That’s a strong composition on that cover. Well. We’re right at the end of last issue. Spidey and Cap see Electro take his still-unseen passenger out of the prison on a wave of electricity (Not sure how one would survive that), and then Spider-Man tries to jump in to help in the wrecked prison, but…


Brutal! At the time, I had no idea why Jigsaw, of all people, would have such a mad-on for Spider-Man, but now I’ve read late 70s/early 80s ASM, so I get it. Always pulling Spidey’s mask off, Bendis is. Meanwhile, in the sub-basement, Matt Murdock is trying to coax Bob Reynolds into helping with this whole situation as Foggy panics, and then a familiar face appears in the shadows behind him.

Matt tackles Foggy into Bob’s cell as Jessica and Luke start fighting Carnage. He locks Foggy in and tells him not to come out no matter what. Then Mr. Hyde, who’s in there after their fight in DD 35, wanders in and realizes who Matt is. Elsewhere, Spider-Man is being beaten to death by a legion of losers, like Foolkiller, Crusader and Cutthroat, who all have beef with him when Captain America ffffffffinally decides to intervene. Took him long enough! And back below, Foggy is begging Bob to do something…


Quick page of Sentry smashing up through floor after floor of the prison, and then…

So, like, Carnage sucks. There’s a variety of edgelord man-child who thinks he’s cool, but he sucks. And Bendis knew he sucks and just killed him, problem solved. It was so brutal and anticlimactic and I loved it. This moment was much-talked about on publication, but anyone who thought it was anything but great, I knew not to trust the opinion of anymore. A much deserved fate for a one-note villain. Sadly, it would not be permanent. I mean, it’s comics. Well, with Carnage gone, Luke can KO Mr. Hyde, and things are looking up down in the sub-level… until Hydro-Man floods it. Jessica grabs Foggy and flies him out of there, only to discover Spidey and Cap’s battle on the surface.



Checkov’s Purple Man! Well. Sure has been an intense first 2 issues. And it’s completely reversed all the pacing and plotting issues of things like Secret War and Ultimate Six. Most of our characters were here in issue one, the action started in issue one, no 5-issue buildup. Now everyone from the #1 cover is here except Wolverine. But Daredevil is also here. That’s weird, right?