Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #22

Background

Peter has … regenerated … for want of a better word. His spider-sense has increased dramatically, meaning he now reacts instinctively to a threat. He has also developed 'stingers' which shoot from his wrists and, erm, sting things. Tony Stark and Reed Richards think it may be because a real spider can shed its skin once in a lifetime. Meanwhile, a bunch of spiders have eaten his corpse back at Avengers HQ, webbed up the top part of the building and formed a humanoid-shaped swarm…

Story 'Destiny's Child'

After a bit of a chase, the spider-swarm thing tells Peter that it exists because Peter was supposed to die … but because Peter didn't die, it has arrived to kill him. It tells him you have to 'evolve or die', then disappears down a drain, so Spidey goes back to Avengers HQ to tell the rest of the crew what's going on. Wolverine tells him 'things aren't over'.

Spidey visits Doctor Strange who tells him he is at the centre of a web (and apparently androgynous according to the artwork). Strange says he could be the spider … or the meal – or both.

Pete has a heart-to-heart with May and confesses that he feels as if he's cheating … that he shouldn't be there. She tells him it is a second chance and that he has to embrace it. She tells him he will be ready for anything … which presumably includes the final battle in just one issue's time…

General Comments

What can I say that I've not said already? Another entire issue of filler. The battle is coming in part 12, even though it was set up at the end of 11 and this entire issue merely talks about the final battle as opposed to anything else whatsoever. You genuinely could skip from part 10 to part 12 and not know you had missed an issue.

Why does the swarm disappear other than to drag the story out a bit? It smashes through the wall of Avengers HQ, explains a bit to Peter, then goes away.

To make matters worse, the art is worse than ever here. MJ has an angled head, May looks like a bag lady and Peter looks like some kid off one of those rubbish Japanese kids cartoons that seem to be on every Saturday morning.

Overall Rating

A waste of time really.