Ultimate Spider-Man: Death of a Goblin (#112-117) (Spoilers)

Ultimate Spider-Man #113 Discussion (Spoilers)

I'm not even sure that I'm allowed to start this thread (i'm still new - is there some kind of executive privilege?), but i'm surprised that no one else has done it already. Anyway, here goes...

* * *

We begin with the preview pages, a sort of Norman-Osborn's-eye-view recap of his recent meeting with Danvers (a la his schizo moment in USM #24). Lots of megalomaniacal anti-Fury narration about how nobody realizes what he's become, it's payback time, etc. Then snap, crackle, pop, and FABOOM, the Triskellion explodes. The part that holds Spider-Man's bad guys, anyway.

Osborn escapes and right away finds himself fighting an also-escaped, weirdly-pissed-off Doc Ock. They duke it out until Electro (also escaped) shows up, fries Ock, buddies up with Osborn, and then makes a run for it. Osborn follows suit but gets caught up fighting some helicopters. BADABADABADA, HYAARRGGH, FRABOOM, etc. It's unclear who else may have escaped.

Old Norman shows up at his lawyer's apartment to borrow a suit and say scary plan-hatching stuff, then next thing we know he's on the news giving an exclusive interview in which blasts Nick Fury and cries alot while his inner monologue is talking about the plans he has for Peter Parker, who just then happens to pass by a TV store broadcasting his worst enemy on every screen. Uh-oh...

* * *

And there you have it. Lots of good stuff here. It's always interesting to get an issue of a Spider-Man comic without a single image of Spider-Man in it (and just one page of Peter Parker, no less). And, at the risk of bringing up a sore subject, this issue presents an interesting explanation for the ridiculous Magnetopus thing that everybody hates - the idea that Oz is continuing to evolve these people, thereby changing or accelerating their powers in different ways. That's got a certain coolness to it, no?

On the downside, Immonen is killing me with the lack of subtlety in his faces, though his action panels remain top-notch. Oh, and can anyone explain to me why Nick Fury is nowhere to be found? (the other ultimate comics annoy the hell out of me, so I'm not up to date)

And now...discuss.
 
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Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #113 Discussion (Spoilers)

If a thread hasn't been made, feel free to do so.

Thanks. And welcome! I don't think I've seen you on before now. :D
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #113 Discussion (Spoilers)

I like the feeling that something big is happening here, but i'm afraid it won't amount to anything in the end. . .

Immonen seemed weaker than his awesome last issue, but that could be because he had to draw so many non-super powered scenes, lots of talking and suits.
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #113 Discussion (Spoilers)

Great issue. 5/5 if scores on the internet count for anything.
They don't.


So who escaped? Norman obviously, Electro as well. Possibly Doc Ock. Vulture escaped and got captured again. Omega Red got out of his cell at least. Gwen/carnage got out of her cell as well. (And probably escaped, seeing how she got her own panel...)

I realy loved this issue!
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #113 Discussion (Spoilers)

How does an escaped terrorist who attacked the White House at one point get an interview on a television show?
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #113 Discussion (Spoilers)

mulesandmud said:
I'm not even sure that I'm allowed to start this thread (i'm still new - is there some kind of executive privilege?), but i'm surprised that no one else has done it already. Anyway, here goes...

* * *

We begin with the preview pages, a sort of Norman-Osborn's-eye-view recap of his recent meeting with Danvers (a la his schizo moment in USM #24). Lots of megalomaniacal anti-Fury narration about how nobody realizes what he's become, it's payback time, etc. Then snap, crackle, pop, and FABOOM, the Triskellion explodes. The part that holds Spider-Man's bad guys, anyway.

Osborn escapes and right away finds himself fighting an also-escaped, weirdly-pissed-off Doc Ock. They duke it out until Electro (also escaped) shows up, fries Ock, buddies up with Osborn, and then makes a run for it. Osborn follows suit but gets caught up fighting some helicopters. BADABADABADA, HYAARRGGH, FRABOOM, etc. It's unclear who else may have escaped.

Old Norman shows up at his lawyer's apartment to borrow a suit and say scary plan-hatching stuff, then next thing we know he's on the news giving an exclusive interview in which blasts Nick Fury and cries alot while his inner monologue is talking about the plans he has for Peter Parker, who just then happens to pass by a TV store broadcasting his worst enemy on every screen. Uh-oh...

* * *

And there you have it. Lots of good stuff here. It's always interesting to get an issue of a Spider-Man comic without a single image of Spider-Man in it (and just one page of Peter Parker, no less). And, at the risk of bringing up a sore subject, this issue presents an interesting explanation for the ridiculous Magnetopus thing that everybody hates - the idea that Oz is continuing to evolve these people, thereby changing or accelerating their powers in different ways. That's got a certain coolness to it, no?

On the downside, Immonen is killing me with the lack of subtlety in his faces, though his action panels remain top-notch. Oh, and can anyone explain to me why Nick Fury is nowhere to be found? (the other ultimate comics annoy the hell out of me, so I'm not up to date)

And now...discuss.
Click to expand...

Not really. Now Peter will get organics here and spider stingers and whatever god-awful powers Bendis feels like adding.

It also turns a large chunk of baddies into deus ex machinas, including Spidey. "How will they get out of this one? Oh, NEW POWER!"
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #113 Discussion (Spoilers)

Goodwill said:
How does an escaped terrorist who attacked the White House at one point get an interview on a television show?
Click to expand...

it's called reality TV... Where one step away televised exicusons. I mean look at it this way. We've see stuff like this all the time. Bin Laden's web casts are seen on the news. I'm sure most of us saw the plane hit one of the two towers during 9/11. They have interview's with murders on CNN, A&E, and Dateline all the time. Why would a interview with a terroist be any different?
 
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Re: IGN: Preview of Ultimate Spider-Man #113

When I read it, we'll see... But there could be problems. I've really liked the past couple issues of USM and I don't want this one to be any different, but...
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #113 Discussion (Spoilers)

Foolsfolly said:
Not really. Now Peter will get organics here and spider stingers and whatever god-awful powers Bendis feels like adding.

It also turns a large chunk of baddies into deus ex machinas, including Spidey. "How will they get out of this one? Oh, NEW POWER!"
Click to expand...


Bendis has never struck me as a 'how will they get out of this one?' writer - his stories almost never develop that way. I don't think he's building himself a set of easy outs here - what he's doing is thematic. USM is totally obsessed with this idea of a genetic arms race spinning out of control, so it's a great metaphor to have it spinning out of control within the characters at the same time. If you carry that metaphor over to Peter, maybe his genes are stable because he's not an obsessive megalomaniac. Or maybe in issue #120 Peter Parker will awake one morning to find he has transformed into a giant cockroach.

Of course, smart stuff like that doesn't necessarily rescue us from the fact that Ock with Magneto powers is just plain dumb, but still, at least he's thinking, and the ideas are what keep me reading.
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #113 Discussion (Spoilers)

mulesandmud said:
Of course, smart stuff like that doesn't necessarily rescue us from the fact that Ock with Magneto powers is just plain dumb, but still, at least he's thinking, and the ideas are what keep me reading.
Click to expand...

At least Ock seemed to have real arms and didn't reference his Magneto powers at all.

But I hope nobody likes Peter, because he's only in one page of this issue.
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #113 Discussion (Spoilers)

Meh. Besides Immonen's awesome art, so far this arc, like the past few preceding it, has been stupid and boring. Wow. A prison break at the Triskelion and more goblin shenanigans. I can't remember the last time that happened.
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #113 Discussion (Spoilers)

I like Immonen's Doc Ock. It's neato.
 
Re: Ultimate Spider-Man #113 Discussion (Spoilers)

Goodwill said:
How does an escaped terrorist who attacked the White House at one point get an interview on a television show?
Click to expand...

I think that pre-supposes that information about the attack on the white house was fully disclosed to the general media. SHIELD could've made sure the participants in the attack were kept from the public for security reasons or whatever, so as far as the public knows, Osborn is just a shady businessman with nothing criminal pinned on him.

What i found a little odd is the time framing of this issue. There's a huge explosion at the Triskelion visible by anyone with a view of the river, so no media cover up of that. Which means, for starters, Magneto could have escaped. There was a battle between Cap and the Vulture on the news. We see Osborn engaging the copters, and then escaping. Getting home, changing. Then an interview with the tv station is set up, and occurs. How long was there between the explosion at the Triskelion and the interview? My point being, Peter is unaware of any of this HUGE news until he sees Osborn in the tv store window?
 
Hibiki said:
maybe this is why he joins the ultimates.
Click to expand...

well, we don't know that's actually gonna happen, right? he could just be teaming up with them. you know, like through some superhero temp service.

Hellsbuttmonkey said:
Only he's not in there. It's Mystique.
Click to expand...

Actually, isn't it that mindmaster guy now?

My point is the world at large doesn't know it's not him. The fact that there was a breakout at the Triskelion and that "Magneto" could've escaped would be really big news.
 
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