Amazing Spider-Man (Vol. 2) #31 (472) Review

Amazing Spider-Man 31
PLOT: Peter’s inadvertent stop at his old high school last issue leads him to return with the idea of becoming a teacher. Once he’s there the school is assaulted by a gunman. Using the picked upon science geek he met last issue Peter, as Spider-Man, brings down the assailant without anyone getting hurt. At the end Peter becomes the school’s science teacher as the trouble is the last straw for the current one. On the villain front, Ezekiel presides over a board meeting of some kind of corporation of possible spider-powered people and Morlun launches some kind of fear inducing mind missile at Spidey as he passes by.
LIKES: The most striking thing about this issue is the artwork. It is stunning. The inking and coloring especially seems to be a cut above. Story wise JMS proceeds with the changes he began last issue. However for everything positive about this issue there is a negative. He presents a believable scenario for Peter’s return to his old high school and I’m sure he thinks this is fertile ground for relevant stories. I hope he’s right but I found this one to be clichéd and predictable. The Ezekiel angle is given little attention here but the mystery expands and deepens. It’s too soon to really have a feel one way or another where this is headed. Morlun also has a limited appearance but exhibits a power that sets him apart from Morbius to whom he bore too strong a resemblance in last issue .
Dislikes: It’s good that Aunt May and Peter have a meaningful discussion but I found May’s actual dialogue to be out of character for her as she has never been presented in such a sophisticated fashion. It’s fine for May to attempt to subtly give Peter advice but the words JMS chooses show he has a tin ear for Aunt May. As I mentioned above the whole school shooter thing has been done ad nauseam since the tragedy at Columbine. Oh who could have guessed the shooter was a student who had been picked on unmercifully? Also I wonder how Peter can teach without significantly curtailing his Spidey activities. Why would the school put up with his frequent absences? And how often will there be a chemically created fog for Peter to change into his costume?
RATING:  out of 5 web-heads. For all my misgivings JMS has done enough right to keep the anticipation high for his next move. And that is more than could be said for most of what has come before in the reboot.