Stillanerd Reviews: Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 5 No. 15 review

There’s a lot of heavy lifting, especially from Spider-Man (literally) and Aunt May (figuratively)…except from the actual story, that is.

Amazing Spider-Man No. 15 (LGY No. 816)

“Family Matters, Part Two”

Writer: Nick Spencer

Penciler: Chris Bachalo

Inkers: John Livesay, Al Vey, Wayne Faucher, Victor Olazaba, and Tim Townsend

Colorists: Chris Bachalo and Jim Campbell

Covers: Paolo Rivera; and Lee Garbett (Skrulls variant cover)

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Amazing Spider-Man No. 15 (LGY No. 816) is one of those comics which even though stuff is happening, not a lot happens. Granted, there is something which resembles plot progression. There also at least three potential ongoing storylines writer Nick Spencer sets up. Yet when it comes to the actual narrative itself, the very substance which drives the events forward, the isn’t much in the way of substance. Because the basic plot of this comic is just Spider-Man digging through rubble.

Credit: Chris Bachalo, John Livesay, Al Vey, Wayne Faucher, Victor Olazaba, Tim Townsend, and Jim Campbell (Marvel Comics); from Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 5 No. 15

Amazing Spider-Man No. 15 (LGY No. 816) is one of those comics which even though stuff is happening, not a whole lot happens.

First some context. During the last issue (Amazing Spider-Man No. 14), Spider-Man fought against both Taskmaster and the Black Ant when they attempted capturing the Rhino. During the fight, a stray shot from Black Ant’s grenade launcher destroyed at restaurant Peter Parker’s Aunt May just so happened to be in. No surprise then that, during this issue, a panic-stricken Spidey drops everything to see if his Aunt is alive, leaving poor Rhino to his fate.

This isn’t out-of-character for Peter by any means. There are scores of Spider-Man comics where the wall-crawlers panics and loses his cool even at the slightest instant his aunt’s life is in mortal peril. Yet there’s a big difference between what a character believes and what the reader knows. And in this case, the reader knows, even before cracking the spine of this comic, that Aunt May is perfectly fine. After all, there’s that whole cancer subplot she still has to go through. Even then, considering all the times Marvel brought her close to death (and even seemingly killed her off) but never acting upon it, why would readers think she may die now?

Credit: Chris Bachalo, John Livesay, Al Vey, Wayne Faucher, Victor Olazaba, Tim Townsend, and Jim Campbell (Marvel Comics); from Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 5 No. 15

The real point for Spencer putting Aunt May in “peril” is two-fold: to remind readers why Aunt May is important to Peter, and that she’s not the frail, near-senile old lady from past comics. In regards to the first part, Aunt May’s importance in Peter’s life is already self-evident–she’s his adoptive mother and a direct link to Uncle Ben. In this comic, however, Spencer establishes that while Uncle Ben inspired Spider-Man’s sense of responsibility, it was Aunt May who inspired his sense of heroism. It’s a nice sentiment, but one far closer to the “I believe there’s a hero in all of us” speech from Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 (2004) than the actual comics.

As for the second, Spencer does this by giving May actual agency. We see her helping civilians along with Spider-Man, more concerned for their safety than her own. By the time the comic ends, May plans on reopening Martin Li’s FEAST center from “Brand New Day,” a clear nod to her character arc from Marvel’s Spider-Man by Insomniac Games. It’s not the most original direction for her, but at least it helps in making her an integral character not seen since J. Michael Straczynski’s run.

Still, the plot from which all of this hangs is thinly spread and lacks any real stakes. At least one minor character dies, but their death isn’t nearly as consequential as the comic makes it out to be. It’s also sandwiched in-between some ongoing subplots that are clearly designed as prologues for larger arcs, particularly Spencer’s upcoming Kraven the Hunter story. This only further underscores that this comic and the one before it are nothing more than elaborate filler.

Credit: Chris Bachalo, John Livesay, Al Vey, Wayne Faucher, Victor Olazaba, Tim Townsend, and Jim Campbell (Marvel Comics); from Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 5 No. 15

Then there’s the art…oh, good grief, the art! There’s no question Chris Bachalo has a distinctive and original comic book art style….[But] all of [his] worst practices as an artist are brought to the forefront in this comic and then some.

Then there’s the art…oh, good grief, the art! There’s no question Chris Bachalo has a distinctive and original comic book art style. He’s definitely mastered the ability of creating complex, intrinsically detailed images that still convey an impression of motion. Unfortunately, it also be confusing, especially in where and how he places his panels, and what he wants the focal point of those panels to be. Worse, his figures are often simplistic and inconsistent, often the only things in his panels that do not have distinguishing features or characteristic beyond the basics.

All of Bachalo’s worst practices as an artist are brought to the forefront in this comic and then some. There’s very noticeable cutting and pasting, and not just using artwork from different comics. One panel in particular uses a photograph of New York City as the background that looks awkward when there’s also illustrated building in the foreground. That the comic also has five different inkers only adds to the inconsistency, with some figures having too much shading and others not enough. Visually, it’s just a mess.

Those who wish to read Amazing Spider-Man No. 15 should do so if you like stories in which the wall-crawler literally moves heaven and earth for his aunt. Even so, there are no deeper insights into their familial relationship others haven’t already explored before. At least what’s introduced in this issue that are just on the horizon seems promising enough.

Stillanerd’s Score: 3 out of 5

Next. Stillanerd Reviews: Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 5 No. 14 review. dark

Stillanerd’s Nerdy Nitpicks (with not so spoilery spoilers)

Credit: Chris Bachalo, John Livesay, Al Vey, Wayne Faucher, Victor Olazaba, Tim Townsend, and Jim Campbell (Marvel Comics); from Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 5 No. 15

Three questions: 1) If Billy isn’t allowed outside of the Connor’s home in the sewers, how did he get ahold of a smart phone? 2) If Curt already knows his son his texting people–as revealed in the last issue–why is Billy hiding his phone in a Deadpool doll? And 3) If he’s not allowed to text his old friends, why do the Connors even have wi-fi access?
“Maybe they’ll still serve [Spider-Man] in Heaven.” Well, Taskmaster, according to a certain story, Mephisto might say otherwise.
Thus Taskmaster learns fight hand never step between Spider-Man and his loved ones with comical results…which also undermines the seriousness of the scene, come to think of it.
Okay, given the difficulty Rhino was giving them last issue, how did Taskmaster and Black Ant put him inside that oversized Pokémon ball? Also, you have to love how Rhino is all, “How dare you, Spider-Man, choose to save innocent people while I’m being kidnapped. I shall have my revenge!”
As many readers guessed, the homeless guy Aunt May bought a meal for is the Ned Leeds clone from Dead No More: The Clone Conspiracy. That he dies in this issue makes one ask, “What was the point in bringing him back, again?” Also, curious enough, he doesn’t crumble into baking powder like Ben Reilly did the first time he bit the dust.
Wow! Aunt May (and thereby Spencer) remembered that Randy Robertson has an advanced degree in Social Work. Kind of surprising how, after fifty years of Spider-Man comics, other writers never followed up on this.
Anybody else think Billy is being catfished?
“…definitely picking up a theme here, Kraven.” Yes, thank you, Arcade, for pointing out the obvious. Though it makes you wonder since Black Ant’s also an animal-themed character, why Taskmaster hasn’t double-crossed him by handing him over to Kraven yet.
“…and the slippers.” Umm, Kraven’s not wearing his slippers, Arcade.
Re: Arcade purchasing Hydra’s planetary shield device for Kraven–looks like Spencer’s still trying to salvage some good out of the otherwise awful Secret Empire.
Oh no! Not only is Kraven planning on reenacting “The Most Dangerous Game,” he’s planning on reenacting Under the Dome, too.

Next. Top 50 super heroes in comic book history. dark

Next time, it looks as though readers will finally learn what’s driving Kraven the Hunter this time (other than the thrill of the hunt). Until then, what did you think of both Amazing Spider-Man No. 14 and No. 15 ? Was it a worthwhile interlude before the upcoming Kraven story, or was it too much Aunt May? Speaking of which, what are your thoughts about the current state of her character?

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