Spider-Girl (Vol. 1) #55

Background

May's in love with Normie Osborn, but how does he feel about her? MJ's unborn son is in trouble. And the Soldiers of the Serpent--under the leadership of a powerful mystery man--are still plotting mayhem. All this and more as "Season of the Serpent" heats up in part two.

Story 'Rising Storm!'

This issue begins where the last one left off: May liplocked with a stunned Normie Osborn. Normie breaks off the kiss, insisting that he doesn't like her that way. "You're practically my kid sister." Sobbing, May swings off into the night and only then remembers to pull her mask back on.

Upon returning home, May hears her mother crying. Peter tries to shield her from the bad news, but May insists and learns that MJ is undergoing complications with the pregnancy. The thought of losing her brother-to-be and possibly her mother keeps her up the rest of the night, and stays with her in school that morning. Soon, however, her father calls on her cell phone to ask May to pick up an antidote for MJ's condition. He also takes her to task for fighting the Soldiers of the Serpent the night before, and tells her that her Uncle Phil has gone missing. "That can't be good," May thinks.

Across town at the Web Site, Phil is suiting up as the Green Goblin, eager to bring down the Soldiers of the Serpent himself. Normie tries to warn him that he's out of his league, which Phil bristles at. "No one respects the Green Goblin--not even you! If Spider-Girl can hold her own against these clowns, I won't have a problem." (Now who's disrespecting whom, Philly Boy?) The mention of Spider-Girl has a visible effect on Normie, which Phil misses completely as he flies away.

On her way to pick up her Mom's medicine, Spider-Girl receives a phone call from the Green Goblin, telling her that he's tracked the Soldiers of the Serpent to the waterfront, and that "I could really use some backup." Spider-Girl agrees, and swings over to meet him. Upon seeing the number of Soldiers at the pier, May thinks they should call the police. But Phil has overheard them talking about a bomb, and May decides to try to track it down herself. Slipping aboard a large tanker, Spider-Girl hears the Soldiers talking and discovers that the bomb may be a ruse. Just then, Davida calls on her cell phone and gives away her location. Jumping into the fight--and hurriedly hanging up on Davida--Spider-Girl dispatches the Soldiers but is clobbered yet again by their mysterious leader. "I fear you have underestimated my power for the last time," he growls.

Spider-Girl regains consciousness to find herself welded upside down to the ship's anchor. Her plight does not go unnoticed by the Green Goblin, who flies in to save her. The Soldiers' leader fires a blast of red light from his eyes, apparently deep-frying Phil. While May vows revenge, the leader nonchalantly picks up the anchor and throws it overboard... with Spider-Girl still stuck to it.

General Comments

Now that's a cliffhanger.

Okay, Phil's probably not dead and we all know that May will get out of this one alive, but the stakes have been raised noticeably. Whoever's leading this rag-tag group of terrorists is one bad dude. Me likey. It's about time Spider-Girl faced someone who pushed her past her limits. It'll make her (probably) inevitable victory that much better.

There's not a whole lot left to talk about, although problems between May and Davida appear to be looming on the horizon. (She just wouldn't be her father's child if web-slinging didn't mess up her personal life SOMEHOW.) This is just a good issue front to back, with a bang-up ending. Tom DeFalco is crafting a taut, interesting tale and has finally given May a powerful nemesis to deal with. Good stuff.

Overall Rating

Even better than part one with one of the best endings in a while. Four and one half webs and an eager anticipation of part three.