Stillanerd Reviews: Amazing Spider-Man vol. 4 #31 review

At long last, Spider-Man and Dan Slott declare “Parker Industries No More” in the concluding chapter of this Secret Empire tie-in.

Amazing Spider-Man vol. 4 #31

“Secret Empire, Part Three: End of an Empire”

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Writer: Dan Slott

Penciler: Stuart Immonen

Inker: Wade von Grawbadger

Colorist: Marte Gracia

Letterer: VC’s Joe Caramagna

Covers: Alex Ross; Will Sliney and Israel Silva (Marvel Vs. Capcom variant)

Parker Industries existed to fail. The moment Dan Slott made Peter Parker the CEO of a multinational company, we all knew it could never last. Spider-Man is Marvel’s “everyman,” and turning him into a wannabe Tony Stark is as far removed from that concept as you can get. There was no plans to sustain this status quo because Slott never intended to sustain it. It’s never been a question of how Peter would keep the company, but how he would lose it.

The answer, as Amazing Spider-Man vol. 4 #31 tells us, is through sacrifice. With Doctor Octopus outside the PI Shanghai building mentally controlling PI’s Spider-vehicles, it’s only a matter of time before he obtains all of PI’s data for Hydra. Out of options and time, Peter has no choice, but to destroy the data himself. Files are erased, documents are burned, computers are smashed, the iPhone-like Webware devices are bricked, and jobs are lost — all for the greater good, the comic tells us. It would make for a nice, neat, and poetic “end to an era” if it wasn’t so flawed.

Credit: Stuart Immonen, Wade von Grawbadger, and Marte Gracia (Marvel Comics); from Amazing Spider-Man vol. 4 #31

This isn’t to say there won’t be any consequences [from Amazing Spider-Man #31]. It still doesn’t change the fact Peter foiled Otto’s plans by pressing the equivalent of the “Staples Easy Button.” Make that two “Staples Easy Buttons.”

If Parker Industries had been the culmination of Peter’s own drive and determination despite his hardships, perhaps his sacrifice would have meant something. Except as this Secret Empire tie-in itself reminded us, Peter only “inherited” Parker Industries from Doc Ock. He wasn’t even responsible for making the company into a success. Him forced to give up what he never earned (and likely didn’t even want anyway) is the epitome of “who cares?”

This goes double for the Parker Industries Shanghai characters. On the basis of this single issue, Slott clearly meant for them to undergo significant character arcs. Unfortunately, as I mentioned in my Amazing Spider-Man vol. 4 #30 review, none of these supporting players even had the most adequate development. If Slott did expect his readers having emotional investment in these characters, with only seven out of thirty-one issues, then he has unequivocally failed.

Speaking of the previous issue, Slott also showed Peter preparing himself for the possibility of destroying “files, notes, [and] backups” of Parker Industries’ research. If so, how come he never has Peter see fit to upload all that information onto something more secure or compact? A global enterprise gone, workers laid off, and investments made worthless all because Peter, the science whiz, failed to invent a better Zip drive.

Credit: Stuart Immonen, Wade von Grawbadger, and Marte Gracia (Marvel Comics); from Amazing Spider-Man vol. 4 #31

What’s more, Parker Industries’ physical technology is still out there. Even after Peter erases the data, we still see a working Spider-Mobile. We just had a story, “The Osborn Identity,” which had villains reverse-engineering said Parker Industries technology as a plot point. Also, did Slott forget Webware sends out a signal to subdue the Carrion virus as seen in Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy? With those shut down, I guess we can expect another rage zombie outbreak in future Amazing Spider-Man issues, right?

This isn’t to say there won’t be any potential consequences, as this issue does hint towards some of them. With the upcoming “Fall of Parker,” no doubt the public will be furious with Peter over destroying his company, just like they were furious over his hijacking the Webware during Clone Conspiracy and his invading Symkaria during “Osborn Identity.” It still doesn’t change the fact Peter foiled Otto’s plans by pressing the equivalent of the “Staples Easy Button.” Make that two “Staples Easy Buttons.”

Much better handled are the comparisons Slott makes between Peter and Otto. Although they’re more visually similar than ever, the dialogue proves just how morally different they truly are. Even if we question how the events of this story unfolded, it’s still very much in-character that Peter would give up his livelihood and reputation if it meant stopping a villain. Moreover, Slott once again nails Doc Ock’s personality. It’s fitting Otto fails in seeing the irony in accusing Peter as an “inferior copy” of himself, much less calling him “petty” and “spiteful.”

This issue is appropriately fast-paced too. Save for scenes of a worried Aunt May watching the battle with onlookers, the action is close to non-stop and visually effective. Once more, Stuart Immonen uses his artistic talents to pull Amazing Spider-Man out of the proverbial fire. The opening page itself, with Doc Ock on the side of PI Shanghai building, with Spider-Man held by two of the Spider-Mobile’s legs, can make even someone unafraid of heights dizzy.

Credit: Stuart Immonen, Wade von Grawbadger, and Marte Gracia (Marvel Comics); from Amazing Spider-Man vol. 4 #31

With any luck, Parker Industries will end up consigned as an obscure footnote. At least it had a merciful, if underwhelming, death.

It’s also some of the most finely detailed work Immonen has done on this title. Inanimate objects, like Otto’s mechanical arms, seem to have genuine mass. Punches, blows and kicks aren’t only fluid, they have weight. Elderly characters look genuinely aged. Again, Wade von Grawbadger inks with precision and purpose. Even when scenes look predominately gray, Marte Gracia’s coloring pulls you in. This is realism done right. It also means, unfortunately, Amazing Spider-Man vol. 4 #31 is another comic leaning on its visuals to distract from the problems of its script.

If you haven’t already guessed, I’m not shedding any tears over Parker Industries’ collapse, and I’m positive I’m not alone. As temporary as Peter Parker’s time as a world-famous businessperson might have been, it was still a colossal mistake. I’d even go as far to say it’s been the primary factor in the title’s current malaise. With any luck, Parker Industries will end up consigned as an obscure footnote. At least it had a merciful, if underwhelming, death.

Stillanerd’s Score: 2.5 out of 5

Next: Stillanerd Reviews: Amazing Spider-Man vol. 4 #30 review

Stillanerd’s Nerdy Nitpicks (possible spoilers)

Credit: Stuart Immonen, Wade von Grawbadger, and Marte Gracia (Marvel Comics); from Amazing Spider-Man vol. 4 #31

And to think the last several comics told us people now considered Webware “malfunctioning, dangerous pieces of junk.” Yet it still seems like everyone in Shanghai has no worries about still using them as camera phones.
I guess Zurich airport security detaining Aunt May for having a potentially explosive device turned out to be no big deal.
“Hydra doesn’t know what you’re up to here, do they, Doc?” Even though they should, since Doc Ock wasn’t hiding from them that he wanted Parker Industries’ hard drives, servers, etc.
“Within arms reach?” “Otto-pilots?” Wow, the puns are flying fast and thick, aren’t they?
If Spidey has “cement-webbing” to secure the Spider-Mobiles, why didn’t he use it to secure Otto?
“And we know [Doc Ock] is listening in.” Apparently not since, one page later, Otto has no idea who uploaded the virus to shut down all of Parker Industries’ systems.
Speaking of which, if the virus shut down all the Webware devices, how is Peter’s still working?
“All these trucks you sent over from the Uncle Ben foundation …” This, despite an earlier scene in which a cab driver says how the police weren’t “letting anyone through.” Unless the “Uncle Ben Foundation” replaced all of China’s ambulance service.
Oh, look! Lian’s (or Lien’s) mom talking about having faith in her daughter despite fearing for her compares and contrasts with Aunt May’s faith and fears about Peter. Too bad Aunt May still doesn’t know her nephew is Spider-Man for the analogy to properly work.
And once again, Peter’s EMP-proof Spider-Armor becomes disabled by an EMP. Also, raise your hand if you, too, saw that “costume change” coming?
“I have no idea what his new face looks like.” He’s partially cloned from your DNA, Spidey. He also still has a penchant for bad hairstyles.
“As always, I’m one of the people who cleans up Peter’s messes.” You haven’t cleaned up your nephew’s messes since he was a baby, Aunt May.

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