AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #43
PLOT: Straczynski finally uses a villian from Spider-Man’s massive rogue’s gallery and introduces a new one to boot. The repercussions of Peter’s failure last issue to meet Mary Jane at the airport as planned are explored. Doc Ock is the old time baddie and a corporate raider named Carlyle is the new one. Carlyle is now down on his luck and sees the technology behind Dr. Octopus’ powers as his way out.
LIKES: Peter’s new relationship with Aunt May continues to enlighten and entertain and it’s great to have M ary Jane back. Let’s hope they keep around this time. John Romita, Jr. delivers his usual excellent work and like his father in the late Sixties is the Spider-Man artist of the moment. Even in a business suit his Doc Ock is menacing instead of frumpy as he is portrayed by many other artists.
DISLIKES: I have a hard time that Carlyle would want Ock’s powers just to rob banks. The humor is too forced in the scene at the airport with Peter and Aunt May. One area Romita, Jr.is weak is his take on MJ. Most of the time he makes her too young looking and much too skinny. He doesn’t even get her face quite right until the last page.
RATING: 3 out of 5 webheads. Even not at his best JMS is still head and shoulders over what has come before since the reboot.
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on Craig’s Critique: Amazing Spider-Man #1000 (Non-Legacy #36): “Ravaged” or “Well, At Least We Have These Backups”: “@Paul Penna: “My guess, is that Cormac accidentally used his powers on his mother, accidentally erasing her memories when his…” Oct 7, 11:04- on Spider-Variants of the Week 10/7/26: “This thing may have more variants than ASM #1000.” Oct 6, 18:48
- on Craig’s Critique: Amazing Spider-Man #1000 (Non-Legacy #36): “Ravaged” or “Well, At Least We Have These Backups”: “My guess, is that Cormac accidentally used his powers on his mother, accidentally erasing her memories when his powers first…” Oct 6, 11:27
- on Craig’s Critique: Amazing Spider-Man #1000 (Non-Legacy #36): “Ravaged” or “Well, At Least We Have These Backups”: “@Paul Penna: I wouldn’t say I was liking Cormac before the Ravage reveal but his character was … “ok”. I…” Oct 4, 08:59
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- on Craig’s Critique: Amazing Spider-Man #1000 (Non-Legacy #36): “Ravaged” or “Well, At Least We Have These Backups”: “This was a glorified Annual with A-List talent on the back-ups. And you know, if it was “only” an Annual,…” Oct 2, 18:09
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