Book Description
Ripped from the pages of New Avengers, the Eisner Award-winning team of Brian Bendis and Alex Maleev present an explosive hidden story of Marvel's secret past, the secret history of Marvel's most secret team - how they came together and how they are ripped apart. Plus: Spidey's got a new lease on life, new powers and a new costume, courtesy of his new best friend Tony Stark. So what could possibly go wrong? With clouds quickly building on the horizon, the bonds that Spider-Man now forges may very well determine his capacity to withstand a coming storm. The Marvel Universe is about to split down the middle, and the line is drawn here! You will be asked: whose side are you on? Collects New Avengers: Illuminati; Amazing Spider-Man #529-531; Fantastic Four #536 & 537.
Customer Reviews:
pretty good.......2007-09-06
Good points and not so good points.
The concept is outstanding and a long time coming, in my opinion. The overall story is great, one of the best to come out in a while, not as good as DC's Kingdome Come or Justice, but very good all the same.
On the down side, why can't the art on the inside be as good as the art on the cover??? I gess not everyone can be an Alex Ross, alas. Also, the writing really leaves something to be desired. Way too long-winded.
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-04
Powerful plotting people.
This gives some of the backstory to the whole Civil War brouhaha in that we again see that some of the most powerful Marvel Universe hero leaders meet in secret to discuss how they should look at the world and their operations in it.
The beginnings of the political split that causes a lot of conflict is here, with Namor and Dr. Strange opposed to Reed Richards and Tony Stark. The X-Men's influence is again negligible.
Really not that necessary........2007-08-31
Avengers: Illuminati is really the only comic in this collection that I enjoyed. I was hoping for the entire collection to be more about them, however it was really a random story involving the fantastic four and Thor's hammer and Spiderman's falling into the hands of Tony Stark.
Absolutely not necessary for the Civil War storyline.
The Illuminati story is useful for the new World War Hulk storyline though.
ROAD TO AWSOMENESS.......2007-08-18
AFTER LOOKING ON AMAZON FOR TWO WEEKS TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THIS WHOLE CIVIL WAR IDEA I BOUGHT THIS OFF THE SHELF TO SEE IF IT WAS GOING TO BE WORTH THE MONEY TO FOLLOW THIS HUGE STORY.I WAS SO EXCITED WITH IT I BOUGHT TEN MORE IN THE SERIES FROM AMAZON.SO THANKS TO ALL OTHER REVIEWERS AND LISTMANIACS FOR HELPING ME OUT.THE MAIN PART OF THIS BOOK WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE ALL OUT ACTION BUT THEY FOUND ROOM FOR A COUPLE COOL SPIDERMAN BITS.ALL IN ALL YOU COULD SKIP IT AND NOT REALLY MISS OUT BUT IT DOES SHOW A COUPLE TIMES THE CONFLICT WITHIN THE BIGGEST ADVOCATES OF THE REGISTRATION ACT.NAMOR IS ONE CHARACTER IVE REALLY ENJOYED IN THE WHOLE SERIES AND HE STARTS OFF HERE IN HIS CRANKY WAYS.FOR ME THIS BOOK WAS A GREAT START TO A COMIC COLLECTION.(IF YOU HAVE READ THIS AND UNDERSTOOD BLACKBOLTS 'NOD AND POINT' ANSWER TO HELPING OUT TONY AND REED,THEN WELL DONE COZ I WAS CONFUSED.LATER GOT THE POINT IN BLACK PANTHER STORY.)
No.......2007-07-11
Not really my thing because I prefer straight history, but his did have its moments.
Book Description
As Peter Parker tries to sort out his relationship with the X-Men's Kitty Pryde - and continue his friendship with Mary Jane - a mall-food-court lunch turns into a free-for-all as Peter and MJ are interrupted by the debut of... the Ultimate Scorpion! But who is the Scorpion - and what sinister conspiracy is threatening Spider-Man's very existence? The clues have been laid over the past 96 issues... and it all starts to come together here, as we begin the most shocking, most mind-blowing Spider-Man story ever published! Collects Ultimate Spider-Man #97-104.
Customer Reviews:
things get a little nuts for Ultimate Spider-man.......2007-09-11
More than any previous TPB, the clone saga proves that the Ultimate Spider-man comics are not about regurgitating the original Spider-man characters and plots. The Scorpion and even Dock Ock featured in the Clone Saga are not at all the same characters conceived in the 1960s. The Mary Jane, Gwen Stacy, and Aunt May are also very different characters than we would expect from the mainstream Spider-man universe, and they have very different relationships with Peter Parker. This is not at all a bad thing. It means that instead of grasping at someone else's vision, Brian Michael Bendis is telling the story that to him and his present-day audience is fresh and meaningful.
Don't get me wrong, though. This is still good comic book fun, with all the ludicrous, over-the-top twists and turns the genre implies; in fact, it is even more extremely so. But if you are the kind of person that can suspend your sense of disbelief for a little bit and enjoy some pure entertainment, it doesn't get better than the Clone Saga.
Penciller Mark Bagley is in top form here--there are some truly steller panels in this TPB. As Bagley leaves Ultimate Spider-man for other projects, his contributions to Ultimate Spider-man, and especially his work in the Clone Saga, will not be forgotten.
Bendis and Bagley pour it on for issue #100 of "Ultimate Spider-Man".......2007-04-05
I approached the "Clone Saga" that makes up "Ultimate Spider-Man, Volume 17" with great trepidation. After all, it was the cloning plotlines that became for me where "The Amazing Spider-Man" jumped the shark and I stopped reading it and the rest of Marvel's Spider-Man titles. Then there is the way that writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Mark Bagley have consistently come up with creative twists and turns on the original Spider-Man stories, which becomes an additional concern when you are getting up to issue #100 of "Ultimate Spider-Man" because the first time around Stan Lee came up with Peter Parker creating a formula so he would no longer be Spider-Man and it backfired, ironically making him more like a spider by giving him two additional pairs of arms. So you link "Spider-Man" and "clones," and I start getting really nervous.
"Ultimate Spider-Man, Volume 17: Clone Saga" collects issues #97-104 (which means it does not include #105 containing the epilogue). At this point Peter is dating Kitty Pryde and since everybody knows her identity as Shadowcat, when she is seen romantically with Spider-Man that means Kitty cannot be seen dating Peter. However, the fact that Peter is still seeing Mary Jane is driving Kitty crazy: what she calls "hanging out" he calls "going to school together." Their relationship is not helped when MJ drags Peter to the mall so they can talk and he can get back on his game and Ultimate Scorpion shows up and a fight ensues. The ante is upped considerably when Spider-man unmasks the Scorpion and sees his own face looking back at him. Meanwhile, MJ is suddenly abducted from her own bedroom. Spider-Man takes the unconscious Scorpion to the Baxter Building so that Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four can run tests. The results show a 94.2% DNA match with Peter Parker and now the fun begins in earnest.
Bendis and Bagley really pour it on in this story line. In addition to the debut of the Ultimate Scorpion we have the first appearance of the Ultimate Spider-Woman, the "return" of Gwen Stacy, and another even more surprising appearance by somebody who is supposed to be dead. When Aunt May finds Peter and the late Gwen Stacy in her kitchen you figure that things could not be getting any more complicated, but it does, and all before we actually get to issue #100. We still have Ultimate Carnage, Ultimate Six-Armed Spider-Man in a Black Costume, and Ultimate Kaine (sort of), so there are more than enough clones to shake a stick at in this story arc. The net result is, in a word, excessive. I have not yet listed all of the clones let alone all of the major players that make up the "Clone Saga." In these issues Bendis and Bagley get to one of the landmark moments in the history of Spider-Man and because it happens in the middle of everything else that is going on the effect is rather diminished. Or maybe I was just numb after reeling from all of these things being dumped on our young hero.
One of the strengths of "Ultimate Spider-Man" has been the use of multi-issue story arcs so that Bendis and Bagley do not have to come up with a different villain each month (that is how you end up with the likes of the Terrible Tinkerer). If you count multi-part stories in "The Amazing Spider-Man," the Scorpion also showed up in the 17th Spider-Man story, which was issue #20, towards the end of the second year of Lee and Steve Ditko's run on the title. Taking multiple issues to tell a story involving Spider-Man versus the Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus or whoever, allows for more depth in the story telling. Here the piling on of characters and plot lines provides a sense of density rather than depth. The "Clone Saga" is certainly ambitious, more comparable to the "Ultimate Six" mini-series than anything else, but I actually found it to be the least satisfying volume to date.
Next up is the Ultimate Knights story arc, which will be significant because it will be the last "Ultimate Spider-Man" stories drawn by Bagley, which has announced he would leaving the title with issue #110. This ends one of the longest continuous runs by a creative team on a Marvel comic book, technically beating the record set by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby on the "Fantastic Four" (I understand ignoring the "FF" annuals that would mean Bendis and Bagley fall short in number of stories, but anything in triple figures is impressive since we are talking eight-plus years of work). Of course, Mark Evanier and Sergio Aragones did ten years on "Groo the Wanderer" for Marvel, but the witless barbarian was never one of the flagship characters of the company.
Product Description
The destruction of Buffy's hometown, plus covert and powerful slayer "cells" around the world, add up to a new label for the Scoobies: Terrorist threat. Speaking of Sunnydale, the crater formerly known as, has opened to reveal the witch Amy, and boy is she mad.
Season Eight continues as Buffy creator Joss Whedon brings Buffy back to Dark Horse in this direct follow-up to Season Seven of the smash-hit TV series.
Customer Reviews:
And the story continues.......2007-04-22
Warning: Thar be spoilers ahead!
Remember each week those exciting words (which alerted us that we were about to get a new exciting episode of the best show on TV)? "Previously on BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER . . . " The new comic series seems to be doing something along these same lines. On the inside of the outer cover are printed the following:
"This story takes place after the end of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER Season Seven.
"The Slayer population of the world has gone from two to nearly two thousand. Almost five hundred are working around the world with Buffy's organization in squads--or "terrorist cells," according to the American military. Buffy, Xander, Dawn, and a passel of Slayers are currently bunked out in a Scottish castle, where the latest mission revealed a strange symbol carved into human bodies.
"Also, Dawn's a giant."
This may be a summary that is rewritten each month to reflect what has happened in the previous issues.
The first episode in Season Eight established the situation; this one begins moving the story forward. The U.S. military (or rather, a military leader who has on his chest the strange symbol referred to in the monthly summary) has authorized Amy the witch and her army of zombies to go after Buffy and her cohorts. After the story begins with three very different approaches to training the new slayers by first Giles, then Buffy, and finally Andrew (who actually couldn't be said to be training them at all) we find Xander explaining why Dawn took the form of a giant when it was possible she could have assumed other forms instead (obviously, she is trying to get her sister's attention in the most blatant manner possible). The catch is, does Xander really tell any of this to Buffy or is it all just part of what we later learn is a spell-induced sleep in which she experiences an unbroken nightmare. And in a fairy-tale twist she can only be awakened by the kiss of true love. We can, of course, imagine a line of possible candidates for that: Angel and Spike fighting to be first in line. Well, of course Buffy will be awakened, and sooner rather than later. Can't imagine her being asleep at the end of the next episode. The tricky part is how one defines "true love." That needn't mean romantic love. My gut tells me that the kiss won't come from any of the usual suspects. My money is on Dawn. Yeah, I know. No one likes Dawn. But the brute fact is that except for struggling to save her in Season Five, Buffy has been a truly awful sister. Not in a Cinderella step sisterly way, but in the completely neglectful, can't-spare-her-a-minute way. But early in Season Six, Dawn seemed to miss her more than anyone. Like I said, my money is on Dawn.
The issues ends with Buffy asleep, the castle under assault by hundreds of zombies they can't keep at bay, Amy gloating that she could handle slayers with ease, so there was no one there who could take her on. The final frame is of someone who says that they would "like to test that theory." And thus Willow makes her first appearance in the story.
I am going to say something that I don't think I can say often enough. I don't want Joss Whedon writing comics. I want him creating new television shows. I suspect he enjoys the control that a comic gives him. I am sure he is tired of battling studios and networks. I can understand that. But once the battles have been waged and the BS has been waded through, Joss Whedon has been able to create some of the most extraordinary, most timeless television that has ever been made. He needs to get back to it. That being said, I am so much happier with him doing BUFFY Season Eight than either his X-Men project or the Runaways (and mind you, I like both the X-Men and the Runaways). There are others who can tell further stories about the X-Men and the Runaways, but Joss Whedon is only one who can give us authoritative Buffy stories. So I am acquiring these with joy and my heart and impatience in my soul. But I want him back in television. We've had some great TV since BUFFY and ANGEL left the air. LOST, 24, VERONICA MARS, and especially BATTLESTAR GALACTICA have filled the huge gap BUFFY left at its departure. But LOST needs to start winding down (whether it will has to be seen), BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (the only show to completely match the brilliance that was BUFFY) has possibly only one more season left and at most two before Ron Moore brings his series to an end. 24 is definitely in decline. VERONICA MARS might be cancelled. In short, JOSS! WE NEED YOU TO COME BACK TO TELEVISION! But in the meantime, I'll wolf down every one of these issues.
Episode Two: Attack of the Rat.......2007-04-05
Buffy fans will be expecting a lot after seven stellar seasons on television and the success of the first issue of "Season Eight." So the question here is this: Does Issue #2 deliver?
In short, yes. I have to say though--there is so much going on, so many jokes, and so much foreshadowing that I wasn't able to completely enjoy the Jossy goodness until my second read. The first read intrigued me, but the second wow-ed me.
The plot continues directly from the previous issue. Amy (the former rat) is working with the government to take out Buffy and the slayers, and she has an army of zombies to back her up. The ending sequences are amazing--I'm already itching for May 2nd to come so I can get my hands on the third issue. There was a big revelation about half-way through the comic, and clues to who the Big Bad of the season will be as well. Giant Dawn is great, Buffy is true to herself, and Xander is playing the biggest role he's played since the first season.
This issue also re-introduces two fan favorites: Giles and Andrew. So, all in all, this issue is just as good as the first. But did anybody expect anything less? I mean, come on--Joss Whedon wrote it.
9/10
Average customer rating:
- The Dark Age of Ultimate Spider-Man
- Worst volume yet...
|
Ultimate Spider-Man, Vol. 8
Brian Michael Bendis , and
Mark Bagley
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 078512604X |
Book Description
This deluxe hardcover collects Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 15: Silver Sable and Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 16: Deadpool, plus extras. In Silver Sable, the head of Roxxon Oil sics the world's greatest mercenary, Silver Sable, on Spider-Man to learn why the web-spinner has targeted Roxxon on his nightly patrols. How violently Ms. Sable wants to handle the situation is strictly up to her. Spinning out of the Ultimate Spider-Man video game (written and designed by our longstanding team of Bendis and Bagley), Ultimate Silver Sable might be the most dangerous foe Spidey has ever faced! Plus: the mystery of Ultimate Omega Red! And in Deadpool, Spider-Man teams up with his new girlfriend - the X-Men's Kitty Pryde, who gets a new super-hero identity for when she's not hanging with her mutant mates! Plus: Meet the dangerous Ultimate Deadpool - and the Ultimate Reavers! It's mutant action guest-starring the Ultimate X-Men, with Spidey caught in the middle! Also featuring Ultimate Morbius! Collects Ultimate Spider-Man #86-96 and Annual #1-2.
Customer Reviews:
The Dark Age of Ultimate Spider-Man.......2007-05-07
Like the above post, this is probably the worst of all the collected volumes. Neither of the main stories are really riveting, and they really lack a lot of the characterization and good writing of previous stories. In particular, the "Deadpool" arc is not done well. While a decent crossover, it lacks the development and character depth of previous stories.
The only good part is probably that the annuals are really, really good one-off stories. To me, the real star is Annual #2, which features Daredevil, Kingpin, Captain Jean DeWolfe, Moon Knight, the Punisher, and the Ultimate Kangaroo. The pacing and multiple plots are weaved well, and it gets away from the "OMG CYBERNETIC KILLERS ON MUTANTPHOBIC ISLAND!!" and goes back to the 'Street-pounding' roots of the Spider-Man character. In the end, there is a semi-major event in the Ultimate Spider-Man Universe (At least, I felt it was a revelation).
But, probably the best part of this book is that it is the lowest part of the Ultimate Spider-man series, and it's followed by the absolutely amazing Clone Saga and the (still-ongoing) equally-awesome Ultimate Knights Saga. So for those of you who are worried that Ultimate Spider-Man is going downhill, this will only spark its revival.
Overall, I'd buy it if you're a completist, a fan of crossovers, or just looking for some mindless action. If you are just getting into Ultimate Spider-Man, this is not.
Worst volume yet..........2007-04-28
I am a huge fan of Ultimate Spider-Man, but this volume is perhaps the worst to date. It really focuses on the relationship Spider-Man has with Kitty Pride, and I found that realtionship to feel very forced upon the reader. The development is not very natural, and this fact is very distracting. It is true that some elements are nice, and the two of them seem like they could be interesting together, but the development was rushed, and the romance seemed contrived. The X-Men crossover was nice, but the Silver Sable story just didn't seem all that entrancing. Not a bad book mind you, and it is good by itself, but in light of the whole Ultimate Spider-Man legacy, this one falls short.
Product Description
Captain America Steve Rogers is shot and killed in this key issue.
Things had already been bad for Cap he had been declared a fugitive after the Superhero Registration Act demanded all heroes be registered by the federal government. Captain America, seeing this as an invasion of civil rights, led a resistance against this movement, chronicled in Marvel Comics Civil War series.
After Captain America discovered public opinion had turned against his resistance, he surrendered to authorities. This issue begins with a sniper firing at him on the steps of a federal courthouse on the way to his arraignment.
Average customer rating:
- good
- It's OK, but it disappointed me
-
- A good source for info but not much else
- The Venom flows
|
Spider-Man: Birth of Venom
Jim Shooter ,
Tom DeFalco ,
John Byrne ,
Louise Simonson , and
David Michelinie
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0785124985 |
Book Description
The Beyonder's Battleworld might seem a strange place to get new threads, but it's Spider-Man who becomes unraveled when his shape-changing costume attempts to darken his life as well as his fashion sense! But ridding himself of his riotous raiment proves an even greater mistake when its alien enmity bonds with mortal madness to form our hero's most dedicated decimator! Plus: the first appearances of Puma and the Rose! Mary Jane Watson's startling secret! And the debut of the battling...Bag-Man!? Guest-starring the Black Cat, the Fantastic Four and more! Collects Secret Wars #8; Amazing Spider-Man #252-259, #298-300 & #315-317; Fantastic Four #274 and Web of Spider-Man #1
Customer Reviews:
good.......2007-09-15
this graphic novel is goos if you really need to know the history of venom but at times it gete REALLY boring but at the end you will be happy
It's OK, but it disappointed me.......2007-08-01
As you read. "Spider-Man: Birth of Venom" focuses more on Spidey wearing (and eventuelly trying to get free of) his alien costume than in the fan-favorite vilain. Yeah, Venom appears and fights spidey a lot of times, but not enough to call the book "Birth of Venom". The right name would be "the symbiote saga".
.......2007-07-14
tells the entire tale. the editors selected all the comics that told the story and assembled them in a nifty Tocc McFarlene drawn cover. A must for spidey lovers.
A good source for info but not much else.......2007-06-09
Perhaps I had overly high hopes for this collection, and to be fair, the "Birth of Venom" does exactly what it states: it explains and presents the origins of the black suit symbiote and its merger with Eddie Brock to become Venom. But as thankful as I am for those inclusions, this collection suffers from an incredibly disjointed, thrown-together feeling and approach. As a few others have mentioned, some "issues" are only one or two pages thrown in there to move the story along. It's disappointing since it gives the reader of something bigger going on, but without knowing the full story. On that same subject, 1/2 of Venom himself, Eddie Brock, is not even mentioned until his full appearance as Venom, despite being in previous issues. Why they didn't just throw a page or two of him in there, like they did earlier on, is baffling and undermines a big part of who Venom is and why he does what he does. Sure, he explains it through flashbacks, but flashbacks aren't quite the same as reading it in "realtime." Another big problem with the collection, and probably one that just couldn't be worked around, was the inclusion of issues with no closure. The symbiote suit, much more than the character "Venom", was the focus here, but several issues throw in plenty of villains, such as Kingpin, the Rose, Jack O'Lanter, and Hobgoblin, but never reaches a conclusion with any of them really. The issues at the time weren't focused on Venom, so their inclusions and conclusions feel especially jarring. A big part of the Spider-man mythos is the development of these stories and its characters, so it's a tad frustrating wondering what happened to Hobgoblin, or why Hydro-man suddenly popped up. The inclusion of a few issues that don't even HAVE any developments of the symbiote suit undermines the inclusion of the ones that do, as they could have been exercised in favor of more plot and drama.
Speaking of which, while the collection doesn't exactly flow, it does have some great old-time Spider-man moments that were a wonderful reminder of a time long passed. In this volume, Spider-man dates The Black Cat, Mary Jane confesses her knowledge that Peter's Spider-man, and Peter and Aunt May have a spat over college. But, like the rest of the volume, these dramas never reach fruition, but they're interesting scenarios.
Also, the art, as some mentioned, is a mixed bag. It goes from rather poor (early on) to phenomenal (later on.) Having read up on Todd McFarlane, it's interesting to see how his style evolved. With issues jumping forward by months and years, it's shocking to see his Spider-man go from lackluster to the artistic Renaissance man that established McFarlane as a power player in comics. Some of the later issues have poses and action scenes that are almost frame worth, and it's absolutely jarring to compare that to the earlier issues in this volume.
But, even that has its problems. Venom himself has evolved artistically since his introduction, and the Venom in this collection is a very rough version of the character. While he went on to be really overexposed later, he wasn't quite developed enough in this collection either. Visually, he just starts off as a bigger version of the black Spider-man with a toothy grin. Later, his teeth get sharper, he gets more developed, and looks much better... but as good as Todd draws him, Venom truly reached his peak later on, sporting a bluish hue to his costume and getting his trademark tongue and green spit. Those later incarnations are not included in this collection, which would have been a nice touch to see how he developed.
In the end, this collection does its job, but I can't help but feel it could have been done better. I can understand that trying to cram almost 10 years of development into one volume can be daunting, and cuts had to be made, but some inclusions and omissions are baffling, and the complete story feels distinctively lacking. If you're a Venom fan, I can give this a recommendation, but you'd do better reading "Maximum Carnage" or "Venom: Lethal Protector".
The Venom flows.......2007-04-30
With Spider-Man 3 looming, fans will finally get to see Venom on the big screen. However, for those who have less experience with the old Spidey comics, this TPB serves a big purpose. Spider-Man: Birth of Venom showcases the original stories that have been condensed and adapted for the mega budget film, as this large TPB focuses on the seperation of Peter Parker and the black, alien costume that turns out to be a symbiote. Soon after, the symbiote bonds with the disgruntled Eddie Brock, and Venom is born. Like previous reviewers have stated, these issues were crafted before Venom was massively overexposed and re-written as a dark hero. This TPB showcases Venom as the best Spider-Man villain since the Green Goblin from the Lee and Conway days, and features a variety of talent including a pre-Spawn Todd MacFarlane, legendary John Byrne, and the great Mike Zeck. Some of the dialogue and writing, namely from Tom DeFalco, is a bit dated, but the good definitely outweighs the bad here. All in all, Birth of Venom is a significant chapter in the aching Spider-Man saga, and this TPB should definitely be given a look by Spidey and/or Venom fans new and old.
Product Description
Please note that this is the VARIANT COVER by ALEX ROSS and NOT the Ditko variant. The Amazon detail page is showing the Ditko variant for both books.
Customer Reviews:
Bowed Lower Legs.......2007-09-10
Steve Ditko's art work was an acqired taste for me. His old people all looked Asian, his girl's were too thin, and his adversarial figures had
bowed lower legs. That said, he was more adventurous than King Kirby, es-pecially when he tackled Dr. Strange. Ditko was perfect for that strip,
but his breakthrough was the early Spider-Man, and for that, I will always be grateful. Get this one, if you're young. Compare it to the
masturbatory, nihilistic issues of today, and come to your own conclusions, if you can.
AMAZING! SPECTACULAR! SENSATIONAL!.......2007-08-28
Simply put... If I was stranded on a desert island and I could have only one book... this would be it. Quite possibly the greatest run in comics history. These are not only the best Spider-Man stories ever, they're some of the best comic stories... PERIOD. Stan Lee's writing is fun and upbeat with a great sense of comic timing and adventure. Steve Ditko's pencils are tight and bursting with kinetic energy. (Definitely the best work of his career). Even though I have all of the original issues, as well as the Marvel Masterworks collections of these stories, I still bought this book. It is loaded with extra goodies, like all of the letters columns and some early guest appearances of Spider-Man in other comics, such as, his first team-up with the Human Torch in Strange Tales Annual #2. However, it's the attention to detail that really makes this collection shine. The publishers even went to the trouble of exactly matching the colors to the original comics (i.e. in the first few issues the blue in Spider-Man's costume looks purple, just like it did in the original printings). It may sound cliche, but the bottom line is, if you are a Spider-Man fan or just a comics fan in general, this book is a MUST HAVE!
Spiderman fans get this book.......2007-08-14
Marvel did a good job on creating this book. If you are a spiderman fan get this book, you will not be disappointed.
A must for all spidey fans!.......2007-07-24
I bought this with trepidation. All I can say as I hold the book in my hand is that the production is very good, coloring is excellent, bind quality is good - we need to see if it will last a few years. I wish they bring to print- Captain America from issue one to the current; Daredevil and Iron man from the first issue to the current. Last but not the least I wishy they bring out extinct super heroes- The Web, Steel Sterling Man of Steel, The Hangman, The black hood, The Phantom and Mandrake in such volumes too.
magnificent!.......2007-07-17
a pop-art masterpiece. i like spiderman: the only superhero who got superproblems. spiderman's first years are the best.
Average customer rating:
- A must-read!
- Best Spider-Man story in years
- Very Good
- What this is and what this isn't! Or, "How to make a quick buck if your name is Joey Q" ...
- Much better than the original "clone saga"
|
Ultimate Spider-Man: Clone Saga
Brian Michael Bendis , and
Mark Bagley
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0785126775 |
Book Description
As Peter Parker tries to sort out his relationship with the X-Men's Kitty Pryde - and continue his friendship with Mary Jane - a mall-food-court lunch turns into a free-for-all as Peter and MJ are interrupted by the debut of... the Ultimate Scorpion! But who is the Scorpion - and what sinister conspiracy is threatening Spider-Man's very existence? The clues have been laid over the past 96 issues... and it all starts to come together here, as we begin the most shocking, most mind-blowing Spider-Man story ever published! Collects Ultimate Spider-Man #97-105, Marvel Spotlight: Brian Michael Bendis/Mark Bagley, plus extras.
Customer Reviews:
A must-read!.......2007-08-01
I won't tell you anything, as that would spoil the fun, but Ultimate Spider-Man: Clone Saga is full of action, drama and much more! A must-read!
Best Spider-Man story in years.......2007-06-12
The worst part about this story was that it took years to put together. The Venom story, the Carnage story, it all ties together in a master stroke of comic-book writing.
Brian Michael Bendis truly frightened fandom by calling this one "The Clone Saga," invoking the most talked about (mostly jeers) Spidey story in 30 years. Rest assured, this isn't your daddy's Clone Saga.
This collection is action packed, filled with Mark Bagley's beautiful artwork (one of the few artists out there born to draw Spider-Man) and BMB's fanstastic pacing, plotting and dialogue. The climax is heart stopping, seat-of-your-pants reading that left me weeping and cheering, just pages apart.
And this story IS important, it DOES count. Sweeping changes come by the end of this, including and especially changes in all of Peter's relationships.
"The Clone Saga" is exactly the kind of story every Spider-Man Fan looks for in their lifetime.
Very Good.......2007-05-30
There is nothing more reviled, nothing more revolting, to a comic fan's ears then the term "Clone Saga." The storyline that ran through the mainstream Spider-man's comcis during the mid to late 90s (never read the original clone saga, but I'm led to believe that it is not vomit-inducing like the 90s one) was such a mess. It was confusing, aggravating, and completely silly. The plot just seemed to go from outlandish to mind-numbing. Indeed, the Cone Saga is widely regarded as one of the worst storylines in comic history. So much so that even Spider-man himself makes fun of the Clone Saga (don't have any issue numbers, but Spidey fans know I speak the truth).
Which brings me to the Ultimate Clone Saga. Bendis, as always, delivers and makes even asinine sotrylines completely enthralling. While not exactly his best work, it is certainly not among his worst. Plenty of laughs, great dialogue, and surprising revelations make this a must-read for Spider-man fans.
What this is and what this isn't! Or, "How to make a quick buck if your name is Joey Q" ..........2007-05-27
Patience, fanboys! Just because this is a $30 hardcover doesn't mean it's the one people are needing to continue their collection. For one thing it is unnumbered. For another it is 1/2 inch shorter and 1/2 inch less wide and 50 to 100 pages thinner than the other USM hardcovers! In my opinion, this was pushed out to stores so it would be on the shelves once Spider-Man 3 hit theatres. Which it is, and it's selling.
BUT WAIT ... I am pretty sure that this is one of the releases that are often referred to as a "Marvel Premiere" Hardcover, which is an early-bird edition of an upcoming trade, in this case the Vol. 17 Clone Saga trade.
In my opinion, the Volume 9 oversized hardcover will come out, late summer or fall, and will of course contain these issues as well as the final Mark Bagley issues, of which there will only be 5 1/2 more (he will leave after pencilling part of #111). In this way the first 9 oversized hardcovers, or the first 18 TPBs, will give collectors the complete Brian Bendis / Mark Bagley run on Ultimate Spider-Man! But you have to wait another few months!
Buy this if you really need to immediately read a Bendis version of the storyline that almost ruined Marvel a decade ago. But it is not "Volume 9" folks, or they'd have slapped a 9 on the dust jacket somewhere.
Much better than the original "clone saga".......2007-05-27
The original Spider-Man Clone Saga was one of the most fan-hated story arcs in the history of Spider-Man. So attempting to do an Ultimate version of this would be tricky at best. But they pull it off wonderfully. This was a spectacular story arc, filled with twists.
I don't want to go into the story too much, because the element of surprise is this collection's greatest strength.
Suffice it to say, if you enjoy Ultimate Spider-Man, this is definately something you want to buy.
Average customer rating:
- Best one yet
- Better than the movie
- Bummer
- Spidey is back but................
- We need more books on the universe established in the film!!!
|
Spider-Man 3
Peter David
Manufacturer: Pocket Star
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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ASIN: 1416527214 |
Book Description
How long can any man fight the darkness before he finds it in himself?
Peter Parker has finally managed to strike a balance between his devotion to M.J. and his duties as a Super Hero™. But there is a storm brewing on the horizon. When his suit suddenly changes, turning jet-black and enhancing his powers, it transforms Peter as well, bringing out the dark, vengeful side of his personality that he is struggling to control. Under the influence of the suit, Peter becomes overconfident and starts to neglect the people who care about him most. Forced to choose between the seductive power of the new suit and the compassionate hero he used to be, Peter must overcome his personal demons as two of the most feared villains yet -- Sandman and Venom -- gather unparalleled power and a thirst for retribution to threaten Peter and everyone he loves.
Customer Reviews:
Best one yet.......2007-06-11
Great adventure story which should make for another good movie. As for comic book continuity, it is missing the mark on a couple of points, but ALL the comic movies seem to be doing the same. Doesn't detract from a good storyline or action packed movie.
Better than the movie.......2007-06-02
As a Spider-man fan, the movies have always disappointed me because they are not accurate enough to the characters. Enter Peter David, He gratefully takes a so-so Spider-man story and injects it with the "Spideyness" the movies were lacking. (and yes I just used the word "Spideyness" but I'm a Spider-man fan, so I can do that) This Novel is no exception. He fills in the gaps the movie left behind and even manages to make the movie's depressing ending feel more triumphant. A must read for any Spider-man fan who felt the movie was not up to par. AKA: almost everyone. So after that stirring review you may wonder why not five stars? Until he gets the black costume the story is too close a retelling for me and just like in the movie theater I found myself slightly bored. It's too bad he didn't have more to work with, because it could have been...well...Amazing.
Bummer.......2007-05-05
Ummm...I'll start with the positive. The action was good.
Now...the negative. And there's a lot.
I LOVED the first two movies. Especially the 2nd one. The 2nd was perfect in my eyes. I left the theatre thinking "OMG that was amazing!"
This one I left a little crushed. Actually, I felt crushed towards the beginning. As soon as Sandman enters the picture it begins to go downhill. Why in the hell did they bring this guy in it? The movie is jam packed as is. And how he becomes the Sandman is not really explained. He gets caught in some kind of experiment that is never talked about. The whole character really doesn't have much of a story except here's this guy who is made of sand and he goes around robbing banks. At the end, you find out why he needs the money but it's really lame.
He also killed Peter's uncle which is very lame. They should have left that alone. But then the character would have been even more pointless.
On to Venom, the whole reason why Spider-Man 3 needed to be made. He was barely in it. The CGI for him wasn't that great and you really didn't learn that much about him.
There was just way too much going on in this movie. You got Sandman, Venom, Green Goblin, M.J.'s acting career, Peter getting ready to pop the question, Eddie trying to get a job, even the neighbor girl.
And the dialogue was SO BAD at times. This movie really reminded me of the Batman movies and how they started out so cool and then ended up in the cheese factory. The acting was a little iffy too.
I'd give this movie 3 out of 5 stars. A bummer. I thought X-Men 3 was better.
Spidey is back but.......................2007-04-29
Im torn....really torn.....I love Spidey...always have. This story really deserves about another 300 pages to flesh out all of the hundreds of characters Raimi decided to cram into this one. Youve all these storylines converging in every which way throughout and youre going...."How is this thing going to come together right in all of this mishmash?" In the end I think the film will be successful, and it is a good story. It just seems rather chaotic; struggling to find a cohesive whole. The whole venom thing was a tack on and pointless to the story. Absolutely pointless. I could go on and on. Anyway, it will make its cash and it will be a great summer film. I just wish Raimi would have split this thing up into 2 films; thats all.
We need more books on the universe established in the film!!!.......2007-04-06
I hope the movie is as good as this novel. If so, Spidey 3 will be a winner at the box office. With Peter David at the helm, he mixes the universe of the comics with those in the film. He does this with great ease. Any book that is written by this author a sure bet that it will be something compelling.
All the characters: Gwen Stacy, her father Capt. Stacy, M.J. and all the supporting cast ring true to their illustrated counterparts. The only downer is the new Green Goblin costume. If that's the only bad thing in this film, I won't notice. I only hope that there is a book sequel that will tie the loose ends in this film or at least give us a glimpse of what Spider-Man 4 will be...
Average customer rating:
- Awesome comic!
- Graphic SF Reader
- love it!!!!!!!
- even yo mama would love ultimate spidey...
- BRING ON THE VENOM!!!!
|
Ultimate Spider-Man Vol. 6: Venom
Brian Michael Bendis
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0785110941 |
Book Description
After reuniting with his childhood friend Eddie Brock, Peter Parker discovers a terrible secret about their fathers' past a secret which quickly results in a confrontation with Venom, Spider-Man's evil, dark twin.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome comic!.......2007-09-25
This is the best Ultimate Spider-Man story yet! Venom is reinvented Ultimate style and he's never been better. Lots of action and heart in this one. Check it out.
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Young Spidey is having it tough. His aunt has some old videotapes of his parents, and he finds one with Eddie Brock on it, a friend of his when he was a young kid.
He goes and talks to him, and finds out he has some of the parental research going.
Hey presto, crazy dna venom-suit. Spidey doesn't keep it long as he almost kills someone.
Eddie, who he finds out via Gwen is really a 'dirtbag' as she put it, is not quite so picky.
love it!!!!!!!.......2007-05-23
venom is like,my favorite spidey villan,so i expected this to be a great comic. and it certainly delivers!from spidey finding his childhood friend,to spidey wearing the suit,and finally eddie getting the venom suit.
it has great artwork(as always)depicts venom very well.it also shows how peter trys to pick up his fallen relationship with mj.i think that any spidey fan would love this comic!
even yo mama would love ultimate spidey..........2007-02-02
ultimate spider-man by bendis and bagley is one of the best series out there. not as much action and non-stop bad guy fighting, but a good mix of that and a lot of peter parker being a teenager with problems (girls, bullies, being grounded, etc.) along with his spidey life.
the series is great great great. only a few minor things that could be better:
1. i don't like how nick fury comes in and tells spider-man he's going to work his whole life for him and shield. the idea of peter being...trapped in a web? haha...well it isn't too cool. superheroes need to fight the good fight because they want to, not because shield will go and take away their superpowers (as fury has threatened) if they don't comply. plus the issues where the ultimates come in aren't that great, the whole series gets hijacked by them and not a lot of spidey. imo, the ultimates are easily the worst part of the ultimate universe. beyond ultimate spider-man and the ultimate fantastic four the ultimate universe isn't too great.
2. bendis needs to cut down on the tuchas talk. seriously if parker grew up in nyc today he'd more likely speak spanglish than yanglish.
3. geldoff.
BRING ON THE VENOM!!!!.......2006-07-28
That was flippin' awesome! Venom is AMAZING!
So what if he's a failed cure for cancer? They did a FANTASTIC job with the story! The only downside is: If you want all your questions answered, you gotta play the Ultimate Spider-Man video game.
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