Broken Frontier

Something is very wrong with Spider-Man’s enemies with animal based names and attributes. As the villains become more animalistic what will this mean for Spider-Man?

Marvel Knights Spider-Man gets a new name, a new look, and a new writer. So, what’s so ‘sensational’ about it?

Originally, the Marvel Knights line was designed to allow different creators the opportunity to tell stories without being tied up with what might be happening in other titles even with the same character. Over time, though, the Knights line found itself being dragged into step with the rest of the Marvel Universe and so the decision was recently made to essentially delete the Knights distinction. What this means for this title is that we open with Spidey recently come off "The Other" story arc (but before the coming costume change), living more or less happily in Avengers Tower with Mary Jane and Aunt May. A routine patrol, however, lands Spidey is a fight with old enemy the Vulture, who seems to be taking on more vulture-like characteristics. This is coupled with disturbing happenings with the animals at the zoo and strange thoughts from John Jameson, the former Man-Wolf. Peter is bewildered but he’s going to have to start digging into this mystery soon, because he has far too many animal-based enemies...like the Lizard.

I have, for the most part, been a fan of writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s work on the (former) Marvel Knights: Four title and was intrigued by the idea of what he might bring to the character of Spider-Man. The basic plot of this story is an interesting one and seems to be spinning directly out of J. Michael Straczynki’s ideas from Amazing Spider-Man. It also opens the door to use a number of Spider-Man foes, particularly when one begins thinking about just how many of Spidey’s enemies use animal names or characteristics. While the plot holds promise, unfortunately, the dialogue does not. Spider-Man writers have generally held to the character’s sharp wit and trademark banter during fights but there is none of that here. Similarly, the best writers have always infused Peter and Mary Jane’s marriage with a sparkle and a sense of genuineness, yet here Mary Jane is once again reduced to a cipher and the dialogue between her and Peter reads like flat soda instead of champagne. I know Aguirre-Sacasa’s work has been better than this in the past and I am uncertain if his work here is merely reflecting an adjustment to a new and unfamiliar character, or if he is honestly just not a right fit for Spider-Man.

As much as Aguirre-Sacasa’s work is still relatively unknown to a lot of fans, penciler Angel Medina’s is not. Although I’ve seen Medina’s name around I had never really seen any examples of his art. His action sequences have an explosive sense of movement and a breathtaking dynamism but his figures at rest or in ‘everyday life’ leave me cold. Almost all of the people seem to have large, even doe eyes at some point or another in the issue – even the men – and their hands are distorted tending to emphasize the knuckles and fingertips. I am aware, however, that Medina does have his fans.

So, as yet another version of the Sensational Spider-Man title rises, the question remains: what is so ‘sensational’ about it? Unfortunately, not much. There is potential here, though, if Aguirre-Sacasa can warm to the character and find a way to catch that familiar Spidey ‘voice’ that fans have come to love.