Comic Review: The Amazing Spider-Man Volume 2

I must have enjoyed that Amazing Spider-Man volume I read recently more than I thought.  I mean, I’ve already read the next one.  Meanwhile, some series I like I maybe get to every few months.  I have no explanation for that.

But hey, let’s look at the second volume in the series, subtitled Friends and Foes.

The five issues collected here cover two stories.  The first has Peter Parker’s new roommate, possibly reformed supervillain Bommerang, take Peter to the Bar With No Name for Spider-Man Trivia Night.  In the second, the mysterious Thieves Guild robs every superhero in New York of their equipment in a show of power, including somehow Spidey’s web-shooters.  That involves a Black Cat team-up to get everyone’s stuff back.

By the by, have the superheroes of New York forgiven Peter yet for…the Kingpin obviously pulling a trick?  I mean, that may be the one subplot I’m not buying right now.

So, I’ve said before that all a good Spider-Man story needs to be is fun.  And these issues are still fun.  Peter, posing as a supervillain (sort of), obviously aces Spider-Man Trivia Night.  But the real point is actually to show how sad a life Boomerang actually leads.  He has no real friends, and he may not be all bad.  Then again, he also has other things going on that could be a problem going forward.

And on the other end of things, two women in Peter’s life have something worth noting here.  Mary Jane finds support she didn’t know she needed from an unexpected source in what may be the best plotline of the book.  As for Black Cat, writer Nick Spencer actually finds a way to show why she hasn’t been the best of allies to Spidey of late.  True, it referenced something I hate, but it works.

So, yeah, another fun book from Spencer, now with quirky art from Humberto Ramos.  I somehow suspect Jimmy Impossible, should he be keeping up with this, is happy with what’s going on.   I know I am.  Now if only these things seem so darn short…  8.5 out of 10 embarrassing pings.