Spider-Man 1602 #3
Reviewed by David O' Leary
Story
by: Jeff Parker
Art by: Ramon Rosanas
Letters by: Simon Bowland
Cover by: Michael Golden
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Cover Date: January 2010
Book Summary:
Peter finds that Europe is more inviting than he remembered when he meets a young red-haired actress and more dangerous when he also meets The Lizard! Meanwhile Osbourne is alive enough to make a deal with the desperate Henri Pym in exchange for experimental treatment...
Reviewer's Comments:
"The Web Complete Chapter 3"
The Marvel 1602 experiment has been a guilty pleasure of mine since its inception. From Neil Gaiman's inaugural title to Greg Pak's follow up to the Fantastik third installment to this rather good sleeper fourth book and it has been like an extended What If...? so far but beguiling none the less.
This book is focusing on a young Spider-Man who struggled to keep his identity a secret but on a voyage to England with an imprisoned Norman Osborne, who is facing the death penalty for crimes in the New World, his secret was discovered after a nefarious high seas attack from pirates. After making his way to England to deliver his foe, Peter wants to take the time to relax but Norman wants to bargain his way to safety at the expense of his imprisonment. This issue introduces us to familiar characters not seen before in this universe. Dr. Le Pym, a French scientist, who is trying to harvest the witch breed gene so he can abuse and utilize it. We are teased with the notion that Janet his wife has been experimented on as it is alluded to that she is a small person akin to what we know she is in the regular universe. The Lizard makes an appearance as an instinctual beast with moments of clarity and finally Dr. Octavius and Mc Coy The Beast who is a prisoner against his will for science experiments. All these characters are interweaved subtly in a enthralling sub plot involving smuggling, bargaining and under handed tactics and Jeff Parker is able to continue the feel and tone of old England that was initially set in the first volume. With some time o his hands in true and tested Spider-Man fashion he can't help but get into some trouble even when he isn't looking for it but here he manages to run into a flame red headed girl who captures his attention. It is not too long since his beloved was cut down cruelly by Norman, hence the trip overseas, but it looks like he has forgotten Virginia already as he showed no sign of allegiance to her memory while spellbound with the red head. But that was only a minor flaw in an otherwise good read.
Art is provided by Ramon Rosanas who inks and colors his own work so it has a great consistency. He gives it an authentic olden soft look that avoids making the pages look modern and what I mean by that is that the scenes laid out by him are given the appearance of an era where alchemy and science did not mix. Modern attributes like machine laden science labs are missing while instead we are given a lab that looks like it runs on a wing and a prayer; a township that though modern for its time lacks solid road surfaces, stuff like that. He put a lot of thought into the layout of what he was drawing and it looks great. That and the fact that the book has not been late once even with him on triple duty for the art work.
This book is plugging away nicely in its own quiet corner and deserves to be in as many hands as possible. There are only about seventeen previous issues in this universe so there is not a lot of continuity to get bogged down on and every single series so far has been interesting in its own right. Check it out, you won't be disappointed.
Rating the Issue
| Story Story: Overall 8 Concept - 8 out of 10 Plot - 8 out of 10 Dialogue - 8 out of 10 |
Art Art: Overall 8 Style - 8 out of 10 Storytelling - 8 out of 10 Colour/Tones - 8 out of 10 |
Importance Importance: Overall 7.66 To the Title - 9 out of 10 To the Company - 7 out of 10 To the Medium - 7 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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