Ultimate Spider-Man #88

Background

Having recently broken up with his girlfriend Mary Jane Watson, Peter started seeing the X-Men's Kitty Pryde. But Peter's happiness is short-lived, as the dangerous mercenary group The Wild Pack, lead by the beautiful and deadly Silver Sable, is hired to capture Spider-Man!

The Pack tracks Spider-Man to Midtown High School, and as Spidey changes out of his costume, the mercenaries make their move - but in a case of mistaken identity, they capture Peter's high school rival, Flash Thompson!

As the Pack realize their mistake, Flash escapes, running to the authorities. This causes a media feeding-frenzy at Midtown High the next morning, as Peter, carrying his Spider-Man costume in his backpack, walks right into the most dangerous trap he's yet encountered - a random bag check!

Story Details

The Wild Pack have a surveillance post outside Midtown High. Inside, Peter has to open his bag. Then a kid dressed as Spider-Man runs through the hallway. It turns out to be Mark Raxton, Peter escapes in the confusion. Outside he thinks it over and decides to go to aunt May's work. He gives her his backpack, mumbling Spider-Man. He tells about what happened at school, that they kidnapped Flash but were following Spider-Man and that led right back to him. Aunt May then says that Spider-man is a horrible person and a coward 'cause he wears mask. She then has to go, an appointment with a therapist.

That evening, Peter makes call to Kitty. Later Flash and his dad are offered a TV deal. They argue and Flash leaves the room, running into Spider-Man. Spidey wants to know where the kidnappers took him. When he goes there, he's attacked by the Wild Pack. As short fight follows. It ends when Spidey has webbed up everybody. When he uses Silver Sable's cell phone, it explodes, leaving him unconscious the floor.

General Comments

Well, that was close... Peter tried to tell aunt May he's Spider-Man but she did not pick it up. Phew... would have been too easy for her to find out this way. Nah, perhaps this'll be something for issue 100. On the other hand, now that Peter knows that aunt May hates Spider-Man, it creates new dilemma's.

When else can I say about this issue? It's nice to see that Peter has a new girlfriend, one that can actually help him with the super hero stuff. Other than that, I do not think this relationship will last very long.

Overall Rating

Let's choose a different rating mechanism. I'll try adding up webs for the good features. So let's see... we have a school scene, an aunt may scene, an intermezzo and a fight scene. All good for 1 web each. Making it 4 total. I can live with that!