Spider-woman #3: The lesser of 2 Evils
Brian Michele Bendis is notorious for writing absolute novels when it comes to this story telling. This title is no exception as once again, multiple factions’ manipulate/take advantage of Jessica Drew’s fragile sanity after being violated at the hands of the Skrulls. In issue #1, she is recruited by S.W.O.R.D. to become a skrull hunter but as she escapes a Mandripoor prison in issue #2, Madame Hydra sets her up/helped.
What does Madame Hydra want? Turns out Hydra wants the same thing, to eliminate the remaining Skrull infiltration but what is Madame Hydra’s ulterior motive for using Jessica Drew? If she wanted to kill off Skrulls herself, Hydra has their own contingent of assassins.
In the end, Bendis paints a cluttered confusing picture of a woman who was abandoned by Nick Fury, S.H.I.E.L.D., Tony Stark, and is not only a woman without a country or an agency but can’t even tell which side she is on. Yet, she still considers herself an avenger?
Superheroes define themselves by the good they do in life. What happens when the good you do is also the good for the Evil?
Maleev’s work continues to keep that dark gritty feel to comics but boy; this guy could never do action scenes very well. Madame Hydra tests Jessica’s patience. It leads up to her agreeing to work for Hydra (again) that is a big yawner compositionally. Still, this is classic Bendis/Maleev and it works for its purposes.
Rating: Borrow it. So far, it’s almost $9 of talking. Best served waiting for the graphic novel so the whole dialogue flows uninterrupted.
