Peter Parker: Spider-Man #98 (1998)

Peter Parker: Spider-Man #98 (Late November, 1998)
"The Final Chapter, Part 4: The Final Chapter"
Writer - Howard Mackie
Pencils - John Romita, Jr.
Inks - Scott Hanna
Letters - Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Liz Agraphiotis
Edits - Ralph Macchio
Chief - Bob Harras
Cover Price: $1.99

R.I.P. Denny O'Neil.

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We wrapped up yesterday with Spidey in rather a sticky widget.  Well, actually... he was unmasked and dead, with a triumphant Green Goblin holding his body aloft in celebration.  How we ever gonna walk that back?  Heck, maybe we won't be!  Maybe this is how Peter Parker's story ends!  It is called "The Final Chapter" after all.  Arright, arright... let's turn the page and let that other shoe drop already...

Ya see, folks... Norman actually won the "gift" of MADNESS during The Gathering of Five, so... much of this was all in ol' Normie's head.  It's not clear quite how much, because Spider-Man does seem to know all about the Aunt May/actress debacle.  Maybe I'm not supposed to be thinking about that?  Anyhoo, the Green Goblin is babbling about DNA Bombs and what-not... really making a good of himself, which... gotta say, actually makes sense considering the ugly costume he's wearing.  Jonah, and the rest of the Daily Bugle staff are all here to witness this, by the way.

Just then... one of the Goblin's pumpkin bombs explodes... right at the foundation of the Bugle building!  Spidey gets in there to hold the thing up... so, it looks like we're getting yet another callback to that other "The Final Chapter".  Haven't seen that sort of thing in a few issues, have we?

Over the course of the next eight-pages, Spider-Man precariously holds the Daily Bugle building on his shoulders.  The police show up to haul Norman away... Jonah demands they arrest Spider-Man as well.  The news shows up... even Mary Jane somehow winds up in the crowd!  Finally, Spidey is able to hoist the building over his head.

Spider-Man then steadies the building, before unloading like a dozen web cartridges on it to keep it standing.  I will concede, I like this bit a lot.  Once the place is steadied, Jonah still demands Spider-Man be arrest... to which, Spidey basically tells him to go eff himself.

Okay, maybe it wasn't quite that crass.  Still, a very strong little scene here.  As Spidey exits stage-left en route to Reed Richards' surgery theater, he walks past Emjay and tells her he loves her.

Spider-Man swings toward the Fantastics... fearful that Reed will remove the DNA Bomb trigger thingie from Aunt May's noggin... which, according to Norman, will render all of humanity into component DNA goop.  Then again, Norman was a raving loon when he said all'a that... so was it even true in the first place?

Spidey arrives at the final moment to fill Reed in on the sitch... and begs him to find another way to save her life, ya know, without removing the dongle.

We shift to a little while later, with Peter and Mary Jane seated in a waiting room... ya know, waiting to hear whether or not May's surgery was a success.  While they're... uh, waiting, Mary Jane fills Peter in on some of the deets of her modeling contract... and Peter replies by saying he's going to quit the web-game.  Reed interrupts the conversation to reveal that Aunt May... (duh) will survive.

And so, Peter and MJ head into May's room... where they have a touching reunion.

Later, and stop me if you've heard this one before... Peter burns his Spider-Man costume in a barrel.

We wrap up (the issue, the volume of Peter Parker: Spider-Man, and this whole dang near-forty-year-long era of Spidey) with the Green Goblin in a padded room.  Some cloaked figures enter the place, overpower security and swipe ol' Norman... claiming that he is the property of (yawn) the Scriers.

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Alrighty... so, that's how we're wrapping up Peter Parker's story, izzit?  Kind of a mixed bag, I s'pose...  I think it best we "Facts of Life" this one... ya know, take the good, take the bad... take 'em both.

Let's start with some "good".  First of all, Romita's art here is wonderful... ugly Goblin design notwithstanding, of course.  I mean, I don't even think George Perez could make that disaster look good.  I'm not sure if it's more my "comfort level" with John, Jr., but his work here just feels "right".  I really enjoyed it... if I'm being honest, it was the main highlight of this entire story arc.

More "good"... Peter telling off Jonah.  We really get the impression that Spidey's at his wit's end.  He has no more effs to give... and doesn't care whose feathers that may ruffle.  I mean, Jonah was being a complete jackass... so, any sorta snippiness in his direction was well-earned.

Spidey's trip to Reed's was well done.  I liked him trying to run everything through his head to make sense of it... while he was still recovering from, ya know, hoisting a great big building over his head.  I mean, he used his webs to tape up his ribs.  Really cool visual... really desperate sort of tone.  Just another very strong scene.  I think Mr. Mackie, despite how poorly this entire era has aged, could deliver some super-strong-Spidey.

Finally, and this is a weird one... but, I thought it was interesting that this issue shipped with two covers... but, they were both attached to the same book!  Weird "gimmick", but I appreciated the, uh "added value" at no additional cost.  It's really the only little "extra" we're getting here to denote that this is, in fact, a milestone issue.  It's not like Spidey's actually "going away"... the new #1's will be on the shelf in about a month!

Now, let's get into some "not so good".  If you've been reading my stuff for awhile, you've probably seen me complain about anytime a new creator gets a shot at Batman, they have to tell their version of the "Zorro scene".  Ya know, gunshot... blood splat... pearls everywhere.  With Spider-Man, I feel like we go back to the (original) "The Final Chapter" hoisting heavy crap trope a bit too often.  I swear, for awhile, we'd see callbacks to it several times a year.  Though, in fairness, "hoisting heavy crap" is sort of what superheroes do from time to time... but, I dunno.  It just kinda irks me... and falls prey to that law of diminishing returns.  On the same subject, I really don't think we needed to take up nearly half the issue with the hoisting scene.

Then, we've got Spider-Man quitting... again.  I think this is something that had been done too often before to make this time actually feel "special", ya know?  I mean, Peter gave up being Spider-Man like just a couple years ago when Ben Reilly showed up.  More of that law of diminishing returns, I guess.  I feel like if we really wanted to "draw a line" under this... we needed a scene with a) more "oomph", and b) one we haven't already seen... a few times before.

The MADNESS cop-out reveal was... I mean, they really wrote themselves into a corner here, didn't they?  There really wasn't any other option here, right?  Something had to give... and unfortunately, goin' by the Law of Mackie's Razor... the most uninspired answer is usually going to wind up being the right one.  I also didn't like how nebulous Norman's MADNESS actually was.  I mean, how much of what he pontificated last issue actually wound up being said?  Only the most relevant parts to the story?  Was he actually lucid (and super-powered) for the first 19 pages of the prior chapter... only going full-blown loony when he "unmasked" Peter?  Weird stuff.

Then, there was the stuff with the Scriers.  I can't remember if this is the first time we find out there's "more than one" Scrier... as, if I'm being honest, my eyes usually glaze over and I revert to "skimming" any time I see a Scrier on the page.  Whatever the case, I find them incredibly boring... and the fact that it looks like they're going to be sticking around into the Byrne/Mackie Reboot does not inspire a heckuva lot of faith.

Now, if you look at the Letters Pages I include in my pieces (which assumes that folks actually look at the pieces to begin with), this time out, we learn that the next issue we're going to want to read is... sigh... the first couple of issues of Spider-Man: Chapter One.  Are we bad enough dudes and dudettes to even dare try?  I will admit now that, even though I was a full-blown Marvel Zombie back 'round the turn of the century, even I dropped Chapter One halfway through!  Actually, I'm not even sure I made it halfway!  I'm game for another go-round.  I guess we'll just have to see if I somehow happen across that particular longbox today.  If not, we'll move right into the brand-new Spider-Man "volume 2's".

Thanks for reading, if you still are.  I didn't think this topic would be quite the blog-killer that it has been!  Hmm... maybe it's just me people don't like?

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Peter Parker: Spider-Man #97 (1998)

Peter Parker: Spider-Man #97 (November, 1998)
"The Final Chapter, Part 2: Let the Heavens Tremble at the Power of the Goblin!"
Writer - Howard Mackie
Pencils - John Romita, Jr.
Inks - Scott Hanna
Letters - Richard Starkings & Comicraft/SH
Colors - Gregory Wright
Edits - Ralph Macchio
Chief - Bob Harras
Cover Price: $1.99

Oh boy.  Sometimes I just sit and stare at the "preramble" part of my screen... and wonder what's I can possibly say to "hype" what's to come.

Uh.  I got nothin'.  Please read on~!  We got Romita!

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We open... somewhere, and there are a group of men helping Norman Osborn get into his "greens".  They're pretty star-struck and gobsmacked to be allowed to help him... and they inform him that Alison Mongrain did manage to contact the Parkers with her top secret information.  Norman doesn't seem too bothered, and takes his leave... not before pumpkin-bombing whatever the hell building they were holed up in.

We shift scenes over to Norman's hunting lodge in upstate New York.  There are signs that have been clumsily cut+paste to inform trespassers they would be prosecuted.  I wonder what these signs originally said... because, this is one sloppy-looking edit.  I guess that makes it fit in all the better with this storyline.

Once he breaches the perimeter, Spidey realizes that there's something weird about the environment here.  There's no wind... the flora seems to react to his presence.  It's... I didn't know that sort of technology existed... but, whattayagonnado?

We take a break from this, and hop over to the fashion studio of one Gianni Vermicelli.  Mary Jane is being fitted for a very stylish (ugly) gown, while chatting up her good pal Jill Stacy.  Hmm... I wonder if Jill Stacy is going to be forced down our throats when this volume officially "ticks over" to it's new #1?  Nahhh...

Back to Spidey, who's still swingin' through the windless skies.  He happens across... uhh, beasts?  Ya know, we just went through a cloak-and-dagger ritual, and somehow, this feels less "genuine Spider-Man" than that!  At least Mackie's banter isn't as forced nor as bad as Byrne's.

After dispatching the beasts, Spider-Man is met by our old friend Norman.  Spidey suggests he get out of his way, as nothing is going to stop him from getting his baby girl back.  Norman laughs... and we'll soon know why.  He also tosses Peter a book: the Osborn Journal.

Now, this is dumb.  Spidey flips through the journal, which details all of Norman's trespasses and misdeeds throughout the years.  Here's the thing though... the words in the journal suddenly change!  Ya see, Norman was hoping Spider-Man would find this book, and hand it over to the police.  The words change, to reveal that not only is Peter Parker Spider-Man, but that Peter poisoned his own Aunt May when she discovered his dual-identity.  Does this whole bit feel... I dunno, a little contrived?

Back to Emjay.  She's in the middle of a press conference at a posh eatery... and, she's lovin' life.  She actually stops for a moment to consider the possibility that baby May is still alive... and, eeesh, doesn't seem like she's all that pleased... she'd rather be modeling!  I've asked this before, but... ya think they're trying to make us readers dislike ol' Mary Jane?

Back to the fight.  Spider-Man breaks away, hot in pursuit of his baby girl.  Norman's all "yer kid's dead"... he swears he had nothing to do with it.  He says all this in between some raucous laughter, so it's not hard to see why Spidey doesn't quite believe him.

From here, we get a few pages of really good action!  A knock-down drag-out between Spidey and the Goblin, that under Romita's pencil, looks really darn good!  They bash their way into Norman's hunting lodge... and Spider-Man finally manages to down his foe.  While the Goblin lay, Spidey absolutely empties his web-cartridges upon him!

Spider-Man looks down a long hallway (this is a very large "lodge"), and walks down to a closed door.  He opens it, to find a darkened room... where he is clobbered over the head with a vase!

Y'all ready?  He shakes it off, and looks back to find... May.  Not, the May he expected... but the dottering old Aunt variety.  She is petrified of Spider-Man, which flies in the face of the revelation that she "knew" Peter's secret before her death (back in Amazing Spider-Man #400).  We'll talk more about the hows and whys of that as we move on... but this, dear reader, is where we leave off today.

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Yesterday I expressed a bit of concern over how much "oomph" this May reveal might have lost over the past two decades... and, without a doubt, time has not been kind to this story.  In fact, it's aged like milk.  I mean, talk to the most passive Spider-fan you can find... everybody knows about Aunt May.  Comics characterwise, she's up there in the rarefied air with Lois Lane as notable "mainstream" cast members.

I feel like, if you were to hand this story over to a casual Spider-Fan (which would be incredibly mean of you... so, please don't), they would immediately assume the "May" in question was Pete's Aunt.  I'd bet most don't even realize that a) Aunt May died in the first place, and b) Peter and Mary Jane had a stillborn daughter, also named May.

So, really... all we got is trying to remember how we all felt, as regular Spider-Readers (those of us who were) when Aunt May was brought back.  I was in-and-out of the Spider-books throughout the 90's... only coming back "full-time" after the Clone Saga wrapped up.  I knew Aunt May had passed, and what's more, I knew what a powerful story her passing occurred in.  Poor J.M. DeMatteis, it seems like most of his excellent "final" stories just keep getting undone!

I feel like I was more bothered, not so much that Aunt May was back, but that it undid her "final" story.  If you've never read Amazing Spider-Man #400 (it's the one with the horrid gimmick cover that just looks like a gray slab), I'd definitely recommend you do so.  The final chat between Peter and May is an absolute masterpiece... over three-decades in the making.  You'll smile, you'll probably cry... it's a beautiful scene.  A rare-gem in the Clone Saga era.

Annnnnnd... it's undone here.

One thing we know about John Byrne as a creator, he's a huge fan of "back to basics" storytelling.  That's usually his "mission statement" upon taking over a property (not named Superman)... and that definition of "basics" is, uh, pretty nebulous and "Byrnian".  Since his fingerprints are all over this era of Spider-Man, it's hard not to consider that he's trying to bring Spidey "back to basics".  Aunt May, is part of that... perhaps the biggest part!  Also, let's make the readers resent Mary Jane... so we can massage Peter back into being a swingin' single (much more on that later)!

What else can we say about today's issue though?  Um, it was a fight scene... a very well drawn fight scene (thank goodness Romita, Jr. has arrived!), but still... a fight scene.  The Osborn Journal bit... oy... it was just a "loose thread" being tied off, but still... it was dumb.  The mutant dog-beasts, or whatever... and the strange reacting environment?  Also pretty dumb.  This whole confrontation feels like it should've been more, for lack of a better term, "gritty".  Ya know?  More personal, more down-n-dirty... rather than playing out with a strange supernatural backdrop.

The Mary Jane interludes... well, they served a purpose, I suppose.  Emjay's got her path set... she's a model again, and she's loving it.  Hindsight, being what it is, tells us where this is leading (and ultimately, how little any of this actually mattered)... however, at the time, it felt as though the creators were trying to alienate us from her.  I came away from this feeling like she was betraying Peter and their plans for a family.  Maybe I was reading too much into it... or, maybe that's exactly how they wanted me to feel?

Overall... this still wasn't a great time, but it was worlds better than yesterday's chapter.  Whodathunk... if you were to ask me if I'd rather read Byrne or Mackie Spider-Man... and I'd have to say "Mackie"!  Craziness.  Up is down, right is wrong, dogs and cats livin' together...

Next: The final issue of the second-longest tenured Spider-title, Spectacular Spider-Man

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Peter Parker: Spider-Man #96 (1998)

Peter Parker: Spider-Man #96 (October, 1998)
"The Gathering of Five, Part Three: Web of Despair"
Writer - Howard Mackie
Guest Pencils - Norman Felchle
Inks - Scott Hanna
Colors - Gregory Wright
Letters - Richard Starkings & Comicraft's Liz Agraphiotis
Edits - Ralph Macchio
Chief - Bob Harras
Cover Price: $1.99

Today we reach the halfway point of The Gathering of Five... which has been kind of a mixed bag up to this point.  This issue is written by the man who will helm both Spidey books post-reboot, so it's here where we might get a taste of what's to come.

Worth noting, and this isn't going to be a mind-blowing revelation to most of you.  Pre-Byrne/Mackie Reboot, there were four monthly Spider-Man books:

• Amazing Spider-Man
• Spectacular Spider-Man
• Peter Parker: Spider-Man
• Sensational Spider-Man

Post-Reboot, we're going to be down to just two.  The second volumes of Amazing and Peter Parker.  Both will be written by Howard Mackie... with art (and plot assists) from John Byrne on ASM, and art from John Romita, Jr. on PP:SM.  I'm going to be digging through the ol' Wizard Magazines of the day to see what "behind the scenes" stuff I can find, and include that here as well over the next few days.

Anyhoo, without further ado... let's jump in.

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We open at the Daily Bugle, where Peter Parker is burning the midnight... err, evening oil.  He is joined by Mary Jane, who has brought him something either called a "Merry Meal" or a "Sappy Meal"... seems as though creative couldn't make up their minds on this one.  Anyhoo, she's more or less here to test the waters with Pete about her perhaps getting back into the world of modeling... and, ya know, quitting school.  Peter is quick to ask her if she's "asking his permission", which seems to really tick her off.

As MJ leaves, Norman Osborn enters.  He's the co-owner of the Daily Bugle at the moment... so, it makes sense that he's here.  He's also a beloved member of society at this point, so it's not looked at as weird that he's now a prominent businessman.  Strange how Norman and Lex Luthor shared this odd trajectory around the turn of the century, isn't it?  Anyhoo, Norman's an a-hole to Peter... and shares with him a "hypothetical" story about people receiving a poison package, and basically melting... which really gets under his skin...

... so much so, that Pete grabs Norman by the lapels and asks him what he's done.  Osborn shrugs it off, and more or less laughs in Peter's face.  Basking in his newfound "belovedness", Norman tells Peter he's powerless in pretty much any situation they're in together.

We shift scenes to... oh boy... Madame Web.  I can't be the only one who rolls their eyes when she enters a story, can I?  Anyhoo, she's "dreaming"... and is visited upon by, well Norman Osborn.  He makes her an offer she can't refuse... that of a return of her youth... or, immortality.  All she's gotta do is take part in The Gathering of Five.  He tells her to find that "shard" anyway she can... and her mind instantly goes to Spider-Man.

Back at the Bugle, Peter heads into Jonah's office to thank him for letting him use the computer (what year is this?).  Jonah reveals that some news just came over the wire... a building full of people were just killed by melting after receiving some sort poison package.  Hmm.  Norman enters the office and tells Jonah he ain't runnin' that piece... and there'll be no questions asked.  He even tells Jonah to "think of his family" before he makes his next move.  Wow, Norman's a pretty bad-ass baddie, eh?

Peter jams out of the office and changes into his work-clothes which really tickles Norman.  He's seeing just how easy it is for him to play Parker like a fiddle.

As Spidey swings, he happens across a pair of nogoodniks attempting to mug a skinny nerd.  Peter can relate... and so, he stops in to lend the wimp a hand.  Once that's wrapped up, Peter gets a psychic distress call from... Madame Web.

Back at the Bugle, Jonah is stomping around his darkened office... he knows he's gotta do something to stop Norman Osborn.  And so, he reaches into his desk, and retrieves... his gun!  Knowing this might just be a one-way trip, JJJ leaves a sealed envelope addressed to Robbie in his desk.

Speaking of Robbie, let's check in with him and Alison Mongrain, eh?  They're at a run-down hotel... where the latter is being attacked by some creep... named Creep.  Robbie manages to kayo him after smacking him with a piece of furniture.  He tells Alison that she's gotta stay put... r'else she gon' die.

Back with Peter and the Madame, the old lady tells him that she needs him for something... something very difficult and dangerous.  Pete figures, ehh... she's helped me before, so why not?

One page later, Peter delivers her the Shard.  Wait... what?  Did we skip an issue?  How did he just get the shard?  Wow, that was underwhelming.  Maybe these things aren't as important as we've been led to believe?  I dunno.  Anyways, Madame Web has a "vision" of J. Jonah Jameson putting a gun to Norman Osborn's head.  She tells Spidey he'd better get over to the Bugle to intervene.

So, let's do that!  Over at the Bugle, Jonah enters Norman's office.

Ya know what would really suck right now?  If, instead of being able to get back to the Daily Bugle to diffuse this situation, Spider-Man got stuck fighting, say...  I dunno... a dragon on the streets of New York City?  Man, that would suck... good thing nothing that stupid would happen here.

So, back at the Bugle (feels like I've typed that a dozen times today)... Jonah confronts Norman.  Norman ain't sweatin' none'a this.  He tells Jonah he doesn't have the "stuff" to kill him... and even presses Jonah's gun into his own forehead... daring JJJ to squeeze one off.  This is some pretty good Norman.

Jonah drops the gun, proving Norman's point... that he just doesn't have it in him to kill.  Norman, however, does not have that same issue.  He snaps up the piece, and points it at Jonah.  He even mocks JJJ's hatred of Spider-Man, claiming that he only hates him because he's everything Jonah himself isn't.  Pretty good stuff.

Before Norman can perforate Jonah, Spidey swings in and webs up the pistol but good.  Jonah, it's worth mentioning, is cowering like a child... it's not a good look for ol' flat-top.

Norman, being a black-belt-level a-hole doesn't even let this stop him from running at the mouth.  He mocks Spider-Man... reminding him that he's now in a room with his two worst enemies.  He even dares him to take the gun and shoot them both right there.  Spidey turns to Jonah and offers him help... only to be pushed away.  Norman laughs, "Nary a friend in sight".  He tells Spider-Man that his suffering will end... soon enough.

We wrap up later that evening with... Madame Web handing over the third "shard" (and fourth piece, overall) for the Rites of the Five.  Norman is pleased... the Madame is not.

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What a weird issue.

It's not often I'm left this conflicted when writing the "review" portion of a piece.  There was a lot about this issue I liked, a lot I didn't... some I wanted to like that I didn't... and some that I didn't want to like that I did!  Such a strange issue.

Let's start with the strongest part (in my opinion).  This was some great Norman Osborn.  I really enjoyed his scenes... and watching him put Jonah in his place was oddly satisfying.  It's not often we see JJJ in such a vulnerable state.  It's also not so often we see him try and take a situation into his own hands.  This entire scene was a lot of fun... though, the dialogue was perhaps a tad on the stilted side.

Norman taunting Peter was also very well done... though, again... his "hypothetical story" might've been a bit "much", ya know?  Taking the "does any human actually speak like this?" factor into consideration might hurt how one receives this bit.  I do like the taunting though... it actually feels like Spidey's back is up against the wall here.

I compared the Norman Osborn of this era to the Lex Luthor of this era during the synopsis... and I'm sure I'm not the first (nor last) to do so.  They were both on this same weird trajectory where the public was beginning to look at them as "good guys", "saviors", "model citizens", even.  Heck, they both took over prominent newspapers in their respective universes!  Lex at the Planet, Norman at the Bugle.  Weird stuff... but, I enjoyed both of their stories!

Let's talk Madame Web.  She's a bore.  She's also a pretty lousy pre-cog, if she actually saw Jonah murdering Norman.  That entire bit was so weird.  She needs Spider-Man to undertake the dangerous and difficult task of retrieving the shard, right?  He does it between panels!  Wha--?  Doesn't that just sorta suck the significance right out of the thing?  It's not like we were "out of pages" here... I mean, we wasted two or three on Spidey fighting a friggin' Dragon!  The hell is this all about?

Okay, now the Madame's motivations... are sound.  I guess.  She's ancient, and likely not long for the world... and so, the possibility that she might become immortal after the ritual is pretty tantalizing.  The risk is worth the reward for her.  Fair enough.  I still think she sucks.

Mary Jane gets a blip here, seemingly only to remind us that the marriage is kinda rocky... and that she and Peter might want different things outta life at this point.  It was still nice to see her story-thread picked up on here.

Alison and Robbie get a very short bit here... fighting off the creep named Creep.  Yeah, I guess that happened?

The art, as with yesterday's look at Amazing, was... uneven.  Some good stuff, some not so good.  J. Jonah Jameson looks like he's been killin' it in the gym... I mean, dude's got broader shoulders than Thor here.  Overall, the art here was far better than in ASM... though definitely not as good as Joe Bennett's work in Sensational.

So... yeah, this is a weird issue, and a weird "review".  I really don't know how to capsule-ize my feelings.  I think I walk away from it with, err, net-positive feelings?  What can I say, I really dug the way Norman was portrayed here.

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