Web of Spider-Man (Vol. 1) #29

Background

Set after the Spider-Man v Wolverine one-shot and during Amazing Spider-Man 289, Web Of 29 is a return to current storylines for the title. Ned Leeds has just been murdered in the one-shot and revealed as the Hobgoblin in the double- length Amazing Spider-Man #289.

The interaction between this issue and Amazing Spider-Man #289 is actually quite complex. If you're curious on how the two interlink, then follow the link through to Mike Fichera's review for #289, he has a section by section breakdown of the interleaving continuity.

Story 'Mask'

After Pete and Betty have departed Ned's funeral, Richard Fisk (Rose) is laying flowers at the grave. For those who don't know, Rose was employing The Hobgoblin (Ned) at the time so they are connected. Lance Bannon and Joy Mercado are there also. Fisk doesn't want to talk to the reporters and races off in his car. While there, he tells his girlfriend, Dina, what happened between Rose and Hobgoblin.

Elsewhere and there's a fiery conversation between Roderick Kingsley and police captain Keating. Kingsley thinks he might go to jail and says that if he does, he will take Keating down with him. Keating knew Ned was the Hobgoblin all along and set Flash up. Apparently Ned was an informant. Suddenly, two of the Rose's associates burst in and shoot Kingsley. Keating escapes through a window.

Back with the Rose and he finds two of his associates dead. The Hobgoblin (a different one) has murdered them and leaves a bomb that Rose narrowly avoids. Fisk vows to stop being the Rose (this scene is also in ASM 289).

Down on the docks and Pete is quite unhappy. He blames himself for Ned's death and wants to give up being Spidey. Wolverine shows up though. Some thief tries to steal his wallet and ... I think you can guess how Wolverine reacts.

After a pep-talk from Wolfie, Pete decides to go into action as Spidey and he and Wolverine take out the gang. Spidey then gets his message to go meet the Kingpin (this happens in ASM289).

Meanwhile, while all this is going on, Alfredo - the Fisk jr's best friend - is being hunted by the new Hobgoblin. His car plunges into the sea but Spidey pulls him free. The Rose, thinking all his friends are now dead, rushes off in a panic.

General Comments

In its own right, this book is very 'bitty' and inconsistent. It works an awful lot better directly alongside Amazing Spider-Man 289. It probably would have worked better again if it had actually been a direct crossover - ie part one in Amazing, part two here or something of the like. As it is, this book merely fills in some of the blanks left from ASM289.

The scene between Wolverine and Spider-Man is a good one. The two characters had genuine chemistry in the one-shot (which is excellent) and it carries across here. It would have been nice to get a parting shot from Wolverine, though.

The biggest problem is just the lack of flow to the story. Instead of coming before or after the tale in Amazing, instead it tries to weave around it. It's a nice idea but doesn't really work because you have to constantly go back to the other book to make sense of it all.

The art was pretty good here - Pete especially looked good but even Wolverine, as the guest character, was well drawn. More than anyone, though, Richard Fisk came across the best. This almost feels like his tale, as opposed to Spider- Man. You can see his empire crumbling around him and, with the return of his father (Kingpin) in Amazing, you just know the anguish he's going through.

Overall Rating

The biggest problem is that this actually feels like an afterthought to ASM289. Instead of the two complimenting each other, Amazing does its own thing and Web picks up the pieces. This makes it, even more than usual, clearly the 'third' book.