Dark Reign: The List - Amazing Spider-Man #1
Reviewed by David O' Leary
Story
by: Dan Slott & Brian Michael Bendis
Art by: Adam Kubert, Mark Morales, Mark Bagley & Scott Hanna
Colours by: Dean White & Pete Pantazis
Letters by: VC's Joe Caramagna & Cory Petit
Cover by: Adam Kubert
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Cover Date: January 2010
Book Summary:
Norman Osborn has saved his best for last as he takes on the most powerful item on his evil To-Do List. The violent tension between Spider-Man and Norman has grown for years and has been building to a boil for the last few months after Osborn's last defeat at Spidey's hands at the end of American Son. Norman can no longer put off what needs to be done. Plus, the story from Pulse #5 outing Norman Osborn as the Green Goblin to the world.
Reviewer's Comments:
"The Last Name"
When I reviewed Amazing Spider-Man #611 last week, in the comments section of the review I got into a great little back and forth with Jeremy Wiggins in which it was mentioned that this book could have been released as a regular issue of the main title. For those who have read it I am sure that they would agree. We put it down to Marvel maximising revenue which is perfectly fine as they are a business, but what we were getting at was that this issue would have been infinitely more consequential than the Deadpool farce of an issue that ran the same week this was released should it have ran in place of that issue.
Dan Slott is the man who is tasked with bringing Spider-Man into the fore of The Siege. This issue presents us with a particularly intriguing Jason Bourne type chase story of Peter robbing CCTV footage of Norman Osborne testing a Goblin Serum/Super Soldier Serum formula on a man whose body rejects the formula. This footage obviously would be a devastating revelation to Norman's public image as he is man who has done a spectacular job of spinning an heroic image of himself to the public since the end of Secret Invasion.
What follows is a great little chase through New York in the fast action orientated style of the aforementioned Bourne. Slott still finds time to show that Spider-Man is the subject of negative press still after all he has done with members of the public attempting to subdue him while Iron Patriot watches over. This is a great example of how Norman has the public on his side but secretly he knows that the end is dangerously near if he can't get hold of Spider-man and quick.
Spider-Man ditches the costume and it looks like Peter will come up trumps as he indeed stumps Norman as he emails footage of the incident to everyone in his contact list. But typical Parker luck, it goes to Betty Brant first through the fact that alphabetically she will be the first to view it at the DB, which does not go down well at the offices of The Frontline.
The issue also tells the story which took place in The Pulse #5 from before One More Day which tells the tale of Norman getting ousted as the Green Goblin by an irate Luke Cage. This was one my favourite issues of The Pulse which is a title which is sadly missed. Also it was good to see a Bendis/Bagley Spider-Man issue once again. It made me nostalgic.
Adam Kubert provides art for the main story here. Remember him? Well the art looks amazing (pardon the pun). It seems like his foray to DC served him well as I can't remember his art looking as good. I remember him on titles in the past where his work looks nothing like this. He produces some excellent panels and a great two-page spread near the start, which made the page look so fluid and natural. He has worked a lot on his facial expressions, as the final image of a smug Peter will attest to. As a long time top tier artist he showed that he can move with the times and fair play to him for that.
You can argue that this issue will not have worked in the main title as the back up story would have made the pricing of the issue would not have made it economical fitting with the price structure of the book. But alternatively I can tell you that Marvel had no problem bumping up the price of the issue when they were promoting Barack Obama and Steven Colbert in the main title. But let us not divert attention from what was one of Dan Slott's best issue on the book.
Rating the Issue
| Story Story: Overall 6 Concept - 6 out of 10 Plot - 6 out of 10 Dialogue - 6 out of 10 |
Art Art: Overall 5 Style - 5 out of 10 Storytelling - 5 out of 10 Colour/Tones -5 out of 10 |
Importance Importance: Overall 4 To the Title - 4 out of 10 To the Company - 4 out of 10 To the Medium - 4 out of 10 |
Take a Look Inside
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Reviewer Bio
Name: David O' Leary
email: idwfan@yahoo.co.uk
Been reading comics: for about 12 years now.
Review Bio: I am a 26-year-old Hotel Manager from the west coast of the Republic of Ireland and think this is a great way to talk to others about this cool medium. I am a husband to one wife and father to one girl (so far).
Favorites: ONI's Whiteout, Vertigo's Scalped and Garth Ennis Preacher and Punisher in Trades. In comic form I am reading a lot of Marvel and a bit of IDW, Dark Horse & WildStorm among others.
Website: Sorry, I don't have one!
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