The Amazing Spider-Man #663

This week's issue of Amazing Spider-Man is a very solid addition to a fairly decent year. Our adventure starts with Anti-Venom stopping a cocaine shipment and in the process learns that there is a something these men fear greater than him. Then our issue jumps to Peter and Carlie in bed, we learn today is a significant day for Peter, he's getting his first science paper published in the "American Science Journal". He gives the good news to Aunt May who is passing out a create full of issues to all the patrons of her F.E.A.S.T. center as Jay congratulates Peter on his accomplishment over the phone. Meanwhile she encounters a bearded Eddie Brock on a mission to expose Martin Li, who happens to be in the backroom discussing the cocaine incident earlier in the issue. As Li passes Aunt May, she flashes back to when she discovered Li's secret which causes her to collapse. In the meantime Carlie discusses with Captain Watanabe the possibility of the "feared mystery person" being in disguised in a Mysterio created costume. Captain Watanabe assures her which was destroyed. Back to Aunt May, Peter, as Spider-Man arrives to find Anti-Venom on the Martin Li's tail. Spidey interferes and Anti-Venom comes to the conclusion that since Spider-Man's trying to stop him, that he must be on Li's side. End Issue
 
     I really enjoy the direction Peter's life has been heading in lately. His job at Horizon Labs has given him the financial stability that has eluded the character for many many years. I always found it hard to believe that a character with the amount of intelligence, integrity and potential that Peter possesses would really only amount to a news photographer barely scraping by. I like knowing that he's not going to have to run back to the Daily Bugle to sell some news photos just to make rent anymore. It's also a great change to not have him worrying about helping out Aunt May financially. That's always a point that bothers me about the old Stan Lee stories. It just seems stupid. 
     Besides the money, Peter is upping his Spider-Man tech. This was one part of the story I didn't really like. His voice activated web shooters are something that border stupid. Voice activation works for Iron Man, but I always think of Spider-Man as a blink and you'll miss him type of hero. To take the time and say, "Right web shooter, spray." etc is just illogical. It seems like Dan Slott is trying to reinvent the web shooter, which was pretty awesome the way they were. It's really just a small complaint for now since it was just introduced today, but if Spider-Man says a command every time shoots a web I'll get annoyed.
    As silly as this may sound I felt almost proud for Peter when he achieved one of his dreams. It adds more depth to him knowing about one of his childhood dreams. Making Peter more realistic makes these stories better better in my eyes. I can say that since "Big Time" started, Peter Parker has become real.
 
Solid Issue overall but I hate paying $3.99 for back up stories. I'd rather have all one story and no filler. I will say though that the story featuring art by Todd Nauck was a nice little piece that made me smile. This week was a nice departure from the very boring Avenger's Academy tie-in but it means it's one issue closer to Spider Island, which I feel could be the worst story since, "Shed" and "Grim Hunt".