Look at those signatures! I got ‘em all! It took me… I want to say 7 or 8 years, but at various Heroes Cons, I got this issue signed by Bendis, Bagley, and your new USM penciler, Stuart Immonen! Stuart is an inspired choice to take over the title, as he’s got the same well-rounded skill set Bagley has: Superb storytelling, facial expressions and action. But the thing is, Bags isn’t quite gone yet. In a pretty smart move, the outgoing artist passes the torch the new guy in the middle of this issue. The whole thing is inked by Drew Hennessy and colored by Justin Ponsor. So you get one more half an issue of Bagley, and then you get to see what his replacement will be about. In the unusual situation of someone following a 110.5 issue run, I think it was a nice way to ease into the transition. So the thing is, I accidentally read all of Secret Invasion before the last block, wrongly assuming it took place after the event. So then I went back and read that. So, for me, it’s been a really long time since the last USM block. But we’re back, and so is…
…Aunt May’s house. And now it’s time for the talk they’ve needed to have for a long time. And how wonderful that Bags hangs in there to draw it.
Across a signature Bendis 2-page spread, Peter explains that Norman Osborn is responsible for what happened to him, and that he’s the Green Goblin, and that Harry is an orange one. May is understandably uncomfortable with the violence in Peter’s life. He says he only fights bad people. May insists he has to finish high school, and he reassures her that he wants to, and that he’ll go to college, and be genetic and chemical engineer. When she asks why he feels he has to be Spider-Man, he hits her with great power and great responsibility, which she remembers as something Ben used to say. And you know what that means…
Ultimate Aunt May stays winning. What a great take on her. And how fascinating to compare this to ASM 38, to JMS and JRJR doing this whole thing. Some similar beats (And both stories drawn by the biggest Spider-Man artists since Romita, Sr., no less), but very different characters in very different places. The OG Peter had been lying to May for like 15 years. Ultimate Peter, less than one. And they’re so different, the 2 versions of each of them. I feel like both Peters were hiding their secret as much for themselves as for their Mays, but I think with this Peter, it feels so much more intense. He’s still just a kid, he’s scared. And I think both Mays were stronger than Peter gave them credit for, but THIS May, way, way more so. OG May was so kind in the moment, and yet she harbored a deep and understandable resentment for awhile. Ultimate May was so, so brutal at first, and now she’s on a whole other foot. It’s just neat to see how the 2 teams and the 4 characters handled this shared moment. I think both versions feel very honest and real and correct for their different universes. But… this is the Ultimate Universe. No deal with the devil is coming to reverse the situation. This is how it is from now on.
And I love this May’s path through the whole situation, too. “How do you know when to be Spider-Man?” What a totally great question that I’m not sure anyone else would’ve thought to have her ask. And it’s here that we meet the new guy. And I’ve run a lot more consecutive pages than I like to, but I gotta run Stuart’s first one!
And, you know. It’s not the same. It is, in fact, very different. But Immonen brings a really kinetic and dynamic style to the book that will more than live up to Bagley’s example. It’s not a totally great introduction because Bendis chooses to lay all the text down the sides, and it’s not truly a comic book, more like an illustrated story. This continues as Peter says he heard Roxxon was involved, and that’s what got his attention and made him go Spider-Manning. We see him approach a Roxxon facility and smash in the window, as his narration tells May he’s already tangled with Roxxon so many times, and inside, we meet…
…Ultimate Spot. I mean, who would’ve imagined? Maybe that doesn’t seem so weird post-Spider-Verse, but the Spot was so far down the list, and here he is. Back when I was covering USM 54, I noted Bendis scoffing at s letter writer asking for Ultimate Spot. Well. He has done it.It may perhaps also be said that, while I obviously have a great respect for Bagley in general and his work on USM in particular, Immonen’s style more “now” (2007). Well, and also now-now. In fact, by the time he decides he’s done with mainstream comics in the 2010s, he will essentially be Marvel’s house style, and will continue to be for years after. And, once you get over the shock of the longest-running comics team ever breaking up, it’s nice to get that fresh coat of paint, too. Spidey and Spot mix it up and Peter tries to describe how weird the Spot’s whole deal was to May. And I just feel compelled to run this one…
…cuz look at that action! Even in a compressed 12-panel grid, it really pops! We see Spider-Man put the Spot out of commission and flee the scene as Peter explains the cops are always showing up and shooting at him, and May is NOT cool with that, and then Bags is back.
I just love it. I’m so glad Bags got to do this. One of the best issues of the whole series. That’s a fine place to stop. He even got to say goodbye:
That’s nice. And now, it’s on to the next chapter. Immonen won’t hang around as long as Bags… no one will draw any comic as long as Bags ever again, anywhere… But we’re in for a great run while we’ve got him. And we get to watch his style evolve in front of us, too. It’ll be fun. I am so excited to read a bunch of comics I know will be good…