Ultimate Spider-Man Series Review
Back in 2000, Marvel created an Ultimate universe to provide readers with all-new 21st century versions of classic Marvel characters. The first chapter of that universe now draws to a close in 2009, and we can look back at what has been achieved since its conception. Ultimate Spider-man was first published in 2000, as the first series written for Ultimate Marvel. The series has only had one writer, Brian Bendis, for its entire nine-year run. Artist Mark Bagley provided the artwork for most of the series, followed by Stuart Immonen.
Ultimate Spider-Man first saw print in 2000 under veteran Spider-Man artist Mark Bagley and writer Brian Michael Bendis, who expanded the original 11-page origin story into a 180-page, seven issue story arc.
This duo continued to collaborate until issue #111, when Mark Bagley left the book and was replaced by Stuart Immonen. Bendis and Bagley on Ultimate Spider-Man set the record for longest continual run on a Marvel Comics series by two people, an honor previously held by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby on Fantastic Four.
Ultimate Spider-man kicks off with protagonist Peter Parker back in high school. Peter’s still the school geek, but thankfully this identity isn’t allowed to dominate his character as it did in the original comic book and 2002 movie. No longer shy and retiring, Peter has a small but firm group of friends that increasingly grows over the course of the series. Peter’s Aunt May and Uncle Ben are also much more lively and youthful than their original characters, making them an excellent couple to bounce off Peter’s headstrong emotions.
Despite being yet another teenage drama, Brian Bendis manages to make the Ultimate Spider-man characters much more engrossing thanks to a consistent focus on the theme of maturity. The teenagers learn from their mistakes, they grow up, their actions and reactions are always realistic and believable. The relationship between Peter and Mary Jane Watson was particularly well handled, as for the first time Peter trusts MJ with his Spider-man identity from the second volume of the series. The confidentiality gives Peter someone to confide in as well as develop the relationship to other levels. Another notable development was the transformation of the bully, “Kong”, into one of Peter’s friends was particularly subtle and well executed. Bendis took his time with the character (practically the entire series) to turn him from a cliché into someone deep and wholly likeable. His comparison with the immature Flash Thompson puts the change into an excellent perspective.
The maturity theme isn’t something exclusive to the teenagers; Aunt May has her own issues to deal with that develop throughout the series, including some well-written psychiatric sessions that divulge her thoughts and fears about Spider-man’s constant appearances in her life. Aunt May is constantly torn between protecting her nephew from characters like Spider-man and allowing him the freedom he needs to live happily. The dialogue between them comes across as incredibly accurate for their characters and makes for some very emotional scenes. Also of note is May’s adoption of Gwen Stacy after Gwen’s own mother refuses to take her. That event shows an incredible side to May’s personality that really gets you behind her as a character.
But of course, Peter Parker’s social life is only one half of the Ultimate Spider-man series. Thankfully, the life of Spider-man is just as engrossing. Bendis is a master at directing the action on the page; you can see how the fight progresses from panel to panel, making good use of angles. Bendis is also a great witticism-machine; none of Spider-man’s jokes fall flat as they so often do in the hands of other writers. Combine this with the excellent artwork of Mark Bagley and Stuart Immonen, and you get a mixture that makes some of the best action scenes I’ve ever seen committed to print. It’s an incredibly entertaining ride!
Ultimate Spider-man’s villains are also excellently written. Unlike their original counterparts, most of the new villains are tied together by a new super-soldier serum subplot. Having all been created by several rival programs to recreate Captain America, the villains go their different ways over the course of the series. Some become assassins-for-hire, whereas others like Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus look for revenge against Nick Fury; the man who hired them to create the serum. Green Goblin becomes a particularly vicious villain, as he regularly makes direct threats to Peter Parker and his family if Peter won’t follow him. In addition to the serum story is New York’s criminal underworld, revolving around the Kingpin. The gang wars and corrupt officials make for an exciting change of scene for Spider-man, often forcing him into the territory of other heroes, such as Daredevil and Moon Knight.
All-in-all, the Ultimate Spider-man series is an incredible package of variety, well-written characters, pulse-pounding action and feel-good stories. It’s also incredibly consistent, with only one real blip in its twenty volume run. If you have any interest in the Spider-man character or just a good story, Ultimate Spider-man is an absolute must-read.
Best Book: Ultimate Spider-man Volume 17: Clone Saga
Clone Saga is not a book I’d recommend to start reading with (for that, you really should pick up the first volume; Power & Responsibility), but instead as a fantastic culmination of the previous sixteen volumes. Without trying to spoil too much, Peter finds himself confronting characters long thought dead and is forced to reveal his secret identity to Aunt May. As the story progresses, Peter finds himself caught between the full force of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Fantastic Four. One of the reasons why this book stands out in my mind is that Peter is put under the most pressure the character has ever had to deal with, and Bendis makes an excellent job of showing how the stress of the situation is getting to him.
But what impresses me most of all is how Bendis ends the story. Considering how many bombshells get dropped on Peter in the space of about five issues, I was expecting it to take at least another volume for everything to get resolved. It’s the sort of story that writers usually create when they want to take the series away in a new dramatic direction (and I knew this before I read about the original Clone Saga story). But no, to my surprise, Bendis not only resolves everything in the remaining three issues, but he rewards Peter for his stress by ending the book on an even happier note than the beginning. To accomplish so much in the space of eight issues without sacrificing quality or consistency is a hell of an achievement, and another perfect demonstration of why this series has been so consistently enjoyable.
A Raien Review.
