Since Spider-Man went to the new publishing format (three times a month) the series has gotten more and more exciting as the weeks have gone by. This latest story arc Character Assassination is one of the many bright spots of the last few years. I could go on and on about how much I hated Brand New Day, but the fact is it brought us to this point, and that is a good place to be.
Talk about your tough weeks, the Spider Tracer killer is still on the loose when Character Assassination starts and this becomes very important almost immediately. Spidey is on the run for several reasons (see superhuman registration, Norman Osborn, etc.) and the last thing he needs is a murder wrap hanging over his head, but that’s exactly what he gets.
I have some issues with the set up for this story. Like how the cops know about spider tracers in the first place. How did the technology become so common place? This is one of the few areas where the writers take liberties I’m not completely comfortable with, it’s definitely a head scratching moment in the book.
To set up my next issue I’m going to go into Peter’s current living arrangements. His roommate is a cop named Vinnie or Vin for short. It’s important to point out that Vin hates Spider-Man and doesn’t really think much of Peter either. This leads to a problem when Carlie (one of Peter and Vin’s mutual friends) develops a way to trace the tracers from the killings. She follows the signal back to Peter and Vin’s apartment and finds the tracers under Vin’s bed. This leads me to my second big problem with the story.
How could Vin have a bag full of Spider Tracers in his room and not have Peter’s spider sense going ape shit? The tracers work after all, how come Peter didn’t pick up on them? All they had to do was explain that there must have been a different frequency and that would have done it, instead they leave it to me to assume the situation works out the way it does.
I know I’m being hard on the book right now, but it really does get better. There is more going on in the background that will have a profound effect on Peter and his friends. The mayoral election is also going on as the story develops and plays an important role in the story eventually. As the Election Day gets closer the book ramps up the intensity in a good way.
Remember that Spider-Man has been injured, he’s been shot and that factors in heavily to his loss to Menace the main bad guy of this little tale. Menace has been around since Brand New Day and is a Goblin type. Since Harry is also around the writers do a good job of creating a mystery involving Menaces identity.
It comes as a huge shocker that Lilly Hollister is Menace and the writers don’t waste any time on that reveal, instead giving you ample time to absorb the shock. Considering that Lily’s father is the one running for Mayor the story starts to make sense as to Menaces motivations. After all the reveal isn’t the end of the story, it’s what happens now that we know who Menace is that is the key, but before that can be resolved Spidey has to go to jail, which is where the book shines.
Before that there is an interlude issue that goes deeper into the relationship between Lily Hollister and Harry Osborn. Now that he knows she is Menace he has an important choice to make. I’ve missed Harry in the books and am glad to have him back. This story points out how Peter’s supporting cast really helps to expand the story and make it deeper and more involved. With Harry’s history with the Goblin legacy it makes sense for Spidey’s problems to come close to home. Now, about Peter going to jail…
Peter manages to keep his secret identity despite being in custody thanks to the timely intervention of Matt Murdock. Matt talks some sense into Peter and convinces him not to escape, this is one of the few instances that the book deals with what’s going on in the current Marvel status quo. While Spider-Man is in jail, his friends are trying to uncover the conspiracy of the Spider-Tracer killings.
It turns out that this story is actually a really well told cop drama. Spider-Man is simply the victim of a frame up that is pretty elaborate. What I like is that it’s a different take on the cop/vigilante dynamic. It does make the cops look bad but it is an interesting angle for the story.
When the cat get’s let out of the bag Vin ends up in jail when the conspiracy turns ugly and the cops involved turn on Vin. If not for a timely rescue by Peter, Vin would have likely lost his life in jail.
Let’s put a bow on this puppy, because this is a review and not a round up I’m not going to ruin the big finish. Let’s just say that the final issue of the series brings everything together nicely. The characters are woven together in a tight web (no pun intended) that leaves them all forever changed.
Despite a few slight stumbles this series is one of the better Spider-Man arcs I’ve read in a while. The action is first rate and the drama works. The ending is highly rewarding and worth your hard earned cash.
Spider-Man has always been about relationships for me. And this story has that in spades as we get to see Peter and Harry’s friendship get put to the test like no other.
