writer Brian Michael Bendis by Paul Morton.

Pausing just a tad to show the emotional consequences of the previous issue, Fred Van Lente and Javier Pulido, in their start of the new story arc of the storyline, immediately settles down into a radically different atmosphere and feel from that of Mark Waid and Paul Azaceta. It's like switching into higher gear. You've got a mystery with Peter Parker doing real detective work; a rare glimpse into J. Jonah Jameson's heart; the Sandman, reinvented; all those touches from artist Pulido who I think is just perfect; and a cliffhanger that promises you're in for one heck of a thrill ride in the succeeding issues. A big three thumbs up!

is a five-issue comic book limited series from Marvel Comics written by David Lapham and illustrated by Tony Harris, which premiered on January 9, 2008. Starring Marvel's flagship character, it takes place in between two single panels found in , Spider-Man's historic first appearance. By focusing on a time period usually brushed aside in many retellings of the classic origin, writer David Lapham and artist Tony Harris are able to take what is basically a page's worth of story and turn it into a funny and insightful examination of Spider-Man's formative days, focusing on the period between the accident that gave Peter Parker superhuman powers and the murder of his Uncle Ben. It was published under Marvel's Marvel Knights imprint in order to avoid any links to current continuity. One of those rare occasions when an idea that would seem to be quite long shot somehow comes together and works beautifully, no doubt because of Lapham and Harris.

Joe Kelly, winner of IGN's Writer of the Year Award for 2009 shows it's no fluke with his rendition of Rhino in the Gauntlet, the current storyline that reboots or reinvents Spidey's Classic Rogues' gallery. Rhino is given a such depth of character in a manner so simple in an approach so different from what previous Gauntlet writers Fred Van Lente (with the Sandman) and Mark Waid (with Electro) did. Yet, it is in a manner so perfectly clicking into place that this by far is the best. Not only that, the main and backup stories mesh together to form a seamless background and understanding of how Aleksei Sytsevich ceased to be the Rhino and became a normal human being. Great artwork by Max Fiumara and Javier Pulido. The highpoint for me is when Spider-Man talks to Aleksei with heartfelt sincerity to just go on living as he should. I believe Kelly is making a point to Marvel editors and all those corporate bigwigs to try and shake them loose from their "big event"-driven "crossover" mindsets, and simply bring the game home. I do hope they listen.