Avenging Spider-Man #7 Review
- Details
- Published on Wednesday, 16 May 2012 01:00
- Written by Kevin
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Acting as the new Marvel Team-Up comic, Avenging Spider-Man has consistently delivered fun Spider-Man team-up stories. Each creative team behind the each story has been able to deliver stories that are great pick-up and read comics. That is what the point of this comic should be and I’m glad that it is the case for the series. Now Avenging Spider-Man #7 brings us the creative team of Kathryn and Stuart Immonen. Can the Immonens deliver a strong team up between Spider-Man and She-Hulk? Let’s find out.
Creative Team
Writer: Kathryn Immonen
Artist: Stuart Immonen
Inker: Wade Von Grawbadger
Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth
Story Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 8.5 Night Girls out of 10
Synopsis: In the sewers, Spider-Man helps She-Hulk take down some monster that has been terrorizing city workers. Afterwards, Spider-Man asks She-Hulk if she wants to get a bite to eat but she says she has an event to attend and ditches Spider-Man.
At the Carnarvon, She-Hulk is asked by one of her co-workers why she did not change since she smells. She-Hulk says she was busy doing some “collective bargaining.”
Outside the museum, Spider-Man decides to swing by and notices some weird people entering in, as he puts it, “Cloaks and Daggers” (No relation to the heroes but they have better expect a copyright infringement case.)
Back inside a professor explains the history of a cat statue to She-Hulk. He decides to give She-Hulk the necklace that the statue is wearing.
She-Hulk suddenly notices the cloaked people walking around and decides to chase after them. Spider-Man pops in and they corner the cloaked women. The two make quick work of the ladies trying to steal the cat statue.
While talking to the cops She-Hulk picks up the original cat statue and its eyes suddenly begin to glow. Spider-Man notices She-Hulk acting weird and then sees that she has a cat tail sticking out of her back.
This pisses She-Hulk off. She tells Spider-Man not to laugh or joke about this. She then tells him to follow her to find the girls that the cops arrested. Before they can do that an army of cats begins attacking the city.
While Spider-Man and She-Hulk try to calm the situation down a giant Egyptian cat appears in the middle of the street. It tells She-Hulk that she must serve and protect all the cats. She-Hulk thinks it is crazy and attacks the giant cat. The attack does not work and She-Hulk tries to convince the giant cat that she is already a protector of the world.
Spider-Man enters the scene to save the day by wearing bull head. (Yes, you read that right a bull head. Why would I make that up?) Spider-Man convinces the cat that the “Great Mother” has already selected warriors to protect the world. Somehow this works and the giant cat leaves with all the cats calming down.
Spider-Man asks She-Hulk if she still has Doctor Strange’s number. She says that she does not want to bring in Strange into her situation but Spider-Man has already taken off with She-Hulks fallen off cat tail. She-Hulk declares Spider-Man a dead man.
Later, Spider-Man gets a bite to eat and orders a second one since he knows that She-Hulk will arrive soon enough. End of issue.
Commentary
The Good: Yes! Yes! Yes! This is the type of comic book that I want to read more often. There is no connection to a current blockbuster event. There is no major crossover going on. What Avenging Spider-Man #7 has going for it is that from beginning to end it delivers a comic that was an absolute blast to read.
Not only did this issue deliver a fantastic story involving Spider-Man and She-Hulk but by the time I finished it I wanted to go back and immediately read it again, which I did. There have been very few comic books that make me want to do this immediately but Avenging Spider-Man #7 did just that. It speaks to Kathryn and Stuart Immonens talent together that they were able to turn in such a fun comic book. The Immonens were able to find a nice balance between witty dialogue and slapstick comedy artwork.
Kathryn Immonen writes a well-balanced issue that delivers great witty banter between Spider-Man and She-Hulk. The banter between the two helps get over the ridiculous nature of New York City being under attack by an Egyptian Cat Queen and her army of cats. Yes, I am not making that up and Immonen makes this situation Spider-Man and She-Hulk find themselves in to work incredibly well. This is thanks to Immonen understanding both characters voices and letting the two carry the story.
Spider-Man’s over-the-top nature is perfectly balanced out with She-Hulk’s more stern tone she has with Spider-Man. Kathryn Immonen really does a great job giving Spider-Man a lot of great material were he delivers some extremely funny lines.
For her part, She-Hulk is able to play the “straight woman” role so that it balances out all the antics of Spider-Man. She-Hulk’s embarrassment over being turned into part cat works extremely well to give us various funny moments. The final scene between the two really summarizes how entertaining this issue is.
And while the threat of the cats is nothing compared to some of the bigger villains Spider-Man and She-Hulk typically face I cracked up at the solution Immonen came up with take down the Egyptian cat. Seeing Spider-Man wearing a bull mask, speaking and moving like if he was an Egyptian was so crazy to see that it was just plain funny.
With such a comedic issue Stuart Immonen provided some of his best artwork. Immonen has come a long way with his art style and he does a fine job with Spider-Man and She-Hulk’s facial expressions from panel to panel. Immonen physicalized the comedy that this issue was going for with some great timing.
The Bad: Nothing. This issue was a pure blast from start to finish
Overall: Avenging Spider-Man #7 is one of the must have issues of the year. Kathryn and Stuart Immonen combined their talents to deliver what will not only be a contender for Issue of the Year but is currently the comic to beat for that award. Avenging Spider-Man #7 is one of those comics that no summary will do it justice in how much fun the story is. If you are a Marvel fan pick this Spider-Man/She-Hulk team-up issue up the next time you are in your local comic book shop. You will not be disappointed.
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Kevin started reading comics as a kid when he watched the first episodes of Batman: The Animated Series and Spider-Man: The Animated Series. After that his parents bought him a few random Spider-Man and Batman comics and he has been hooked ever since. When he is not reading and writing about comics you can find Kevin as the destroyer of worlds, champion of fighting tournaments and ace Madden player on the PS3. You can catch up with Kevin and all his thoughts at the following links:
Twitter: KevinL007
Formspring: KevinL007
Avenging Spider-Man