Comic rant: Ultimate Spider-Man #132

For the first time in several issues, Ultimate Spider-Man didn’t blow my mind.

Oh sure, it was a good issue. Solid. But up to the scope and emotional ferocity that the last two issues had? Not a chance.

We’re spinning wheels while Jeph Loeb catches up with the sure-to-be-ignored universe ending saga Ultimatum, but Spidey is still saving the day, as usual. We’re given some cameos from Hulk, Doctor Strange, and a few of the closer members of Spidey’s supporting cast.

Finally we get to see what MJ and the gang are up to during this madness, and it looks like there’s a fair amount of stress. MJ and Kitty spar for a moment, which sparks a reaction from Kitty everyone but the people present expected (poor Kenny). After this, Kitty goes off in search of our protagonist.

Spidey fights the forces of evil and magic (and evil magic) alongside a more complacent Hulk. We’re granted a flashback which explains why he’s fighting magic rather than Magneto, and then all hell breaks loose from Peter’s subconscious. Hulk tries to beat the evil ball of magic to death, and winds up causing a pink nuclear explosion in the middle of an already-water-logged Manhattan.

The suspicions of Spidey’s impending demise are rising to the level where even Peter Parker himself wonders why he isn’t dead yet (just wait, there’s only ONE MORE ISSUE left before Ultimate Spider-Man ends forever… to be replaced by Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man, of course). Since he’s the driving force behind the book (sorry MJ, Aunt May, and Ben Urich), I’d be sad to see his absence from the comic for any length of time. We’re also catered to a little glimpse into what the comic would be like without Peter, and it looks like a hell of a lot of worrying and angst from pretty much all women in the comic.

The plus side to all of this is I can honestly say I have absolutely no idea what’s going to happen. Since Ultimatum is later and later every day, and this own issue was months overdue, I keep forgetting about what’s happened and need to look back and refresh myself on the events we’re leaving and leading up to. That’s kind of a big strike, but I still have no real prediction about what’s going to happen, besides the fact that I’m nearly 95% sure they’re going to kill our titular character… for an issue or two.

Three flags — late, and brought nothing truly new to the table. I’m sure I’ll eat those words next issue.

~ by Crivelliman on May 17, 2009.