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The story flows toward the inevitable Spider-Man vs. Penciler Stuart Immonen starts his USM run with these issues - I prefer longtime USM artist Mark Bagley's take on Peter Parker/Spider-Man and his associates. This nineteenth Ultimate Spider-Man trade paperback collects issues #112-117 of the Brian Michael Bendis-written Ultimate Universe comic book series. Green Goblin battle, but offers a surprise ending that pushed my rating from three to four stars. Peter has broken up with former X-Man Kitty Pryde and resumed his relationship with Mary Jane, and has high school classes with both. Caught by S.H.I.E.L.D., Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, is imprisoned in the hyper-maximum security Triskelion, but not for long. "Death of a Goblin" is one of the better story arcs of this long-running series. I liked the regular Marvel Universe Osbornes better, though the Ultimate ones are fiercer.
Pete and Kitty are paired up with one of those baby doll monitoring assignments (and, as one panel reveals, Kitty still isn't quite over Pete's break-up with her). With Pete ensuring that Aunt May and Mary Jane skedaddle the eff out of town, his bump of responsibility makes him stay on.Pete's taken on the Kingpin and Venom and sundry wacky clones, but let's face it, the Goblin has always been Spidey's traditional nemesis. However, when that farfetched explanation features Omega Red and the epic destruction of the Daily Bugle offices, well, someone's G.P.A. And, predictably, the manifestation of a new mutant gets a "Hruh." not only from the X-Men but from Magneto. Here, it's not even Pete who finally takes the Goblin down.Bendis's gift for funny and insightful dialogue is on display again. 20: ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS. As Osborn goes about his machinations to take down Nick Fury (who, following the goings-on in the Ultimate Power mini-series, isn't around much anymore), interim S.H.I.E.L.D.
Nothing probably encapsulates this as much as this following bit:- Firestar: "You're an amazing friend. the Green Goblin, from the Triskelion's maximum security compound and the resultant wigging out of Peter and Mary Jane. Whenever an Ultimate character dies, it feels more permanent. First, we learn how Pete and Kitty fare with their classroom project. Wallcrawling guy has fought monumental battles and experienced wondrous things and has incured hurtful losses, but, thru all this, Brian Michael Bendis has been able to preserve the core of Peter Parker, keeping him on point while sustaining that lighthearted flavor. I'm also getting a kick out of the school dynamics with specifics to Kitty Pryde's identity being public knowledge. director Carol Danvers tries to catch up with all the crazy going down. Bendis balances the colossal fighty fights with very well done character moments, with the Midtown High sequences proving to be enthralling bits.
So it makes sense that this arc features Iceman (come to apologize to Kitty), as well as the debut of Ultimate Firestar. Not only do longtime Marvel characters get a do-over, but there seems to be more immediacy to the stuff that happens to them. With Ultimate titles getting shut down left and right and characters getting killed off everywhere (thanks, ULTIMATUM) and with #133 projected as possibly the last Ultimate Spidey issue (#130 is currently what's on sale), I'm just trying to soak it all in, brother. With his Ultimate Spidey stories, Brian Michael Bendis has managed to reinvent and reinvigorate the Spider-Man mythos, and shiny-domed dude has even managed to stick with the thing for over 130 issues now. Firstly, I harbor mad friggin' love for this series.
All this leading to me saying that DEATH OF A GOBLIN is one of the best story arcs in this series.Bendis is very good with the superhero stuff, starting off with Spidey and the newly costumed Shadowcat early on taking out the Shocker in what feels like a throwaway sequence. And, importantly, while still steeped in outrageous fantasy, Ultimate Universe somehow feels closer to reality than the mainstream 616. That would suck immensely. It involves an arduous explanation from Peter (to his teacher, in front of the class) as to why their assigned fake baby doesn't exactly end up unscathed.
Also, seriously, Peter just ain't competent with keeping his secret identity secret. And, lest you forget that this is a certain teen wall-crawler's book, you best believe the Goblin's not forgotten Peter Parker.What I probably relish best in the Ultimate Universe is the sense of freshness it invokes. - Shocker (as he takes out a police car during a chase): "Hey, I got one. And you got her "amazing friend" reference, right.The Ultimate Universe was built on the success of this title, thanks to Bendis's ability to generate pathos and to put a fresh spin on age-old Spider-Man tropes.
Having said that, Stuart Immonen, not exactly a scrub himself, has been doing righteous things with the artwork. I got one."- Spidey (whilst kicking Shocker's mug in): "I got one, too. 19: DEATH OF A GOBLIN collects issues #112-117 and features the escape of Norman Osborn, a.k.a. is bound to drop.Issue #122 starts off sunnily enough, as Peter video-records Mary Jane as she tries to conduct Man on the Street interviews but can't even say her name right. Seriously.The last two issues in this trade are kinda one-offs.
Mark Bagley has put in serious work, as has Stuart Immonen. Bendis effectively serves up his decompression style of storytelling, as these three issues generate tons of cool dialogue, with Spidey and Iceman trying their best to talk down a frantic and frightened Firestar. On the Triskelion side, Spidey and Carol Danvers trade in some hilarious banter, the funny mostly coming from Pete's end. The stakes quickly go up with Osborn's prison breakout because, as long time readers know, Osborn knows Spidey's civilian identity and evil dude's even flung Mary Jane off a bridge. Artist Mark Bagley also gets massive golf claps for his extensive run, and it's no lie that his take on Ultimate Spidey has become THE definitive rendering. Not much of a superhero throwdown in this one, which is okay, as I found the conversations among the cast so much more involving.
19: DEATH OF A GOBLIN and Vol. Night falls on the beach and the kids are chillin' around a campfire, when, shockingly, dot dot dot.Old fogeys may get that the three-part "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends" is a fond callback to the awesome 1980s cartoon show of the same title (ah, anyone remember Ms.Lion). Ultimate Goblin is immeasurably more powerful than Spidey, and more intelligent, and I like that Spidey always has to struggle like epic crapcakes just to eke out a win. I won't forget this."- Spidey: "Well, just remember that with great power there must also come great responsibility."- Firestar: "Now you sound like a tool."Hah. To get out of their funk, Pete and his friends decide to hang out at the beach, accompanied by Johnny Storm (Human Torch) and Bobby Drake (Iceman). Awww, but mine's a big tool."Having just re-read these two trades back to back, I thought I'd try for a two-fer, double dipping on both ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN Vol.
Things take a deadly serious turn when the Shocker, "the biggest loser in Loserville," surfaces and surprisingly beats holy heck out of and then kidnaps Spider-Man. Which goes to show, even the most ridiculed supervillain is still someone not to be effed with.As these issues demonstrate, there's more gravitas now to young Peter Parker. A fun story arc.***SPOILER alert for this next paragraph***Midtown High is still mourning the passing of Harry Osborne. A great story arc.ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN Vol. 20: SPIDER-MAN & HIS AMAZING FRIENDS collects issues #118-122 as, in the wake of the traumatic events in DEATH OF A GOBLIN, Bendis takes it down a notch and focuses on the personal lives of Pete and his circle of pallies. I dig that Immonen keeps Spidey looking like a kid in tights, instead of some over-muscly bloke all of a sudden.ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN Vol.
Ultimate Peter Parker, terrific in all his teenhood and in the infancy of his superhero career, is nowadays my favorite version of the web-spinner. Ultimate Spidey, I think, is hands down funnier than 616 Spidey. Things climax tragically (all you have to do is peek at the title of this trade) and there's a coda which takes place in Pete's classroom, in a moment tinged with poignancy. You ran to help me. All the while hoping that this doesn't put a moratorium on this little corner of Marvel.
This volume furthers the relationship with Mary Jane (just a bit) and gives us more of ex-girlfriend (and X-Man) Kitty Pride. Bagley go, but I'm looking forward to more from Mr.
But the stories so constantly entertaining -- intense without being bleak, emotional without being sappy.This is the first full collection with new artist Stuart Immonen after years of Mark Bagley as sole artist. Mr.
Every time I read an Ultimate Spider-Man collection, I think the series must have hit it's peak. It was sad to see Mr.
Bagly defined the look and feel of the series, but Mr. Immonen steps in with his own excellent take on Spider-Man's world.
Bagley.One of the best aspect of USM is seeing Peter Parker's personal life. The writing is so good that the conversations in the high school hall are just as exciting as the battle with the Goblin.This is a great read and I'm looking forward to the next one.
I mean the artwork. I was not really a fan of the orignal artist, Bagley, in the beginning, but he really won me over in the end with his skills in drawing kids with real emotion. Many details in the human drawings are missing which was what made USM such a hit.
Granted, any artist can draw pretty good superheroes - features are less defined since most of them are under masks and costumes and have certain really distinguishable features - but this is not the case with illustrations of real humans and that is where the new artist falls short. The new artist, Immonen draws pretty good adults and action sequences, but really falls short on the teenagers which Bagley really had a knack for. When you read over 100 issues by the same artist, it's gonna be hard to transition to a new artist.
The minute details and expressions that are so unique to this book and so critical to the writing of this book are gone and it's really not the same anymore. They are, of course, in another style since every artist wants to be unique and have his or her own style. The new style really takes some getting used to if at all possible.
Unfortunately, most of the success of USM are the stories about the teenagers and their everyday life which really connect to kids and their lives in terms of dialogue and events which you really cannot find in a lot of comics and the original Spider-Man series. The new artist is more suited for non-stop heavy dozes of action sequences which you can really find in almost every comic.
He's even controlled his habit of giving women giant, bouffant, 80's hair [for the most part]. The opening of the book is a nice change of pace from the recent clone craziness, but it all comes together for one of the most memorable USM endings ever.Stuart Immonen's art is fantastic. It seems much more emotive than his work on Nextwave and suits the book to a T. Personally, I like his stuff here better than Bagley's, which, while always being reliable and consistent, tends to sometimes lack energy and excitement.Ten thumbs up. Buy this if you want a great Spidey read.
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