Writer: Paul Jenkins
Artists: Sean Phillips; J.G. Jones and James Palmiotti; Mark Buckingham and Dan Green
Published by Marvel 2001
$14.95 US

Reviewed by Brent A. Keane

For the longest time, I wholly identified with poor put-upon Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man. Parker was seen as some sort of comicbook everyman, facing the same sort of problems that any twenty-something male might do: romantic entanglements, financial difficulties, family and work commitments. Ordinary, mundane stuff, you'll agree; what made the character of Spider-Man work, though, was his ability to transcend such concerns - if only briefly - through his costumed alter-ego.

Of late, though, it's been harder and harder to relate to Parker/Spider-Man. I don't know of any relatives that have come back from the dead, for example, or have been victims of elaborate kidnap plots. I haven't been drugged and buried alive or falsely committed to an insane asylum& or have a spy-cum-supervillain tell me he's envious of my life, and is in love with me.

To be fair, I do appreciate what writer Paul Jenkins is trying to do - attempt (yet another) psychological dissection of Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. The problem lies in the fact that it's been done to death (and back again). Various writers have touched (and elaborated) on the fragile nature of Parker's psyche time and again over the past decade-plus. We know he feels responsible for the death of his Uncle Ben. And Gwen Stacy. And her father. And Harry Osborn. And his father... (repeat to fade)

Get the point? After all, it's been rammed home enough times by now! Over and over again. It's old hat. It's tired. And quite frankly, I feel that Parker needs to be told to get over it and himself. Granted, there is some nice storytelling from all involved, but it can't hide the fact that the character of Parker/Spider-Man is all kinds of messed up. So much so that I can't relate to him anymore. Moreover, after reading these stories, I could care less. They left me cold, indifferent and completely neutral to Parker and his lot in life.

So long, Pete. Nice knowing you.

Brent A. Keane has been known to climb the walls on occasion.

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