Daily Bugle #1
Background
The presence of the Daily Bugle staff has gradually diminished over the years. So it's really refreshing to see a limited series devoted solely to them. This is not a Spider-Man story. It's not even a Peter Parker story as he's barely around. This is story about JJJ, Joe "Robbie" Robertson, Ben Urich, Ken Ellis, Betty Brant and the rest of the staff as they chase the stories of the day on the streets of New York.
Story 'Front Page'
Daily Bugle #1
| Editor: | Tom Brevoort |
| Writer: | Paul Grist |
| Pencils: | Karl Kerschl |
| Inker: | Greg Adams |
Angela Yin and Ben Urich are staking out a breakfast meeting between some criminal bosses at a restaurant named Food Factory. Yin is taking photos outside while Urich goes inside to listen in on the conversation. Morgan Hall is one of the bosses who's proposing the formation of a crime cartel. The bosses recognize Urich who runs. Hall's men catch up to Urich and Yin and forcefully take Yin's camera. Luckily, Yin kept her film rolls separately. After developing the photos, one in particular catches Urich's attention as it shows Congressman Adams exiting the restaurant with a young woman who isn't his wife. Robbie can't simply publish gossip photos and asks Urich to find the story. Urich and Angela investigate further and discover that Hall wants to blackmail Adams with his own incriminating photos.
Robbie gives Betty Brant an assignment to interview Tommy Fude, owner of Food Factory. After interviewing Fude she's approached by a mystery man in an alley nearby who wishes to meet with her later that evening. Betty asks Peter to accompany her but tells him to hang back as she meets with the mystery man. Before he can talk to her, a car drives by and shoots at them. Peter manages to save Betty but the mystery man is shot dead.
General Comments
The first thing I noticed was the art. It's almost all solid blacks and white spaces with no greys other than a bit of dithering and hatching. It's expertly done and perfectly suits the story. The resolution of the Urich-Yin plot is interesting. The non-story that Ellis follows is humorous. There isn't much JJJ but that's what the next issue is for.
Overall Rating 
4 webs for the entire series. Sure it has no effect on Spider-Man continuity but that doesn't mean you shouldn't read it. The writing and art are both excellent and mesh perfectly together.