No offense to anybody, but I kinda think you can tell this series is running out of steam as of this issue. Mahfood is back at Marvel, thankfully partnered with a different writer, but Zeb Wells makes his next appearance in #20, and Darwyn Cooke & J. Bone are back in 21, and then 22 ends the series with 2 people I’ve never heard of. The “ooo, aaah, who will they get next??” feel of the early issues is long gone. The bloom is off the rose. Well, anyway, this month’s writer is Scotsman Robbie Morrison, making his American comics debut after several years of work in the venerable institution of 2000 AD in the UK. He would wind up doing some work for DC and eventually doing Dr. Who stuff, I think this is his only Marvel credit. Color courtesy of, you guessed it, Stevie B. I think he did 21 of 22 of these. That’s pretty consistent for a book with a rotating creative team. Let’s see what this one’s about.
Rhino again already. Will his recent experience as a genius come up? Seems unlikely! Rhino wants him and Grizzly to be best pals, but Grizz really is trying to go straight and wants nothing to do with him. As a dejected Rhino retreats to his own place, Grizzly finds himself locked out of his. He busts back in, thinking repairs will eat up most of his welfare check. Next day, seeing that he got no hits on his dating profile, Grizz goes to a diner, where he finds Rhino has just ordered all the steaks in the house, so he can’t get one.
Rhino gets Grizz embarrassed there, and then later, Grizz is almost out of toilet paper in the bathroom of the Bar with No Name when Rhino reaches under the partition and steals it by accident. This leads them to brawling right through the wall, out into the street, and then under the red glow of a Spider Signal.
Earlier, Grizzly said “hurled” instead of “threw,” and now Spider-Man says “hanging about.” Not very American of them.
Thus, the 2 villains begin bonding. Grizz gets a hit on his dating site, and they discuss women, and to my shock, Rhino says one thing he’s learned lately is not to try to be something you’re not! Hats off to you, Mr. Morrison! Then, Grizzly and his mysterious internet lady start getting very serious, and he agrees to meet her at the zoo. This seems like it can’t go well.
So, Grizzly missed the date, but begs for a second chance and is granted one. He goes to the meeting spot and finds a honey jar. And then another.
Well… alright. That was a weird one. Kinda sad, in fact. Poor Grizzly just wanted a shot at a normal life. Ah, well. Been a heavy focus on villains for most of this series that said it would be able how Spider-Man affects other peoples’ lives, but things will change next issue. Well, sort of.