Amazing Spiderman #43 - very disappointing

After the great story last issue this one was just so disappointing.

Doc Ock is a washed up villain to me and never should have been brought back. His characterization is wrong here isn't it? Isn't he supposed to be a semi paranoid, posturing, arrogant baddie with delusions of grandeur? He seemed too lucid and controlled here. And since when could the arms come off? Did I miss something? I remember a story long ago where he was separated from his arms and they came looking for him but didn't they get fused together again or something? I'm afraid I'm out of the loop as far as Doc Ock is concerned. And since when does Doc Ock make jokes?

And speaking of jokes what's up with Aunt May at the airport? This is way out of character for her and was just stupid. And why does Peter feel the need to take his Spidey stuff with him just to go see MJ? There is no way that stuff gets past security. Is JMS going to turn him into so kind of obsessive personality? Is he Batman now? Don't you think that just maybe the airport security would find a guy wearing a Spidey suit a bit odd? Didn't Aunt May ever teach him to tuck in his shirt? But it goes far beyond all that. Since Spiderman is the source of their marriage problems why would any thinking person drag the Spidey gear along for the ride? It just doesn't make any sense.

And the Doc Ock wannabe, Mr. Carlyle was just too forced a character. He asks Doc Ock about the limitations of his technology and just takes him at his word? And to make matters worse leaves the arms in the same room. Hasn't this guy ever seen a Bond film?

So we see MJ is going to be in a movie. That's fine but couldn't JMS have come up with something more original then have her playing the love interest of a super hero? Did any of you not see this coming from a mile away? The whole MJ thing has gone too far. Since when did she become so cold? If being Mrs. Peter Parker is such a burden then divorce him and be done with it. I know JMS is trying to inject some realism into this whole separation thing but IMHO its just not working.

Most comics rely on convenient timing to tell a story now and then, but this issue was just too convenient for me.

The only thing that keeps this issue from being a total wash is Romita's art.

Doc Ock has been show in a lot of different lights. From a mass murderer to someone who sincerely tried to save Reed and Sue Richard's baby.

No way, that was a great scene. Very funny and shows that having May in on the identity really does work.

> So we see MJ is going to be in a movie. That's fine but couldn't JMS

It was funny and there's a lot you can play with there.

Did any of you not see this coming from a mile

Yeah M.J. seemed out of character here. It's like a firefighter's wife being upset he missed a dinner date to save a dozen children from a blaze. But maybe she's got a reason that'll be revealed.

I don't have a problem with a writer giving Doc Ock more of a personality than 'raving supervillain'. I actually felt bad for him when he was tricked by Carlyle.

Again, it beats her usual 'Poor Peter, you're such a frail boy' routine that's been her only personality for the last 40 years.

And why does Peter

It makes perfect sense, in a comic book sort of way. He's obviously going to get in the middle of the two Doc Ock's, and he couldn't really do that if he didn't have his Spidey stuff. As for a reason with in the story, Peter's travelled before, and he knows that there's always a possibility that he'll need to act as Spider-Man, so he takes his stuff with him. As for the Spidey suit under his clothes, all the security guys know is that he's wearing a Spider-Man shirt. Chances are there are plenty of those floating around the Marvel Universe.

I figured they were in the room with Doc Ock as a test to see if he could still get to them. If he could, Carlyle was prepared by having his own, superior arms on, and since it looked like he couldn't, there was no need to move them.

I doubt anyone thought to themselves at the first mention of MJ being in a movie 'I bet she's going to play the love interest of a superhero!'. Maybe when the producer first started talking about the plot, but that was, what, two or three panels before the

Taishan

Well yes that is a good point but I just don't like the character because I think he is an old school villain that will always be old school. The fact that Dr. Carlyle mentions how his arms look like they came from the 60's says all you need to know about him. He was still an okay villain IMO until the mid 80's then he started to show his age. Why do you think they killed him off to begin with? As a villain he is dated.

No offense taken Aaron. And apart from Aunt May I really can't think of any elderly characters at Marvel. Not in any of the books I buy anyway. And I think of Doc Ock as middle aged not elderly. The thing is Aaron I just don't like Aunt May. I feel she served her purpose in the Spidey books and its past time for her to leave. I don't think she adds anything to the stories and I don't like her knowing Peter's secret. She needs to realize she doesn't belong in Spidey's world and she should stay out of it. To me Aunt May is a background character and if she is going to stay in the Spidey books she should remain a background character. Yes she is the only mother Peter has ever really known, but there comes a time when parents have to let go. Aunt May is hopelessly out of her depth in Spidey's world.

Yes he has but broaden her how? She is still the same clingy busybody she has always been except she has been given a makeover of sorts. Aunt May has always been trying to play 'catch up' to the rest of the world. She has always been behind the times. But now she uses a computer and sends email. I grant you that's not rocket science and it isn't unheard of since many elderly people do this on a regular basis but it just doesn't suit her character. And now she is doing quick-witted improv to get them past security by making crude allusions to her privates. I don't know any elderly people who act this way do you? All the elderly people I know are fairly dignified and wouldn't even consider acting this way.

I can think of at least two times when he has gone traveling without his Spidey suit. The first was the Spiderman/Wolverine one shot that had them in Germany, and was where Ned Leeds got killed after being set up as the Hobgoblin. Peter ended up getting a rental costume with the words Spiderman written in German on the back. The second was Peter Parker Annual #7. Pete and MJ are on their honeymoon. The Puma stops by (at his uncle insistence) to pay back a debt to Peter and get his help as Spiderman. Peter says he didn't bring his costume but Puma planned ahead and has one made for him. Also there have been many times Peter has played the hero in New York without his costume, so travelling without it wouldn't be so strange.

Exactly my point it wasn't realistic. Since JMS felt the need to address airport security in the wake of 9-11 he should have made it impossible for them to get past security. We all know there have been lapses in airport security since 9-11 but to present it in this fashion makes airport security look like total incompetents. Two people acting weird carrying strange metal devices and one wearing a Spiderman suit under his clothes would never get past anybody.

Then I politely disagree back.

<<I can think of at least two times when he has gone traveling without his Spidey suit. The first was the Spiderman/Wolverine one shot that had them in Germany, and was where Ned Leeds got killed after being set up as the Hobgoblin. Peter ended up getting a rental costume with the words Spiderman written in German on the back. The second was Peter Parker Annual #7. Pete and MJ are on their honeymoon. The Puma stops by (at his uncle insistence) to pay back a debt to Peter and get his help as Spiderman. Peter says he didn't bring his costume but Puma planned ahead and has one made for him. Also there have been many times Peter has played the hero in New York without his costume, so travelling without it wouldn't be so strange>>

You have come up with 2 isolated incidents when Peter travels without his costume, but what about the literally hundreds of times he has travelled _with_ his costume?

Given the preponderence of occasions Peter was travelled with his Spidey suit, it is far more in character for him to bring it with him on a trip than leave it behind.

But as even you point out it's not unheard of for it to happen. If once, why not twice? If twice, why not three times? Maybe web-swinging was the furthest thing from his mind considering the circumstances. Isn't this kind of a petty thing to pick on, anyway?

I completely disagree with you. I thought #42 was weak and #43 was getting back to the sort of writing that's made JMS' run on Amazing Spider-Man really exceptional.

Where is it written that any human being (even the paranoid Doc Ock) can't make a joke every now and again? I mean the whole context (Doc Ock trying to get a legitimate job) seems to indicate that the man has changed and that all bets are off about past behavior. And he was making a joke at a point to try to ingratiate himself to a potential employer. Actually I think it probably demonstrates that Doc Ock is unused to interacting with other people in a normal way

One has to wonder, though, whether those instances would have been the reason for him to always just bring the gear along; some villains may not be as sporting as Puma (especially Norm Osborn). It wasn't long after these two incidents that he went to Kansas for that job interview and brought his spidey stuff, and then went touring all over the country and brought his gear too. He's probably just playing it safe.

*shrug* I'm still trying to figure out why he needed to bring his nail clippers with him to California. Do his spider-powers make him susceptible to ingrown toenails?

<<Maybe web-swinging was the furthest thing from his mind considering the circumstances. Isn't this kind of a petty thing to pick on, anyway?>>

Isn't this a question you should be asking yourself? You were the one who pointed out it was 'wrong' for Peter to bring his Spidey suit w/him to California. I merely pointed out it was totally consistent with his past behavior.