Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11

Written by Peter David

Pencils by Todd Nauck

Cover by Mike Wieringo

 

The first thing you might notice is the loss of Wieringo art on this issue, that’s cause he’s left the book (for the foreseeable future). But don’t worry too much since Nauck does a good job of catching that light-hearted vibe, even adding a slight ‘manga’ flair from time to time.

 

The editors on the Spidey books have been doing a particularly good job of late, even featuring Jeremy in this issue (a student of Peter’s spotlighted in Sensational Spider-Man for a whole issue). Tackling the ‘Spider-Man Unmasked,’ David looks at Parker’s life as a school teacher. The media is going nuts and parents are calling for his removal as a teacher, but the principal offers his support to Peter because it’s the principled thing to do. The parent’s reaction is understandable, a reasonable reaction since a school being too close to superhero battles is what started all this.

 

But luckily for the principal, Peter decides to quit his job. We won’t be leaving the school’s characters so easily though because a new Mysterio (the original’s brother) has decided to take this opportunity to get revenge on Spidey, so he attacks the school, trapping everyone inside. It was supposed to take place during class, but the school appears deserted, shouldn’t there be more panicked classes storming the halls than just Peter’s? The ending has the (supposedly) original Mysterio appearing to teach his brother the proper way to be Mysterio (and David promises that a third one is going to also make an appearance in the coming issues). That’s quite a lot of Mysterio’s walking around for a character that is supposed to be dead.

 

The Flash sub-plot gets a shot in the arm when Flash doesn’t believe Peter is really Spider-Man but is actually covering for him. Peter gives Flash a black eye for his macho ranting, and Flash in turn hits on the new nurse, Arrow. Isn’t Flash married? Didn’t his wife stand by him steadfastly throughout his entire coma? What kind of low-life has he become? This goes beyond being a jerk to Peter again, this is fairly contemptible.

 

This book does much better with this kind of story than it did with the two-parter that seemed to be more about shock tactics than actual characterization (even if that characterization makes Flash a true A-hole). This is a story I can sink my teeth into, and it firmly sets this book aside as the Spider-Man comic that’s more All-Ages Adventure. Flash’s new (old) role as bully is one that is able to bring that aspect of Peter’s core concept back to the page.

 

Rating - 7