Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by Stuart Immonen; Wade von Grawbadger; Justin Ponsor; & VC’s Cory Petit
Cover Art by Stuart Immonen & Richard Isanove
SUMMARY:
Marvel Comics released this untitled issue for April 2008. At a nighttime beach party with Peter Parker and his school buddies, guests Bobby “Iceman” Drake & Johnny “Human Torch” Storm are present witnessing Liz Allen burst into flame. Having abruptly discovered her own mutant powers, a bewildered Liz (now resembling a female Human Torch) flees.
After Iceman takes off to calm Liz down, Peter discovers that his own secret identity isn’t exactly a secret anymore. Working together, teenagers Spider-Man & Iceman console Liz. A surprise encounter will continue this Ultimate X-Men crossover into the next issue.
Notes: This issue is reprinted in Ultimate Spider-Man, Volume 20: And His Amazing Friends (for the arc of Issues # 118-122). Also, it’s mentioned that Liz’s fiery transformation has rendered her nude, but Marvel’s artwork stays clean.
REVIEW:
Brian Michael Bendis, to his credit, doesn’t go overboard playing out this contemporary Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends homage. Hence, Issue # 119 issue benefits from some welcome twists utilizing Liz Allen as Firestar’s stand-in. The art squad’s visuals effectively work off Bendis’ scripting for a kid-friendly read, making it a solid find for fans of the animated TV series.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
The first page summarizes recent events in Ultimate Spider-Man. A full-page interview is conducted with writer Mark Millar. There’s also a full-page cover reveal for Issue # 120.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
