I got 99 problems but...well you know the song...
I've never read a Marvel Knights story before, so I didn't know what to expect. I've rather missed Peter Parker, though, and the idea of an untold Spider-Man adventure was intriguing to me. And man, have I been intrigued. Writer Matt Kindt is essentially laying the groundwork for what the other four issues in this miniseries will consist of, and man is it a trip. I'll be perfectly honest, I've read it three times and I'm still not entirely sure I know what the hell is going on.
Peter Parker is trying to make ends meet doing freelance work (as he often did before his hiring at Horizon) and finds himself face to face with Madame Web. Or at least, someone who looks like Madame Web. He's told he must solve the riddle of the 99 Problems, something that has perplexed the greatest minds from the time of the Sphinx through Albert Einstein. I have to admit, I love the idea of something going to showcase Peter's intellect. I feel it is often forgotten amongst his formidable spider-powers. What happens next is where things turn into what I can only decide as a bad acid trip. Peter finds himself face to face with Jack O'Lantern, Morbius, and Man-Wolf, and having horrific hallucinations. He dispatches them easily, and comes face to face with Frankenstein's monster. Really, I can't make this up. After that he finds himself confronted with Arcade, essentially giving him the low-down. He must run a gauntlet of his most diabolical and vile villains, if he refuses or fails and bomb somewhere in the city will go off, if he succeeds and makes it through them all the bomb is not triggered and Spider-Man wins. Simple enough, but clearly Spider-Man is not feeling 100% and may not be up for this.
Want to know why? Pick up the book!
The artwork is provided by Marco Rudy, and it works extremely well for the atmosphere of the book. Given Parker's hallucinogenic state, the artwork travels wildly from a very realistic look to highly cartoony. The coloring fits as well, as minor details are not provided and things take on a vibrant color scheme. It even takes on an 8-bit Nintendo look when Peter talks to Arcade. It is something. It is not styling I would normally like, but for this book it completely works.
Get this book if you are a Spider-Man fan. Especially if you miss Peter Parker. Hell, even if you aren't try it out. This is only an introductory chapter. It offers only questions. But they are intriguing questions. This already does not feel like your typical Spider-Man tale, and I for one am pumped to see where this rabbit hole takes us and Peter.
