Rating:  -
This seven-issue story arc (Ultimate Spidey 79-85) tracks the carnage that ensues when The Kingpin's crime cartel comes up for grabs... The prime contender for the throne is the super-gangster Hammerhead, who in his "Ultimate" incarnation is actually one scary dude, ruthlessly violent and coldly calculating, one of the more convincing gang bosses in comicbook history. Hammerhead's gnarly new persona almost -- but not entirely -- makes up for the flat, flimsy characterizations of '70s martial arts heros Shang Chi and Iron Fist, who also appear here, along with Moon Knight, Black Cat and Elektra. It's a major slugfest, with lots of slicing and dicing at the end, a consistently entertaining read, though not quite up to the high standards set by Brian Michael Bendis earlier in the series. If you just want to read a good, fun superhero story, this volume does the job.
Rating:  -
Initial note of regret: I only wish that they had included the first "Ultimate Spider-Man" annual in the Volume 14 trade paperback collection, because there is a wonderful counterpart to "Dumped" (issue #78) when Peter Parker hooks up with Kitty Pryde of the X-Men. After all, if your complaint is that Spider-Man cannot have a girlfriend because she is going to get killed, then there is something to be said for a mutant who can phase through objects and let objects pass through her body. We still love MJ, but if you think Kitty is cute by herself, then you have to see here on a date with Peter. Unfortunately, that wonderful little story is being omitted from these reprints at this point, but surely at some point they will work it into a future volume (hint, hint, hint).
"Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 14: Warriors" lives up to its name by bringing together Moonknight, Iron Fist, Shang-Chi, and the Black Cat (and that is just the good guys). The situation is that New York City's underworld is in shambles because with Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin, in hiding other players are moving in on his territory, most notably Allan Silvermane and Hammerhead (who is working with the Enforcers). Of course, the Kingpin still has agents on the payroll, namely Elektra, who brings Spider-Man for a meeting with her boss. Fisk wants Spider-Man to fight Hammerhead, and while our hero does not want to do anything to help the Kingpin, heroes are supposed to go after the villains. Even worse, Jean De Wolfe thinks Spider-Man should go after Hammerhead too. What is the world coming to?
Although we start off in #79 covering the same moment when Peter storms out of science class that we saw in #78, obviously this time we follow Peter instead of the dumped Mary Jane. The pair do not even talk until #83, and it is not exactly a pleasant conversation, but then nothing has changed in terms of his reasoning for dumping her. That does not mean that the Black Cat is getting anywhere with our young hero either. Now, on the one hand it is fair to say there are too many super characters running around for a story that is not taking place in the "Ultimates," but Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Mark Bagley (penciler), and Scott Hanna (inker), manage to throw them into one room, start a giant fight, and have Spidey stop it to make a phone call for a second opinion. Plus, from that point on there are a lot of bodies flying out of windows and landing on cars below (or darn close), so I have to round up on the slapstick, which includes a nice twist when the Black Cat finally gets Spider-Man's mask off and an ugly twist on the final full-page reveal.
Overall, the series seems to be in cruise control by this point. The moral dilemma that Spider-Man faces with the Kingpin's offer is interesting, but not overly significant. Peter's personal life are forced into the background for this storyline, giving Mary Jane and Aunt May little to do. Peter has been skipping school, but Aunt May is out of the loop until the very end, so it might portend something, but what (will she learn of Peter's secret identity?) it is too early to say. Spider-Man's problems with the opposite sex continue in the next volume, where he tangles with Silver Sable, which basically means we are going an entire year of the comic book without a story line being devoted to a major supervillain from the extant canon. Still, "Ultimate Spider-Man" remains my favorite comic book, even when there is really nothing going on.
Rating: -
I don't read USM on a monthly basis but only made the exception with the Venom arc and this latest one "Warriors".
Anyone who reads Bendis' DD will definitely dig this.In fact,anybody who enjoys a rich crime story with super-heroics,grittyness,and fast paced action will really enjoy this.It's regarded as arguably the darkest and grittiest USM tale to date,which isn't a bad thing for book that usually spends 4 to 5 pages showing teens wimper about how they miss each other.But anyways.....
Hammerhead,mutant crime boss,feels this is the time to step up as Kingpin in NYC.A title usually given to Wilson Fisk.But since he's been laying low,Hammerhead sees this as an oppurtunity to turn the tables.Elektra,mercenary for Fisk,looks into things on Fisk's side.Hammerhead now leads Kingpin's Enforcers as his own.Throwback Marvel heroes like Moon Knight,Iron Fist,and Shang Chi along with Spider-Man and Black Cat,try to stop this war from even occuring.But when push comes to shove,Fisk forces his hand and unleashes Elektra to enforce that his title as Kingpin isn't up for grabs.But when you get all the major players into one room,all hell breaks loose like never before in this book.
If you're going to get one USM book,get this one.
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