Written by Peter David
Art by Pat Lee; Dream Imagine; & VC’s Cory Petit
Cover Art by Pat Lee
SUMMARY:
Entitled “The Other: Evolve or Die, Part 2 of 12: Denial,” Marvel Comics released this issue for December 2005. Unaware that the nefarious Morlun is stalking her, working actress Mary Jane Watson-Parker desperately tries to keep track of her reckless husband’s battle against the Tracer. Worse yet, it appears that New Avengers Spidey & Iron Man have inexplicably turned against one another. Trying to follow the disjointed media coverage, Mary Jane must later fend off a crazed fanboy.
At Avengers Tower, Mary Jane privately confronts a perpetually distracted Peter with her worst fears. Simultaneously, a solemn Peter dreads sharing his heartbreaking medical diagnosis.
REVIEW:
Surprisingly, Spider-Man makes minimal impact in this story until the few pages. For instance, his three-way conflict with Tracer and Iron Man is oddly negligible, as readers only see a few scattered bits and pieces. By design, writer Peter David instead focuses on Mary Jane’s attitude towards Peter’s odd mood shifts — including a well-played scene where she evidently smokes Steve Rogers at billiards.
Though the last scene justifies the cover image, it just seems Mary Jane is unfairly left solo carrying the vast majority of this issue’s plot. Had David inserted a few instances conveying Peter’s rocky emotional state, it would have noticeably bolstered his somber script.
Including an excellent cover image, the art squad’s high-caliber visuals helps bolster Issue # 19 as a worthy read for Spider-fans.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
The first page summarizes the current arc to date. Including thumbnail cover reveals, there’s an “Other” checklist indicating what Spider-titles depict the next three installments of this arc.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6½ Stars
