Spectacular Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #230

Background

Ben's been a busy boy for the last little while, what with discovering that he isn't a clone, then thwarting the Jackal's evil plot, then saving reality from the New Doctor Octopus, then having the Scarlet Spider's reputation dragged through the mud by the holographically-created Scarlet Spider (who doesn't show up in these titles, only in the last issues of "Web").

Now that the people of New York are out to get the Scarlet Spider, Ben decides it's a good idea to become the man he thought he'd never be again... Spider-Man! By now, Ben has settled in to the role, and it's time to start getting back to the real stories.

Story 'Brother's Keeper'

Continuing on with January's "story-in-themselves" comic format, Spectacular takes on an environmental theme. While inspecting an industry for government environment regulations, two brothers are blown away by a bomb hidden in the industry's sludge. One is killed, but the other, named David Kalen, bonds with the chemical waste, and adopts the ability to become a huge, slimy sludge monster. (I won't even get into the flaws in this guy's origin, as long as we never see him again.)

Kalen (now going by his initials, D.K.) hunts down the industry's president, a Mr. Sanders, and does the typical you've-killed-my-brother- and-turned-me-into-a-slimy-freak- and-now-I'll-get-my-revenge thing, except that Kalen's still a good guy underneath all that muck. Eventually he lets Sanders live and heads off to Ravencroft with John Jameson and Ed Whelan.

General Comments

Again, very well written by Todd DeZago, and the art, by Sal Buscema and Jimmy Palmiotti is... well... Spectacular (especially D.K.'s sticky ooze).

Overall Rating

A great tale. Four and a half webs.