Rating:  -
I really enjoyed this view into spider-mans late life. I wish I could see more of this darkness, however I can't imagine an addition to this series. They really pulled out all of the tricks for this one.
Rating: -
Spoiler Free: Okay enough already with those comparisons, they're absolutely correct comparing the two. Once you get past that, does this work stand on its own two feet and deliver an excellent story, memorable portrayals of the characters, fitting and great art, a tone that works well for the story, and superb writing all within the Spider-man universe? Yes, on all accounts it does. For fans of Spider-Man, The Dark Knight Returns, Blade Runner, The Lorax, and Unforgiven alike - Reign offers us a look into individuals denying the truths, haunted by their past and actions that can't be undone, with brief and rare moments of hope in a world of a society and government gone awry. Many of the actions parallel sentiments you can feel in the moment, past and future. Everything about this story bleeds feelings and emotions you can sink your teeth into and relate to from the pit of your stomach. We see chances at redemption, chances to look forward and leave the past behind, and chances to do the right thing even if it's the hard thing to do. That is what I got out of reading it anyways, I'm a big fan of these types of stories and the ability of people to make tough choices and get over ghosts of the past with actions that speak louder than words. To go aginst the judgments of others, to find the truth or inner strength and accomplish more that they thought possible. Reign delivered all this, powerful stuff from an unexpected source.
Rating:  -
"Spider-Man: Reign" compiles a 4 part tale of New York gone bad (as if that were shocking), because it has turned into a dictatorship that has outlawed costumed heroes. An aging and widowed Peter Parker wanders around the city, his Spider persona long discarded. It takes some voices from his past and some young ones from the present, to make him put the mask back on. Then his attack on the Reign begins. Of course a sinister force is secretly in charge of the city and Spider-Man's ultimate task will be to confront this foe, that will remain nameless.
It is no coincidence that the first part of the story initially came out in 2006, the 20th anniversary of "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns." There are continuous homages and nods to that masterpiece, including the names of the TV talking heads. J. Jonah Jameson is great in this; but to me the heart of the piece is Peter's relationship with his deceased wife. Yes, there is still a relationship (it's either that, or Peter has gone mad). The revelation of the cause of Mary Jane's death is rivetting and totally works within the context of the story. In the end, it is a story that deals with Spidey's constant beef: the great respoinsibilities that come with great power.
By the way, the art is great and supports this unique story very well. Old Spidey looks great. And Mary Jane's ghost, or whatever, is trully ethereal and transparent in her appereances, even the eerie ones. Also, the deluxe presentation as a hardback, jacketed, collected edition helps encapsulate and magnify the story's importance.
The only reason that I don't give this 5 stars, is because being so heavily inspired by TDKR, you have to save the top prize for the original. But do pick it up; you will enjoy Spider-Man getting the royally apocalyptic treatment he has always deserved. I just finished reading it, almost simultaneausly as I watched Spider-Man 3 on theaters, and let me tell you, this is so far the best Spidey story completed this year.
Rating:  -
"Spiderman: Reign" was a good read, I always like the "alternative" perspective on familiar characters, but this one was a bit too familiar. It's so much in the style of Frank Miller's "Dark Knight Returns" that it was distracting to me. The narrative through the media, social upheaval, and noir-style thought bubbles may have been homage to Miller, but it was so close to the mark to almost seem unoriginal. But there was some good characterization with Peter Parker, and I especially liked Doc Ock's posthumous role. Overall a good read, but glad I had a coupon.
Rating: -
The parallels between "Spider-Man: Reign" and "Batman: The Dark Knight Returns" are fairly obvious, but I was actually thinking more of a Superman story rather than a Batman one as I read this four-part comic book limited series. Before Marvel really existed D.C. was always doing "imaginary stories," where they could play around with their characters. Eventually in 1989 DC started publishing "Elseworld" publications, that had stories that took place outside the continuity of a character's canon. There was an annual for one of the Superman titles where Clark Kent and Lois Lane are not only married, they are going to have a baby. But when the baby starts kicking in its mother's womb with just a fraction of the powers of his Kryptonian father, Lois is killed. The story is about the effect this tragedy had on Superman and I have to admit that I remember the set-up but not the payoff.
A similar fate might be in store for "Spider-Man: Reign," written and drawn by Kaare Andrews, which has a strong parallel to that Superman story in that Peter Parker being Spider-Man is responsible for the death of Mary Jane because they are a married couple. To put things delicately, it turns out that Spider-Man's blood is not the only thing about him that is radioactive (yes, we are back to taking the radioactive spider story of Spider-Man's creation at face value). Consequently we have the tragic irony that Peter's love for Mary Jane is literally what killed her. That idea has resonance and it serves as the justification in this particular tale for Peter to quit being Spider-Man. Now it is thirty-five years down the road and what is happening to New York City is going to force Spider-Man to come out of retirement (something that inevitable is not a spoiler).
This futuristic New York City is a world devoid of super criminals and super heroes, and it is "The Reign," the fascist city police, who keep the order. Peter Parker is now a bearded and decrepit old man who gets fired from the flower shop at which he works and goes home to a shabby apartment where he imagines conversations with his dead wife. Meanwhile, Mayor Waters is working on a laser barrier, ironically called the WEBB system, that will protect NYC from terrorists and you just know this is a bad, bad idea. Things get really interesting when J. Jonah Jameson, a very bitter old man, shows up at Peter's apartment, railing against a world full of liars and oppressors, and trying to give Peter a package. It is in defending JJJ from the Reign that Peter starts to get back into the swing of things.
That first issue sets up the dynamic of this one as Peter is put on a collision track with the Mayor's plans for the city. In the second issue Waters finds out that Spider-Man is back he sends the Sinner Six (The Sandman, Electro, Scorpion, Mysterio, Hydro-Man and Kraven the Hunter) after the web head, while JJJ starts "publishing" again to get the word out. The third issue features the mechanical arms of Doctor Octopus and (as all Spider-Man titles do this summer) that black costume, and you know what THAT means. I have already said I like the premise of Mary Jane's death, and I certainly appreciate the idea that there are things in this world that J. Jonah Jameson really does hate more than Spider-Man. However when you are fostering comparisons between your story and "The Dark Knight Returns," you are going to come out on the short end because we are talking about A+ comic book stories like "Watchmen" and the arrival of the Silver Surfer and Galactus in "The Fantastic Four."
So, if that comparison is fatal, then the question becomes whether or not there is a better basis for judging "Spider-Man: Reign"? The answer is that while this is at face value the "last" Spider-Man story (they are never going to do one where he "officially" dies so this is probably as close as it gets), it really works much better as the last Venom story. I say this never having really liked the character of Venom, mainly because of the level of violence he represents. But the last Venom story-arc I read, dealing with the idea that Eddie Brock was dying and that the symbiot always liked Peter best, appealed to me and "Spider-Man: Reign" follows the same approach in coming up with a nice twist on the fundamental relationship between the symbiot and Peter. This also puts the Spider-man mantra of how "with great power comes great responsibility" in a fairly interesting new context. The net result is certainly interesting and while not great, because there is nothing inherent in the best part of the situations that require Peter to be a senior citizen, it is still pretty good.
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