Broken Frontier

The fallout of Peter’s decision regarding the Superhuman Registration Act has many far-reaching consequences, both intended and unintended.

***CIVIL WAR SPOILERS AHEAD***

The cat is out of the bag. Peter Parker’s decision to go public as Spider-Man, thus aligning himself with the law abiding superheroes in America, has given many around him a little relief. They don’t have to worry about Peter having to go underground to evade authorities like Captain America and his sizable band of followers. Peter is commended by many, including Mary Jane, May, the Fantastic Four and Tony Stark. Of course, not everyone is going to take kindly to this unmasking. J. Jonah Jameson, for one, has publicly railed against Spider-Man for years while running Peter Parker’s many pictures of the vigilante in the Daily Bugle. His reaction is well founded. And the many criminals like Doctor Octopus, Eddie Brock, Electro and the Vulture now have a name and numerous new ways to seek retribution after years of failure.

Straczynski’s lengthy run on this title has seen some praise and a lot of backlash. He’s managed to make Aunt May a centerpiece character again and the voice of reason for her heroic nephew. Yet for every favorable thing brought to the book, there has been something equally dismissive if not downright unforgivable (to many) like the Gwen Stacey/Norman Osborn affair. His portrayal of Spider-Man’s role in the Civil War has been encouraging. This decision was not an easy one to make for Peter, and many might argue that he shouldn’t have made it. However, Straczynski has written this inner conflict without making it look easy. In fact, I’d say he’s covered all the bases, including a strong and understandable reaction from Jameson. This is something a lesser writer might gloss over in favor of getting to what is sure to be on the other side, which is likely going to be Spider-Man defending his personal life while trying to carry on as an Avenger.

Ron Garney’s strengths as an artist lie in his pacing efforts. The linework is tight and appealingly smooth, but it doesn’t really jump out of the page (with possible exception of the double-page spread with Peter’s unmasking and many astonished heroes and villains in the background). However, there isn’t a confusing scene in the book, which says a lot considering the many places the script goes. This art team is exactly what the book needs right now with so much going on with the Civil War—competence in place of flashiness.

Large crossover events typically garner mixed reactions from readers. There are many out there right now scratching their head over why Peter Parker would choose to go public after fearing for the safety of his loved ones for so long. There are others, me included, who are enjoying the ride and look forward to seeing where this highly controversial move takes the wall-crawler.