Spider-Men #3
SPIDER-MEN #3 OF 5 Review by Jamie Dunst
Writer: Brian Michael Bendis; Artist: Sara Pichelli; Colorist: Justin Ponsor; Letterer: Cory Petit; Cover Artists: Jimmy Cheung & Justin Ponsor; Variant Cover Artists Sarah Pichelli, Rainier Beredo, Terry and Rachel Dodson
So when last we left our Amazingly Ultimate Spider-Men, they were having a heart to hear talk when Mysterio shows up to cause some trouble. The younger and less experienced Ultimate Spider-Man attacks first and gets tossed aside like the newbie he is. The Amazing Spider-Man figures out that this is Mysterio and that this is Mysterio and it’s the same guy who brought him to this Universe in the first place but before Amazing Spider-Man can warn Ultimate Spider-Man, Mysterio makes a whole bunch of bad guys for our Spider-Men to fight whcih they do and eventually, Ultimate Spider-Man smacks Mysterio down. However, the real Mysterio sets of a trigger blowing up what was in fact a decoy Mysterio and knocking out Ultimate Spider-Man.
Spider-Men #3 Preview 1
When Ultimate Spider-Man comes to, he notices that the Ultimates have arrived. Tony is in awe of Mysterio’s tech and says he needs more time to examine it. Ultimate Spider-Man realizes that Amazing Spider-Man has left. We then see our Amazing Spider-Man web swinging around the city trying to get his head around things. He enters a mini-market where in the 616 Universe, Peter’s apartment would have been. He asks the woman working the register some questions when they are interrupted by a burglar that Peter dispatches pretty quickly. Peter than uses the woman’s tablet to discover his own younger self’s obituary. We cut to the home of Ultimate Peter Parker where we see Aunt May and Gwen Stacy exiting the house. As they exit, they see 616 Amazing Spider-Man standing there looking at them. Aunt May and Gwen about to tell Peter off until he takes off his mask and they stare at him in complete shock. A nice way to end the issue.
Spider-Men #3 Variant Cover
So, three issues in and the story really has me hooked. Having been away from the Marvel Universe as long as I have, I thought there would be things that I wouldn’t get but I have found that this has been a very easy-to-read story where I don’t feel I need much in the way of particular knowledge of either character to understand or enjoy this story. The art is just phenomenal. The spread of the two Spider-Men facing off against the various Ultimate villains was breathtaking. The facial expressions the various characters have are also really quite awesome and I think as an artist, you have succeeded when you can show real expressions on Spider-Man’s face through the mask. So with two issues left, I gotta say this has really impressed me and I am looking forward to what can only be a pretty awkward conversation between 616 Peter Parker and the Ultimate and younger versions of Aunt May and Gwen Stacy. I can’t wait for that.
