Comics ASM #547 (spoilers)

[Kirk Langstrom]

Thought it would be a good idea to have a thread soley dedicated to discussing the current issue on it's own. Please save all your "Joe Q is a prick" and "they just wiped out 20 years of continuity" comments for the OMD and BND threads, respectively.

Anyhoo; away we go... Opening scene picks up right after Jonah's heart attack, and features former cast members such as Betty and Glory, as well as Joe Robertson. Immediate nice touch.

Joe immediately takes charge of the situation, Peter asks if he can help in anyway, and after the paramedics cart Jonah off, Joe takes Peter aside and tells him the best way to help Jonah is to get a picture of Spider-Man for the front page, as the Bugle is the most important thing in the world to him, and is sorely in need of a sales boost. This part intrigued me somewhat. I got the impression that Joe still somehow suspects that Peter and Spidey are one in the same, despite Mephisto's spell....anyone else feeling that? Peter then costumes up and head's out as Spider-Man for the first time in months, in search of the spider-mugger....

Meanwhile; The mugger takes his haul from Peter and Carlie from last issue to a waterfront bar that doubles as an underground "fence", where he proceeds to sell it. He accidentally discovers the web-shooter's function, and a tracer ends up on a nearby patron. The patron is one Bruno Karnelli, on his way to a big meeting between NYC's crime families. Peter arrives just as both Karnelli and the mugger are leaving and is confused over his spider sense picking up two different signals (Peter tagged the mugger last issue)...at that point, Karnelli is kidnapped and pulled into a van that speeds off. Peter gives chase, but is momentarily distracted saving some bystanders from a falling billboard.

Turns out Karnelli is brought to the hideout of Mr. Negative, who is planning to use Karnelli in some sort of expieriment. Im assuming Karnelli will end up as one of the new villains we've heard about....he also has acquired A Lemurian Tablet, first introduced WAY back in ASM #68...instead of a life tablet however, Mr. Negative has a tablet of "Death & Entropy"...

Spidey crashes in and manages to destry the tablet, but Mr. Negative has already written the formula down, and escapes while Spidey is battling his minions....

After the fight, Spider-Man manages to rescue Karnelli, who informs him that negative is on his way to the meeting of the mob families, and will use the properties of the tablet to kill them all and assume control of NYC's underworld....Spidey swings off to warn the families, but when he arrives, they attack him and while he is distracted, Negative and his gang begin to pump a deadly gas made from the tablet into the meeting room, seemingly killing all involved, including Spider-Man...

To make matters worse; the mugger realizes he has one of Spider-Man's web-shooters, and is on his way back to the bar to get Peter's wallet and thus learn his identity.....


Solid issue. I liked the inclusion of the supporting cast, especially characters like Glory, and Jonah's wife Marla...liked the nods to current Marvel continuity such as Civil War, and The Hood's assension to power over in New Avengers...LOVED all the sub-plots, such as Jonah's heart attack, the future of The Daily Bugle, and the Spider-mugger....and the new villain is kinda cool.

The art, of course, is excellent.

So, share your thoughts.....

 

[SpideyZERO]

OK. This is weird. Last issue states that Spidey has been gone for months, but this issue says that Peter became Spidey to stop Overdrive during Swing Shift. How's that gone for months? Weird

I think this issue is just ok. Good writing and great art. But nothing special, weaker than the first part imo. Mr Negative seems less interesting now. From last issue, it seems he's the mastermind type character who value 'trust' in doing his business and has certain codes. Something fresh to me. Now he looks the typical boss type character by breaking his promise to the crime family heir and then tries to kill him

The first page give me goosebumps

 

[Blader5489]

OK. This is weird. Last issue states that Spidey has been gone for months, but this issue says that Peter became Spidey to stop Overdrive during Swing Shift. How's that gone for months? Weird

The reporter in the last issue actually says, "outside of one brief sighting, Spider-Man hasn't been seen or heard from in months." That brief sighting would be Swing Shift (which you can tell, since the Spidey/Overdrive battle is being displayed on a screen in the background).

 

[SpideyZERO]

Oh. I miss the 'brief sighting' part

 

[stillanerd]

So I guess this proves that "Swing Shift" takes place sometime between the end of ASM #545 and the beginning of ASM #546 then. Wonder if the Director's Cut version will explain why Peter came out of "retirement" and confirm Jackpot is Mary Jane? And does this current arc of Dan Slott's take place BEFORE the Hood arc in New Avengers?

So it looks like the Spider-Man comics really are recycling old plots, first the tablet of time (just how many of these Lemurian tablets are there? As many as there are Infinity Gems?) but also Jonah becomes incapacitated and loses control of the Bugle (although it looks like Robbie won't be taking over this time around).

As for the Spider-Mugger, I remember the YouTube review by DCompose concerning last issue (you know: "Mr. Negative?! Wow! Somebody at Marvel discovered PhotoShop!") speculated that this subplot was going to lead to Aunt May being shot again and that Peter was going to be all angst ridden because, just like what happened with his Uncle Ben, he allowed a bad guy he could have stopped to get away, and that this would be Mephisto's way of screwing him over with regards to the deal. Certainly seems to be shaping up that way, and I wouldn't be surprised if the whole Spider-Mugger subplot runs throughout the course of Brand New Day and he becomes like that one guy in Kurt Busiek's Astro City who learned the identity of Jack-in-the-Box.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

So I guess this proves that "Swing Shift" takes place sometime between the end of ASM #545 and the beginning of ASM #546 then. Wonder if the Director's Cut version will explain why Peter came out of "retirement" and confirm Jackpot is Mary Jane? And does this current arc of Dan Slott's take place BEFORE the Hood arc in New Avengers?

So it looks like the Spider-Man comics really are recycling old plots, first the tablet of time (just how many of these Lemurian tablets are there? As many as there are Infinity Gems?) but also Jonah becomes incapacitated and loses control of the Bugle (although it looks like Robbie won't be taking over this time around)..

At least two, apparently. I thought it was cool seeing them again. Didnt strike me as "recycling". It was a totally diferent villain with a completely different agenda. He could have easily just blown the mob meeting place up with a bomb. Instead, Slott decides to give a nod to the Lee/Romita era. I appreciated that.

 

[UltimateJustin]

So I guess this proves that "Swing Shift" takes place sometime between the end of ASM #545 and the beginning of ASM #546 then. Wonder if the Director's Cut version will explain why Peter came out of "retirement" and confirm Jackpot is Mary Jane? And does this current arc of Dan Slott's take place BEFORE the Hood arc in New Avengers?

So it looks like the Spider-Man comics really are recycling old plots, first the tablet of time (just how many of these Lemurian tablets are there? As many as there are Infinity Gems?) but also Jonah becomes incapacitated and loses control of the Bugle (although it looks like Robbie won't be taking over this time around).

As for the Spider-Mugger, I remember the YouTube review by DCompose concerning last issue (you know: "Mr. Negative?! Wow! Somebody at Marvel discovered PhotoShop!") speculated that this subplot was going to lead to Aunt May being shot again and that Peter was going to be all angst ridden because, just like what happened with his Uncle Ben, he allowed a bad guy he could have stopped to get away, and that this would be Mephisto's way of screwing him over with regards to the deal. Certainly seems to be shaping up that way, and I wouldn't be surprised if the whole Spider-Mugger subplot runs throughout the course of Brand New Day and he becomes like that one guy in Kurt Busiek's Astro City who learned the identity of Jack-in-the-Box.

Mr Negative is such a badass that his word bubbles themselves are inverted. Because of this, I see him quickly rising above Venom and Carnage as the new modern times Spiderman villain to rocket to fame.

 

[Themanofbat]

So it looks like the Spider-Man comics really are recycling old plots, first the tablet of time (just how many of these Lemurian tablets are there? As many as there are Infinity Gems?)

This is the second one to appear in 45 + years of Marvel history

but also Jonah becomes incapacitated and loses control of the Bugle (although it looks like Robbie won't be taking over this time around).

Yeah.. it might the second or third time we've seen this...

 

[stillanerd]

At least two, apparently. I thought it was cool seeing them again. Didnt strike me as "recycling". It was a totally diferent villain with a completely different agenda. He could have easily just blown the mob meeting place up with a bomb. Instead, Slott decides to give a nod to the Lee/Romita era. I appreciated that.

Well, it is the same idea--crime lord seeking an ancient magical tablet to increase his own power and dominate the underworld--although you're right that Mr. Negative has a different motive than perpetual youth, and is certainly a more enigmatic and visually striking villain that Silvermane. Perhaps "paying homage" would be a better term. I just really, REALLY hope Mountain Man Marko doesn't show up.

This is the second one to appear in 45 + years of Marvel history

True, but the way my thought process goes is that if you have one tablet that restored youth, and now another that causes death, there's definitely others out there for Mr. Negative to acquire, and makes me wonder if there are more--like say a tablet that allows for travel between worlds, including Mephisto's domain perhaps? From my vantage point, it looks like that's going to be Mr. Negative's goal throughout Brand New Day to acquire additional tablets, thus repeating the "Tablet of Time" plot over and over.

Yeah.. it might the second or third time we've seen this...

At least it's not Aunt May has another trip to the hospital and is on death's door. Oh, wait, we just had that didn't we? And if the theory about the Spider-Mugger happens, we're going to have it again with a span of two years.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

Well, it is the same idea--crime lord seeking an ancient magical tablet to increase his own power and dominate the underworld--although you're right that Mr. Negative has a different motive than perpetual youth, and is certainly a more enigmatic and visually striking villain that Silvermane. Perhaps "paying homage" would be a better term. I just really, REALLY hope Mountain Man Marko doesn't show up.

Hey, i wouldnt mind. t:

And that's "Man Mountain Marko", btw....

 

[Captivated]

Solid issue. I liked the inclusion of the supporting cast, especially characters like Glory, and Jonah's wife Marla...liked the nods to current Marvel continuity such as Civil War, and The Hood's assension to power over in New Avengers...LOVED all the sub-plots, such as Jonah's heart attack, the future of The Daily Bugle, and the Spider-mugger....and the new villain is kinda cool.

And this kind of stuff couldn't be done before (that of which we shall not speak) because...?

 

[stillanerd]

^^^^
Because, see, if Spidey isn't tied down, then...um...well, don't you see that this story about the Bugle being taken over by a rival and a crime boss looking for magical tablets and a mugger stumbling on Spidey's secret just couldn't have happened if Peter was still married to MJ? After all, if Marvel says so, it MUST be true.

Hey, i wouldnt mind.

And that's "Man Mountain Marko", btw....

Yeah, Mountain Man Marko makes him sound like a some Old West fur-trapper, doesn't it? Man Mountain Marko sounds much more appropriate for a two-bit thug with illusions of grandeur and professional jealousy.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

And this kind of stuff couldn't be done before (that of which we shall not speak) because...?

And that statement has what to do with the topic at hand....?

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

Yeah, Mountain Man Marko makes him sound like a some Old West fur-trapper, doesn't it? Man Mountain Marko sounds much more appropriate for a two-bit thug with illusions of grandeur and professional jealousy.

He also has a small penis.

Or so im told.

 

[stillanerd]

He also has a small penis.

Or so im told.

Well, considering how it's been established that his powers were the results of experimental steroids, that should be a given.

 

[Spider-ManHero12]

I thought ASM Issue #547 was very cool. It included some cool aspects from the better days of the Spidey comics and it was nice to see the funny attitude from Spidey return again because we haven't seen that in a while. There are also other things that I liked.

 

[JayTee]

The skylight window salesman bit had me in stitches, GOD I MISSED SPIDER-MAN!!!!!

This story kicks 9 kinds of @$$ so far. Villains introduced, girls introduced, (as much as I liked Spec 200) Harrys needless death erased, missing webshooter, JJJ heart attack, OOOOOOLD continuity in tact for you anal retentive types (the tablets).

C'mon people, what's not to like?

 

[Eternalzero]

Mr Negative is such a badass that his word bubbles themselves are inverted. Because of this, I see him quickly rising above Venom and Carnage as the new modern times Spiderman villain to rocket to fame.

hell no.

Venom is the ultimate badass.

Mr. Negative is just stupid looking, I couldn't even imagine how he'd look like in real life.

Animated that is.

 

[Venom 1988]

Mr. Negative is just stupid looking, I couldn't even imagine how he'd look like in real life.

Animated that is.

Uhhhhhhhhhhhh.....like a negative duh

 

[JayTee]

hell no.

Venom is the ultimate badass.

Mr. Negative is just stupid looking, I couldn't even imagine how he'd look like in real life.

Animated that is.

He'd most likely look like a negative image.... ya know, like he's shown to look.

If it's physical realism you're looking for ya should toss Venom out the window too. I mean where does Eddie's face go when the giant concave mouth appears?

 

[ragingdemon155]

It's no secret that I think OMD is the worst decision Marvel could have made with the character.

That being said....

This issue was good.

It's good to see Spider-man back to being a bad ass. I mean, jeez it seems like its almost been forever since Spider-man actually threw down with some badguys. The first page of Spidey swinging in this issue was absolutely amazing. Mcniven fits perfectly for the character.

All in all I enjoyed the issue MUCH more then the first part which I thought was decent to say the least.

 

[Eternalzero]

Uhhhhhhhhhhhh.....like a negative duh

No, like seriously, like his animations would be something like maybe the Movie "A Scanner Darkly"

You can't just make him look real, unlike Venom who just LOOKED great!

 

[JayTee]

No, like seriously, like his animations would be something like maybe the Movie "A Scanner Darkly"

You can't just make him look real, unlike Venom who just LOOKED great!

Technically we'd all look like that dude.

People don't have LINES in real life.

 

[Eternalzero]

Technically we'd all look like that dude.

People don't have LINES in real life.

But negatives do!

I'm just saying, you can't "Makeup" because the color changes depending on his lighting...etc...so in movement, the only way I could see it working is similar to what we saw in Scanner Darkly.

I'm just saying that he seems like he's the only one stuck in a different dimension from any other villain.

Not that any of this matters really.

 

[JayTee]

But negatives do!

I'm just saying, you can't "Makeup" because the color changes depending on his lighting...etc...so in movement, the only way I could see it working is similar to what we saw in Scanner Darkly.

I'm just saying that he seems like he's the only one stuck in a different dimension from any other villain.

Not that any of this matters really.

Right, I get what you're saying, but I think that adds to the fun of it. Like if you saw this guy in real life presented as is, he'd be a mind-****. I dunno, how he got that way, but it's a rad little motif in my book. I love me some new supervillains, that sword is cool too, I could imagine that looking like someone carrying a weaponized black hole.