Comic Review: Avenging Spider-man #5

Book: Avenging Spider-man #5Written By: Zeb WellsPencils By: Leinl Francis YuPublisher: Marvel ComicsRelease Date: OUT NOW IN STORES & DIGITAL DOWNLOAD (VIA COMIXOLOGY)

rating:5

I have always loved Spider-man. In fact, one of my earliest memories is meeting him at the opening of shop and being picked up by him (it was the real Spider-man, I know it was). I loved the old live action TV show, I loved Spider-man and His Amazing Friends cartoon, I love my Spider-man PJs, I loved the comics and a Spider-man annual was probably one of my first steps into the comic book world. During the ninties I think I collected pretty much every Spider title but as I got older I left Spider-man behind for smaller titles that fit more with my changing tastes and once the Sam Raimi movies hit and Marvel went into movie mode, the stories in the comics started to feel flat so I stopped altogether and had a while away from Spider-man (especially when I read they were going to split up MJ and Parker - gutter). Anyway with my return to comics Spider-man was of course on my hit list and I got all caught up via trade collections and what not but even then those were not enough to get me back into regularly reading. This hip, single Spider-man was all out of whack for my tastes and it's really only recently I've settled back into to our friendly neighbourhood wall crawlers adventures (mainly due to the funish approach to Spider-Island actually). Avenging Spider-man started its run with Joe Madureira and it was almost as if all artists up to that point were trying to draw Spider-man and Madureira suddenly nailed it (man I love Madureira). Of course that only lasted three issues and after last month's Hawkeye issue, which was okay, I was beginning to feel a little tricked into this monthly Avengers / Spider-man team up comic. So issue #5. Where to begin? I flat out loved this comic. Like I said at the beginning I love Spider-man but it's not just because he's got a cool costume and swings on webs (shot by a web slingers ideally). Peter Parker is a character I just like hanging out with. He's probably one of the most well developed characters in comic book history, what with his progression out of school, into the work place and through various jobs and situations. He got married to a character equally as good as him in her own right and it actually lasted (well, until Marvel dropped the ball on that one) and generally unlike most heroes that don't really go anywhere, Peter Parker feels like he's had a life. So settling down to a story that I like to call a 'between stories story" that focuses on heroes doing normal things around their superchores, I suddenly felt like the Peter Parker I love is still around in comics. Essentially this wonderfully drawn and well paced issue is about Peter Parker's admiration of Captain America. Parker reads in the paper that Steve Rogers drew comics as child and that geeky trait suddenly makes Parker feel a sort of kinship with Steve Rogers. This gets into Parker's head and he starts following Cap around like a boy band fan that's won a competition to spend a day with their heartthrobs (much to the amusment of Hawkeye, Spiderwoman and Wolverine). Parker can't let go of the fact that Captain America drew comics as a kid and was probably a lot like Parker as a child. Spidey keeps asking Cap if he still draws and such all the way through a mission taking down The Serpent Society and beyond and when Cap bursts Parker's excitement bubble, unintentionally telling Parker to grow up, we discover just how much Captain Amercia means to his colleague and No.1 fan. I won't ruin it for anyone but the pay off in the closing pages of this comic is wonderful. It celebrates comic books in ways that are too few and far between of late, it humanises both Peter Parker and Steve Rogers like no all out Avengers or Spider-man event could manages and on a personal note, it reminded me why I love Spider-man and indeed comic book characters in general. These are characters I dedicate a lot of time to one way or another and these small "between stories stories" are sort of what I've grown to love in my comic book reading, even if they aren't usually found in the mainstream titles. Avenging Spider-man #5 is a break from the norm but it's a break that highlights what's so bloody good about comics and much loved characters. Great stuff!