By Brian Bendis (writer), Mark Bagley and Stuart Immonen (pencils) Scott Hanna and Wade von Grawbadger (inks), Pete Pantazis, Justin Ponsor, and Edgar Delgado (colors)
The Story: In the aftermath of Ultimatum, JJ Jameson is full of repentance and remorse for his non-stop attacks against Peter Parker, Ultimate Spider-Man. He digs up a story about Spidey saving the day and rescuing Tony Stark and Mary Jane from hydra agents. As the heroic story hits home and resonates with JJ, he is delivered the terrible news that Spider-Man is dead.
What’s Good: Everything. Seriously. This is a great one-and-done tale of Bendis and Bagley at their best. This is the kind of story that made USM one of the best series ever and why all comic fans should hope that Bendis can resurrect the greatness of this series in Ultimate Spider-Man.
I can’t decide what is better the art or the writing here. I’ve always held that what makes a great artist is not as much the technical know-how, but the decision the artists makes in depicting a scene. Bagley has a rare knack for this talent and I always thought he was born to draw USM. He captures the excitement, actions, and true sentimentality that infuse this comic the magic that only comic books are capable of creating. Immonen book ends this comic, but it is really Bagley’s show here and he totally steals it.
Bendis crafts a natural and interesting dialogue here that may circle around cliche subjects, but end up coming off great between Mary Jane and Iron Man. Spidey has his typical witty lines and as he used to do regularly, Bendis had me laughing out loud with the delivery and content of Spidey’s jokes.
This issue is meant to be a eulogy and in that effort it is a complete success. Just like a eulogy wants to bring out the good in a person and honor them, this comic does just that, showcasing the best of USM. Also, just like a eulogy it makes one realize what you miss.
Listen, I’m not trying to sound too dramatic and corny here but you get my point. USM was one of the best comics and Ultimate Spidey was probably the best incarnation of Peter Parker ever. And whether or not Peter is actually dead, this era has come to an end.
What’s Not So Good: I can see that some readers might be upset that this issue doesn’t shed any light on what happened to Peter at Strange’s manor during Ultimatum. But seriously, who wants to revisit Ultimatum? And really, does it matter if Peter is dead? Or how he died? Ultimatum has cemented the Ultimate Universe as a place where creators get to create interesting takes and perspective on characters. It can never be taken “for real” like the major Marvel U. Just bring back Peter for the next series and pretend that Ultimatum never happened. Why not just start the whole Ultimate Universe completely with no, and I mean no connection to the current Ultimate Universe? Just create a new pocket dimension and call it a day.
Conclusion: Long time fans of USM should buy this issue to relive what made this series so good. Non-readers of USM should buy this issue to get a taste of what you missed– hopefully it’ll motivate you to track down the trades of this series. I for one can’t wait for the second part of USM Requiem.
Grade: A
-Rob G.
Filed under: Picks of the Week, Reviews Tagged: | By Brian Bendis, comic books, comic reviews, Edgar Delgado, Justin Ponsor, Mark Bagley and Stuart Immonen, Marvel Reviews, Pete Pantazis, Peter Parker, Scott Hanna Wade von Grawbadger, Spider-Man, Spider-Man, Ultimate Marvel, Ultimate Spider-Man, Ultimate Spider-Man Requiem, Ultimate Spider-Man Requiem #1, Ultimate Spider-Man Requiem #1 - Review, Weekly Comic Book Review
