SINISTER WAR #1

 

    Writer Nick Spencer is finally leaving The Amazing Spider-Man in the Fall. Unfortunately, Marvel's genius idea is to have four different writers on it after Spencer's run. Their other genius idea is to replace Peter Parker with his clone and have the clone be the star. So until all of that happens, Spencer has to finish his run by changing the infamous "One More Day" storyline. There's also Spencer's big "Sinister War" storyline to unfold. This is the first part of it, although it's pretty much just a continuation of his Amazing run. If you haven't been reading it then you'll be totally fucking lost. It's also a short mini-series at four issues. It's also pretty dumb. This issue starts off with Dr. Strange having a conversation with Mephisto about Peter Parker's bargain. This happened years ago when Joe Quesada had Peter Parker make a deal with the devil to make his marriage with Mary Jane disappear. Aunt May was shot and the deal let her live. This happened way back in 2007 but fans still seem to hate it and bring it up often, probably why Spencer is going back to change it. I'm not entirely sure why they wanted to get rid of Parker and Mary Jane's marriage in the first place. I suppose it was to free up more stories involving his love life...although has he even dated anyone since then significant? The other reason was to create controversy to sell books. Either way, it looks like Mephisto will renege on his deal somehow and Parker and Mary Jane will get married again. While that subplot is going on, Peter Parker and Mary Jane go to her movie premiere where The Savage Six and The Sinister Six both attack everyone. There's a huge fight. Afterwards, Spider-Man ends up fighting Kindred. And that's part 1. The Sinister Six of course is the infamous group of villains with The Sandman, Kraven, Dr. Octopus, Lizard, and Electro. The Savage Six is a new creation led by The Vulture. Rhino is in it. So are a bunch of nobodies like Tarantula. Mysterio is in this issue but he's supposedly a good guy now. Also he's secretly the director of the movie that Mary Jane starred in. Yep, I said this issue was dumb. It also doesn't help that Mark Bagley drew it. His art is pretty basic and harks back to the 90's...if you're into that old school look. For a short four issue event book that's supposed to be a big deal for Marvel, you'd think they'd get a better artist. It also doesn't help that Spencer's run has turned into a fucking mess. It's never been good and never got better. The one storyline he's continued with for years during his run is the menacing, villain Kindred. Kindred turned out to be (lamely) Harry Osbourne, Norman's son. I'm still not sure if Kindred is supposed to dead, alive, a zombie, supernatural, or what. I'm not entirely sure if even Spencer knows. But the entire run has featured this boring, confusing villain and that certainly never helped. This issue, thank God, is breezier and less wordy than the usual Spencer issue. So it's at least short and mildly amusing. I can't even remember the last time The Amazing Spider-Man was a great book. Was it when McFarlane and Larsen worked on it? Maybe parts of that J. Michael Straczynski run, which featured "One More Day." Will putting four different writers on the book change anything? Sounds like a recipe for incoherence and disaster. I guess we'll see. **