Amazing Spider-Man Annual (Vol. 1) #34 (2001) Review

Amazing Spider-Man 2001 Annual
PLOT: Mary Jane is back and she and Peter attempt to put their lives back together. She is still spooked by things that remind her of her kidnapping and confinement The couple moves back in with Aunt May and during an intimate moment Peter,as Spider-Man, leaves to thwart a terrorist attack. Left alone Mary Jane ponders their life together and makes a decision about their future.
LIKES: Nice concept but not so nice execution. Sadly that’s about the best you can say of most of Mackie’s run. The idea of devoting an entire annual to the after affects of MJ’s deliverance from the kidnapper is a good idea. The two best things about this annual is that it tries to explore the relationship between Peter and Mary Jane and it is the end of Mackie’s time on this book. Oh, and at least we finally found out what was in that darn box.
DISLIKES: Mackie can’t quite pull it off. Whether or not you agree with MJ’s ultimate decision is irrelevant. The rub is how well the story is done and I just don’t buy it. Just before the emergency at the United Nations is brought to Peter’s attention MJ says, “I feel as though I am where I belong, I feel happy…safe.” By book’s end she’s saying she and Peter have changed so much they can’t go back to the way they were before. And Peter agrees saying he’s known the same thing for awhile?! And just how have they changed? Think back to the start of the Mackie/Byrne debacle. Peter was hiding the fact that he had returned to being Spidey from MJ and she was furious when she found out. Shortly thereafter she boarded the plane to a 16 issue absence. Seems they both forgot all about this. And why would Peter going off as Spidey so profoundly effect her that she would change from saying everything was perfect to feeling she had to leave? Did she forget she had to deal with Peter being Spider-Man? There are ample reasons for Mary Jane to feel she needs time by herself for awhile but they’re not presented here. And as for Joe Bennett’s artwork; I’ve enjoyed it in previous issues but he’s better suited to action issues. A little more subtlety is required in some of the faces and at times the bodies seem strangely contorted. Finally a note to editor Axel Alonso: Anna Watson appeared in Peter Parker: Spider-Man 29 so how could she be in Florida since November?
RATING:  out of 4 web-heads and that’s because I’m feeling generous due to the official end of the Mackie era.