Spider-Woman (Vol. 3) #12

Background

Spider-Woman just finished up battling Brian at the hospital where Charlotte is being "safely" kept under observation...

Story 'Stipendium Pecarte Mors Est (The Wages of Sin is Death)'

Spider-Woman is battling a werewolf in a cemetery. Rewind. With Mattie on Spring Break (she goes to school?), a publisher's conference in New Orleans inpires JJJ to take a vacation with his wife and neice. Marla invites Mattie's friend Cher (Mattie has friends?) along for the trip.

Fast forward. Spider-Woman is battling a werewolf in a cemetery. Rewind. JJJ and company are picked up at the airport and warned of werewolf attacks in the area. At night, Spider-Woman sneaks into a police station window and figures out the centerpoint of the werewolf attacks.

Fast forward. Spider-Woman is battling a werewolf in a cemetery. Rewind. (Nauseous yet?) The next morning, Mattie convinces her aunt that a cool place to visit would be the St. Agnes cemetery. Mattie sneaks away from Marla and Cher and breaks through a locked door at the cemetery. Underground below the convent, she finds and releases a sister who is imprisoned in a cell. Disturbed hearing that the nun is to be sacrificed, she brings her to the surface. Surprise! The nun was the werewolf! To be continued...

General Comments

Sears is back, but so is the bad plotlines. Sorry, guys, but I just don't enjoy this series. This issue reinforces Spider-Woman's character as a brat and a nuisance. She's perpetually sniffing around, getting herself into trouble. If she was a brat with a heart of gold, she'd be more likeable. But, she's just a brat. In a group situation with peers her age, her personality could be used to play off others.

Surrounded by serious adults, her behavior just seems immature, her attitude antagonizing those who've been good to her. Spider-Man jabbing at JJJ - that's fun, since JJJ is such a thorn in Spider-Man's side (as well as a cheapskate and occasional phony to Peter Parker). But Mattie taking jabs at her uncle who's taking care of her, letting her live with her, and offering to take her on vacation - I'm rooting for JJJ to kick her out!

Something's wrong when you're not cheering for the title character.

The only reason I still pick up this comic is to write the review.

Overall Rating

One web.