Spider-Man: Lifeline #1

Background

A long, long time ago - a story was told of The Secret of the Petrified Tablet which possessed (some said) the power to grant immortal youth.

It was a great story, which stood along for many years. Of course, these days, we can't resist the urge to fool around with things that don't need changing. Hence the popularity of boy-band covers of previously pleasant 70's songs, and this three-part limited series from the writing talents of Mr. Nicieza.

Story 'Pieces of Fate'

Spidey's at a party, in a tux. He's been sent to take photos of the stone tablet. Yep, thirty years have passed, and Louis Wilson - the scholar from the original story, has completed his time in prison for the part he played in that little adventure.

Flashback. Man Mountain Marko returns. Steals tablet. Fight. Chase. Handoff to slippery character.

Enter Caeser Cicero, another former actor in the original play. Slippery guy is Eel, working for Caeser. Enter Boomerang, working for somebody else. Boomerang steals tablets. Tablets? I thought there was one. No, there's some extra bits, needed to get the formula right at last. Dr. Strange explains that when Spidey visits him.

Enter Arthur Stacy (his brother George was in the original, but of course he's dead now).

Enter Hammerhead, employer of Boomerang. Seems there is one piece of the tablet still missing. Enter Doc Connors, who is in fact... Oh? You knew already? Any surprise to learn that he is being forced to help Hammerhead, with his family held hostage, but the stress threatens at any minute to trigger his transformation... What? You knew that too?

General Comments

Flashbacks and character introductions, padded with some plot points that are being recycled for the third or fourth time.

Overall Rating

It's only part one, and already I'm starting to think that the secret tablet plot should have stayed hidden.