Dan Slott’s decade on Amazing Spider-Man comes to an end in July. He’s making an effort to set things right with Spidey fans before he goes.
***SPOILERS LIE AHEAD***
Dan Slott is doing a lot right with this arc, at least at the start. It’s been a long time since Norman Osborn was a simple madman. From his years running the Thunderbolts, heading H.A.M.M.E.R., being an American hero following Secret Invasion, the founding the Dark Avengers, the Goblin War during Superior Spider-Man, and all the international nonsense that was going on while Peter did his best Tony Stark impression a year ago.
While these stories and eras were a lot of fun for the most part, it’s exciting to see Norman getting simplified and donning some green and purple once again. Dan Slott and Brian Michael Bendis had taken Osborn on some crazy adventures over the years, but both gentleman have moved on (Bendis leaving Marvel and Slott moving to Iron Man).
Slott has also found a legitimately awesome use for a symbiote. These days you can’t go two weeks without somebody in the 616 Universe getting “venom-ized” in one way or another.
Combining Norman with the Carnage symbiote, creating the Red Goblin, is some classic and ridiculous comic book fun. This collaboration of pure evil is more like a dream fan scenario and less of going through the motions like recent Amazing Spider-Man symbiote stories have felt.
Another major thing that Dan Slott is giving to Spidey fans before he takes his leave is reigniting a spark between Peter and MJ. They aren’t completely reunited like most of us are dying for, but at least there’s life for the first time in a long time.
In this week’s ASM #797 the two share a kiss, but then Mary Jane explains that she doesn’t want to go through the pain of dating a superhero again. Also, Norman Osborn spots Spidey leaving the Watson residence so we’ll clearly be revisiting this scene again soon.
Dan Slott’s body of Spider-Man work has been a point of division for comic book fans for a decade now. As we approach the end of his tenure, the grand finale could swing people on both sides of the fence. When Nick Spencer and Ryan Ottley take over Amazing Spider-Man in July, they’re going to be taking over a Spidey title in good standing.
Slott’s epic farewell should provide the new creative team with their own “Fresh Start.”
