Mind-swapped heroes take on the Jackal in Marvel Team-Up No. 3
By Alex Widen
Not Much Cackle from the Jackal!
Writer Eve L. Ewing wraps things up with some sweet, albeit very predictable, closing pages. After beginning the story taking their lives for granted, both Peter and Kamala are happier about being who they are and with whom they’re with again. And that is easily one of the biggest demerits of this arc — predictability. Once the premise is revealed, the core mechanics of the plot play out with little deviation. Some of the details or jokes may be different but, by and large, it follows the routine narrative without many surprises. While not offensive, it doesn’t dazzle either.
Image by Marvel Comics
Despite how the characters act, they had teamed up before, first in Amazing Spider-Man during Dan Slott’s run and then during Mark Waid’s High Evolutionary crossover. While this was certainly longer and more intimate, it is hampered greatly by such a routine story with a formulaic moral at the end. It’s the sort of lesson that all but the youngest of readers would have preached to them by various cartoons, books, and films dozens of times by the time they see this. Even some of the more genuine bits — like Kamala’s freak out — are undermined by the dull-as-dishwater staging.
Image by Marvel Comics
Although Ewing’s intention to use one of Spider-Man’s bigger enemies is laudable, this ultimately seems like a waste for the Jackal. The very technology he’s trying to steal is stuff he’s already invented. Just two years ago, Clone Conspiracy had him mass-clone everyone who ever died in a Spider-Man comic, complete with their memories. He’s been transferring memories and personalities into clones for ages. Doing a swap should be nothing for him. And while the Jackal still has a ridiculous design, he’s beaten too quickly and easily for him to be more than an obligatory menace to bring the pages together.
Image by Marvel Comics