Props to Richard Isanove for the nice color work.

Reviewing a single issue of a comic book often feels like herding cats. And not just because it’s difficult to find things to say about thirty-two pages of mostly pictures. No, a lot of the problem comes from the trade paperback-ism that dominates comic book publishing. Stand alone issues don’t sell. The publishers’—and therefore writers’-- focus is on the story arcs of today that become the overpriced trade paperbacks (and unnecessary hardcovers) of tomorrow. As I consider the new releases upon which I'll blow ten bucks, a moral quandary attached to this marketing ploy whittles away my choices. Should I buy this week’s Green Lantern? No, it’s a part three…so I can’t review it without buying parts one and two, and I don’t have the money. X-Men? Part four of five. Again, no ways or means. It’s this microcosmic crise de couer that makes me so thrilled to find issues like Ultimate Spider-Man #124.

Ultimate Spider-Man #124 executes the beautiful balancing act of all good serialized fiction. Writer Brian Michael Bendis advances the ongoing storyline, but not at the expense of the individual issue. A newcomer to the title (like myself) will be entertained by the wit and action. Returning fans will get that, plus the running plotline.

In Ultimate Spider-Man #124, Peter Parker encounters a mysterious thief in a flying battle suit. Dubbing the unknown pilferer “Beetle,” Parker foils the rookie villain’s robbery attempt and receives a visit from Nick Fury, who tells him that you’re the weak and I’m the tyranny of evil men not to further investigate Beetle’s activities.

The highlight of #124 is a stunning chase scene through a twilight New York. The fresh, exciting layouts strike a balance between close-ups and panoramic views of the city’s skyline. The action is solid, and the entire performance is reminiscent of Todd McFarlane’s work back in the golden early 1990s of Amazing Spider-Man.

Worth the money? Absolutely.