Good, Bad, and Ugly uses of Spidey Tech (Amazing Spider-Man #682 spoilers)

[stillanerd]

First, we get an example of the bad. In the beginning of this issue, Spidey goes up against a villain named Equinox, who has the powers of both Iceman and the Human Torch. Since he couldn't come up with web formula specifically designed to stop Equinox in time, Spidey decided to "[borrow] a few tricks from someone else's bag." And just who was that someone else?





Gwen Stacy would approve, I'm sure.

However, when Spidey helps to rush a firefighter to the hospital who had one of his feet broken off as a result of Equinox's freezing powers, we get one of the rarest of scenes in superhero comics: how a costumed hero's high-tech gadgets could actually change the real world:



Okay, it begs the question as to why Peter can't make his web-shooters have practical, real-world applications like all the other stuff he's made for Horizon Labs (not to mention make a certain super genius with elastic powers who heads "the world's greatest superhero team" even more "useless"). However, I do think Slott does a commendable job in actually showing how Peter's Spider-Man inspired inventions actually start to make the world a better place beyond just him fighting crime. What's more, it makes for a nice juxtaposition in Peter believing he's finally making a difference as Peter Parker instead of taking pictures, only to have J. Jonah Jameson, moments later, J. arrives at Horizon Labs and threaten legal action to shut the place down, thus putting Peter new-found success in jeopardy.

But then, Doc Ock sets in motion his "final master plan" towards the end of the issue (which is quite brilliant, by the way), and at last we get to see what Peter has come up in order to prepare himself for his eventual battle with the Sinister Six. And the end result of all that hard work and preparation is this:





Because that's EXACTLY what Spidey really needed all this time: bulky shoulder pads and wrist-mounted laser beams!

All that being said, the issue overall is still quite enjoyable and a good start to the "Ends of the Earth" storyline.

Comments

[lascoden]

I don;t think those are laser beams. If the new suit is a combination of all of his Horizon suits, like the armor he used against Massacre, then I think those are related to his light and sound bending suit.

[daningram.insanejournal.com]

So the climax of Doc Ock's plan is to sell new Spider-Man toys?

[freezer]

For those of us not following Spidey at the moment: Why is JJJ trying to shut Horizon down (other than to fit in the mandated amount of Jamesondickery)?

[auggie18]

Huh. I actually like this direction. (Peter doing more good as a civilian. Plus, the nice art certainly helps.)

As always, a bit iffy on Spider-Armor. And Spider-Gliders. (Seriously?)

Number 1 rule of Spider-Man

[silverzeo]

Never EVER think how great your life is, don't even think about how good it is. That's right before you take a sharp turn to heck via Irony Highway.

[frutepye]

I am stealing the Stephen Colbert headdesk. I don't know where I have been that I haven't seen it before but it is epic.

[glprime]

Still, it's awesome to have Peter cry "Avengers Assemble!" after being the loner so long. Just like when the Sinister Twelve got together, and everybody in New York came running to help out Pete, just 'cuz MJ called.

[stolisomancer]

Wow, Equinox. He's from the old Claremont/Byrne run on Marvel Team-Up, so he hasn't been seen in thirty years or so.

[darkknightjrk]

Yeah, the little bombs like Norman I can accept, but why would he even need a Spider-Glider?

As for the Richards Is Useless troupe you throw out with this, I actually saw a decent counter-point to this over on the Bleeding Cool forum:

"Why don't the Fantastic Four provide the world with flying cars? Because some dingus...either a drunk frat boy or a terrorist...would crash it into a building and kill a lot of people. Why doesn't Reed create a cure for cancer? Because for the millions he saved dozens would die, and then he'd have to spend his time in court. I think Jonathan Hickman's SHIELD...years after Morrison's Sci-Fi Closet for Batman...provided the perfect narrative escape from these kinds of questions. All through out Marvel's history, da Vinci, Galileo, and such could have made the world a utopia, except they kept getting distracting trying to keep it from being destroyed. The reason people think Reed Richards is Useless is because...instead of conducting three years of drug trials, answering endless bug reports, and dealing with help desk phone calls...he's inventing shit to stop Celestials and Dr. Doom from glassing the planet."

[ap0cryphal]

So what, was the FF's garage door locked or something? o_O

Also, hey, Red Hood! Man, that Jason really gets around, doesn't he? So he's an avenger now? That's aces.

No but really, all that already-fantastic armour needs is more pouches and a jetpack. Or a goblin-glider backpack.

[dr_archeville]

I'm almost certain they have touched on Parker trying to sell his webbing formula before, to construction companies, only to be turned down b/c it crumbles to dust after an hour.

I'd imagine that might be a good property for certain types of construction.

I'd also imagine it might have some medical uses: making temporary bandages.

[jcbaggee]

eh. Don't hate it. It may not look Spidey-ish, but it's just for this arc and then we'll likely never see it again. And all things considered, it doesn't look THAT bad.

[zechs80]

Oh a Red Hood/Spider-Man crossover!! And you wanna bet that glider and new bombs will be stolen by Phil Urich? Or worse.. if my theory holds true that Roderick Kingsley is still among the living and not deceased as we're lead to believe.

[eyz]

Getting rid of his agility and ability to move freely in the air for more protective armor? yeah...smart move Pete!...

[protogarrett]

Clasiic Spider Suit
Symbiote Suit
Iron Spider
Stealth Spider
90's SPider Suit
Scarlet Spider Suit
FF Suit

Am I missing any? Lord, Peter has had more costume and power alterations in the last 10 years than any other hero. (I actually like the Iron Spider suit.)

*head tilt*

[illian]

Peter's always been exceptionally bright in most of his incarnations (he's kept up with Richards AND Stark at various points) but if this version has invented the Cryo Cube, that polymer, a comfortable design of noise reduction headphones that's popular and who knows what else, short of working for a Stereotypical Evil Corporate that is stealing its interns ideas, Peter ought to be rolling in the money right now (promotions, raises, bonuses, possibly even percentages of the contracts).

[atom_punk]

Red Hood?! When did you switch over to Marvel?

Seriously though, where is this armor costume coming from? I stopped following Spider-Man comics after a friend explaining One More Day to me. :P

[halloweenjack]

So:

- Spider-Man is Green Goblin.

- Spider-Man is Reed Richards.

- Spider-Man is Iron Man.

Wanna bet he gets some Spider-arrows next?