Amazing Spider-Man #671
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Humberto Ramos
According to the “One Moment In Time” retcon that explained the events that ended Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson’s relationship (Remember…They were never really married now) in the deus ex machina that was 2007’s “One More Day,” the reason the two went their separate ways was because Mary Jane couldn’t deal with Pete being Spidey anymore. She didn’t understand the obsession he had with the responsibility that came with his powers, and so on.
With that in mind, fans of the Pete/M.J. dynamic must have been thrilled by the opening panels of Dan Slott’s Amazing Spider-Man #671, as the redheaded bombshell finally came down with the Jackal’s “spider flu” virus that infected Manhattan — giving her spider powers. Seeing Mary Jane utter the words “So this is what it’s like? Hate to admit it, but I get it now…I really get it on every level” will undoubtedly add fuel to the “Restore the Marriage” crowd, especially those who aren’t particularly sold on Pete’s current fling, Carlie Cooper.
Speaking of which, where’s Carlie gone since becoming another spider monster and why has that completely slipped Pete’s mind? Furthermore, how will he react when he learns M.J. has the virus? Answers for the next issue, I suppose.
Anyways, Pete starts off the issue where we left him last issue, still trying to stop the now-spider-monster Jonah Jameson from killing Smythe — who, if you recall, murdered Jameson’s wife way back in Amazing Spider-Man #654. After pulling Jameson off of Smythe and quarantined him in his own command center, Spidey heads back to his lab at Horizon to assist with the cure being developed from the Anti-Venom symbiote’s cells.
I can’t really say much from there without spoiling anything, but the issue has several big reveals, particularly who the scientist in Lab #6 is. There are also a few big developments regarding Spider-Man’s powers, the Queen’s plot, and the futures of Anti-Venom, Tarantula/Kaine, and the Jackal.
Now on part five, this storyline continues to move along at a solid pace. The only thing that has really been distracting is the cheesy dialogue of the Jackal and the Queen. Anyone who read the “Clone Saga” of the mid-90s surely remembers just how unbelievable the Jackal’s dialogue can be, and it really hasn’t changed much. Other than that, Slott continues an otherwise stellar run with this issue.
Ramos’ art remains impressive (and I’ll be the first to admit I wasn’t a huge fan back when he was on Wolverine). It’s never hard to figure out what’s going on from panel to panel, and that can make or break a book with this much action.
Story: 9/10
Art: 9/10
Fun Easter Egg: Lines of Mortal Kombat dialogue like “FINISSSH HIM!” and “GET OVERRR HEEER!” (complete with Kaine web-yanking Spidey towards him) are mixed into several fight panels.
