Stillanerd Reviews: Spider-Man/Deadpool #17 review
By Mike McNulty
This time, it’s the “Merc with a Mouth” who has to stop Spider-Man from killing someone, and just as the web-head got a new suit too.
Spider-Man/Deadpool #17
“Itsy Bitsy: Part 5”
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Writer: Joe Kelly
Penciler: Ed McGuinness
Inkers: Mark Morales and Walden Wong
Colorists: Jason Keith and Matt Yackey
Letterer: VC’s Joe Sabino
Cover Artists: Ed McGuinness, Mark Morales, and Jason Keith
Title Page Design: Mandy Maderos
Spider-Man doesn’t kill. True, Peter Parker’s been many things over his career: a student, a photographer, a scientist, even a CEO. He can also be a clown, a worrier, a friend, and especially the conscience of the Marvel Universe. But he’s not a murderer; that’s Deadpool’s job.
However, Spider-Man/Deadpool #17, Part 5 of Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness’ “Itsy Bitsy,” (continuing after interruptions from guest creative teams and the “‘Till Death Do Us” crossover) reverses their roles. Now it’s the friendly neighborhood web-slinger who’s determined in killing a villain, while the fourth-wall breaking killer-for-hire desperately tries talking him out of it. But as Kelly and McGuinness show, the idea of a ruthless, out-for-blood Spider-Man is silly as it is scary.
Credit: Ed McGuinness, Mark Morales, Walden Wong, Jason Keith, and Matt Yackey (Marvel Comics); from Spider-Man/Deadpool #17
[Spider-Man/Deadpool #17], like others before it, is willing to mock the current era of Spider-Man while also embracing it.
Why this sudden shift in Peter’s moral compass? It’s thanks to the story’s titular Itsy-Bitsy, a multi-armed, blade-wielding psychopath created by “Patient Zero” (a.k.a. Deadpool’s pal Weasel) using Spider-Man and Deadpool’s DNA. She’s been on a killing-spree in both her “fathers'” names, and it’s driven Spidey past the breaking point. He can’t defeat her physically since she regenerates, and if he captures her, she’ll escape again. “Wash, rinse, repeat,” as he explains, and he’s had enough.
But as Deadpool uncovered during Part 4 (Spider-Man/Deadpool #14), Itsy’s creation and Peter’s slide into darkness is an elaborate plan to force Peter into killing her and thus lose his soul to Hell. And the architect of this diabolical scheme is none other than Mephisto. The same Mephisto who erased Peter and Mary Jane’s marriage from existence in “One More Day.” Yes, after ten years, only Kelly and McGuinness are audacious enough to explore the ramifications of one of the worst Spider-Man stories of all time.
Then again, being audacious have been Kelly and McGuinness’ calling card since Spider-Man/Deadpool began. This issue, like others before it, is willing to mock the current era of Spider-Man while also embracing it. How else to interpret the new, armored Spider-costume that Peter’s designed specifically for terminating Itsy Bitsy? Even Deadpool observes it looks a lot like the one Doctor Octopus wore as the Superior Spider-Man. Somehow, its design makes Peter both menacing and absurd.
Credit: Ed McGuinness, Mark Morales, Walden Wong, Jason Keith, and Matt Yackey (Marvel Comics); from Spider-Man/Deadpool #17
Peter also tries adopting Doc Ock’s attitude, too. Though his sense of guilt is as intact as ever, he doesn’t make many wisecracks. He gives Itsy Bitsy chances to surrender even while prepared to kill her. He even goes as far to endanger the life of Deadpool’s daughter, Elanor, by threatening to expose her location to the Merc’s enemies unless he backs off. But of course, it’s just a bluff. In short, a dark-and-gritty Spider-Man is just a poser, and Kelly and McGuinness know this.
Deadpool knows this, too, and it’s more than ironic how he, of all characters, becomes this comic’s voice of reason. The series has established Wade Wilson being one of Spider-Man’s biggest fans, that even an insane mercenary such as him sees the web-slinger as an inspirational hero. He, like us, doesn’t want Peter Parker becoming something he’s not. Seems all those years of breaking the fourth wall have fully made Wade into the spokesperson for his and Spider-Man’s reading audience.
Then there’s the character of Itsy Bitsy herself, and after five appearances, it’s evident she’s a deliberate throwback to the 1990s. Her depiction as a punk ninja decked out with swords, guns, bandoleers, and ripped tank top gives it away. As does her being a literal combination of Spider-Man and Deadpool, something a talented but inexperienced preadolescent comics fan might have created.
Her dialogue, too, espouses the same trite philosophy of would-be antiheroes who believe it’s better for heroes to kill their villains than it is apprehending them. But by having Spider-Man wanting to kill her, Kelly gives an interesting twist on Itsy being a literal personification of Peter’s inner demons. “I’m a threat to you. Your feeling of normalcy,” she tells Spidey, that the act of taking her life is also an act of denial.
If you couldn’t already tell, the comic is also heavy on action, mostly one long brawl between Spider-Man and Isty, with Deadpool trying to intervene. Both Kelly’s story and McGuinness’ illustrations flow with a brisk, even pace, and there’s also a proper sense of space and direction in each panel. This makes for an issue that’s visually easy for a reader to follow.
Credit: Ed McGuinness, Mark Morales, Walden Wong, Jason Keith, and Matt Yackey (Marvel Comics); from Spider-Man/Deadpool #17
It’s difficult to create, much less maintain, the right balance between being serious and being ridiculous. Spider-Man/Deadpool #17, however, mostly pulls this off.
One sequence in particular caught my attention. In the opening page, Kelly and McGuinness present us with three separate scenes, each from a different character’s viewpoint. This continues with a double-page spread, and we realize these scenes occur at different times. Then all three scenes comes together with Spider-Man’s new suit on the following page. As a means of introducing the comic’s principal players and their emotional state, and showing how well a writer and artist can sync together, these four pages are simply superb.
And despite the darker themes of the story, this comic still retains some sharp, vivid coloring. Given how Spider-Man, Deadpool, and Itsy Bitsy wear red and black outfits, it’s a nice touch by Jason Keith and Matt Yackey to have those reds and blacks be different tints and shades.
It’s difficult to create, much less maintain, the right balance between being serious and being ridiculous. Spider-Man/Deadpool #17, however, mostly pulls this off. We can worry about Spider-Man going against what he stands for while still laughing at its absurdity. Then again, Deadpool’s presence does have that effect. His first words when he sees Spidey’s new duds are “Your fly is open,” after all.
Stillanerd’s Score: 4 out of 5
Next: Next: Stillanerd Reviews: Spider-Man vol. 2 #16 review
Stillanerd’s Nerdy Nitpicks (Possible Spoilers)
Credit: Ed McGuinness, Mark Morales, Walden Wong, Jason Keith, and Matt Yackey (Marvel Comics); from Spider-Man/Deadpool #17
Yes, even though the comic’s credits page says “Itsy Bitsy Part 4,” it’s actually Part 5.
So the delivery service rider’s teddy bear bike helmet does facial expressions? Sure, why not!
Just how many of those Predator-style laser cannons does Spidey have on his suit? First there’s three, then there’s one, then there’s two, then there’s none, and then’s one again. And why not just install them in his “spider legs?”
Speaking of which, it seems the extra blades on those “legs” keep appearing and disappearing too. And the “legs” also change color. Printer mistakes or useless features? You decide!
On top of all that, those “legs” are pretty weak if Itsy can blow them to pieces with a single bullet.
“I can see your lips move.” Okay, Itsy, I know making a joke about your own mouth as you uncover it, but you can’t very well see Spidey’s lips move under his mask, can you?