Join me as I read all Spider-Man stories, one collection at a time! Today, I started reading Amazing Spider-Man by J. Michael Straczynski. Back in 2001, Babylon 5 creator JMS was hired to write for the Amazing Spider-Man. His run has some of the best Spider-Man stories to date. In fact, if it weren’t for two unfortunate arcs, it would be considered the best Spider-Man run of all time.
We’ll start with Amazing Spider-Man (1999) #30-35. This six-part arc, called “Coming Home” introduces an older Peter Parker going back to his roots while at the same time expanding the Spider-Man mythos in unexpected ways. I collected these issues in the gigantic Amazing Spider-Man by J. Michael Straczynski Omnibus vol. 1. But they are also available in trade paperback or through Marvel Unlimited.
A New Era for Spider-Man
Content Warning: These issues depict a scene of a mass shooting.
FYI, this story is too good to read a summary first, so I recommend you read it before reading my summary.
As our story begins, Peter Parker (aka Spider-Man) lives alone in an apartment. His wife, Mary Jane, has left him following a traumatic kidnapping. Frustrated beyond measure, Peter spends his nights swinging around the city as Spider-Man.
After a visit to his old high school, Peter realizes that the school has degraded. He decides to create a positive change in his school and applies for a teaching position. On the day he stops to drop his resume, a shooter enters the school and begins attacking the students. Peter musters up all his strength to save the students. When he disarms the shooter, he sees that the shooter is merely another student who was bullied his entire life. Peter realizes that the school needs better influences, and takes on a permanent job as a science teacher at the school.
On a typical night swinging through the city, Peter meets a mysterious man named Ezekiel. This man is older (57 years old), but has all the same powers and abilities as Peter. Even more surprising, Ezekiel calls Peter by his real name, meaning that he knows Spider-Man’s identity. Ezekiel tells Peter that he will be in touch, and that Peter needs to prepare. Dumbfounded, Peter unsuccessfully tries to follow Ezekiel but loses him.
Ezekiel continues to appear in Peter’s life. First, he donates $100,000 to Peter’s school. Then, he takes Peter to lunch for pizza. Finally, he brings Peter into his office. Ezekiel is the billionaire owner of a large conglomerate. He explains that Peter’s spider-powers were not accidental. Instead, Peter is a totem for some source of spider-powers. Amazingly, Peter is not the only one. Ezekiel is also a spider totem. And there are others around the world.
Unfortunately, a creature called Morlun hunts and consumes these spider-totems. And Ezekiel has decided to warn Peter and help him hide from Morlun. Peter refuses Ezekiel’s help, since hiding would keep him from his responsibilities as a teacher and Spider-Man. Shortly after, Peter encounters Morlun. He is a tall vampire-like creature. Their first fight is clearly one-sided, with Morlun having the upper hand.
After hours of fighting, Peter is beat up, tired, and barely has any strength left. But Morlun seems unaffected by the fight. Peter realizes that he needs help. Peter resumes his battle with Morlun, and Ezekiel arrives to help Peter. Ezekiel punches Morlun hard enough to make him bleed. But Morlun manages to “consume” Ezekiel (it seems like he drains the life force from him). After consuming Ezekiel, Morlun walks away, saying that he will return for Peter another day.
Peter tries to find Ezekiel’s body but fails to do so. He does find Morlun’s blood on the pier and decides to use science to defeat him. In a blindsided effort, Peter manages to evacuate a nuclear plant, and creates a cocktail mixture to increase the radiation in his system. After Morlun finds Peter and tries to drain his life force, the effects of the radiation begin to weaken Morlun. Peter seizes the opportunity and fights back, eventually defeating Morlun. Finally, Morlun is shot and apparently killed by his assistant Dex.
Afterwards, Peter searches for Ezekiel and finds that his office has been vacated. He sees clues that point to Ezekiel being alive! He goes back home and passes out on the bed, determined to sleep for a few days. Aunt May arrives the next day to pick up his laundry and finds a bloodied and bruised Peter lying in bed, and a Spider-Man costume on the floor!
Review
I don’t even know where to start. This story was good from start to finish. While I don’t like when Spider-Man writers strive to make Peter’s life miserable, I think that JMS does a great job of balancing his “Parker-luck” with interesting developments. The battle with Morlun had me on edge. Even though we know Spider-Man will survive, the way the fight was drawn by John Romita Jr. had me wondering how he would be able to beat Morlun.
Overall, this is a strong start for the JMS run. The little cliffhanger at the end will probably lead to more development, so I can’t wait to get started with the next issues.
About Author
