Amazing Spider-Man #691

[flint_marko]

Spider-Man sticks Morbius's cure into the Lizard's brain.

Comments

[blackruzsa]

Okay, what. the. actual. fuck.
He goes from I DON'T CARE ABOUT THESE DUDES to THANK GOD THIS ONE'S ALIVE THAT WAS CLOSE.
I know it's about his whole no-killing thing but he did a good job saying I'M GONNA KILL MORBIUS in the last few issues, a guy who killed on impulse and regretted it, while going all I HAVE TO NOT KILL CONNORS, the guy who's been pretty much characterized by not resisting the instincts that tell him to kill since this arc began.

I just...
I just can't take this sitting down. It's a really bad blow to a Marvel lover to see such horrible story writing.

[nefrekeptah]

Like I said before, the "killing Morbius" thing was a red herring - Spidey ended up webbing him up and leaving him for the cops. There wasn't even a moment when he has to stop himself, for all his ranting, killing Morbius didn't even come up.

And yeah, actually, he DID almost kill the Lizard - the cure had to be inserted directly into his brain, and Spidey knew there was a very good chance of it killing him, and decided that he had to take the risk, because the Lizard was stronger then him and would kill just about everyone there. And for a moment he looks like he is dead, and of course Spider-Man immediately regrets it.

This has been anything but "horrible story writing" - although I admit I wish they hadn't brought back Conners like this, as I loved the hell out of Shed, and wanted to see what they'd do with the new direction for the Lizard.

[flint_marko]

Keep in mind Madame Web interrupted him and told him Silver Sable was still alive.

[nefrekeptah]

Yeah, and he didn't believe her. And went right back to pummeling Morbius when she was gone. And Madame Web at no point told him to stop.

[flint_marko]

I think she pretty much implied she wanted him to drop what he was doing and get to Horizon ASAP or there would be dire consequences.

And why did he only decide to web Morbius up after she talked to him? What was stopping him from doing it before, instead of just beating the shit out of him?

[nefrekeptah]

Because they were still in the middle of fighting each other when Madame Web interrupted? Because Spidey didn't knock Morbius down long enough to web him up until after Madame Web left? It's not like Morbuis was just sitting there taking the punches - he was giving as good as he got.

[flint_marko]

Why didn't he just web him up after he blasted him with that anti-vampire gun Uatu gave him, instead of beating him up some more? Morbius wasn't giving as good as he was getting there.

[nefrekeptah]

Because it did little else except temporarily blind him. Which isn't surprising, seeing as how we get a whole caption explaining how Morbius isn't a supernatural vampire, and therefore the normal weaknesses don't apply to him.

Also, the next time we catch up to the fight, Spidey's been stripped of his guns with Morbius' fangs in his neck, so we know Morbius didn't go down after a few punches.

[flint_marko]

I think it had more to do with Peter taking his anger/guilt over Silver Sable out on Morbius, which is what Madame Web says.

[nefrekeptah]

That's also very likely, but there's no dramatic change in Spidey's attitude after she shows up, which leads me to think that as angry as he was, and while he may been more violent then necessary, he wasn't seriously considering killing Morbius.

[blackruzsa]

Thank you!
I've actually been irritated by the direction Peter's personality had been going with for a while, so I guess I was blinded about the story. The story is probably good, but Peter's personality is throwing me off by leagues. Not the troubled Peter, because god knows we've had a lot of that.... but the way he's been acting is a bit angry and incensed, and it catches.

[horselover107]

One: I was hoping they'd just retire the lizard altogether. That one story was just too awful. While Slott has him making penance here, it just...they should have never done the whole Lizzard kills Billy thing. I don't think they were thinking about the long term viability of the character.

Two: Peter's Dialouge about not caring about his villians just seems...off. I mean I get why he's saying it, these men are monsters and caring about them on a personal level has bit him in the butt before, but it seems really...a little too detached, I guess?

Three: Thank god they didn't really expect us to buy NuHobby! killing the original. I can now safely say "called it" and take a breath of fresh air.

[sir_mikael]

HOBGOBLIN YES YES YES! The original is back! Accept no substitutes. Poor Daniel though. And lol at Roderick becoming Tarantula/Deathstroke.

I thought Lizard had weird hair these days?

[icon_uk]

The Raft has a good barber?

[filkertom]

Somebody over there at The House Of Ideas apparently thinks this is a good one.

More and more, I'm sticking with the MCU and the Marvel/DC animated stuff. I don't feel insulted and slimy looking at those.

[theflames]

You don't feel bad watching Ultimate Spiderman? That show is horrible!

[filkertom]

Y'know, I haven't actually watched that one yet. I'm curious to see what they do with Agent Coulson. Spectacular Spider-Man, now -- the only problem I had with that show was the theme song. And I LOVE A:EMH.

[auggie18]

Really? I loved the Spectacular Spider-Man theme song.


Ultimate Spider-man suffers from pointless cut-away gags and a main character you want to hit with a chair repeatedly. He's whiney, pompous, self-absorbed dick who is constantly talking smack about his friends and teammates. The cut-aways gags range from very mildly amusing to rage inducing time wasters. For example, a villain tells Spidey that he's toast and Spidey imagines himself as a piece of toast. That's the whole joke.

The thing that really hurts the show is that almost every single character seems more likable and interesting than Spider-man. The show suffers from the fact that they've written a bunch of cool characters and don't ever focus on them.

Also, Iron Fist talks exclusively in fortune cookie sayings for some reason. I don't know why.

[filkertom]

The theme song couldn't be bothered to, y'know, actually rhyme a single verse. And it included the incredibly dumb phrase "the speed of time". When I guess they meant the speed of light. Or the nick of time. Or Michael Callahan, the Mick of Time. Or somethin'.

As to your description of the show: oof. That sounds like something to miss. Especially since I am a from-the-first-appearance fan of Iron Fist.

[auggie18]

You should give it a shot, though. The premise is pretty cool (SHIELD finds super-powered kids and trains them as operatives) and a lot of the other characters are neat. I mean, you probably won't like it, but you never know.

[ruhig_knight]

Exactly! Next to the overuse of cut-away gags (which is especially distracting in the middle of a fight with a big bad) is that there is way too much focus on Peter while his teammates remain static and in the background. Even when they touched a little on Iron Fist in that one episode it still felt like a backdrop for Peter to learn a lesson about magic or whatever.

Yeah, yeah, I know It's Spiderman; his name's in the title, and he's one of the most iconic superheroes. But that's no damn excuse to not let the lesser known heroes get some damn spotlight every once in awhile. Personally, I got a better grasp of Luke Cage's personality in that one episode he and Iron Fist guest starred in A:EMH than in US's first seceral episodes with him. This show could've/ still could be something like Batman: The Brave and The Bold where an extremely popular character was used to help introduce others to lesser known heroes, but now...it's "Spider-man and his Amazing Friends teammates who bicker a lot with one another. And Occaisonal Big Marvel Hero Guest Star."

[domino_blue]

Actually ....I find Nick Fury to be the most infuriating character on that show. In case you wonder why I feel he has not right to be so high and mighty with Spider-man. He expects him to know how to use all this technology like the Spider-cycle without telling him how it works or even know he has a license, dosn't tell him he's watching him or hell just be honest with the kid.

[kenwyn89]

I quite enjoy it- they could probably tone down some of it, but I miss ultimate Peter so much (though Miles is great).

[nefrekeptah]

It's not a good as Spectacular, but it's not horrible. Really, it's biggest sin is not being as good as either it's predecessor or it's namesake.

[theflames]

Really? I feel the humour is forced, and the art style a bit to round/cute, I have yet to enjoy an episode, but different strokes for different folks and all that.

[nefrekeptah]

true, the humor can be grating, but there have been some standouts - I liked the Hulk guest appearance, and the ending to the Strange guest appearance is a favorite of mine. Also, Harry as Venom works out surprisingly well.

[silverhammerman]

The Lizard looks like his whole body is a brain. It's kind of gross.
Kind of disappointed that we've abandoned the whole "Lizard's brain in Connor's body" since it was apparently pretty amusing, and this is kind of a needlessly grim ending.
Good to see Hobgoblin's back, I never liked that he was Worfed to show how cool and dangerous the new one was.

[sir_mikael]

"The Lizard looks like his whole body is a brain. It's kind of gross."

There's an x-men character like that. http://forums.comicbookresources.com/showthread.php?243807-November-2008-is-The-Brotherhood-of-(Evil)-Mutants-Month!&p=7871385&viewfull=1#post7871385

[chocochuy]

Nope, sorry, deal with the devil or not, this is not the way Spidey would act. This is just adding more angst over angst and it does not say much at all except getting you slightly depressed.

On the good side, welcome back, Roderick, you tricky hobgoblin.

[funbox]

Spider-Man: appearing everywhere but his own book.

[nefrekeptah]

He's fighting something that as far as he knows is a mindless monster, and is handed a cure that might kill him. He doesn't want to use it at all, but sees no choice as the Lizard is now much stronger then him and will kill the people who have gathered to watch. He's devastated when it looks like the Lizard is dead, is relieved when he's not, and even goes to check on him, despite the fact that the Lizard is, as far as he knows, a murderous monster.

Yeah, I'd have to say that this IS the way Spidey acts. One hundred percent.

[icon_uk]

And tonight the part of the original Hobgoblin will be played by Slade Wilson....

Not liking that new look for the Lizard, what was wrong with the classic look?

[silverhammerman]

I know, right? It seems like ever since around "Shed" they've been unable to really settle on a consistent look for the Lizard and all attempts to do so have kind of sucked. This one looks like brain tissue and it's gross.

[auggie18]

And tonight the part of the original Hobgoblin will be played by Slade Wilson...

You stole the words right out of my brain-meats. Missing eye and all.

"I'll get you, Spider-Man! First you and then those meddling Teen Titans!"

[stillanerd]

Well, this issue has pretty much cemented the idea that, even though Spidey didn't actually kill the Lizard, he's definitely now willing to cross that line. And given the solicit for Amazing Spider-Man #698 that has just come out ( http://www.newsarama.com/comics/marvel-comics-november-2012-solicitations.html ), this now makes the crazy theory I had about issue #700 that I posted awhile back gain a lot more traction (although, in light of this issue, I was definitely wrong about what I thought was going to happen to J. Jonah Jameson Sr., but that was a pretty long shot guess.)--http://www.spidermanreviews.com/2012/07/spidey-speculation-onamazing-spider-man.html

Also, while I certainly suspected that Roderick Kingsley was alive all along and that it was really his brother Daniel that Phil Urich killed, I certainly didn't think Roderick was taking up another costumed identity. And interestingly enough, just like Roderick did with Green Goblin costume and gear to become the Hobgoblin, it looks like he's made himself a copycat of Taranula via tweaking his costume and gear to become the "Devil-Spider." Considering Roderick can only get by from stealing other people's ideas, this pretty much fits.

[sir_mikael]

"And interestingly enough, just like Roderick did with Green Goblin costume and gear to become the Hobgoblin, it looks like he's made himself a copycat of Taranula via tweaking his costume and gear to become the "Devil-Spider.""

Ooh, well spotted. That's pretty neat.
Somewhat funny for Swedish folks too, cus in his first appearance in the Swedish comics (and only his first appearance) his translated name was Devil Goblin.

I haven't read the issues but your Doc Ock theory seems like something that could happen.

[shadowpsykie]

... what? i don't get any of this....

[cyberghostface]

Definitely happy to hear that the original Hobgoblin is back. Kudos, Slott.

[cypherfdp]

Peter, jesus christ, stop being such a fucking asshole. The treatment of Morbius especially is what gets to me.

[mrstatham]

The Lizard in that one big panel of him eating a rat looks like he's actually a frog-man imported from the pages of BPRD.

[fredneil.livejournal.com]

Good move, Peter. It's not like Morbius ever helped you in the past, tried to overcome his condition or was anything other than an evil killer, and that "I don't care, he's nothing to me" thing has worked so well for you in the past.

[captainbellman]

So, Dan Slott, your official direction now is "Spider-Man doesn't care about criminals. Only the ones he's friends with."

See, I'm already not paying money for this, but when the story is this bad I feel as if I'm owed money, just for the sheer distaste I have when I read it. This is so poorly-written, I literally feel as if I need the writer to pay me compensation.

[big_daddy_d]

So...not gonna apologize to Morbius Spidey? Did you not learn that it was Curt that made him lose control?...So..just feel like being a Spider-Dick today I see. Ok. No biggie. I'll just put you on this wall of shame here:

[nefrekeptah]

No, he never learned that. Nobody knows that except for the Lizard himself, and he's (technically) dead by the end of the issue. So no, he's NOT "just being a Spider-dick."

[zechs80]

KINGSLEY'S BACK! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! Sorry.. I cannot help myself but looove this. But I think the whole this arc since Big Time is because of Spidey to reach this point. He just needs MJ or someone to smack some sense back into him.

[captainbellman]

Except Daniel Kingsley has only ever been shown as a coward who shared a mutual loathing with his brother. This seems like Dan Slott knows he fucked up the Hobgoblin and is desperate to pretend it was part of the plan to bring back Roderick all along.

How weak.