Ultimate Spider-Man #127 - Mobile Edition

Marvel Comics
Ultimate Spider-Man #127
By Zak Edwards
October 23, 2008 - 23:53

Marvel Comics
Writer(s): Brian Michael Bendis
Penciller(s): Stuart Immonen
Inker(s): Wade von Grawbadger
Colourist(s): Justin Ponsor
Letterer(s): Cory Petit
Cover Artist(s): Stuart Immonen
$2.99 US, $3.50 Canada

A series that can do no wrong by now, Ultimate Spider-Man can single-handedly win a person over to the super-hero genre. Don’t believe me? Read it, starting with the beginning, and if not that, the Clone Saga they did back around issue #100. This series focusing on a younger Peter Parker and his dealings with the home, super villains, girls, school, and having J. Jonah Jameson as your boss is full of action, humour, amazing characterizations, and drama unlike any other series going (to my knowledge at least). So go and start reading it!

As for this issue in particular, as I was reading it I just simply thought to myself halfway through, “I love this issue.” It’s not a thought that usually jumps into my thought while reading a comic book, usually I’m too busy breaking it down into things annoying me and things I’m enjoying. But I got swept up in the issue caught myself with a smile on my face. The character of Gwen Stacey at this point is so confusing, both for her and for the reader, it’s great to watch her play out. A scene with Tony Stark and Dr. Curt Conners (aka The Lizard, but not as much in this series) interviewing her/it through glass and microphones was great. To see a bit of Gwen Stacey as I remember her from her untimely demise coupled with the Carnage symbiote is both creepy and intriguing. There was some more characterization and possible foreshadowing with Peter and Mary-Jane in the parking lot. And to see Peter get so self-righteous on Eddie Brock was done well within character and enjoyable too. This arc is done next issue, and with an ending like this and the consistent quality Bendis and Immonen have done for so long now, I can’t wait!

And can I also say this is Stuart Immonen’s best work on the series to date. His use of double-page spreads are incredible in this issue. I took the issue around with me all day, showing people how cool these pages were, especially with a soaking wet Peter sitting at his desk in the Daily Bugle is great. The positioning of the characters, the details of the scene, the lighting, and the colours all work in perfect harmony to create a wonderful scene. Similarly, the double-page spread of Peter Swinging around the Baxter Building, or the one swinging down a street in New York City are all great for their simplicity. Spider-Man against urban sprawl filled with lots of minute details. To think he drew all of this in a month is crazy to me.

Just read it already!