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Summary: A great graphic novel!
Review: 1962 saw the advent of a new superhero, the Spider-Man! In 2002, Marvel began to update Spider-Man for the twenty-first century, and the results are in this book. Leaving the basic story of Spider-Man unchanged (thank God!), this book retells the story with excellent writing, and wonderful illustration work. Everybody's here: Peter Parker, Mary Jane, Flash Thompson, the Green Goblin (new and improved!), and Kingpin! As an added bonus, the final section of the book is a reprinting of the original, 1962 introduction of the Spider-Man, which is really cool. (It originally cost ยข12, by the way!)This is a great graphic novel. It is well produced, with a great story and marvelous illustrations. My ten-year-old son and I highly recommend it to all Spider-Man fans, and everyone who like comic books!
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Summary: Spider-Man REBORN
Review: As most others who have reviewed this book, I am a big fan of Spider-Man and had mixed thoughts when I heard about the relaunch of an entire series. I am relieved to say that these writers really know what they're doing and add a depth to the series that was missed in the original. The book somewhat reflects the movie. The only villain encountered besides Doc Ock, is "The Green Goblin", though he is not actually referred to as this. The second book is good as well, if not better than this one. It introduces the Kingpin and Electro. Pick it up now if you haven't all ready.
Rating:
Summary: EXCELLENT -
Review: At first I thought comic books were for losers, but then I actually checked out this book from the library and WOW, the story line, the setting, the beautiful artwork, was amazing. I was hooked. I was never really into comics or superheroes, but I have to give credit to this one. Don't hesitate to try it!
This is the modern version of SpiderMan, and unlike other comics which are dry and have boring dialouges, this one is actually fun to read and worth reading!
Rating:
Summary: Kicks A$$
Review: Awsome book, Awsome art and awsome writers. A must have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Summary: Spider-ific Spiderman
Review: Being a 12-year-old Spidey fan, I know quite a bit about him. Not as much as those around when Peter Parker emerged from the brilliant mind of Stan Lee, mind you, but a fan nonetheless. I even had a Spiderman action figure and was an avid reader of Spiderman and the Fantastic Four/Spiderman team up. I was also a dedicated watcher of the remade version of the animated Spiderman (my parents still sing the older theme song). But, with the starting of elementary school, Spiderman kind of sank into the back of my mind.Then came 8th grade, and I rediscovered Spiderman in the local library. Of course, it was this book. And Behold! Spiderman lives 4-ever!!!! This has got to be THE BEST book about Spidey. And after all, it IS geared towards my generation. Now, thanks to this book, I am HOOKED on Ultimate Spidey!
Rating:
Summary: This is the Start of a Real Masterpiece!
Review: I HATE COMIX! I LOVE THIS! It does not follow the movies and it is much better that way. I have become attached to the plot so much that I have not missed and issue and if you have not thought of starting this than you are mistaken!
Rating:
Summary: This is the Start of a Real Masterpiece!
Review: I HATE COMIX! I LOVE THIS! It does not follow the movies and it is much better that way. I have become attached to the plot so much that I have not missed and issue and if you have not thought of starting this than you are mistaken!
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Summary: Ultimate Spider-Man is better than the movie!
Review: I love the writing, the drawing, and the dynamic characters in this comic series. I bought this edition last summer when I was disappointed with all the hoochie mamas in the film. (I loved seeing Spider-Man in web-slinging action, though!) I became enthralled in the new Ultimate Spider-Man and forgot about my few complaints about the movie. I got sucked in and have collected all the comics since then. I love it! You really believe Peter is in high school. And you don't have to remember 40 years of Spider-Man history!...
Rating:
Summary: Update of Spidey that Works
Review: I loved this update of Spider-Man. I haven't read a Spidey comic in years - and when I picked this up I wasn't expecting a lot. But Bendis takes the old "origin" story and expands upon it. He slows it down a bit and lets the characters evolve more. The new Green Goblin isn't just a crackpot - he's a scary, menacing creature who also happens to know Spider-Man's identity. This is just great story-telling. And the second volume of this series was great, too. Issue 13 - which takes place entirely in Peter Parker's bedroom - is a classic. It's good to see Marvel experimenting with their characters and leaving a good writer/artist team free to create.
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Summary: Retelling the story of Spider-Man for the 21st Century
Review: I started reading "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "Peter Parker: Spider-Man" again when I started doing a unit on comic books for my Popular Culture class and had ignore "Ultimate Spider-Man" because it was a "new" title. Seeing that the first seven issues were collected in "Ultimate Spider-Man: Power and Responsibility" I thought I would check it out and was more than pleasantly surprised. The idea here was to update Spider-Man for the 21st century, specifically by going back and starting over from the beginning, albeit with Peter Parker a bit younger, and doing so fully cognizant of where Stan Lee and Steve Ditko started off the comic book and where the character would end up in terms of super villains and future bride. There is certainly a sense in which this version is compatible with the blockbuster "Spider-Man" movie, but that is more in terms of having Mary Jane Watson there from the start than anything else. Ultimately, the point here is tighten the original Spider-Man story and give the characters some twists. "Power and Responsibility" takes its time in developing the origin of Spider-Man. The original story by Lee and Ditko in "Amazing Fantasy" #15 was eleven pages long. Here it takes six issues to get to the same point in the character's history. Of course, since we know where things are going, we can take time to appreciate the journey. At the same time, there is a concerted effort to bring various elements more into the mix. That infamous radioactive spider is the creation of Osborn Industries, the pet project of Norman Osborn and one of his chief scientists, Dr. Otto Octavius. Osborn is extremely interested in why young Peter Parker does not die after the bite and the creation of the Green Goblin becomes a direct consequence of the fateful spider bite. In time I am sure we will see the birth of Doctor Octopus will come from this as well. The stories here are by Bill Jemas and Brian Michael Bendis (who does the script), with pencils by Mark Bailey and inks by Art Theibert and Dan Panosian. In many ways I am reminded of when John Byrne had the responsibility of restarting Superman; there is a sense to be a bit more realistic. It is not that Peter Parker is an absolute scientific genius; it was his father who did most of the preliminary work on what would become the formula for Spider-Man's web. Once he gains his spider powers, Peter Parker does what just about any persecuted high school nerd would do; he goes out and becomes a super jock. When he starts web slinging he makes a lot of initial mistakes. I even like the way Peter snaps back at Uncle Ben and Aunt May as things start to get to him, both before and after the spider-bite. This jut increases the pathos of the tragedy that unfolds. I like the fact that "Ultimate Spider-Man" is divorced from the two "real" Spider-Man comic books (now three with the rebirth of "The Spectacular Spider-Man"). Going back to the original stories by Lee and Ditko (later John Romita, Sr.) in either "The Essential Spider-Man" or "Marvel Masterworks" series are not going to be really helpful to younger readers of the character. It was well worthwhile for those of us who started reading "The Amazing Spider-Man" in the Sixties to go through Betty Bryant and the death of Gwen Stacy to eventually get to the day when Mary Jane confronted Peter with the fact she knew he was Spider-Man, but those are hundreds of issues to go through. Starting over again with full knowledge of where the characters are going to end up is a worthwhile approach, especially given how good of a start we see in this first collection (the next four are already out for those who want to continue the journey). I have checked out a few of the other Ultimate titles, but this so far this one is the best.
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