Movie Review: "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" - Expectations Exceeded

When Spider-Man was announced to be coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there were some fans who were wanting Miles Morales to be used instead of Peter Parker. While I think Miles' story could be reworked to where he was first, it works better to introduce Peter and then bring in Miles later down the line. However, since Sony was also making plans for an animated Spider-Man movie, it was the perfect place for Miles, making fans of both Spider-Men happy.

After the first trailer came out though, I was a little worried. For one, the animation style wasn't what I was expecting, and it took awhile for it to grow on me. The second issue though was that it was announced to be a "Spider-Verse" storyline, meaning Miles wouldn't have been the only spider-person involved. I wasn't a fan of this because it seemed like Miles wasn't getting the solo movie fans were wanting. Still, even if Miles had to share the spotlight, it did look like a fun Spidey movie. Now it's the best reviewed of all the Spider-Man movies, and it won the Academy Award for best animated feature. So yeah, I was worried for nothing.

Despite the other spider-people featured, Miles is still the star. Before and after he gets his powers, Miles' life and relationships are well established, and out of all the Spider-Man movies, this one is the best one to perfectly capture how it is to be an awkward teen in high school. The scene when he's walking down the hall after an embarrassing moment with his anxious thoughts going through his head brought back a lot of high school memories for me. His journey to becoming a new Spider-Man is full of emotional twists as he tries to find the courage, skills, and control he needs to become a hero (and yes, the climax comes down to him alone to save the day). The "leap of faith" scene downright gave me goosebumps.

While I was initially not a fan of the movie's animation style, it turned out to be one of the best aspects of the film. It's so unique to anything that's come before that it was really like a comic book coming to life panel by panel, even down to thought boxes, sound effects and instances of speech bubbles. Comparing it to the 2003 Hulk film, the use of multiple panels on screen to either show multiple situations going on or for a transition is much less distracting, though that may be easier to do in animation than live action. The action and fight scenes are also pretty damn amazing and some of the best I've ever seen in animation. Then you have even the most simple scenes where they're just fun to watch, like Peter and Miles having a conversation while casually walking up and down the sides of buildings.

The voice acting in the film is also perfection, working very well with the character designs, and playing off each other to make the relationships feel real natural. While Peter's had a number of voice actors that fans claim are definitive, like Christopher Daniel Barnes, Josh Keaton, or Yuri Lowenthal, it's really hard to picture any of their voices coming from the Peter in this movie.

Now for the other spider-people.

* We actually get two versions of Peter Parker in this film: a young adult one who made it to being a big time superhero as Spider-Man, and a middle aged version whose life has kind of fallen apart. The former even has a kind of "Spider-Cave" where there are tons of easter eggs for comic fans, from the Spider-Mobile to long row of cases featuring many costumes. With the latter, he has as much of a journey as Miles. Much like how Miles is learning how to be Spider-Man, this Peter is actually trying to find the spark himself to be Spider-Man again. He's grown tired of Uncle Ben's mantra and even willing to sacrifice himself since he feels he has nothing to go back to. If we see him again in a sequel, here's hoping we get to see his attempt to fix things pay off.

* The Spider-Woman version of Gwen Stacy has more of a "blink and you miss it" emotional journey, as she learns to let people get close to her again after the Peter Parker of her world became the Lizard and died (which lines up with her comic origin). Along with Peter, Gwen is the other spider-person Miles becomes close with, planting the seeds of a possible relationship we could see in a sequel. I also consider it a nice touch that the score focusing on her has a punk rock feel to it, working well with her background as drummer.

The other three spider-people don't have as much focus compared to the main three, but they're still entertaining.
* Nicolas Cage has a lot of fun as Spider-Man Noir of the 1930's. The character is more of a private eye of the time compared to how complex he is in the comics, but when you have so many characters in a film, sometimes a simple approach is fine. He does look normal like the main three besides being in black and white; there's also a funny touch in that he's color blind.
* The last two spider-people really stand out because their animation styles are vastly different, retaining the appearance from their own universe rather than changing them to fit with Miles'. First you have Peni Parker and SP//dr, who has a blatant anime influence and is definitely the most chipper of the group. Then of course, we have Spider-Ham, whose Looney Tunes influence and voice provided by John Mulaney helps steal the show in almost every scene he's in.

The main villain of the movie is Kingpin, whose motivation makes him as sympathetic as Mr. Freeze. You understand why he's doing what he's doing, but you have to wonder if his actions will bear the results he truly wants.
While there are other villains present, the one who surprised me was Kathryn Hahn as Olivia Octavius, the Doctor Octopus of Miles' world. Hahn is more well known for comedic roles, so her portraying a mad scientist without going over the top was quite a shock when I realized it was her as the character.

Overall, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" isn't just a good movie, but I consider it to be among the greatest in both the superhero and animated genres. Any lingering issues I have are quite minor in the grand scheme of the film. This may not be Miles' first appearance outside the comics, but "Spider-Verse" cements his place in the mainstream pop culture for years to come.

Retro Review: "Spider-Man: The Last Stand"

We've now come to the final act of Mark Millar's Spider-Man run, "The Last Stand."

PREVIOUSLY IN MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN: With no new leads on Aunt May or her kidnapper, Spider-Man had to deal with a new Venom after Eddie Brock sold off the symbiote in a criminal underground auction. In the aftermath of that, Aunt May's kidnapper contacted Peter and set up a meeting.

"The Last Stand" begins in issue nine with a heartfelt flashback to a 13 year old Peter with Uncle Ben. Peter is upset thinking about how much older Ben and May are compared to his classmates' parents, and is worried about them dying and him being left alone. Ben consoles Peter by telling him about his and May's relatives who had lived long lives, assuring Peter that he isn't going anywhere. One moment of tragic irony and a lifetime spiral of death and misery later brings us to the present. Basically Peter's thinking about all the people who have died due to Peter's life as Spider-Man from Gwen Stacy and her father, to Harry Osborn, Jean DeWolffe and so many others, worrying that Aunt May is next on the list. I snark, but it's amazing just how many people have died during Peter's career as Spider-Man, and yet he still keeps fighting on with his upbeat and joking personality.
We then cut to Peter having his meeting with the kidnapper, and he has no idea who he is. The kidnapper feels insulted that he has to spell it out.
Before I reveal who it is, when this story was first coming out, my big theory was that it was Ben Reilly, Peter's clone from the Clone Saga of the 90's. Honestly, the only thing I had to base that on was the instances shown of the kidnapper having powers similar to Spider-Man. Ben being the kidnapper was a bit of a stretch, considering Marvel had seemed to be wanting to distance themselves from the Clone Saga as much as they could at the time. But Ben had been mentioned through Millar's run twice already, so it seemed possible. Still, it did seem kind of crazy that Ben would come back as a villain. I mean, could you imagine--

Oh right. Well, at least Peter David and Christos Gage gave him a prompt redemption story; and though his solo series was cancelled, hopefully we see him back soon.
Anyway, it turns out the kidnapper was actually Mac Gargan, the Scorpion. It was kind of a letdown, but it was probably just my high hopes of seeing Ben Reilly come back since I was a big fan of the character.
Peter then slams Mac against a nearby building, cracking the window on impact. Mac warns him that if he threatens him again or doesn't listen to him, May's as good as dead. The two sit at a café and Mac reveals that it was indeed Norman Osborn who told him and hired him to kidnap May; they play this off as a big twist, even though Osborn pretty much said this was the case way back in the first act. I don't care if Osborn acted like he was lying, Millar pretty much gave away the motivation from the start. Admittedly, there is more to Osborn's plan, as Mac says May's kidnapping was an insurance policy. Mac explains that once superheroes started popping up in the 1940's, rich businessmen and corporations were worried that the do-gooders would turn their attention to them and their own shady deeds. So to keep the heroes distracted, they basically created the supervillains, with handlers assigning them to specific heroes. Even Osborn was one of the proprietors of the conspiracy until he went crazy and became a supervillain himself. While Bush and Clinton apparently put an end to these programs, those in charge of the cabal never saw any jailtime. I'm not totally against this idea. I mean, it wouldn't be the case for all supervillains, but it's interesting. I kind of see it as how comic book superhero stories escalated, since Superman's first appearance dealt with him serving social justice and taking down corrupt officials. Even comic book readers would be more interested in a colorful costumed villain than some businessman in a suit. It also kind of reminds me of how supervillains are done on the Venture Bros., with villains being assigned enemies based on their threat levels.
With Osborn in jail, the cabal is worried about him spilling secrets so they've arranged for Dr. Octopus to be brainwashed to kill Osborn. With that threat imminent, Mac tells Peter that Osborn wants him to break him out. Peter of course tells him to forget it, but Mac reminds him that May will die if he doesn't, and that there's no other way to save her.
After their meeting, Peter heads home where one of his students, Humberto, is waiting outside since Peter said he would help him with a paper. With everything going on, Peter wants to give Humberto a raincheck, but the paper's due tomorrow. Peter relents and promises Humberto ten minutes. This is another good guy Peter moment I like; Peter could have just blown him off or gave him an extension, but no, even dealing with what he's asked to do, he still takes the time to help a kid interested in science as he is.
The final scene of the issue shows Mac going back to his apartment to pick up his new Scorpion suit, but the Venom symbiote is waiting, wanting to form a new partnership. Mac is hesitant saying he has enough friends, but the symbiote replies "You never had a friend like me before." The issue ends there, but I have this sneaking suspicion that the symbiote broke into a dance number to convince him to bond.

Issue ten begins with Spider-Man at Uncle Ben's grave, with a restored headstone, apologizing that he's about to break the law, but it's the only way to save May. We then cut to Peter and Mary Jane's apartment, where she's trying to convince Peter not to do this since it's just Osborn manipulating their lives again. Peter reiterates he has no choice, and then he and Black Cat head to the prison. To make sure Spider-Man isn't seen doing a prison break, he's wearing black baggy clothes and mask over his regular costume. Before they head inside, Felicia offers Peter the chance to back out and allow her to be the one to break Osborn out; her criminal past can allow her to bear this on her conscience, but she knows it would be harder for Peter. While he appreciates the sentiment, the two head in as planned.
They manipulate the security system to break Osborn out, only for guards to eventually discover him missing and sound the alarm. Spidey, Cat, and Osborn are escaping through the sewer system when they encounter a maintenance worker who radios the guards when he sees them. Osborn tackles him against the wall and makes a break for it, with Cat going after him while Spidey stays behind to check on the worker. Guards then arrive and shoot at Spidey, who submerges himself in the water, staying under so he can get far enough away from the prison. It's going well until the water itself seems to jettison him onto a pier. It turns out it's Hydro-Man, and Sandman is there too holding Black Cat down. Spidey then looks up and sees Norman fully dressed as the Green Goblin and on his glider. Goblin finds it hilarious that Spider-Man actually thought he would have kept his end of the deal, remarking that May only has an hour left to live, and that his last act involved him breaking the law. Spidey and Cat then find themselves surrounded by more villains which Goblin dubs the Sinister Twelve; the other members include Shocker, Lizard, Electro, Vulture, Chameleon, Boomerang, Hammerhead, and Tombstone. Goblin remarks that it's a shame Scorpion didn't show, only for the issue to end with Mac Gargan arriving as the new host of the Venom symbiote.

Issue eleven begins with Goblin surprised and somewhat insulted that Mac isn't wearing the new Scorpion suit he made him, with Mac arguing that being the new Venom is even more of an upgrade. Goblin sets his own pride aside to allow the villains to put an end to Spider-Man while he goes off to kill Mary Jane. Spidey and Cat begin battling the villains only for Cat to be electrocuted and knocked out by Electro. Now alone and surrounded by his enemies, Spider-Man fights on, knowing this could be how he dies and that he let down Mary Jane and Aunt May.
I want to take a timeout from the story though to say that the idea of a Sinister Twelve isn't a bad one, but here, it doesn't live up to its potential. Chameleon, Boomerang, Tombstone, and Hammerhead are barely involved or seen in the fight, and hell, I actually had to look up Wikipedia to identify Hammerhead and Tombstone since the art kind of obscures them in the Sinister Twelve reveal two page spread in issue ten. Besides that, I kind of wish they had more well-known or powerful Spidey villains involved. I mean, Boomerang? Seriously? And Chameleon's whole schtick is being a master of disguise; what does he have to offer here? Why not Mysterio, Rhino, or Molten Man? And comparing this to "Hush", at least the villains involved there had a part to play in the master plan against Batman. Here, it just feels like they threw in whoever they could.
Thankfully for Spidey though, Mary Jane called in the cavalry through SHIELD, who sent in the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and Daredevil, who help fight the villains and get Cat to safety. Cap says they got this so Spider-Man can go help Mary Jane, who has already been kidnapped by the Goblin. Spidey races through the city only to be blindsided by Venom. The two have a pretty cool battle over the streets, leading to Venom shooting out multiple symbiote tendrils across the buildings and then using them to tear down pieces to crash down on the people below. Spidey moves fast though and is able to catch the rubble in a giant web before anyone is hit; and for the first time since this run began, Spidey gets some actual praise from the citizens. Spidey then pulls out all the stops on Venom, finally defeating him by pulling down a condemned building on top of him. Spidey takes a second to make sure no one else is hurt before going on his way to help MJ. This is the last we see of Venom in this story, and it's worth noting that Gargan would remain as Venom until 2010. In terms of a successor, Gargan wasn't too bad; he definitely had more of the villainous edge Angelo was missing in the last act.
Meanwhile at Riker's Penitentiary, a group of doctors are discussing Osborn's escape over a seemingly unconscious Dr. Octopus, who awakens at the mere mention of Osborn. The doctors try to keep him under control since the brainwashing isn't a precise science and he needs guidance. But there's no going back since Ock has summoned his arms, killing the doctors and going about his mission. I'm at least glad to see Ock with a little more dignity than he was shown in the previous act, even if he was doped up on tranquilizers.
Finding the apartment empty, Spider-Man uses his instincts to try and find Mary Jane, leading him to the Brooklyn Bridge, where he sees Goblin holding her unconscious. The issue ends with a splash page of Goblin's smug face asking "Look familiar, Mister Parker?" For a penultimate issue, it's a pretty ominous cliffhanger.

Issue twelve begins with Spidey trying to talk sense into the Goblin, who's just enjoying watching him squirm, until they're interrupted by the arrival of Doc Ock. It's also worth mentioning that it's started raining, adding more to the ambiance of the situation. Ock's tentacles knock Mary Jane out of Goblin's grasp, but Goblin blasts Ock back with some pumpkin bombs. The distraction allows for Spidey to web his glider and slam Goblin down. The two begin to battle while MJ comes to, pulling out her gun and getting two shots into Goblin. The kickback sends MJ over the edge of the bridge though. As she falls, Peter thinks back to what happened to Gwen, learning from his mistakes then and shooting multiple weblines at MJ to ensure a safe stop. While pulling her back up, Goblin tries to crush them with his own glider, only to be stopped by Ock. As the two villains struggle, lightning strikes the glider, shocking them as well and causing them to fall from the bridge into the water. After Peter and MJ embrace each other, Peter remarks that there's no way of finding May in time, until something clicks in his head. He then swings off, leaving MJ on top of the bridge and telling her to wait for the police. Oh yeah Pete, just leave your wife at the very top of a tall bridge in the middle of a thunderstorm. You know it could have taken you probably five seconds to drop her down to street level.
Peter remembers choice words from both Osborn and Gargan and how they described May's situation, as well as remembering Rachel's vision from the previous act. He puts it together that May had been drugged and buried alive in the cemetery right next to Uncle Ben's grave. Peter is able to dig her out, and while he thinks he's too late at first, she eventually starts breathing again, and Peter embraces her. I will say though that Rachel's vision of the tombstone in the previous act was a clever foreshadowing to her location.
In the aftermath, all the villains are taken into custody, except for Osborn who was never recovered from the river, Felicia is healing in the hospital, the new Scorpion is being sold at auction, and Jameson is praising Spider-Man since he still thinks it's his son, John. There's also a scene with Aunt May finding Peter sulking at a spot he occasionally goes to on the Brooklyn Bridge, who first comforts him by telling him that she's moving back into the old house, which the new owner is allowing her to rent at a good price, and selling the new apartment she was going to move into gives Peter and MJ enough to pay off their debts (so there's that subplot resolved). Peter is still upset though that him being Spider-Man put her in so much danger, but she reminds him that it's because he's Spider-Man that he was able to save her and so many others in the past, signifying his importance by giving him his costume which she had brought in a bag. She then makes a crack about how Mary Jane says he throws a hissy-fit over being Spider-Man like this every so often before he eventually regains his senses as they head home to have some wheatcakes.
This story finally comes to an end with a letter Osborn sends to Peter, congratulating him on once again besting him, that he lives for their battles, and in a sick way, hopes there are no hard feelings. Yeesh, and I thought Joker had an unhealthy obsession with Batman.

I'd consider "The Last Stand" to be my favorite of the three acts of this story, since it gets right to the point, has some pretty climactic moments with Spidey against Goblin and Venom, and it wraps up everything very well. Plus, it's the act that doesn't remind me of my hatred of "One More Day" like the others did.
Despite my nit-picking through all these posts, I overall find Mark Millar's "Marvel Knights Spider-Man" run pretty serviceable. While the plot can run a little slow (especially in "Venomous"), Millar does get Peter's character and relationships right, and it features a good variety of his rogue's gallery, even if some of it is underutilized. Terry Dodson's art style is also very unique, giving it a different feel compared to other Spider-Man stories. I can't really recommend it to brand new readers, but if you're well versed in Spider-Man knowledge through maybe movie, games, or cartoons, it's definitely worth a look, though it really should be read in one setting.

Movie Review: Captain Marvel - Hear Her Roar

As we near the end of an era in the Marvel Cinematic Universe next month with "Avengers: Endgame", a big part of the Phase Three films has been setting up new heroes to carry on with the original Avengers who launched the MCU most likely on their way out. There's one hero in particular Marvel is hoping to lead the charge after Tony, Cap, and Thor are gone: Carol Danvers, AKA Captain Marvel. And despite those hoping to make her solo film a failure, it is anything but. If anything, it shows the future of the MCU is in good hands.

Tonally, I see the film as a perfect bridge between the Earth based heroes like the Avengers and the universe trotting of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Sure, we already saw these aspects collide in "Infinity War", but "Captain Marvel" allows for time to breathe. If anything, it's like a Phase One origin film, as it brings about this realism that helped ground the MCU when it began with an infusion of aspects of the Guardians' films, like the ship jump technology.

Having it set in 1995 also helps it really stand out compared to the rest of the MCU. I really enjoyed just how deep into the 90's they went, from the aesthetics, fashion, music, and references, including how slow computers were back then (man, I do not miss those days). The only other period piece we've had is the first Captain America film, and the Agent Carter series that spun off. I wouldn't mind if Marvel did more films like that in the future.

Brie Larson does a good job as Carol Danvers and the journey her character goes through. She's brave, tough, caring, and funny, so those who thought her performance wouldn't have much range based on the trailers should no longer worry. I see a lot of similarities between her story and that of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman. Her whole life, people have been underestimating her and/or not even giving her a chance, and it leads to a very satisfying climax where she shines and her true power is showcased; but above all, they both make it clear they won't back down and never give up in the face of adversity. Unlike Wonder Woman though, Carol's journey is more complex with her memories impaired, with her true potential not coming through until she pieces her life together as both a human and a Kree, allowing her to become the hero she's meant to be. The film does take some liberties with her origin that will probably upset comic purists, but really work within the context of the MCU. And without spoiling much, viewers will understand just why and how Carol will be able to go toe-to-toe with a fully assembled Infinity Gauntlet wielding Thanos in "Endgame".

Samuel Jackson returns as Nick Fury, and first off, the de-aging technology is once again on point. It's one thing to use it for flashback scenes like the Ant-Man movies, but being able to keep it up for a whole film without it looking weird is amazing. Having a younger Fury is also fun to watch, seeing him be so green in his first encounter with extraordinary people compared to the hardened spy who helped form the Avengers. Plus, I love the back and forth he and Larson have. Since the characters have some similar backgrounds, their interaction feels natural.

Clark Gregg also makes his return to the films as Phil Coulson, where he's shown as a new agent just starting out. What I love about his inclusion is that we see the bond he and Fury form that carries into the present day MCU. Also, while I know it's not possible, seeing the two together as such young agents makes me want to see the two in a buddy cop series.

As most will probably say, Goose the cat is a surprisingly fun addition to the film. As a cat owner and lover myself, I really enjoyed Goose's interaction with the characters and his own funny moments. And for those who unfortunately had the twist in the character spoiled beforehand, even when it was revealed, it was still a surprising moment that comes out of nowhere, and it adds a new aspect to have fun with.

The films touches upon the Kree-Skrull War from the comics. The Kree remain the same as in the comics and what we've seen so far in the MCU. Our main Kree character is Von-Rogg, played by Jude Law. He acts as Carol's mentor, hoping to instill in her the core Kree beliefs that he embodies. We also have the MCU debut of the Skrulls. First off, the make-up and costumes are great and their shapeshifting effects are really cool, being pretty detailed during the transformations. They do make a major change to the Skrulls though, and while I won't spoil it here, I don't think purists will like it. But damn it, it's another change that they make work. Going off that, the main Skrull character Talos, played by Ben Mendelsohn, is much different than I expected. Considering Mendelsohn has played villainous roles before in "Dark Knight Rises" and "Rogue One", it's kind of interesting to see him as a character that has a serious mission, but also has heart and wit to him.

Overall, "Captain Marvel" is as fun and enjoyable as other MCU origin films, particularly Phase One, adhering to the formula set by other Marvel films while also doing enough to help it stand out. It gives us the last stop on the road to "Endgame" and I can't wait to see Carol interact with the Avengers and more of her own adventures in the future.

Retro Review: "Spider-Man: Venomous"

I definitely meant to get to this one sooner, but January was a busy month for me (which is weird since it's usually a slow one). Without further ado though, it's finally time to look again at Mark Millar's "Marvel Knights Spider-Man" run.

PREVIOUSLY IN MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN: After Aunt May is taken by a mysterious kidnapper who knows his secret identity, Spider-Man's quest to find her lead him to being played by the Owl and hospitalized after a battle with Electro. Vulture would then steal Peter from his hospital room, only to be thwarted by the Black Cat, who returns Peter to his apartment afterwards. While at the hospital though, someone got a photo of Peter in the hospital unmasked, and it's now in the hands of J. Jonah Jameson.

"Venomous" begins in issue five with Eddie Brock being picked up at the airport, with the guy waiting for him holding up a sign that says "VENOM", which Eddie gives him crap for. Brock tells him to tell his boss (who I assume is later revealed to be the Tinkerer) to set up a bunch of extravagancies at his hotel room, saying he doesn't want his "last few days on Earth to be any more unpleasant than they have to be". At this point in the comics, Eddie had been battling cancer, and the symbiote was the only thing keeping him alive. However, the two had been on the outs, with the symbiote growing tired of a diseased host and Eddie of its bloodlust.
We then cut to Peter's apartment, where he awakes after being incapacitated for two and a half days. Mary Jane and Felicia tell him there's been no word from the kidnapper in that time and no new leads to go off of. To make matters worse, they show Peter a Daily Bugle with his hospital picture as the headline, and here's where the cliffhanger from the previous story makes no sense. It's not a picture of Peter unmasked, rather it shows Peter with a damaged Spider-Man mask on, with his bloody mouth shown and the lens over his right eye shattered. Considering Peter's actual face is barely visible, why did Jameson think he saw a familiar face? There definitely must have been a miscommunication between writer and artist. Anyway, Peter's freaking out that his identity may be out, but Felicia assures him his face is too busted up for anyone to tell who it is (not that the picture in the paper gives anything away to begin with). In addition, the paper is also offering five million dollars to anyone who can bring forth Spider-Man's identity.
After Felicia leaves to track down more leads, Mary Jane informs Peter that Nick Fury finally got back to him, saying he set up a meeting between him and one of the X-Men's psychics. Other messages include Daredevil saying he'll try to help and that Doctor Strange has tried everything he can but is unable to find a trace on Aunt May. You know, it's amazing how useless Doctor Strange is made out to be in stories that aren't his own. I know he's not a god, but he can't track down a little old lady? Mary Jane suggests maybe they should involve the police and have Peter go public, but Peter points out that May's kidnapping is what happens when one psychopath figures out his identity, so just imagine when everyone knows. Man, the more I reread pre-Civil War Spider-Man comics, the more I remember how out of character it was for him to reveal his identity.
The two start to think about everyone who knows Peter is Spider-Man when a phone call interrupts them. Peter answers and its their credit card company telling them they're three months behind in payments due to insufficient funds in their bank accounts. Peter is irate saying they have an automatic payment plan. This forces Mary Jane to come clean, saying that she had been using her own money to help keep production on a movie she's acting in afloat after they lost funding. Adding in them buying May's new apartment and it kind of spiraled, with Mary Jane hiding all this from Peter since she didn't want him to worry any more than he had to in addition to all the villains he deals with constantly. Peter takes all this pretty well considering, though I guess since he's been constantly broke before, it's nothing he can't deal with. Still, he decides to get his camera out to take some Spider-Man pictures to sell to the Bugle to get some extra cash.
Peter suits up and goes on patrol, but all he finds so far is a guy who flags him down to help him change a tire. Spidey begrudgingly holds up the car, but then he sees Doctor Octopus' tentacles go by. Spidey tells the guy he has to go, but the guys tells him that he's almost done. A frustrated Spidey then just flips the car over, leaving the scene and the guy angry. And honestly, I don't blame him. They imply Doc Ock is in another area, meaning Spidey didn't have to flip the car over. What would have helped this scene is if Ock attacked Spidey and that he had to use the car as a shield. Spidey would then get the guy to safety, and while he still would have been mad about his car getting trashed, it would have made Spidey look less like a dick.
So Ock is tearing things up for apparently no reason, which is very unlike him, making Spidey think he's having some kind of mental breakdown. Spidey pounds on Ock until he finally goes down, but his tentacles crash down on a bus. While nobody is hurt, Peter chastises himself that someone could have been if he had strategized better. Spidey checks out Ock and gets some pictures when he notices tranquilizers on his back. The two are then surrounded by a large SWAT team, revealing that they had been transferring Ock somewhere secret. He broke free and got shot with tranquilizers, which lead to his rampage. The cops also make it look like they want to take Spidey in for the property damage, but it's obvious to Spidey they just want to unmask him for the five million from the Bugle. The issue ends with the cops piling up on Spidey.

Issue six picks right back up with Spidey's thought boxes saying that even with his current injuries, he's still able to fight off a group of cops that big. He also questions why Ock was being transported around midnight, but that makes my head tilt. Not about what they were doing with Ock, but that the art makes it clear the sun is still out, so it's at least sunset when all this is going down. Spidey is able to fight his way out of the crowd and flings himself away from the area.
The next day, Peter (whose facial injuries have already seemed to heal) tells MJ about what happened, feeling that the Bugle reward is going to cause a lot of trouble. MJ then tells Peter that Felicia called her to let her know that a supervillain gathering is happening with Eddie Brock auctioning something off. This makes Peter worry and wish MJ had remained out of New York, but Mary Jane tells him that while he wishes their life was less complicated, that she loves him more than she's ever loved anyone and that he's not doing this on his own. That line was a bit of a gut punch for me considering how "One More Day" devalued their relationship. Again, Nick Spencer seems to be rectifying this in his current run, but getting reminded of how strong their relationship was pre-One More Day just makes me hate that story more and more.
Mary Jane then shows Peter her gun, saying she doesn't want to end up like Gwen. Peter wants to comfort her, but realizes she has every reason to defend herself.
Later on, Peter meets with Jameson about both the reward, where we learn an anonymous billionaire put up the money, and about the pictures he sent from the Doc Ock fight. Jameson tells Peter the photos were amateurish, but still gives him five hundred dollars since his and Mary Jane's money troubles are making the news, given her celebrity status as a model and actress.
After that, Spidey infiltrates the prison to talk with Osborn again, asking for any help he can give him. Osborn then tells him a story about how recently, a security guard buddied up to him and wanted help for his wife, who had been dealing with a serious illness for years. Osborn gives him the recipe for a homemade concoction that initially works, but soon enough, she was even worse than before, now in a coma and needing a machine to breathe. The point Osborn is making is if he'll do this to someone he barely knew, what made Peter think he would get help from his worst enemy? While that's definitely some dark stuff and shows how evil Osborn is, it's didn't really accomplish anything and felt like padding.
Spidey then heads to the X-Mansion to meet up with Rachel Summers, the alternate timeline daughter of Cyclops and Jean Grey. I've mentioned comics are weird, right? Anyway, Spidey gives May's engagement ring to Rachel so she can use her psychic powers to try and track down May. She receives flashes of May's violent abduction, saying how the person who took her is someone both her and Peter knew, but that he was different from how he was before. While she doesn't get an exact answer, her thought process leaves her to believe May is dead as she sees a vision of a tombstone. Dang, and no Mephisto to make a deal with in sight. In all seriousness though, even when this story was first coming out, I don't think anybody really believed May was dead. Without spoiling anything yet for the last act of the run, it's nothing more than a red herring; admittedly it's a clever one, but we'll get there.
The final scene of the issue is the underground auction talked about before, being hosted by the Tinkerer with some of the attendees including Sandman, Hydro-Man, Shocker, Mysterio, and Owl. It's revealed that the item Eddie is auctioning off is the Venom symbiote itself. Apparently, Eddie had been inspired by "The Passion of the Christ", wanting to face the consequences of his actions as Venom by letting his illness run its course. To balance out giving away a dangerous symbiote, Eddie also plans to donate all the money to charity. In terms of a character exit, this isn't a bad method in theory. Using the Passion as a catalyst is another instance of this run being dated, but given the impact the film had on people, it works. Eddie wants to leave the darkness behind in hopes of some sort of redemption. This also left the Venom character open to returning to his villainous roots, which is what Marvel seemed to be going for.

As issue seven begins with Spider-Man operating like it's been business as usual (including fighting Lizard, Rhino, Hydro-Man, the Enforcers and Sandman in separate circumstances), and it's apparently been over a month since May has been kidnapped, with no word from the kidnapper and no new leads. The only intel Black Cat has been able to gather is the Venom symbiote was auctioned off to mob boss Don Fortunato, who spent one hundred million so that his wimp of a son Angelo can make something of himself. I guess this time skip was something I missed or forgot about, but jeez, a month?! I think that kind of hurts the ticking clock I thought they were going for. I mean, what's the kidnapper been doing all this time? What's he waiting for? Furthermore, Peter and MJ concocted the story they sent May on a vacation so her friends wouldn't be suspicious. Are they still going with that story? I guess people do go on vacation for that long, but I doubt they'd go that long without contacting someone.
One night on patrol, Spidey uses the bathroom at a diner, but the waitress on duty, named Ramona, says he needs to buy something since the bathroom's for paying customers only. Spidey orders a coffee and the two get to talking. In what seems like astronomical odds, the waitress turns out to be the mother of Vulture's grandson. Ramona then puts Spidey through a major guilt trip talking about what a good grandfather Adrian was and how he said he'd get the money for the boy's leukemia treatment, but hadn't heard from him in nearly a month. Those who remember the last review know that Vulture's attempt to get the money had been thwarted by Spider-Man and he was then taken captive by the Owl for revenge in stealing from him.
Spidey's then saved by the siren as the police go by the diner, and Ramona lets him have the coffee on the house. Spidey follows the police to the scene of a man in a Spider-Man costume had fallen to his death. This is part of the reward subplot, where people tried to pretend to be and convince Jameson they were the real Spider-Man in hopes of getting the five million.
Later on, Mary Jane convinces Peter to attend his high school reunion in hopes of taking his mind off things and have some fun. While Peter laments that high school wasn't his favorite time, he does take some joy in showing off his supermodel wife to the guys who bullied him. Said bullies are of course jealous of Peter and lure him away from the main party with the intent of reliving the old days by humiliating Peter and taking pictures. Let's be honest, I think we all know someone in our lives who never really left high school, so this should be relatable to some degree. Hell, even Peter berates them for how immature they're being.
The party is cut short though when Angelo Fortunato, now using the symbiote as the new Venom and its knowledge of Spider-Man's identity, crashes into the building. This knocks out most of the men present and Venom goes on to murder one of them. The story later confirms only one of them died, but based on the art, that's very surprising. Some guys have large puddles of blood under them, and there's a guy whose eyes are wide open as he lays on the ground, and it isn't the one he apparently killed.
It's also in this scene where we are given a new look for Venom, with the major change being that he has human eye slits in the middle of the white sections of the mask that obviously functioned as eyes before. It gives him an appearance similar to Spawn or the Batman villain Orca.

This was a change I really thought was unnecessary. I guess it gave him a more monstrous appearance, but the white sections without eye slits really worked more for the whole dark reflection of Spider-Man. Nonetheless, it was a look that lasted around five years, so I guess someone enjoyed it.

Issue eight picks up from where seven left off with Venom fighting Peter, who transitions into his Spidey outfit. As the two battle through the school and eventually make it to the reunion room, Mary Jane helps evacuate everyone, knowing the drill when it comes to these things. Eventually, the two take their battle outside. There's a cool shot of Venom throwing a delivery van at Spidey, who then crashes through the windshield to save the driver, leaving out the backdoor before it crashes into a building. As Spidey lays the driver on the ground, the crowd around them includes a surprising cameo by Comic Book Guy from the Simpsons. Unfortunately they don't take advantage of this by having him say something snarky.
Spidey then chases Venom between and atop the buildings, only to lose him when he uses the symbiote's camouflage ability. Venom then sneaks up behind Spider-Man and punches him through the chest Dragon Ball Z style. As it turns out though, this was another impostor trying to get the Bugle reward as we see the victim's friend holding a camera nearby, saying that no one was supposed to get hurt. The real Spidey then pounces on Venom, not holding anything back. Up until this point, Peter sympathized with Angelo, who had been bullied like Peter used to be. He knew Angelo wanted to make his father proud as well as make a name for himself, but Peter still tried to bring him to the side of angels. With two people dead now, Peter's run out of patience. As the beating continues, Angelo and the symbiote begin arguing. Angelo decides to run while the symbiote says they should stay and fight. Disgusted with his performance, the symbiote abandons Angelo in midair, sneaking away to find a better host. As Angelo falls, Spidey tries to catch with a webline, but misses. Unfortunately, that was the last of his webfluid and Angelo dies on impact with the ground.
In the aftermath, Don Fortunato and his men clean up the scene of his son's death, and in a sick way, takes solace that his son finally made him proud of him. Elsewhere, hearing about what happened with Angelo and the symbiote, a guilt-ridden Eddie Brock slits his wrists. I'm guessing this moment didn't sit well with readers as Eddie would return a few years later, and by 2017, he would eventually return to the Venom identity.
Seeing another person die because of the Bugle reward pushes Peter to put an end to it once and for all. He convinces Jameson with pictures that his son John is and always has been Spider-Man, and that any instance of the two seen together was John using a stand-in. While Peter technically won the competition, Jameson only gives him $500,000 since he doesn't plan to publish the pictures and "out" his son. As far as I can tell, I don't believe this "Jameson believes his son is Spider-Man" thing is ever brought up again outside this run before Peter reveals himself in Civil War.
Peter contemplates using the money to pay off his and Mary Jane's debts, but he doesn't feel he earned it, not to mention he's figured out that it was Aunt May's kidnapper that put up the money to begin with. So Peter does the responsible thing and leaves the money for Ramona to use for her son's leukemia treatment. It's another instance of how much of a good guy Peter is. As he says in the comic, he was just too well raised.
The issue and story end with Peter finally receiving a call from May's kidnapper, who confirms that he gave Jameson the money and that he's still been watching him, knowing he gave his share to Ramona. The kidnapper tells Peter there's more going on than just May's kidnapping, and that it ties in with Osborn and what the cops were doing with Doc Ock, offering to meet Peter for lunch the next day and tell him the whole story. The final panel shows the kidnapper sticking to the top of a skyscraper antennae. I guess he got tired of hanging upside down and wanted to stick to higher places. Seriously though, back when this was originally coming out, this seemed like a genuine clue to the kidnapper's identity.

While "Down Among the Dead Men" was a decent first act to this overall story, "Venomous" really seems to drag its feet. The central problem of Aunt May's kidnapping doesn't really go anywhere, as the kidnapper doesn't appear until the very end, Spidey's meeting with Osborn seemed there just to kill time, and the fact she's been gone for over a month somewhat lessens the tension. Even the money given to the Bugle for the competition seemed to serve more as a distraction than being part of the masterplan. And unlike the first act, "Venomous" brings about more questions, specifically what's going on with Doc Ock. The story may be ongoing, but if it's going to be split up into separate stories/trades, they should be contained to some degree like the first volume was.
The story also includes elements that seem to go nowhere. The debt subplot doesn't add anything to the overall story, only for one more problem for Peter to have. If it was for him to have some internal conflict between using the Bugle reward money for himself or giving it to Ramona, it was unnecessary. Even if Peter wasn't having money problems (but let's be honest, that's a perpetual problem for the character), he wouldn't have hesitated giving the money away.
It's worth noting that issues five and eight are drawn by Frank Cho rather than Terry Dodson. It's possible Dodson may have needed more time to get issues done and so the book can meet its monthly schedule. And while Cho's art is similar to Dodson's and he's good in his own right, there does seem to be a disconnect present. I already touched upon the "unmasked" photo of Peter in the hospital and how his facial injuries cleared up between issues five and six, but there's also some difference in character models present; the notable example is Eddie Brock, who Cho drew with a buzzcut while Dodson drew him with slightly longer slicked back hair. Lastly and honestly, Dodson's style is a lot more dynamic to me while Cho's seems a little stiff.
What I do give this story credit for is the Venom storyline. It was an interesting direction to go with both Eddie and the symbiote, and I'm at least glad they backpedaled on Eddie's attempted suicide. It would have been an unceremonious end to one of Spidey's top three villains. And don't worry, we'll see where the symbiote ends up next time.
Admittedly, reading this run one trade at a time may not be the best way to enjoy the overall story. Nonetheless, maybe everything will come together and some of these plot points will make sense next month (and I really do plan for it to come next month) when we wrap up this look back at Mark Millar's Spider-Man run with the third and final act, "The Last Stand."

TV Review: Punisher Season 2 - A Farewell to Arms

Before I begin the review proper, I'd like to say we are nearing the end of an era. Despite its high praise and my hopes it wouldn't be, Daredevil was indeed cancelled after season three, meaning all the Marvel Netflix shows are nearing the end. While I theorized this was Marvel's doing since Disney was beginning their own streaming service, another plausible reasoning is Netflix being petty about the coming competition. With everything that's come out about the subject, I myself lean towards Netflix being at fault. Even though things are winding down, it doesn't mean we can't enjoy what we have while we can. That being said, let's talk about season two of the Punisher.
The first season of Punisher for me ranks among the best of the Marvel/Netflix shows alongside Daredevil and Jessica Jones. Season two continues what makes the show unique with some new elements added in, though it doesn't quite leave the same impact as before.

I'll start by saying that Jon Bernthal continues to kill it as Frank Castle (pun intended), with the most human portrayal character yet. The range of emotion he shows and the amount of damage he goes through will make you care for what happens to him on different levels.
When we last left Frank, he was given a new identity by the government after helping capture Billy Russo, Frank's former friend and the one ultimately responsible for his family's death. Season two begins with Frank on the road travelling the country, as he attempts to let the past go and find some peace. But in true "just when I think I'm out" fashion, Frank finds himself back in the fight, yet he finds it liberating. Part of Frank's journey this season is accepting who he truly is and what he needs to go on.

Ben Barnes returns as Billy Russo this season to fulfill his villainous destiny as the villain Jigsaw, though it is quite different than one would expect. For one thing, he isn't technically called Jigsaw, though the way things go with the MCU, many villains don't get their comic book name, so it's not a big deal. But the most notable difference from the comics is that his face isn't that cut up despite what Frank did to him in the season one finale. He does still have scars, and while it's not horrific, your eyes are still drawn toward them. Instead, the real damage done to Billy is psychological. After the beating Frank gave him, he suffers from PTSD and apparent memory loss. To me, this makes him even scarier than last season. You never know when he'll go off the rails. It's similar to how I felt about Bullseye in Daredevil. What makes him a deadlier adversary though is that he knows his opponent, Frank, well, and one of his goals is to make him feel as he does and bring him down his level. He also wears a mask he designs to reflect how broken he feels on the inside, which is a real therapy technique some soldiers use to deal with their traumas. A lot of people will be upset that this isn't the Jigsaw they were expecting, but considering the overall theme of PTSD and how a majority of the characters on the show suffer from it, I see it as a clever twist on the character.

Of the new characters this season, the breakout star for me was Giorgia Whigham as Amy Bendix. A teenager caught up in a conspiracy that got her friends killed and now being hunted, Amy is able to find protection with Frank. I love the relationship between the two and how it grows throughout the season, from trying to trust each other to forming a surrogate father-daughter relationship. I also kind of find it similar to the Batman-Robin dynamic. Like Frank, Amy lost everyone she cared about, and while it's not like he's molding a sidekick, he wants to teach her how to defend herself when needed, as well as making sure she can have a more peaceful life in the end compared to him. As a character in her own right, she acts like a teenager would, being impetuous and making stupid decisions, but you can tell she's good at heart.

Besides Russo, we have another main villain in John Pilgrim, a hired gun for a far right church group run by corporate parents of a US senator. On one hand, I like how Punisher is the only other Marvel property besides Captain America to include political conspiracies and corruption, and the nature of the church is almost cultish, which is something new for the MCU. And while I do like Pilgrim's character from his complexities to where his journey ends up and the fact he is able to combat Frank in hand to hand combat, I fear he suffers from the same issues that were present from "Thor: The Dark World." Much like how Loki overshadowed Malekith, I found myself much more interested in the Russo storyline compared to Pilgrim's. Yet between the two, I felt Pilgrim's storyline had a much more satisfying conclusion than Russo's, and I feel like that's a disservice since Jigsaw is considered Punisher's biggest villain. This is my biggest problem with this season; when you mix two different storylines, your audience will be more invested in one than the other. I think what would have helped is if they gave each their own half of the season; have Frank protect Amy against Pilgrim in the first half while building up to Jigsaw for the second half.

It's hard to top the violence that was present last season, but the show creators found new and creative ways to keep things interesting. Episode three features a siege by Pilgrim and his followers on a police station Frank and Amy are being held at, with Frank having to help the officers make it through alive. Episode ten shows Russo trying to make Frank experience the nightmares he did, mixing a physical onslaught with a psychological one. And the finale has a shootout between Frank and Pilgrim through the walls in a hotel; they can't see each other at all but it's almost like they can with how they're able to avoid each other's close shots.

While the first season is definitely better, I don't see season two as a major drop in quality. The direction may get a little zig-zaggy, but I still consider Punisher to be one of the best things to come from the MCU. And for what's most likely the series finale, the show does end on a positive, albeit ironic note that Frank's crusade will continue. If we're lucky, maybe we'll see Jon Bernthal's Punisher return one way or another.

5 down, 1 to go. The last Marvel/Netflix series remaining is Jessica Jones with its third season. Here's hoping this line will go out with a bang as much as it began.

Movie Review: Death of Superman/Reign of the Supermen - A Superior Adaptation

When the DC Universe Original Animated Movie line began in 2007, the inaugural film was "Superman: Doomsday", an adaptation of the classic Death and Return of Superman storyline from the 90's. Now we have come full circle with yet another adaptation, though this time it was given the two-part treatment, with "Death of Superman" and "Reign of the Supermen". While the "Doomsday" version was more condensed, the new version allowed for the story to be more faithful to the comics and include various characters that originated from the storyline. When this was announced, I wasn't too keen on DC redoing an animated film they already produced; if it wasn't for it being part of the DC Animated Movie Universe that began with "War", I may not have been interested. "Death" had come out at the end of last summer, but I wanted to wait until "Reign" came out to get the full story at once. Then special double feature screenings of both films were announced, which meant I could get the most out of it by seeing it for the first time on the big screen. The wait was definitely worth it as I had an epic time viewing these films, as they succeed on many different levels.

If anyone is going to get the most out of these movies, it's fans of Superman. I know that probably goes without saying, but these are the first animated Superman centered movies since "Unbound" in 2013. After so many Justice League and Batman movies, it's honestly nice to see DC branching out like they have recently with Teen Titans and Suicide Squad and finally giving Superman the spotlight again. And while Superman has been present in the DC Animated Movie Universe, he hasn't actually had much focus having to share the screen with others in the Justice League movies. The most we've gotten out of him is his romance with Wonder Woman. Though other Justice League heroes are present here, this story is all about Superman. Being a two-parter gives them plenty of time to flesh out Superman's world than ever before in this universe, as we're given proper introductions to characters like Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, who are voiced fairly well by Rebecca Romijn and Rainn Wilson, respectively. It was also nice for them to include both Jonathan and Martha Kent. In my opinion, it's the best dynamic when it comes to the Kents. I enjoy seeing Clark have two parental figures to look to for guidance, instead of just his mother or both of them being dead. All these factors tie in to what is the most important theme of the movie: Superman himself. We see how vital Superman is to Metropolis, the world, and the Justice League. When the moment of his death occurs, it's a real emotional moment, with Lois, Jimmy, and the League at the scene while the rest of the world watches on their TVs and devices. In my view, this adaptation succeeds in capturing what made the original storyline so memorable to people.

While this is a closer adaptation of the original storyline compared to "Doomsday", much like "Judas Contract", there are several changes made to have it fit within the DC Animated Movie Universe, though it is mostly faithful. Though being part of this animated universe lends itself to one of the elements I loved about this film: the callbacks to continuity. The films build upon and refer to several events and characters from the previous films in this universe, going all the way back to "War". It's like "Infinity War" and "Endgame" in a way that it's pay off for following the universe since the beginning. Coupling that with watching "Death" and "Reign" as one long story really helps with the epic scale they set up here.

The action is top notch and some of the best to come from the DC animated movies. When it comes to Doomsday, it gets downright brutal. It's definitely a lot more bloody compared to the original animated adaptation, but it helps build up how deadly Doomsday is. When the League attempts to fight him, there's a real sense of dread. From breaking through Green Lantern's force field to shattering Wonder Woman's sword with a punch, even though you know they'll make it, you're still scared for them. Then of course, it's the showdown between Doomsday and Superman. This is a fight for the ages, outdoing every adaptation of their fight that came before, both animated and live action. The fights between all the various Supermen are also entertaining as well with how destructive they can be.

Of all the new characters introduced, the breakout star to me was Superboy, a clone created by Lex Luthor. Steel is always a fun character, Cyborg Superman was an interesting villain with a good motivation, while Eradicator was kind of meh to me. Compared to all of them though, Superboy really stands out. While he's trying to be his own Superman, he's still just a teenager who wants to find his place among the heroes and be liked by the public. It's clear he needs proper guidance, and he's sure to find it with Superman and his family. I hope to see him more in future films, especially if he joins up with the Titans; just imagine the interaction between him and Damian.

Much like my "Spider-Man: Homecoming" review, I'm including a spoiler section that you can skip if you don't want to read it.

**********BEGIN SPOILERS**********

Bringing Darkseid back and being the mastermind behind both Doomsday and Cyborg Superman was a stroke of genius. Not only does it help tie everything back to "War" like I've been saying, but they do his character a lot more justice, since I had a bit of a problem with him in that first movie. He shows a lot more personality and the ability to plan things, rather than just "I'm evil and taking over your planet just because". It also helps that he's now being voiced by Candyman himself, Tony Todd (who also did Zoom's voice on the Flash TV series). Darkseid should have a booming dark voice, and Todd is a good choice. The post credits scene of "Reign" also hints that we may be getting an adaptation of the "Darkseid War" storyline soon, especially with Lex Luthor asserting himself onto the Justice League like he did in the comics prior to that. Though they may have to call it something else so people won't get it confused with "War".

I had a feeling it would happen beforehand, but they finally retired the New 52 look Superman has had since this universe began. Now he's wearing his second Rebirth suit.

->

Considering they went back to the classic suit in the comics, I figured the movies would follow suit. It doesn't have the red underwear, but honestly, this is a better fit. And comic wise, I wish they stuck with this look, since it still looks like classic Superman sans the underwear and works as a modern take. I know people make a big deal about the underwear, but I can take it or leave it.

********** END SPOILERS **********

Overall, "Death of Superman" and "Reign of the Supermen" not only creates an epic story on par with its source material, but also plays to the strengths of being part of a larger universe between having build-up from the past and good set-up for the future. It's a must see for current Superman fans and I see it as a way to make new Superman fans out of people.

Video Game Review: Spider-Man - The Best Spider-Man Movie That Never Was

I've been playing Spider-Man games since I was 10 years old, starting with Activision's first game on PC. After that, I got every major Spider-Man game released on Xbox and Xbox 360, enjoying them all to some degree; even the bad ones had positive elements. Then came the announcement of a new game being exclusive to the PlayStation 4. Considering Spider-Man's my favorite superhero, you're damn right I'd cross gaming platforms to experience not just the best Spider-Man game of all time, but the best superhero game period.

If the trailers weren't any indication, from the very start of the game, there's a real cinematic quality to it. While there's clear influence from the Batman: Arkham games, what places Spider-Man above those is that you deal also with Peter Parker and his personal problems, and that it happens over a longer period of time rather than one night. It gives you time to breathe and really get invested in the characters and their relationships. And it's that investment that delivers the powerhouse of emotion that comes from the ending, both in the final boss battle and what happens afterwards. No other superhero game ending has brought me close to tears as this one.
Going back to the cinematic approach, a keen observer can notice elements that homage or were inspired by all the live action films. We have Spidey stopping a train like in "Spider-Man 2", as well as the more tech-savviness of the MCU. And without spoiling anything, I can't help but think they reworked ideas used in the Marc Webb "Amazing" films, and actually did them a lot better. Also, even the score to the game rivals those from the films.
I once considered that "The Spectacular Spider-Man" animated series was the best adaptation of the character. Now I believe this game has usurped that position (though "Spectacular is still the best animated series). As stated before, there's real investment to be had in the characters, and that's due to the great writing on display as well as the voice actors. Even the minor villains have some entertainment value. But it's the main villains that are greatly approved upon: Mr. Negative and Dr. Octopus.
In the comics, Mr. Negative was just a guy who had a split personality, with the dark side having the powers. Here, the character of Martin Li is given a more sympathetic backstory, proper motivation, and more complexity. He's a man who does a lot of good, but just can't let go of his quest for vengeance on those who wronged him.
And of course, you have perhaps the best version of Dr. Octopus yet. It mixes the best elements of "Spider-Man 2" and "Spectacular Spider-Man"; he's a man that only wanted to do good, but was pushed too far by those hindering his work and driven to do terrible things. It's certainly more dramatic than his arms telling him to rob a bank. The fact that he's Peter's mentor in the game even adds that extra punch in the final battle. I also have to give props to his voice actor, William Salyers (Reverend Putty on "Moral Orel" and Rigby on "Regular Show"). He has great range from an inspiring mentor to vengeful supervillain. Finally, there's hints that "Superior Spider-Man" situation will occur in a future sequel (hence why we didn't get that skin in the game).
The last thing that helps give this game a more realistic cinematic quality is that it isn't afraid to get serious. Spider-Man games are usually rated T, like this one is, but they've always stuck to being kid-friendly. There are actual terrorist attacks from bombs and epidemics, and clear acts of murder. Of course, some of these elements have appeared in Spider-Man games before, but the fact that these are the best and most realistic graphics than any of the previous ones gives it that extra oomph.

On to the gameplay. The most fun part one can have is the web-swinging. It's probably the most realistic the mechanic has ever been, and you can just swing on and on and not get bored, especially with all the momentum you build up as you go. It's quite comparable to the Amazing Spider-Man films, which I still think had the best web-swinging of all the live action films.
The combat, to me at least, was quite a bit of a learning curve. Honestly, the hardest part was remembering the X button is placed different than an Xbox controller. But even then, it took me quite awhile and dying over and over to realize that I couldn't just dive in headfirst. Batman may be a skilled combatant, but despite operating for years, Spider-Man isn't. He's a thinking man, and that's how you need to operate when it comes to the fight. I'll just say that dodging is your best friend (especially when you fight Taskmaster), and throwing objects will help as well; both will help build your focus bar you can use to heal or perform finishers.
There are times in the game that allow you to play as Mary Jane Watson and Miles Morales, allowing players to think on their feet (since they're basically stealth missions) and see these characters can do just as much good as Spider-Man and not just need to be saved.
While this isn't the first open world Spider-Man game, this is the first one that really feels like a living, vibrant New York City. There's a real sense of community and the idea that Spidey's a true New Yorker. Along with hearing citizens praise or heckle you, Spidey can even walk down the street and interact with people, who you can give high fives to and take selfies with.

As a staple of most Spider-Man games, there's a variety of different costumes one can wear, and it's probably the most than any game before. In addition to adapting the movie suits, I give props to the game designers for taking fan-favorite comic suits and reworking them just enough to help them fit the aesthetic of the game's universe. The detail in them shows with reflection showing in the eye pieces, and suits with glowing aspects (like the Stealth suit) will shine on other objects. My favorites to use were the MK IV Spider-Armor and the Resilient suit; both were very pleasing to the eye when using them during story missions. The game even added on the original movie trilogy suit, and while I didn't care if it was included or not, using it did bring back some memories of the old movie game days. In addition, almost every suit came with its own special ability, which can be usable for all the other suits. My favorites were the Iron Spider legs, getting assisted by "Droney" from "Homecoming", and a special move that allows you to blanket the area in webbing, trapping any thug in the vicinity.

There is one thing that does bug me about the game. You know how J. Jonah Jameson always goes on about Spider-Man being a menace? Well, he may have some merit to that claim in this universe. In a number of instances, whether by his fault or not, Spider-Man causes A LOT of collateral damage via planes, trains, and automobiles (though technically it's a helicopter and not a plane, but you get the idea). Hell, Spidey can't even rip the door or trunk off a car to free a trapped civilian without throwing said parts into a crowd on the street, who are thankfully quick enough to move out of the way.

Part of the reason this review is way past the high point everyone would be talking about this game is because I wanted to play all "The City That Never Sleeps" DLC missions (then there were the holidays, and I had to watch and review "Runaways" and "Titans"). What I really liked about this DLC is that it wasn't just additional missions for a quick buck. They actually included new types of foot soldiers to up the difficulty during combat, and story wise, it furthers certain characters that will most likely play major roles in future sequels. It's just a shame that the new suits included didn't have their own special abilities; it would have been cool to have Spider-Stingers for the Kaine/Scarlet Spider II suit. Lastly, the DLC came with challenges involving the villain Screwball, and my word is she the most annoying villain ever. If we do get a "Superior" storyline in a sequel, I wouldn't mind reliving a certain moment from issue 6 of that series.

Overall, the new Spider-Man game was well worth buying a PlayStation 4 for, giving both Spidey fans and gamers an extravagant experience on par of the various film series. I greatly look forward to the sequel and the villains set up in the post-credits scene and DLC.