Does Spider-Man Die In This One?
The epic craziness continues as Norman Osborn and the Sinister Six fight a gravely wounded Spider-Man which could make the title of this arc come true.
The Good
I have to mention again how great it is having Bendis and Bagely back together for this arc. With the way it appears to be headed, it's fitting that they are both involved to tell this story. We're all leery of death stories but this story has been more than that (probably because the death hasn't happened...yet). Bendis is doing a great job in showing what a true hero Spider-Man/Peter Parker is.
The way the story has been flowing, you really don't know what to expect. We've heard the news that Spider-Man is indeed going to die and there will be a new Spider-Man. Will Bendis and Marvel actually kill the biggest and most popular character in the Ultimate universe? Sure looks that way. The things happening here leave you to believe this truly is the end. It doesn't come across and a manufactured comic book event. We're getting a story here which is what you would expect from this long running title.
As for not knowing what to expect, yes there are things that happen that you wouldn't expect to happen. This is what I want in a comic book, not the death of a character but edge-of-your-seat action with a compelling story.
The Bad
Having this be a five part story arc and the title kind of tells you what will happen next issue. Peter Parker is getting such a beating that it's become convincing that things are going to end well. I miss the days when a big shocking event could be a surprise and not laid out for us. I understand the reasoning and value in presenting it this way but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
The main problem is how isolated this feels from the rest of the Ultimate universe. We've been seeing "Death Of Spider-Man" plastered on this and Ultimate Avengers vs. New Ultimates. Where are the other teams when poor Peter needs them?
The Verdict
If you haven't been reading this, you are missing out. Would it make sense to jump into part 4 of 5? You will want to see how this plays out. Pick up the other issues and definitely check it out when it inevitably gets collected in trade format. This is a big story. We're not only talking about the death of Spider-Man but the death of the biggest Ultimate Universe character. It's easy to dismiss this as just another event/death story but it's been such a fun ride. It's fitting that Bendis and Bagley are on hand to deliver what may very well be the end of poor Peter Parker. The idea doesn't thrill me but because the story is unfolding so nicely, I'm enjoying it for what it is. Comic books should be enjoyable and entertaining after all.
