It's very rare that we can pick up a comic and genuinely be moved by what what we are reading. A lot of the stories nowadays just just go through the motions. There's a story with some action, a few witty one liners, and possibly some romance and drama. Then there are stories that come around that get you so involved in the story that it makes you glad that you read comics. Forget that this is a crossover for the "Secret Wars" event. It's not really important. Sure it helps, but in the grand scheme of things, this story wasn't about Dr. Doom and his remade world. This is a story that every fan of Peter Parker and Spider-Man will love.
In the beginning, Peter Parker is still Spider-Man, is now married to Mary Jane (as he should be) and Peter is still selling photos of himself as Spider-Man to make ends meet. But there is a slight difference now. Peter and Mary Jane have a daughter named Annie Parker to take care of. One night, when Annie is just a baby, Mary Jane says that she needs him home more as Peter and not Spidey. Peter apologizes and says that he's been picking up the slack for the other guys like Daredevil and Moon Knight who have been slacking a bit. Later, Peter finds out that heroes haven't been slacking, they have been disappearing.
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So Peter makes his way to the Avengers to ask them for help. The Avengers are already in the process of going after the guy responsible for the recent super people disappearances. A guy named Augustus Roman who is now calling himself "Regent". They offer him and his family asylum while things are getting crazy. Peter calls Mary Jane to find out if she was up for staying at Avengers mansion when he overhears that there was a major breakout at Riker's Island. Spider-Man rushes home knowing that Venom was locked up there and that he would immediately head right for his house. Spider-Man kicks in the window and beats the snot out of Venom for threatening his family. Venom manages to escape and make his way to Mary Jane who escaped after Spidey saved her and Annie. Spidey fights Venom and when Venom says that he quits and he can't wait to fight him again, Peter realizes that he can't have Venom putting his family in danger. He has to break his one rule. Spider-Man kills Venom and leaves his life as Spider-Man behind.
As any Spider-Man fan knows, things for Peter Parker never just end. Years go by and their daughter is in elementary school and won't stop using her powers. So what's the big deal? Super powers are outlawed and people with powers tend to disappear. Peter and MJ do everything they can to make sure she doesn't get caught and taken away. While selling pictures to J. Jonah Jameson, he overhears that Regent's goons are going after some super powered kid at his daughter's school. Peter immediately tightens his hoodie and heads right for the school. Thankfully, it wasn't his daughter, but Peter managed to save the kids anyway. This was the first time Annie got to see her father in action. Spider-Man had returned and the people of the city were both ecstatic and angry. But Regent was the happiest of them all. Now he could take Spider-Man's powers. Now that Regent knows he back in action, what does Peter and his family do now?
Writing: 10
When you can read a book and feel every emotion because of how well something is written, then you definitely have a winner on your hands. Dan Slott has been writing Spider-Man for years and it shows that he really enjoys writing him. It was difficult to not read this and think of everything that could have been with Mary Jane and Peter had she not made that stupid deal with Mephisto. With that said, knowing what came before made the story that much better.
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Art: 10:
Adam Kubert is an amazing artist. But what makes this book a ten? When you look at Peter Parker running to his daughter, you see the urgency in his face. When Spidey does something that defies all reason, it looks amazing. Kubert did a perfect job complimenting Dan Slott in this book.
In Conclusion:
Don't expect a perfect 10 often when this writer does reviews. But this book deserves it. As the kids say (AND GET OFF MY LAWN!!!) "So many feels". This book will hit you right where all of your emotions are. If you have ever loved someone, you will completely understand everything that Peter Parker does to keep his family safe. You still get the Peter Parker smart mouth and slick moves, but you also get to see something we may never get to see again. Peter Parker the husband and father. It's a shame too. It was a great concept.
