Spider-Man:The
Venom Factor by Diane Duane
This was the very first Marvel Novel published by the Byron
Preiss organization and it started a trend in 1994. Four years
later the Preiss company is putting out one Marvel Novel a month.
Just like the comics, there are some good and bad titles. This
book however was great.
The novel starts out with what seems like Venom terrorizing the
city. Later we learn that it's not Venom but some toxic creature
with living skin similar to slobber face.
One nice thing about prose is that we get more character
development than in a normal 22 page comic book. I think more
development was done in this novel concerning the marriage of
Peter and Mary Jane,than a year's worth of comics. Truly great
stuff by Mrs. Duane.
The only drawback in the book is Venom himself. I really prefer
him to be a villan. His appearance in Amazing Spider-Man#298-300
is what that character should be. Hopefully with the reboot in
October 1998,Venom will go back to his evil ways.
This novel gets a very solid three Spidey heads out of four. 
Spider-Man:The Lizard Sanction by
Diane Duane
This is the second part of the 3 part Spider-Man Trilogy by Diane
Duane. I don't know,perhaps the middle child theory holds up on
this,but this wasn't my favorite of the three. Granted Duane does
a specatular,or is it Amazing job of delving into Peter and Mary
Jane.Unfortuanly the Lizard plot is the same old story.We have
Dr.Curt Conners trying to find a cure. Just like in Amazing
Spider-Man #6,all those many years ago. This had a backstory
about an atempted sabotage of the Space Shuttle at Cape
Canaveral,which really didn't go anywhere. But all in all it
wasn't a bad novel to pass the time with. Duane's prose on Peter
and Mary Jane is worth the time investment. Two and a half Spidey
heads on this one. 
Spider-Man: The Octopus
Agenda by Diane Duane
Well Duane brought
the quality up from the 2nd novel and this is as good as the
first.We have the ever so devious Doctor Octapus scheming to take
over the world,or at least Manhatten with nuclear weapons. Now,
however interesting that seems,the real story again is Peter and
Mary Jane. It seems that someone has "cloned" MJ's cell
phone number. (I know, but this plot of cloning isn't that
bad!)During this ordeal Peter meet up with a very interesting
older lady that is a techo-phile. She has scanners listening to
police reports,mulitple computers,etc. A really great character
by the name of Doris Smyth. What potential this character has.
It's a shame she can't be explored more. Anyway three stong
Spider-heads out of four on this great finale.
