Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #28 (469) Review

Amazing Spider-Man #28
PLOT: The story is framed by showing an unidentified woman held captive in a closet by an unidentified man. Meanwhile at Randy Robertson’s request Peter delivers a TV to an amazon like woman named Fallon. It is obviously a set up and just as obvious that Fallon is not good for Peter. Peter returns home and finds out that Glory and Jill Stacy were also in on it although Randy had vouched for Fallon. Jill and Peter have a moment of staring longingly into each other’s eyes. Later that night while patrolling Spidey comes across the Enforces ambushing mobster Jimmy-6 and his family. Spidey fights awkwardly against the Enforces, enemies he should dispatch easily. While the fight continues we see that the mysterious captor from the beginning begins to feel the same sensations as Spidey. The webspinner finally prevails against the Enforcers and convinces Jimmy-6 to end the hostilities for the night. Returning to the scene of the beginning of the fight Spidey stands before a billboard that a worker just stripped to reveal an ad featuring Mary Jane while the mystery captor opens the closet door to reveal a woman who apparently is MJ.
LIKES: Joe Bennett subs for John Romita, Jr. on pencils here and does a nice job although he relies too much on shadow like progressions to illustrate Spidey’s acrobatics. Also any story that seems to bring MJ back to the book is certainly more than welcome. The Enforces are gangland foes of Spidey from way back in the days when the Green Goblin battled the Crime-Master for control of the Mob and their return is a nice touch. The cover by JR, Jr. is great (but what does it have to do with this issue?)
DISLIKES: The whole incident with Peter and Fallon which is suppose to be humorous is just plan flat and awkward. Compare Randy Robertson in Peter Parker: Spider-Man 28 and here and you’ll see how lame Mackie’s characterization is. None of the supporting characters have been major contributors to this book and that is one of the many short comings of Mackie’s run. The story with the Enforcers and Jimmy-6 is rather pointless, just like last issues story and plainly serves only to fill the space between the opening and closing bits with the kidnapper. Does anyone really have confidence that Mackie can bring the MJ saga to a satisfactory conclusion.
RATING:  web-heads out of 4: the extra ½ is for MJ’s apparent return.