The Amazing Spider-man #616

Marvel Comics
The Amazing Spider-man #616
By Hervé St-Louis
January 17, 2010 - 21:32

Marvel Comics
Writer(s): Fred Van Lente
Penciller(s): Javier Pulido
Inker(s): Javier Pulido
Colourist(s): Javier Rodriguez
Letterer(s): Joe Caramagna
Cover Artist(s): Pauolo Rivera
$2.99 US

In part two of the story featuring the Sandman, Spider-man defeated, tries to escape the Sandman and rescue the girl the villain has kidnapped and claims is his own. But although Spider-man manages to escape the Sandman, Keemia the little girl is less than cooperative and sabotages the rescue in time for the Sandman to mount an impressive attack. Will Spider-man survive the encounter?

This story was interesting as it tried to show that Spider-man is a hero and always tried to do the right thing. It was fun how Keemia the little girl was more than a damsel in distress and was quite involved in her own rescue. Yet, no matter how much the story was good and how the characters were characterized, there is something missing from the improbable and crazy life of Spider-man’s alter ego, Peter Parker that makes everything he does a problem and accursed gift. This is a straight super hero story that uses little of Peter Parker’s life. We did see some of that at the end, but Parker’s voice did not sound right. These stories have a different pace and it’s hard to adjust to Spider-man having a more “normal” life.

Visually Pulido continues to shine, although I don’t believe he is Spider-man material. I really like how he draws the Sandman and uses him ingeniously. He does have a great sense of storytelling and posing which would probably look better he he had been assigned a more solid inker.

Rating: 8/10