Marvel Team-Up (Vol. 2) #6
Background
In this issue Spider-Man battles the Wrecking Crew (The Wrecker, Thunderball, Piledriver and Bulldozer) who now all have super powers now, granted to them through Asgardian majic. The main point of this issue though is to set up Namor, the Sub-Mariner as the headline character of this book (Namor will take over in issue #8). Namor wanders through the events of most of this issue trying to regain his memory which he lost after coming back from the pocket universe created by Franklin Richards.
Story 'Wreck And Roll!'
Marvel Team-Up (Vol. 2) #6
| Editor: | Tom Brevoort |
| Plot: | Tom Peyer |
| Writer: | Tom DeFalco |
| Pencils: | Josh Hood |
| Inker: | Rich Perrotta |
The Wrecking Crew breaks free during their trial for attempting to destroy the Statue of Liberty. Being inspired by the movie Die Hard 3, the Crew decides to destroy Wall Street in search of the gold that might be kept under it. If there is no gold, they decide that at least they will get to destroy and steal something!
Meanwhile Namor, the Sub-Mariner has been tossed to earth after returning from Franklin's other dimension. Namor has lost his memory because of his dimensional travels. He eventually shows up on the scene, but just remembering his past as an enemy of humanity, he also starts destroying the street along with the Wrecking Crew.
Spider-Man also shows up, but after some struggling, he quickly is wrapped up in Thunderball's ball and chain and thrown into the water. Instead of struggling to break free from the chains Spidey for some reason decides to wait for Namor to regain enough of his humanity to save him from drowning. Well, it's no surprise that Namor regains his conscience and saves old Webhead from the water. However, in the process Namor discovers that he can no longer breathe under water. The Wrecking Crew flees during Namor's heroics.
General Comments
Simply put, this is a very bad comic book! The art is sloppy looking with a cartoony apperance to it. Many times Spider-man looks all disjointed and uneven. Though some don't mind the very catroony-like artwork, I really don't care for the whole look of the book.
I also don't care for the story and dialogue, which are utterly ridiculous in many places. For example when Namor is staring blankly at a homesless person. The person says, "Check out that puzzled expression on his face! He's obviously trying to remember something...something important...but he...he just can't!" Now how in the world could the homeless guy deduce that, and who would say something like that anyway? As well, what is the deal with Spider-Man not strugglin against the ball and chain because he has some kind of feeling that Namor will regain his nobility and save him from the water? Spidey would not have survived in the business this long if he acted on instincys like that! To me these are prime examples of poor dialogue and plotting.
Finally, my greatest complaint is the increasing weakness of Spider-Man as a super hero in the comics. Spidey is very concerned because he feels that he can not take all all the members of the Wrecking Crew without help from another hero. Then he is easily wrapped up by Thunderball and disposed in the water. Come on now! Is this the same Spider-Man who in the 1980s defeated Firelord, and trashed Titania and the X-Men during the Secret Wars. Recently he was able to stand toe to toe with the original Hobgoblin and exchange blows. Now I know Spidey is in no way the strongest in the Marvel universe, but recently he seems to be made into a very physically weak character. Soon he is supposed to get trashed by the Black Tarantula in Amazing Spider-Man. In the recent Spider-Man/Kingpin: To the Death one-shot he even makes a coment that he could not easily defeat Daredevil if daredevil was not drugged up in the story. Give me a break! I think Webhead can defeat Daredevil who has no super powers! Spider-man has always been able to combine agility, scientific knowledge and stength to defeat or hold off the best the Marvel universe has to offer, and I refuse to condone the relegation of him as some second class hero!
On the good side, I did enjoy the Wrecking Crew's relationship with each other and their dumb motivations for wanting to smash up Wall Street, but it was not enough to save this book.
Overall Rating 
Half a web. Spider-man is supposed to be a hero - not a damsal in distress! Just take a look at the cover of this issue and you can understand my point. Spidey is chained up, helpless and sinking while the real looking hero, Namor is swimming to save him. Now I don't expect Spider-Man to be like Thor but let's toughen up our hero Marvel!