Flip The Page Review: Ultimate Comics Spider-Man #3

Okay, so it's been an updateless week. In all fairness I've had no access to the internet this week and have been busy with some real life stuff too. On the other hand I've been endlessly twittering the last coupla days, further proving that I slack a heck of a lot. So I return, with another boring review. Hard to stand out with these eh?

Still here we are, reviewing a comic about a man who is also a Spider. Except he's not a man, he's a teenager. Ya know, 'cause it's Ultimate Comics Spider-Man.

I've been pretty receptive of Ultimate Comics so far, enjoying Ultimate Comics Avengers and Ultimate Comics Spider-Man to a sizable extent (though I'm very much of the party who doesn't see UCSM as anything more than a pointless renumbering of the original series) and being more than ready to pick up some snazzy hardcovers when the time comes. Which is amazing with Spidey because this is Brian Michael Bendis we're talking about.

The man has written some awful shit in his time. Avengers Disassembled (one of the worst comics I've ever read), New Avengers (save for the Sentry arc), Mighty Avengers (wait I own all of that it's not that bad), Secret War (mediocre), Secret Invasion (kinda bad but I own it and love the tie-ins), Halo: Uprising (GAAAAAAAAAAAAH), Dark Avengers (SUCKS ARSE mosta the time) and the crappy Spider-Woman motion comic that I really REALLY hate.

So why is it that he can do all of that and yet still sit down and churn out likable Ultimate Spider-Man comics? It makes no sense. Perhaps this review will shed some light on that. Or it'll just be another journey into moments and such.

HIT THE JUMP TO READ THE REVIEW WHAT ELSE WOULD IT DO YOU FOOL!

Quick plot catch-up: Spidey blah blah blah, Mysterio blah blah blah, Post-Ultimatum blah blah, Everyone Loves Spider blah, Dude In Red Cloak BLAH BLAH BLAH, Johnny Storm blah blah.

That do it?

I've already said what I want to about Bendis so I'll move straight onto David Lafuente. I've been kinda whoring out my love for artists a bit too much lately so the impact of me saying that Lafuente is one of the best artists I've ever seen the work of is completely lost but SCREW YOU ALL I MEAN IT! This dude has done some brilliant work such as... uh... Okay he's pretty new but that's the point! Lafuente is so good off the bat for Marvel that what he has done is brilliant. Patsy Walker: Hellcat comes to mind, a comic that by all rights shouldn't have been all that good, which by some stroke of luck had him on it, making it infinitely awesome. Keep an eye on Lafuente, I predict big things.

Am I done sucking up? Can I get to the moments now?

1. Coupla Things

Okay so two things I wanna point out here. A) the whole zoomed in look of Mysterio being pixellated is something most artists wouldn't have thought of doing and B) if this is what Ultimate Youtube looks like (YouPanic?) then at least it knows how much spam it needs. Good stuff and moment worthy.

2. Future Womance

Honestly if Bendis lets me down on the sexual tension here I will be very, VERY disappointed. Stands out amongst the rest of the early plot stuff this issue due to impact and successful tension.

3. Speaking Of Tension...

Finally some more substance to where MJ and Peter stand now, and exciting stuff it is. To be honest MJ is likable in this universe but as usual she'll never compare to Gwen, so to have her be the bitter ex type person here who argues with him... Well, it pleases me.

4. SPIDERS!

• I am scared of spiders.
• This has huge spiders
• This is almost scary
• But it's just a comic book
• Which I can use to kill spiders
• ... Looks cool too.

5. A Thought Occurs

Get Lafuente on an ultimate version of Spectacular Spider-Man's "Changes" arc. Go. Get. Need.

Wait I'm barely talking about the moments now...

6. NY Loves Spidey

Ya know why I love Ultimate Comics Spider-Man? Because New York loves the hell out of Spidey now. He's a hero and they all know it. Which for some reason pisses off Mysterio. Still, awesome and a pretty scene to boot.

7. A Brand New Lodger

Seriously Ultimate Spidey keeps swinging with the changes. Now Johnny is a true resident of the Parker household. Which now makes it the best ensemble house this side of... I don't know... The 616 Baxter Building? The Infinite Avengers Mansion (is that even a house?)? COOL STUFF.

And that's the issue. Excuse my rambling, I'm getting back into this again and it isn't easy. A quality performance from the comic though, even despite the low amount of moments.

Rating:

BUY IT!

Next up: I promise I'll get around to That Is Why again soon. Until then I'll probably do a Vengeance of the Moon Knight review. 'Cause I can.