Aaaand we’re back! Boy, I missed literally anyone writing Spider-Man but Byrne, who is obviously here as artist. If you didn’t recognize his art style, you could tell from Spidey’s eyes being too far apart. Look, a wraparound cover:
This Scorpion design looks like he’s made of spare parts to me. Who’re all those people? Why’s that lady sneezing? I don’t recall. This one’s credited to “Howard Mackie, John Byrne, Scott Hanna – Story & Art.” If I remember right, Byrne is co-plotting this series. Gregory Wright colors. Bob Sharen’s truly impressive reign on ASM has come to an end. On page one, the Human Torch has written a message in the sky above the Statue of Liberty, asking Spider-Man where he is. Torch recaps Heroes Reborn and what he knows of The Final Chapter to himself, wondering why Spider-Man didn’t ask him for help. The rest of the FF are nearby in the classic Fantasticar that looks like a flying bathtub, and Thing is worried they’re drawing too much attention.
Now there’s a digital background. It does feel a bit jerky of Spider-Man not to tell his pal Johnny that he’s quitting the game.
Why’s Aunt May almost gray-skinned? Yikes. I wonder if it’s a printing issue, because everything, line art and color, gets much crisper next page:
It’s so fascinating watching Hanna suppress all Byrne’s worst instincts. This page looks so much better than Chapter One! Doesn’t explain why May has black eyes in panel 2, tho, what is going on? One more bit of new status quo setting:
When I made fun of how long Lilith’s legs were in SMU 20, apparently she had nothing on MJ. MJ looks like she could step over a car if she needed to. Almost a Todd McFarlane face in panel 4. So, this is the setup now. Thanks to MJ’s return to modeling, they live in a palatial apartment with Aunt May, Peter’s going for his scientist dreams, and MJ’s not home much. And our hero hasn’t been Spider-Man for, I believe they said in that hype magazine they published, 3 months. The longest it’s been since Spider-Man was swinging around NY since the day Uncle Ben died. And everyone’s noticed, as the book checks in with Daredevil and then the Avengers all wondering where he’s gone off to. Again, seems like he coulda left a note. Heck, Matt could just go ask. DD worries that with Spidey gone, the mob types are getting bolder. Captain America is worried, and the other Avengers are discussing what might’ve happened, when Jarvis brings Cap today’s Bugle, saying he’ll want to see it. Cap is concerned, and takes it to the other Avengers, saying JJJ’s gone too far. He’s not the only one who thinks so.
As JJJ continues is tirade, he rejects a bunch of photos Peter brought because they’re not about Spider-Man. Then Robbie takes them, anyway. But then Betty runs in to say Scorpion is tearing up downtown. Robbie asks Peter if he wants in on this, but he says he has another appointment. A whole different life for our man, these days.
This dialogue is hilarious. Scorpion continues displaying his extremely amped up power, unleashing a torrent of energy, as Betty watches, saying she thought they’d seen the last of him after SMU 22. Betty tries to get in closer to get some photos, but Scorpy spots her, and moves in menacingly, saying she didn’t get his good side. And then…
LOOK how much better Spider-Man looks than he did in Chapter One! Scott Hanna is a MIRACLE worker!
New to the hero game, you say? Scorpy keeps talking about “them,” mysterious benefactors who’ve amped his power. As he knocks down much of a building, he notes Spider-Man seems “scrawnier” than last time they met, and that he’s not using his webbing, and, as the building collapses on him, that it was like fighting an amateur. Scorpy then just leaves, as Betty rushes in to see if Spider-Man is dead. And he may well be, but we’re off to The Tri Corp Research Foundation, a very futuristic looking building which houses “a private brain trust, with unlimited resources.” Peter’s got an interview here with one Terry Kwan, and he is super excited. She’s gonna give him the tour.
Who starts a sentence with “HARGH!”? Walter Thorson? STAN HARDY? One assumes Walter Thorson to be an extremely unsubtle reference to Walter Simonson. Anyway, that’s Scorpion blasting the wall open. Peter leaps into action, making sure all his new pals get to safety, a little too conspicuously if you asked me, as Scorpion rants about finding “him” for awhile. But then Walt is down, and Scorpy is threatening him.
Peter Parker seeing Spider-Man in action. Not since the ol’ Ben Reilly days. He immediately notices it seems more like this Spider-Man is flying than jumping as the tussle continues. The new Spidey gets tagged, and Peter gets an idea.
A Kirby 2000! I wish I had one of those.
Well! Isn’t that nice? Peter getting a job in science is really something that should’ve happened sooner. If it lasts, that is. And who’s this new Spider-Man? I may fail to recall these comics with alarm frequency, but I remember how this goes. But this is an oversized, shiny new #1, there’s more comic, starting with Mackie, Rafael Kayanan, Jimmy Palmiotti and John Kalisz bringing us the story of Scorpion getting juiced up.
The suit’s no good, but giving Scorpion literally anything else besides “I hate JJJ” is welcome. The book closes with a 4-pager by Byrne and John Kalisz where Peter explains his powers and his brand-new origin for anyone picking this title up for the first time. And this may be the last time that new origin is ever referenced. But there were TWO shiny new Spider-Man #1s out this month! Well, 3, actually, but whatever, let’s see what Peter Parker: Spider-Man is up to next post.