ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #54 REVIEW

[David Santee]

<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/ultspiderman54.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/covers/ultspiderman54t.jpg" align=left alt="Ultimate Spider-Man #54"></a>Reviewer: David Santee, davesantee@hotmail.com
Quick Rating: Great
Story Title: Hollywood: Part 1

Spider-Man and Doc Ock face the evil of the movie making process.

Written by: Brian Michael Bendis
Penciled by: Mark Bagley
Inked by: Art Thibert
Colors by: J. D. Smith
Letters by: Chris Eliopoulos
Assistant Editor: Nick Lowe
Editor: Ralph Macchio
Editor In Chief: Joe Quesada
Publisher: Dan Buckley

As we approach the release of Spider-Man 2, Marvel is starting the hype machine. Ultimate Spider-Man, being a cog in that machine, does it’s part by having the ultimate version of Spider-Man deal with the effects of Hollywood making a Spider-Man movie.

Tobey Maguire, Sam Raimi and Avi Arad all make cameos in this issue, with most of the screen time going to Arad. I certainly don’t know what Mr. Arad is like in life, but his comic-book version appears to be the stereotypical movie producer: somewhat arrogant, egotistical, and ready to do anything to get his movie made as cheap as he can, even if it hurts people. Not exactly the way you want to portray a power at Marvel, but at least Bendis went ahead and gave Arad an Oscar. Perhaps that is all Bedis needed to do to keep Arad happy with his appearance in this book. Unlike the somewhat clumsy use of real people (if you can call Freddy Prince Jr. a real person) in the Ultimates, these cameos help propel the story forward, and feel quite natural.

Bendis continues to amaze me with his abilities to handle these characters. The opening scene we are given a treat of a Buffy-esque conversation between Aunt May, Pete and Gwen Stacy. This scene works on so many levels. It funny yet we get to see how Gwen if fitting into Pete’s family. She is taking on the role of a sister. It’s a totally different direction from Gwen’s role in the Marvel Universe, and I’m really enjoying it. Heck, if Pete and Gwen ever do get together, after this issue, it would just be creepy.

Then there is Doc Ock. The regular Marvel Universe version never really appealed to me, but the Ultimate version has me in goose-bumps. The only time I’ve read a more compelling book with a psychotic villain was in Batman: The Killing Joke. Note To Sony and Sam Raimi: have Alfred Molina (http://spiderman.sonypictures.com/movie/cast_crew/molina.php) do the breakout scene in #54, and I’ll see Spider-Man 2 a billion times in the theater and buy any and all versions of the DVD. O.K., yeah, I know it’s too late for it to be a part of this movie, but how great an opening scene would that be for Spider-Man 3? That’s right Sony, you want another billion dollar hit? Sign Bendis for the script.

I know I am going to get another buch of “Bagley deserves 5 stars” post, but let me forestall them by explaining my reasoning why this issue only got four and a half. This is by far one of his best works to date. Bagley handles the real-life cameo’s well. All the cameos are instantly recognizable. Doc Ock’s breakout from prison is just incredible, but it was the quiet moments that really made this book. The way Bagley handles the emotions in the opening scene was pure genius. You don’t even need the words to understand the relationship that is building between Pete, Gwen and May. But, while this book is one of the best of the year, I have seen better than this and as long as I have, I just can’t give it five stars. If anybody can get me to give out a perfect score, it will be Bagley and the rest of the art crew on this book. Besides, it’s early in the arc. If I gave this five, where would I go to describe the conclusion?

Overall, another satisfying issues from Bendis and Bagley. If the rest of the arc continues to be this entertaining, then by the end I’ll be quite ready to queue up and pay to see the movie , even if it doesn’t include Bendis and Bagley in the credits.

ART:
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STORY:
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OVERALL:
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Buy this issue online now from X-WORLD and save! (http://x-worldcomics.com/yourvirtualstore/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=77&cat=ULTIMATE+SPIDER%2DMAN)

[Blake]

I have two small points I'd like to make about this issue.

1 The Evil Dead 2 comment, awesome.

2 Doc Oc seriously wouldn't Sheild have a label or something, saying Doc Ock's arms, Don't FREAKING OPEN IT YOU IDIOT! written on the front of that case, seriously, that is just a blatant deus ex machina (sorry, I just love that phrase)

But other than my nit pick with point 2, awesome!

Oh Edit, third point, is there a new inker? The inks didn't seem as good as usualy, they were totally above average, but just not standout.

[bigveney]

I was loving this part of the arc, everything is culminating right now. It's a masterpiece, I love Bendis' writing. I would give this issue 5 spidey masks.

[Paul Shinn]

Oooo. I've been looking forward to this one! While I generally pick up the Ultimate titles in tpb format, I might have to make an exception with this arc. I'll see if they've got any left when I go to the shop next week...

[GilSpiderig]

Man, this was a great issue. After a while I thought this title was going to go downhill after the Black Cat arc, but nope I was wrong. I especially loved it when the director didn't take him seriously...It shows how Spider-Man is still new to this even though hes the first hero in the Ultimate Universe.

[Youri Zoutman]

This was awesome!!Especially the "You suck" moments!!

[Geek]

I gotta say, I wasn't really looking forward to this issue, even though I'm a huge Bendis/Bagley fan and overall fan of Ultimate Spidey. The premise of 'Spider-Man Movie' just seemed... well, I guess lame (not a huge fan of 'movie tie-ins' in comic books.) But, after reading this issue, I must admit, I really enjoyed it.

I guess my only nitpick would be how Doc Ock broke out. I mean, c'mon, he did the same thing in Ultimate Six. I like some continuity in my books. Anyway ya dice it, Doc Ock shouldn't have been able to break out twice using that same method. SHIELD woulda been prepared the second time.

[GilSpiderig]

Maybe Shield wasn't allowed to hold him anymore. I mean they screwed up the first time, maybe this second time the government isn't going to let them get the chance to screw up.

[Gat0r-ManX]

loved the issue, the "evil dead 2" bit, and gwen.. i love that opening scene.

Yea, i too have seen bagley did better.. so ME agree with the review!

:D

[Wheeze]

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills here. It's like he writes one script and just writes - "Spider-Man/Daredevil/Wolverine" and then ships it to press. There is nothing in this issue to warrant praise in my opinion other than the art, which is decent (but sub par compared to other Ultimate titles artists). Bendis continues to skid by with cliches and boring concepts. Oh well, I do like Ultimate FF so I guess that settles that!

[Equis]

Originally posted by Wheeze
I feel like I'm taking crazy pills here. It's like he writes one script and just writes - &quot;Spider-Man/Daredevil/Wolverine&quot; and then ships it to press. There is nothing in this issue to warrant praise in my opinion other than the art, which is decent (but sub par compared to other Ultimate titles artists). Bendis continues to skid by with cliches and boring concepts. Oh well, I do like Ultimate FF so I guess that settles that!

Hmmm

Honestly Wheeze, I don't mean this as a personal attack or anything but I've basically seen you come on every single Bendis Board (here at X-fan) and level the cliche argument at him every single time.

Now simple curiosity begs that you at least expand on this criticism. How is Bendis cliche?

Because seriously, I find him one of the most capable skilled writers out there in terms of characterisations. Even with his workload. Whoever he's writing seems to have at least developed some form of personality and that alone makes the majority of his work "original' Rather than stock character concepts and soap opera histrionics being badied around elsewhere. Bendis' characters seems a little more real, (well as real as comic characters can get anyway..)

So.
Erm
Curious.
Can you Explain? Elaborate? Elucidate? Educate?

Lovingly
(and heterosexually)

Me

[Wheeze]

Fair enough (although I do only post on reviews), I guess I never really do elaborate much beyond my original statements, but then again no one's ever asked :)

I'd say the cliches tend to fit more towards his work in the Ultimate line. To me it seems the stories he writes, in Ultimate Spider-Man for instance, tend to not really bring anything new to the table, but play off the same basic themes that have been dealt with time and again. Only since it's Ultimate, he can throw in a character in a different spot, and suddenly it's genius. And I know alot of people praise him for his true-to-life dialog, but honestly I don't see that either. Alot of the dialog in his comics seems to sit in character-limbo. Take Ultimate Six for example, a book where no one says anything worth reading because we all know exactly what's going on, and the relationships there are so plastic I can't help but be bored with them.

I will say this - it's not that I HATE the man or I HATE everything he writes, he DOES have some good ideas and can write a mean book on ocassion, but he's spread around so much and his writing style is so direct that for me I can pick up any one of his books and it's like I'm reading them all. A big exception so far has been Secret Wars, even though it is only through issue 1 so far I find myself in love with the overall concept (even though I think it will do more harm then good if taken to heart in other titles...long story).

So yes, I'm not a fan of his overall work. It all tends to blend together for me, and I think he gets away with using very basic ideas that have been used before without so much as a second glance. Obviously I'm in the minority here, since I also tend not to hate Chuck Austen (well, not always....grumbledracogrumble). Maybe I wouldn't notice so much if he didn't write 17 books a month, but as it stands I just can't seem to get into alot of his stuff outside of Secret Wars and his Millar-assisted Ultimate FF.

[Judiusx]

Originally posted by Blake
The Evil Dead 2 comment, awesome.


Yeah I liked that part but I was sooooo wishing he could've said what I would've said: "Evil Dead was creepy, Evil Dead 2 was quirky but you made Evil Dead 3 as a slapstick comedy?! What next, Evil Dead 4: The Musical?! You, you suck."

[Zachary J. Morrison]

Great review, David. I enjoyed reading this ish and I look forward to reading the next ish ;)

[bravelybravesirrobin]

yeah yeah Bendis is god, yeah his dialogues good yeah the arts great blah blah blah.... lets get to some real criticism

ANNOYING DANGLING PLOT THREADS

what happenned to moose figuring out who spider-man is?
what happenned to the dress up as a super hero project?
what happenned to that "problem" flash wanted to discuss with Peter?


I've read every issue of Ult spidey except some of the second green goblin arc, if these questions were covered then please answer them for me ebcause the ONLY problem I have with this book is whenever the school cast members show up I think to myself RESOLVE THE DAMN PLOT POINTS.


great ish, lots of fun waaaaay better than the black cat arc and I love Evil Dead 2 as well.

[Xeon-Five]

I liked the issue overrall, but Shield has gotten burnt by Doc Ock's arms for the 3rd time now (if you count the original time the doc 'escaped'). Maybe I'm being nitpicky, but couldn't someone have figured out by now "Hey maybe we should just destroy his arms since he keeps treating our agents like expendable crewmembers?"

bravelybravesirrobin Q's

what happenned to Kong figuring out who spider-man is?

I don't remember the number but it was resolved in the issue right after he figured it out. Kong kicked Parker in the butt to see if Peter would react like spider-man, but Peter cried like a baby pretending it hurt.

what happenned to the dress up as a super hero project?

The project took place at the end of the Ultimate Spidey Super Special (Meant to be the last ish of Ult. Marvel Team-Up)

what happenned to that "problem" flash wanted to discuss with Peter?

Bendis has mentioned that he's going to get around to it eventually....

[John Gleason]

This was my favorite issue since the one where Spidey has the little day dream about whether he could fight off the X-men. It was very funny and reminded me why this title is just so great.