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 Customer Reviews
A DC fan Converted!!, 15 Jun 2007
I am a big fan of DC comics and their characters. I mainly follow the stories of Batman,Superman and the Justice League of America. I have never really got into Marvel at all, but have been a fan of the Spiderman films, and then my girlfriend started to tell me all about the sub-plots of the characters, so i decided to give this volume a whirl, figuring that if i didn't like it, it was no great shakes.
I have to say that i was really surprised bu the quality of the story-telling, sub-plots, background, characterisation and of course, the art-work. This volume deals with the origins of Spiderman, and although I believe it isn't quite the original version that first came out all those years ago, i thought it was very well done. It follows elements from the first Spiderman film with the Goblin, Harry Osborn,Doc Ock, Mary Jane, Aunt May and Uncle Ben, but gives the story some real depth. We see Peter as a typical teenager, with built-in angst and struggles against authority whilst not being able to tell the girl he is attracted to how he feels about her. We see how he gets his powers, and how he strives to find his place in the world - what he should be doing with them, how best to use them etc...
What i really liked was the pacing of the whole volume. It wasn't all about fighting and action sequences.It was punctuated by them, and not at the expense of the story or the characters. There is plent of smart humour in here too, and i liked that - it is something that other writers should take heed of. Sometimes a comic needs to have some fun too!
I read through this volume in pretty much one go. And i bought the next few to keep me going!! There are a lot more to come, and i for one, will be adding them to my collection.
I would recommend this volume to anyone who likes the films and wants to know more about Spiderman and all the other characters he meets. My girlfriend knows the original story-arc and says that for the die-hard Spidey fan these are excellent re-workings of those classic beginnings. So, i guess there is something here for everyone!Old and new fans alike!
Finally, i have to say that this is one of the best graphic novels i have read in a long time.I am a huge DC fan, but have found their recent work to be a little hit and miss. Some of their works are too action heavy, or too serious, or under-developed or don't add anything to the great characters they have. This collection by Marvel outshines anything i have read by DC in a long, long time - and that probably goes right back to Kingdom Come by Alex Ross, which is about 10 years old now!
I can't wait to read the next volumes in this series - excellent, one-sitting stuff!!!!!! Great beggining, 05 Dec 2006
I have realy enjoyed spider man ever since I was 5, but I have never read any comics. I was 12 when I read this for the first time and was amazed by it, it could show emotion but yet comedy, action yet dialouge. I would recomend this to anyone, it is making me read all of the Ultimate Marvel saga. The new benchmark for FOOM, 04 Mar 2006
I originally bought the Ultimate Spiderman books for my kids, to give them a fresh and new way into the ludicrously overworked world of the Amazing Spiderman. They loved it. I read the books when they were finished... and I loved it. Bendis doesn't put a foot wrong. You can feel the respect and enthusiasm and excitement that he has for the character, for the mythos, for Marvel... for comic books. He obviously loves, and admires the Lee-Ditko webslinger but doesn't let that get in the way of striking out with a fresh and exhilirating world of his own. This Peter Parker is confused, conflicted, resentful and overwhelmed. His emotional and familial strifes are as troubling and traumatic as his superhero run-ins. As the series progresses Bendis isn't afraid to take chances and play with the characters and our expectations of them. Most of all the books are very tender and full of humour. there's real fondness and real love in these books. Don't get me wrong. This isn't schmaltz. Love and tenderness are good things. Tough, lycra-clad, superheroish things. Honest. Buy these books and enrich your life.
Not as 'Ultimate' as I had hoped it would be, 13 May 2004
After hearing & reading aall the hype for quite some time, I finally broke down and checked out the first major "Ultimate Spider-Man" story arc that this TPB collects. A new take on the origin and first efforts of the Spider-Man, eh? Hmm. I figured I'd give it a shot. Besides, I was (& still am) a big fan of writer Brian Michael Bendis' work on SAM AND TWITCH and POWERS, and expected more of the same excellence from him here. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed by the results. It was decent reading, but nothing that I'd consider an all-time classic-in-the-making. I wasn't big on the setup to the origins of the Spidey/Green Goblin/Dr. Octopus feuds. Now they're sort of lumped together, rather than separate (This little twist isn't particularly original, either; an earlier Spidey-retooling attempt, John Byrne's "Chapter One", also did this with Parker & Doc Ock). This little grouping also had an element of destiny that I didn't much care for. However, I rather enjoyed the part where the post-bitten Parker finally stands up for himself (at least a little bit) against 'Flash' Thompson; it's about time! Ultimately (doh!), this new Spider-Man tale suffers from the ol' Re-Make-Of-A-Classic-Movie syndrome: despite all the effort put into it- new plot twists, modernizing of characters, etc- it could never hope to match up to the original. I guess I'm still a bit of a chauvinist for Stan Lee & Steve Ditko's "Origin of Spidey" tale as told in Amazing Tales #15, and the first several issues of Amazing Spider-Man volume 1... 'Late
Spidey's Origin Retold, 01 Feb 2004
After 40 years of Spider-Man Brian Bendis and Bill Jemas started everything again, it was a risk, what if it didn't catch on? Well it did catch on! Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1 collects the first seven issues, based on Amazing Fantasy 15 (Spidey's origin) with a slighly, ahem, different Green Goblin (that works perfectly.) The plot is pretty similar to the film and features a short appearence by Otto Octavius (Doc Ock.) Ultimate Spider-Man propels Marvel into the 21st century.
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Customer Reviews
A DC fan Converted!!, 15 Jun 2007
I am a big fan of DC comics and their characters. I mainly follow the stories of Batman,Superman and the Justice League of America. I have never really got into Marvel at all, but have been a fan of the Spiderman films, and then my girlfriend started to tell me all about the sub-plots of the characters, so i decided to give this volume a whirl, figuring that if i didn't like it, it was no great shakes.
I have to say that i was really surprised bu the quality of the story-telling, sub-plots, background, characterisation and of course, the art-work. This volume deals with the origins of Spiderman, and although I believe it isn't quite the original version that first came out all those years ago, i thought it was very well done. It follows elements from the first Spiderman film with the Goblin, Harry Osborn,Doc Ock, Mary Jane, Aunt May and Uncle Ben, but gives the story some real depth. We see Peter as a typical teenager, with built-in angst and struggles against authority whilst not being able to tell the girl he is attracted to how he feels about her. We see how he gets his powers, and how he strives to find his place in the world - what he should be doing with them, how best to use them etc...
What i really liked was the pacing of the whole volume. It wasn't all about fighting and action sequences.It was punctuated by them, and not at the expense of the story or the characters. There is plent of smart humour in here too, and i liked that - it is something that other writers should take heed of. Sometimes a comic needs to have some fun too!
I read through this volume in pretty much one go. And i bought the next few to keep me going!! There are a lot more to come, and i for one, will be adding them to my collection.
I would recommend this volume to anyone who likes the films and wants to know more about Spiderman and all the other characters he meets. My girlfriend knows the original story-arc and says that for the die-hard Spidey fan these are excellent re-workings of those classic beginnings. So, i guess there is something here for everyone!Old and new fans alike!
Finally, i have to say that this is one of the best graphic novels i have read in a long time.I am a huge DC fan, but have found their recent work to be a little hit and miss. Some of their works are too action heavy, or too serious, or under-developed or don't add anything to the great characters they have. This collection by Marvel outshines anything i have read by DC in a long, long time - and that probably goes right back to Kingdom Come by Alex Ross, which is about 10 years old now!
I can't wait to read the next volumes in this series - excellent, one-sitting stuff!!!!!! Great beggining, 05 Dec 2006
I have realy enjoyed spider man ever since I was 5, but I have never read any comics. I was 12 when I read this for the first time and was amazed by it, it could show emotion but yet comedy, action yet dialouge. I would recomend this to anyone, it is making me read all of the Ultimate Marvel saga. The new benchmark for FOOM, 04 Mar 2006
I originally bought the Ultimate Spiderman books for my kids, to give them a fresh and new way into the ludicrously overworked world of the Amazing Spiderman. They loved it. I read the books when they were finished... and I loved it. Bendis doesn't put a foot wrong. You can feel the respect and enthusiasm and excitement that he has for the character, for the mythos, for Marvel... for comic books. He obviously loves, and admires the Lee-Ditko webslinger but doesn't let that get in the way of striking out with a fresh and exhilirating world of his own. This Peter Parker is confused, conflicted, resentful and overwhelmed. His emotional and familial strifes are as troubling and traumatic as his superhero run-ins. As the series progresses Bendis isn't afraid to take chances and play with the characters and our expectations of them. Most of all the books are very tender and full of humour. there's real fondness and real love in these books. Don't get me wrong. This isn't schmaltz. Love and tenderness are good things. Tough, lycra-clad, superheroish things. Honest. Buy these books and enrich your life.
Not as 'Ultimate' as I had hoped it would be, 13 May 2004
After hearing & reading aall the hype for quite some time, I finally broke down and checked out the first major "Ultimate Spider-Man" story arc that this TPB collects. A new take on the origin and first efforts of the Spider-Man, eh? Hmm. I figured I'd give it a shot. Besides, I was (& still am) a big fan of writer Brian Michael Bendis' work on SAM AND TWITCH and POWERS, and expected more of the same excellence from him here. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed by the results. It was decent reading, but nothing that I'd consider an all-time classic-in-the-making. I wasn't big on the setup to the origins of the Spidey/Green Goblin/Dr. Octopus feuds. Now they're sort of lumped together, rather than separate (This little twist isn't particularly original, either; an earlier Spidey-retooling attempt, John Byrne's "Chapter One", also did this with Parker & Doc Ock). This little grouping also had an element of destiny that I didn't much care for. However, I rather enjoyed the part where the post-bitten Parker finally stands up for himself (at least a little bit) against 'Flash' Thompson; it's about time! Ultimately (doh!), this new Spider-Man tale suffers from the ol' Re-Make-Of-A-Classic-Movie syndrome: despite all the effort put into it- new plot twists, modernizing of characters, etc- it could never hope to match up to the original. I guess I'm still a bit of a chauvinist for Stan Lee & Steve Ditko's "Origin of Spidey" tale as told in Amazing Tales #15, and the first several issues of Amazing Spider-Man volume 1... 'Late
Spidey's Origin Retold, 01 Feb 2004
After 40 years of Spider-Man Brian Bendis and Bill Jemas started everything again, it was a risk, what if it didn't catch on? Well it did catch on! Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1 collects the first seven issues, based on Amazing Fantasy 15 (Spidey's origin) with a slighly, ahem, different Green Goblin (that works perfectly.) The plot is pretty similar to the film and features a short appearence by Otto Octavius (Doc Ock.) Ultimate Spider-Man propels Marvel into the 21st century.
Spiderman is here!, 03 Dec 2008
The second volume of the Ultimate Spiderman is here and it is amazing. The first volume takes a slow start, giving us a more detailed look into how Peter Parker became Spiderman and the transformation of Norman Osborn into the Green Goblin.
This second volume moves away from the Green Goblin and introduces us to the Kingpin who controls most of New York's crime. Not only this but we see Peter take the job at the Daily Bugle and we meet Jonah and Robbie who only have a small part so far in the Ultimate series.
Peter gets angry that someone like the Kingpin can walk around freely while good people like his uncle are killed. Angry, Peter goes after the Kingpin but doesn't know what he walks into and the Kingpin is the next person to know his true identity.
This volume has a lot more action than the previous, with peter fighting the Enforcers, Electro and the Kingpin, alongwith other thugs on the streets. Yet there is also the building of the relationship between Peter and Mary Jane and for a change of events, Peter realises that he can never have a realtionship with MJ while he is Spiderman and chooses to telll her the truth.
Where the original Spiderman is entertaining it is very out dated and the first few volumes are very slow with few major storylines, the Ultimate Spiderman hits the big storylines straight away and is an enjoyable read.
Well worth buying, one of those books you can keep picking up and reading as it is entertaining.
A Superb follow-up to volume One, 15 Jun 2007
This is the second in the Ultimate Spiderman series (which has it's 17th volume published this year!), and if you haven't read the first volume then you really need to read that edition first.
This continues the reworking of Spiderman's history dealing with Peter Parker coming to terms with his position of responsibility as a super hero, whilst trying to retain his teenage identity and 'normality'. He has more moral issues to contend with as both hero and teenager, and this book doesn't shy away from showing the difficulties he is having. Unlike some comic book superheroes, Peter Parker has complications in his life, and it is nice to see this being shown rather than some other characters always being so sure of their destiny/responsibilities/place in the world etc.... In other words, Peter is the most 'human' of the super heroes around today. He isn't perfect, and he is flawed, but he is always working on improving himself. This volume deals with these issues so well because it isn't always about the action sequences; it is about Peter's interaction with his family,friends and him wrestling with his inner conscience. Having said that, the action sequences are quite superb!
Spiderman has more enemies to deal with, and as with the first volume this handled with care and respect - in other words, this is a homage to the original storylines, and not a complete reworking of what has gone before. The old adage of ' If it ain't broke......' rings true here.
Without spoiling the plot, i would say this is a worthy continuation to volume one, Power and Responsibility, and is well worth buying for Spiderman fans, and new fans alike.
This series is going to eat up hours of your life............
Puberty and Super powers, 27 Jan 2002
Its a tough time for Peter Parker, having recieved super powers Peter has vowed to start crime fighting. But at only 15 years old he has a few other problems to contend with like curfews and girls.
This new take on Spiderman is refreshing and bright. It is excellently illustrated and thoughtfully written. It is much easier to connect with our hero with the up to date atmosphere that he lives in. The new millenium allows Bendis to develop his characters boldly and without a fear of censorship or controversy.
The new Spiderman series is worth a look no matter who you are, it may not be a work of literary genius but is a thoughtful and entertaining piece of modern literature. But buy the first book before this one!
Go on give it a try it won't make you a nerd.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN . . . and then some!!!, 22 Jan 2002
This book collects issues #8 - #13 of Bendis' reinvention of Spider-man for the 21st Century. Those reading this review will probably already be aware of the first volume - Ultimate Spider-man: Power and Responsibility. If not I recommend you start with that book first and I guarantee you will be buying this book at the earliest possible convenience. This album collects the second major story arc of the series so far. Spider-man battles two new adversaries (I won't spoil it by saying who) against the backdrop of a young Peter Parker coming to terms with his new found abilities and the effects they have on him and those around him. Also several new characters (for first time readers such as myself) are introduced at various stages, all updated for the modern era, which pose questions which will no doubt be answered later down the line. I cannot recommend this intelligently written and superbly illustrated book highly enough and I for one am hooked! The next collection cannot come soon enough. If you can't wait that long though I can recommend the Ultimate X-men whose first six issues are also collected.
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Customer Reviews
A DC fan Converted!!, 15 Jun 2007
I am a big fan of DC comics and their characters. I mainly follow the stories of Batman,Superman and the Justice League of America. I have never really got into Marvel at all, but have been a fan of the Spiderman films, and then my girlfriend started to tell me all about the sub-plots of the characters, so i decided to give this volume a whirl, figuring that if i didn't like it, it was no great shakes.
I have to say that i was really surprised bu the quality of the story-telling, sub-plots, background, characterisation and of course, the art-work. This volume deals with the origins of Spiderman, and although I believe it isn't quite the original version that first came out all those years ago, i thought it was very well done. It follows elements from the first Spiderman film with the Goblin, Harry Osborn,Doc Ock, Mary Jane, Aunt May and Uncle Ben, but gives the story some real depth. We see Peter as a typical teenager, with built-in angst and struggles against authority whilst not being able to tell the girl he is attracted to how he feels about her. We see how he gets his powers, and how he strives to find his place in the world - what he should be doing with them, how best to use them etc...
What i really liked was the pacing of the whole volume. It wasn't all about fighting and action sequences.It was punctuated by them, and not at the expense of the story or the characters. There is plent of smart humour in here too, and i liked that - it is something that other writers should take heed of. Sometimes a comic needs to have some fun too!
I read through this volume in pretty much one go. And i bought the next few to keep me going!! There are a lot more to come, and i for one, will be adding them to my collection.
I would recommend this volume to anyone who likes the films and wants to know more about Spiderman and all the other characters he meets. My girlfriend knows the original story-arc and says that for the die-hard Spidey fan these are excellent re-workings of those classic beginnings. So, i guess there is something here for everyone!Old and new fans alike!
Finally, i have to say that this is one of the best graphic novels i have read in a long time.I am a huge DC fan, but have found their recent work to be a little hit and miss. Some of their works are too action heavy, or too serious, or under-developed or don't add anything to the great characters they have. This collection by Marvel outshines anything i have read by DC in a long, long time - and that probably goes right back to Kingdom Come by Alex Ross, which is about 10 years old now!
I can't wait to read the next volumes in this series - excellent, one-sitting stuff!!!!!! Great beggining, 05 Dec 2006
I have realy enjoyed spider man ever since I was 5, but I have never read any comics. I was 12 when I read this for the first time and was amazed by it, it could show emotion but yet comedy, action yet dialouge. I would recomend this to anyone, it is making me read all of the Ultimate Marvel saga. The new benchmark for FOOM, 04 Mar 2006
I originally bought the Ultimate Spiderman books for my kids, to give them a fresh and new way into the ludicrously overworked world of the Amazing Spiderman. They loved it. I read the books when they were finished... and I loved it. Bendis doesn't put a foot wrong. You can feel the respect and enthusiasm and excitement that he has for the character, for the mythos, for Marvel... for comic books. He obviously loves, and admires the Lee-Ditko webslinger but doesn't let that get in the way of striking out with a fresh and exhilirating world of his own. This Peter Parker is confused, conflicted, resentful and overwhelmed. His emotional and familial strifes are as troubling and traumatic as his superhero run-ins. As the series progresses Bendis isn't afraid to take chances and play with the characters and our expectations of them. Most of all the books are very tender and full of humour. there's real fondness and real love in these books. Don't get me wrong. This isn't schmaltz. Love and tenderness are good things. Tough, lycra-clad, superheroish things. Honest. Buy these books and enrich your life.
Not as 'Ultimate' as I had hoped it would be, 13 May 2004
After hearing & reading aall the hype for quite some time, I finally broke down and checked out the first major "Ultimate Spider-Man" story arc that this TPB collects. A new take on the origin and first efforts of the Spider-Man, eh? Hmm. I figured I'd give it a shot. Besides, I was (& still am) a big fan of writer Brian Michael Bendis' work on SAM AND TWITCH and POWERS, and expected more of the same excellence from him here. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed by the results. It was decent reading, but nothing that I'd consider an all-time classic-in-the-making. I wasn't big on the setup to the origins of the Spidey/Green Goblin/Dr. Octopus feuds. Now they're sort of lumped together, rather than separate (This little twist isn't particularly original, either; an earlier Spidey-retooling attempt, John Byrne's "Chapter One", also did this with Parker & Doc Ock). This little grouping also had an element of destiny that I didn't much care for. However, I rather enjoyed the part where the post-bitten Parker finally stands up for himself (at least a little bit) against 'Flash' Thompson; it's about time! Ultimately (doh!), this new Spider-Man tale suffers from the ol' Re-Make-Of-A-Classic-Movie syndrome: despite all the effort put into it- new plot twists, modernizing of characters, etc- it could never hope to match up to the original. I guess I'm still a bit of a chauvinist for Stan Lee & Steve Ditko's "Origin of Spidey" tale as told in Amazing Tales #15, and the first several issues of Amazing Spider-Man volume 1... 'Late
Spidey's Origin Retold, 01 Feb 2004
After 40 years of Spider-Man Brian Bendis and Bill Jemas started everything again, it was a risk, what if it didn't catch on? Well it did catch on! Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1 collects the first seven issues, based on Amazing Fantasy 15 (Spidey's origin) with a slighly, ahem, different Green Goblin (that works perfectly.) The plot is pretty similar to the film and features a short appearence by Otto Octavius (Doc Ock.) Ultimate Spider-Man propels Marvel into the 21st century.
Spiderman is here!, 03 Dec 2008
The second volume of the Ultimate Spiderman is here and it is amazing. The first volume takes a slow start, giving us a more detailed look into how Peter Parker became Spiderman and the transformation of Norman Osborn into the Green Goblin.
This second volume moves away from the Green Goblin and introduces us to the Kingpin who controls most of New York's crime. Not only this but we see Peter take the job at the Daily Bugle and we meet Jonah and Robbie who only have a small part so far in the Ultimate series.
Peter gets angry that someone like the Kingpin can walk around freely while good people like his uncle are killed. Angry, Peter goes after the Kingpin but doesn't know what he walks into and the Kingpin is the next person to know his true identity.
This volume has a lot more action than the previous, with peter fighting the Enforcers, Electro and the Kingpin, alongwith other thugs on the streets. Yet there is also the building of the relationship between Peter and Mary Jane and for a change of events, Peter realises that he can never have a realtionship with MJ while he is Spiderman and chooses to telll her the truth.
Where the original Spiderman is entertaining it is very out dated and the first few volumes are very slow with few major storylines, the Ultimate Spiderman hits the big storylines straight away and is an enjoyable read.
Well worth buying, one of those books you can keep picking up and reading as it is entertaining.
A Superb follow-up to volume One, 15 Jun 2007
This is the second in the Ultimate Spiderman series (which has it's 17th volume published this year!), and if you haven't read the first volume then you really need to read that edition first.
This continues the reworking of Spiderman's history dealing with Peter Parker coming to terms with his position of responsibility as a super hero, whilst trying to retain his teenage identity and 'normality'. He has more moral issues to contend with as both hero and teenager, and this book doesn't shy away from showing the difficulties he is having. Unlike some comic book superheroes, Peter Parker has complications in his life, and it is nice to see this being shown rather than some other characters always being so sure of their destiny/responsibilities/place in the world etc.... In other words, Peter is the most 'human' of the super heroes around today. He isn't perfect, and he is flawed, but he is always working on improving himself. This volume deals with these issues so well because it isn't always about the action sequences; it is about Peter's interaction with his family,friends and him wrestling with his inner conscience. Having said that, the action sequences are quite superb!
Spiderman has more enemies to deal with, and as with the first volume this handled with care and respect - in other words, this is a homage to the original storylines, and not a complete reworking of what has gone before. The old adage of ' If it ain't broke......' rings true here.
Without spoiling the plot, i would say this is a worthy continuation to volume one, Power and Responsibility, and is well worth buying for Spiderman fans, and new fans alike.
This series is going to eat up hours of your life............
Puberty and Super powers, 27 Jan 2002
Its a tough time for Peter Parker, having recieved super powers Peter has vowed to start crime fighting. But at only 15 years old he has a few other problems to contend with like curfews and girls.
This new take on Spiderman is refreshing and bright. It is excellently illustrated and thoughtfully written. It is much easier to connect with our hero with the up to date atmosphere that he lives in. The new millenium allows Bendis to develop his characters boldly and without a fear of censorship or controversy.
The new Spiderman series is worth a look no matter who you are, it may not be a work of literary genius but is a thoughtful and entertaining piece of modern literature. But buy the first book before this one!
Go on give it a try it won't make you a nerd.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN . . . and then some!!!, 22 Jan 2002
This book collects issues #8 - #13 of Bendis' reinvention of Spider-man for the 21st Century. Those reading this review will probably already be aware of the first volume - Ultimate Spider-man: Power and Responsibility. If not I recommend you start with that book first and I guarantee you will be buying this book at the earliest possible convenience. This album collects the second major story arc of the series so far. Spider-man battles two new adversaries (I won't spoil it by saying who) against the backdrop of a young Peter Parker coming to terms with his new found abilities and the effects they have on him and those around him. Also several new characters (for first time readers such as myself) are introduced at various stages, all updated for the modern era, which pose questions which will no doubt be answered later down the line. I cannot recommend this intelligently written and superbly illustrated book highly enough and I for one am hooked! The next collection cannot come soon enough. If you can't wait that long though I can recommend the Ultimate X-men whose first six issues are also collected.
A Father's Legacy is hard to deny..., 16 May 2007
With the accidental discovered of a box overflowing with the past, Peter and Aunt May relive a past picnic and amongst the ghosts, an old face, Eddy Brock. Peter sets off to meet up with his childhood family friend with a copy of the video he had discovered. After a wise lesson, Eddy reveals his surprise... A flask of the 'Suit', both their father's biological creation.
A reggae concert to distract and an overcurious spidey, with a dropped spoon to mix, leads to the creation of ULTIMATE BLACK SPIDERMAN, stronger, faster and sporting a stylish new look. But after seeing the suit for what it was, he must destroy it... When Eddy caught him red handed, he was none to pleased.
So much so, the vengeful young Brock took the step, and ULTIMATE VENOM is created. A raw force to rival poor Spidey who has to face his own demons. Can Spidey overcome the monster known only as Venom!
One of the greatest Ultimate Spiderman story, a deeply dark look at Peter's Past, Future and most importanly, Himself. I fully recommend!
As good as it gets, 11 Nov 2004
When Ultimate Spider-man started it was like a breath of fresh air. Although this new interpretation of Spider-man was different it was proving to be some of the best Spider-man work done. But, when I heard news the extremely popular Spider-man villain was to become "Ultimised", as a lifelong Spider-man fan the first thoughts I had were this will not work. I was made to eat those words when I read Ultimate Spider-man Vol.5 Venom. This new interpretation of one of Spider-man most successul villains manages to be better than the original story told in the early 90's. Yes the alien costume story in the original Spider-man comics is great but is nowhere near as realistic as the Venom origin told by Brian Michael Bendis in Ultimate Spider-man.
Vol. 5 of Ultimate Spider-man picks up after the end of the Legacy story and the momentum just keeps on going. Throughout the story we are introduced to the new Eddie Brock (younger but still not a nice person) and we also learn a helluva lot more about Peter Parker's parents. This story is one of the darker Spider-man stories with the majority of action being set in darkened settings (the rain soaked confrontation between Peter and Venom is astonoshing) and once again Peter learns that with Great power comes great responsibility. The writing is as good as all Bendis' previous work on Ultimate Spider-man with Mark Bagley's art and Art Thiberts inking also deserve praise.
The only problems I had with "Venom" was we don't get to see a showdown between with Peter in full Spider-man costume but this is a very slight niggle, secondly, this book only works at its best when it is looked at in the full context of the Ultimate Spider-man universe so you might have to read volumes 1 thru 4 to get maximum benefit out of the story.
You may hear people criticising the Ultimate line beacuase it is so different from the "old" Spider-man but that was the whole point of the Ultimate Spider-man line. The new Venom story does just that and is one of the high points of Ultimate Spider-man.
Spiderman Vs. Venom, 27 Oct 2003
This volume is very very good - but I wouldn't have given it five stars if I could give it four and a half. The cons? He's a very young teenager and I preferred Toby Maguire. Pro's? Venom is one of the coolest bad guys ever. EVER. He is drawn beutifully in this comic, strong and lethal yet oddly smooth and slimy. He looks great. The fighting is pretty good too - lot's of WHAM's and SCRREEEEEEEEEEECCCCHH's. Not just that but there's some good bits of emotion in it - a serious turn in the tale with MJ. All in all I hope I've written this review in such a way your dying to know more.
spideys ultimate villian gets the treatment, 19 Jul 2003
once again more excellent stuff by the ultimate spider-man team. brilliantly updated and written. if you have any of the ultimate series this is a must as he is one of spideys ultiamte villans. what more can i say. the reader will read this from cover to cover in know time, leaving the reader beggin for more heres to the next book
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Customer Reviews
A DC fan Converted!!, 15 Jun 2007
I am a big fan of DC comics and their characters. I mainly follow the stories of Batman,Superman and the Justice League of America. I have never really got into Marvel at all, but have been a fan of the Spiderman films, and then my girlfriend started to tell me all about the sub-plots of the characters, so i decided to give this volume a whirl, figuring that if i didn't like it, it was no great shakes.
I have to say that i was really surprised bu the quality of the story-telling, sub-plots, background, characterisation and of course, the art-work. This volume deals with the origins of Spiderman, and although I believe it isn't quite the original version that first came out all those years ago, i thought it was very well done. It follows elements from the first Spiderman film with the Goblin, Harry Osborn,Doc Ock, Mary Jane, Aunt May and Uncle Ben, but gives the story some real depth. We see Peter as a typical teenager, with built-in angst and struggles against authority whilst not being able to tell the girl he is attracted to how he feels about her. We see how he gets his powers, and how he strives to find his place in the world - what he should be doing with them, how best to use them etc...
What i really liked was the pacing of the whole volume. It wasn't all about fighting and action sequences.It was punctuated by them, and not at the expense of the story or the characters. There is plent of smart humour in here too, and i liked that - it is something that other writers should take heed of. Sometimes a comic needs to have some fun too!
I read through this volume in pretty much one go. And i bought the next few to keep me going!! There are a lot more to come, and i for one, will be adding them to my collection.
I would recommend this volume to anyone who likes the films and wants to know more about Spiderman and all the other characters he meets. My girlfriend knows the original story-arc and says that for the die-hard Spidey fan these are excellent re-workings of those classic beginnings. So, i guess there is something here for everyone!Old and new fans alike!
Finally, i have to say that this is one of the best graphic novels i have read in a long time.I am a huge DC fan, but have found their recent work to be a little hit and miss. Some of their works are too action heavy, or too serious, or under-developed or don't add anything to the great characters they have. This collection by Marvel outshines anything i have read by DC in a long, long time - and that probably goes right back to Kingdom Come by Alex Ross, which is about 10 years old now!
I can't wait to read the next volumes in this series - excellent, one-sitting stuff!!!!!! Great beggining, 05 Dec 2006
I have realy enjoyed spider man ever since I was 5, but I have never read any comics. I was 12 when I read this for the first time and was amazed by it, it could show emotion but yet comedy, action yet dialouge. I would recomend this to anyone, it is making me read all of the Ultimate Marvel saga. The new benchmark for FOOM, 04 Mar 2006
I originally bought the Ultimate Spiderman books for my kids, to give them a fresh and new way into the ludicrously overworked world of the Amazing Spiderman. They loved it. I read the books when they were finished... and I loved it. Bendis doesn't put a foot wrong. You can feel the respect and enthusiasm and excitement that he has for the character, for the mythos, for Marvel... for comic books. He obviously loves, and admires the Lee-Ditko webslinger but doesn't let that get in the way of striking out with a fresh and exhilirating world of his own. This Peter Parker is confused, conflicted, resentful and overwhelmed. His emotional and familial strifes are as troubling and traumatic as his superhero run-ins. As the series progresses Bendis isn't afraid to take chances and play with the characters and our expectations of them. Most of all the books are very tender and full of humour. there's real fondness and real love in these books. Don't get me wrong. This isn't schmaltz. Love and tenderness are good things. Tough, lycra-clad, superheroish things. Honest. Buy these books and enrich your life.
Not as 'Ultimate' as I had hoped it would be, 13 May 2004
After hearing & reading aall the hype for quite some time, I finally broke down and checked out the first major "Ultimate Spider-Man" story arc that this TPB collects. A new take on the origin and first efforts of the Spider-Man, eh? Hmm. I figured I'd give it a shot. Besides, I was (& still am) a big fan of writer Brian Michael Bendis' work on SAM AND TWITCH and POWERS, and expected more of the same excellence from him here. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed by the results. It was decent reading, but nothing that I'd consider an all-time classic-in-the-making. I wasn't big on the setup to the origins of the Spidey/Green Goblin/Dr. Octopus feuds. Now they're sort of lumped together, rather than separate (This little twist isn't particularly original, either; an earlier Spidey-retooling attempt, John Byrne's "Chapter One", also did this with Parker & Doc Ock). This little grouping also had an element of destiny that I didn't much care for. However, I rather enjoyed the part where the post-bitten Parker finally stands up for himself (at least a little bit) against 'Flash' Thompson; it's about time! Ultimately (doh!), this new Spider-Man tale suffers from the ol' Re-Make-Of-A-Classic-Movie syndrome: despite all the effort put into it- new plot twists, modernizing of characters, etc- it could never hope to match up to the original. I guess I'm still a bit of a chauvinist for Stan Lee & Steve Ditko's "Origin of Spidey" tale as told in Amazing Tales #15, and the first several issues of Amazing Spider-Man volume 1... 'Late
Spidey's Origin Retold, 01 Feb 2004
After 40 years of Spider-Man Brian Bendis and Bill Jemas started everything again, it was a risk, what if it didn't catch on? Well it did catch on! Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1 collects the first seven issues, based on Amazing Fantasy 15 (Spidey's origin) with a slighly, ahem, different Green Goblin (that works perfectly.) The plot is pretty similar to the film and features a short appearence by Otto Octavius (Doc Ock.) Ultimate Spider-Man propels Marvel into the 21st century.
Spiderman is here!, 03 Dec 2008
The second volume of the Ultimate Spiderman is here and it is amazing. The first volume takes a slow start, giving us a more detailed look into how Peter Parker became Spiderman and the transformation of Norman Osborn into the Green Goblin.
This second volume moves away from the Green Goblin and introduces us to the Kingpin who controls most of New York's crime. Not only this but we see Peter take the job at the Daily Bugle and we meet Jonah and Robbie who only have a small part so far in the Ultimate series.
Peter gets angry that someone like the Kingpin can walk around freely while good people like his uncle are killed. Angry, Peter goes after the Kingpin but doesn't know what he walks into and the Kingpin is the next person to know his true identity.
This volume has a lot more action than the previous, with peter fighting the Enforcers, Electro and the Kingpin, alongwith other thugs on the streets. Yet there is also the building of the relationship between Peter and Mary Jane and for a change of events, Peter realises that he can never have a realtionship with MJ while he is Spiderman and chooses to telll her the truth.
Where the original Spiderman is entertaining it is very out dated and the first few volumes are very slow with few major storylines, the Ultimate Spiderman hits the big storylines straight away and is an enjoyable read.
Well worth buying, one of those books you can keep picking up and reading as it is entertaining.
A Superb follow-up to volume One, 15 Jun 2007
This is the second in the Ultimate Spiderman series (which has it's 17th volume published this year!), and if you haven't read the first volume then you really need to read that edition first.
This continues the reworking of Spiderman's history dealing with Peter Parker coming to terms with his position of responsibility as a super hero, whilst trying to retain his teenage identity and 'normality'. He has more moral issues to contend with as both hero and teenager, and this book doesn't shy away from showing the difficulties he is having. Unlike some comic book superheroes, Peter Parker has complications in his life, and it is nice to see this being shown rather than some other characters always being so sure of their destiny/responsibilities/place in the world etc.... In other words, Peter is the most 'human' of the super heroes around today. He isn't perfect, and he is flawed, but he is always working on improving himself. This volume deals with these issues so well because it isn't always about the action sequences; it is about Peter's interaction with his family,friends and him wrestling with his inner conscience. Having said that, the action sequences are quite superb!
Spiderman has more enemies to deal with, and as with the first volume this handled with care and respect - in other words, this is a homage to the original storylines, and not a complete reworking of what has gone before. The old adage of ' If it ain't broke......' rings true here.
Without spoiling the plot, i would say this is a worthy continuation to volume one, Power and Responsibility, and is well worth buying for Spiderman fans, and new fans alike.
This series is going to eat up hours of your life............
Puberty and Super powers, 27 Jan 2002
Its a tough time for Peter Parker, having recieved super powers Peter has vowed to start crime fighting. But at only 15 years old he has a few other problems to contend with like curfews and girls.
This new take on Spiderman is refreshing and bright. It is excellently illustrated and thoughtfully written. It is much easier to connect with our hero with the up to date atmosphere that he lives in. The new millenium allows Bendis to develop his characters boldly and without a fear of censorship or controversy.
The new Spiderman series is worth a look no matter who you are, it may not be a work of literary genius but is a thoughtful and entertaining piece of modern literature. But buy the first book before this one!
Go on give it a try it won't make you a nerd.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN . . . and then some!!!, 22 Jan 2002
This book collects issues #8 - #13 of Bendis' reinvention of Spider-man for the 21st Century. Those reading this review will probably already be aware of the first volume - Ultimate Spider-man: Power and Responsibility. If not I recommend you start with that book first and I guarantee you will be buying this book at the earliest possible convenience. This album collects the second major story arc of the series so far. Spider-man battles two new adversaries (I won't spoil it by saying who) against the backdrop of a young Peter Parker coming to terms with his new found abilities and the effects they have on him and those around him. Also several new characters (for first time readers such as myself) are introduced at various stages, all updated for the modern era, which pose questions which will no doubt be answered later down the line. I cannot recommend this intelligently written and superbly illustrated book highly enough and I for one am hooked! The next collection cannot come soon enough. If you can't wait that long though I can recommend the Ultimate X-men whose first six issues are also collected.
A Father's Legacy is hard to deny..., 16 May 2007
With the accidental discovered of a box overflowing with the past, Peter and Aunt May relive a past picnic and amongst the ghosts, an old face, Eddy Brock. Peter sets off to meet up with his childhood family friend with a copy of the video he had discovered. After a wise lesson, Eddy reveals his surprise... A flask of the 'Suit', both their father's biological creation.
A reggae concert to distract and an overcurious spidey, with a dropped spoon to mix, leads to the creation of ULTIMATE BLACK SPIDERMAN, stronger, faster and sporting a stylish new look. But after seeing the suit for what it was, he must destroy it... When Eddy caught him red handed, he was none to pleased.
So much so, the vengeful young Brock took the step, and ULTIMATE VENOM is created. A raw force to rival poor Spidey who has to face his own demons. Can Spidey overcome the monster known only as Venom!
One of the greatest Ultimate Spiderman story, a deeply dark look at Peter's Past, Future and most importanly, Himself. I fully recommend!
As good as it gets, 11 Nov 2004
When Ultimate Spider-man started it was like a breath of fresh air. Although this new interpretation of Spider-man was different it was proving to be some of the best Spider-man work done. But, when I heard news the extremely popular Spider-man villain was to become "Ultimised", as a lifelong Spider-man fan the first thoughts I had were this will not work. I was made to eat those words when I read Ultimate Spider-man Vol.5 Venom. This new interpretation of one of Spider-man most successul villains manages to be better than the original story told in the early 90's. Yes the alien costume story in the original Spider-man comics is great but is nowhere near as realistic as the Venom origin told by Brian Michael Bendis in Ultimate Spider-man.
Vol. 5 of Ultimate Spider-man picks up after the end of the Legacy story and the momentum just keeps on going. Throughout the story we are introduced to the new Eddie Brock (younger but still not a nice person) and we also learn a helluva lot more about Peter Parker's parents. This story is one of the darker Spider-man stories with the majority of action being set in darkened settings (the rain soaked confrontation between Peter and Venom is astonoshing) and once again Peter learns that with Great power comes great responsibility. The writing is as good as all Bendis' previous work on Ultimate Spider-man with Mark Bagley's art and Art Thiberts inking also deserve praise.
The only problems I had with "Venom" was we don't get to see a showdown between with Peter in full Spider-man costume but this is a very slight niggle, secondly, this book only works at its best when it is looked at in the full context of the Ultimate Spider-man universe so you might have to read volumes 1 thru 4 to get maximum benefit out of the story.
You may hear people criticising the Ultimate line beacuase it is so different from the "old" Spider-man but that was the whole point of the Ultimate Spider-man line. The new Venom story does just that and is one of the high points of Ultimate Spider-man.
Spiderman Vs. Venom, 27 Oct 2003
This volume is very very good - but I wouldn't have given it five stars if I could give it four and a half. The cons? He's a very young teenager and I preferred Toby Maguire. Pro's? Venom is one of the coolest bad guys ever. EVER. He is drawn beutifully in this comic, strong and lethal yet oddly smooth and slimy. He looks great. The fighting is pretty good too - lot's of WHAM's and SCRREEEEEEEEEEECCCCHH's. Not just that but there's some good bits of emotion in it - a serious turn in the tale with MJ. All in all I hope I've written this review in such a way your dying to know more.
spideys ultimate villian gets the treatment, 19 Jul 2003
once again more excellent stuff by the ultimate spider-man team. brilliantly updated and written. if you have any of the ultimate series this is a must as he is one of spideys ultiamte villans. what more can i say. the reader will read this from cover to cover in know time, leaving the reader beggin for more heres to the next book
More quality Bendis, 18 Nov 2007
I almost wanted to hate this, simply because i felt i was buying too much Bendis and i'm not sure if thats good for you. So, im sorry to say that this is, again, another excellent read. Everything that you would expect from a quality Bendis book is here, witty dialogue, great pacing and spot on characterization. This is the current artists last book and i'm hoping they may go for a real change, as i've never been a big fan of the art on this (and a lot of the other Ultimate titles). The story lines have always deserved something a little more gritty and realistic, but thats just me and i'm sure they'd be plenty of others who disagree. My only gripe with the book is the treatment of Moon Knight, the introduction of a further personality of a 10 year old girl just wasn't gelling for me. I have missed a few books so there may be an explanation, but i'm not sure i'm buying it whatever it is. Still, that withstanding, this is just great entertainment.
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Customer Reviews
A DC fan Converted!!, 15 Jun 2007
I am a big fan of DC comics and their characters. I mainly follow the stories of Batman,Superman and the Justice League of America. I have never really got into Marvel at all, but have been a fan of the Spiderman films, and then my girlfriend started to tell me all about the sub-plots of the characters, so i decided to give this volume a whirl, figuring that if i didn't like it, it was no great shakes.
I have to say that i was really surprised bu the quality of the story-telling, sub-plots, background, characterisation and of course, the art-work. This volume deals with the origins of Spiderman, and although I believe it isn't quite the original version that first came out all those years ago, i thought it was very well done. It follows elements from the first Spiderman film with the Goblin, Harry Osborn,Doc Ock, Mary Jane, Aunt May and Uncle Ben, but gives the story some real depth. We see Peter as a typical teenager, with built-in angst and struggles against authority whilst not being able to tell the girl he is attracted to how he feels about her. We see how he gets his powers, and how he strives to find his place in the world - what he should be doing with them, how best to use them etc...
What i really liked was the pacing of the whole volume. It wasn't all about fighting and action sequences.It was punctuated by them, and not at the expense of the story or the characters. There is plent of smart humour in here too, and i liked that - it is something that other writers should take heed of. Sometimes a comic needs to have some fun too!
I read through this volume in pretty much one go. And i bought the next few to keep me going!! There are a lot more to come, and i for one, will be adding them to my collection.
I would recommend this volume to anyone who likes the films and wants to know more about Spiderman and all the other characters he meets. My girlfriend knows the original story-arc and says that for the die-hard Spidey fan these are excellent re-workings of those classic beginnings. So, i guess there is something here for everyone!Old and new fans alike!
Finally, i have to say that this is one of the best graphic novels i have read in a long time.I am a huge DC fan, but have found their recent work to be a little hit and miss. Some of their works are too action heavy, or too serious, or under-developed or don't add anything to the great characters they have. This collection by Marvel outshines anything i have read by DC in a long, long time - and that probably goes right back to Kingdom Come by Alex Ross, which is about 10 years old now!
I can't wait to read the next volumes in this series - excellent, one-sitting stuff!!!!!! Great beggining, 05 Dec 2006
I have realy enjoyed spider man ever since I was 5, but I have never read any comics. I was 12 when I read this for the first time and was amazed by it, it could show emotion but yet comedy, action yet dialouge. I would recomend this to anyone, it is making me read all of the Ultimate Marvel saga. The new benchmark for FOOM, 04 Mar 2006
I originally bought the Ultimate Spiderman books for my kids, to give them a fresh and new way into the ludicrously overworked world of the Amazing Spiderman. They loved it. I read the books when they were finished... and I loved it. Bendis doesn't put a foot wrong. You can feel the respect and enthusiasm and excitement that he has for the character, for the mythos, for Marvel... for comic books. He obviously loves, and admires the Lee-Ditko webslinger but doesn't let that get in the way of striking out with a fresh and exhilirating world of his own. This Peter Parker is confused, conflicted, resentful and overwhelmed. His emotional and familial strifes are as troubling and traumatic as his superhero run-ins. As the series progresses Bendis isn't afraid to take chances and play with the characters and our expectations of them. Most of all the books are very tender and full of humour. there's real fondness and real love in these books. Don't get me wrong. This isn't schmaltz. Love and tenderness are good things. Tough, lycra-clad, superheroish things. Honest. Buy these books and enrich your life.
Not as 'Ultimate' as I had hoped it would be, 13 May 2004
After hearing & reading aall the hype for quite some time, I finally broke down and checked out the first major "Ultimate Spider-Man" story arc that this TPB collects. A new take on the origin and first efforts of the Spider-Man, eh? Hmm. I figured I'd give it a shot. Besides, I was (& still am) a big fan of writer Brian Michael Bendis' work on SAM AND TWITCH and POWERS, and expected more of the same excellence from him here. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed by the results. It was decent reading, but nothing that I'd consider an all-time classic-in-the-making. I wasn't big on the setup to the origins of the Spidey/Green Goblin/Dr. Octopus feuds. Now they're sort of lumped together, rather than separate (This little twist isn't particularly original, either; an earlier Spidey-retooling attempt, John Byrne's "Chapter One", also did this with Parker & Doc Ock). This little grouping also had an element of destiny that I didn't much care for. However, I rather enjoyed the part where the post-bitten Parker finally stands up for himself (at least a little bit) against 'Flash' Thompson; it's about time! Ultimately (doh!), this new Spider-Man tale suffers from the ol' Re-Make-Of-A-Classic-Movie syndrome: despite all the effort put into it- new plot twists, modernizing of characters, etc- it could never hope to match up to the original. I guess I'm still a bit of a chauvinist for Stan Lee & Steve Ditko's "Origin of Spidey" tale as told in Amazing Tales #15, and the first several issues of Amazing Spider-Man volume 1... 'Late
Spidey's Origin Retold, 01 Feb 2004
After 40 years of Spider-Man Brian Bendis and Bill Jemas started everything again, it was a risk, what if it didn't catch on? Well it did catch on! Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1 collects the first seven issues, based on Amazing Fantasy 15 (Spidey's origin) with a slighly, ahem, different Green Goblin (that works perfectly.) The plot is pretty similar to the film and features a short appearence by Otto Octavius (Doc Ock.) Ultimate Spider-Man propels Marvel into the 21st century.
Spiderman is here!, 03 Dec 2008
The second volume of the Ultimate Spiderman is here and it is amazing. The first volume takes a slow start, giving us a more detailed look into how Peter Parker became Spiderman and the transformation of Norman Osborn into the Green Goblin.
This second volume moves away from the Green Goblin and introduces us to the Kingpin who controls most of New York's crime. Not only this but we see Peter take the job at the Daily Bugle and we meet Jonah and Robbie who only have a small part so far in the Ultimate series.
Peter gets angry that someone like the Kingpin can walk around freely while good people like his uncle are killed. Angry, Peter goes after the Kingpin but doesn't know what he walks into and the Kingpin is the next person to know his true identity.
This volume has a lot more action than the previous, with peter fighting the Enforcers, Electro and the Kingpin, alongwith other thugs on the streets. Yet there is also the building of the relationship between Peter and Mary Jane and for a change of events, Peter realises that he can never have a realtionship with MJ while he is Spiderman and chooses to telll her the truth.
Where the original Spiderman is entertaining it is very out dated and the first few volumes are very slow with few major storylines, the Ultimate Spiderman hits the big storylines straight away and is an enjoyable read.
Well worth buying, one of those books you can keep picking up and reading as it is entertaining.
A Superb follow-up to volume One, 15 Jun 2007
This is the second in the Ultimate Spiderman series (which has it's 17th volume published this year!), and if you haven't read the first volume then you really need to read that edition first.
This continues the reworking of Spiderman's history dealing with Peter Parker coming to terms with his position of responsibility as a super hero, whilst trying to retain his teenage identity and 'normality'. He has more moral issues to contend with as both hero and teenager, and this book doesn't shy away from showing the difficulties he is having. Unlike some comic book superheroes, Peter Parker has complications in his life, and it is nice to see this being shown rather than some other characters always being so sure of their destiny/responsibilities/place in the world etc.... In other words, Peter is the most 'human' of the super heroes around today. He isn't perfect, and he is flawed, but he is always working on improving himself. This volume deals with these issues so well because it isn't always about the action sequences; it is about Peter's interaction with his family,friends and him wrestling with his inner conscience. Having said that, the action sequences are quite superb!
Spiderman has more enemies to deal with, and as with the first volume this handled with care and respect - in other words, this is a homage to the original storylines, and not a complete reworking of what has gone before. The old adage of ' If it ain't broke......' rings true here.
Without spoiling the plot, i would say this is a worthy continuation to volume one, Power and Responsibility, and is well worth buying for Spiderman fans, and new fans alike.
This series is going to eat up hours of your life............
Puberty and Super powers, 27 Jan 2002
Its a tough time for Peter Parker, having recieved super powers Peter has vowed to start crime fighting. But at only 15 years old he has a few other problems to contend with like curfews and girls.
This new take on Spiderman is refreshing and bright. It is excellently illustrated and thoughtfully written. It is much easier to connect with our hero with the up to date atmosphere that he lives in. The new millenium allows Bendis to develop his characters boldly and without a fear of censorship or controversy.
The new Spiderman series is worth a look no matter who you are, it may not be a work of literary genius but is a thoughtful and entertaining piece of modern literature. But buy the first book before this one!
Go on give it a try it won't make you a nerd.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN . . . and then some!!!, 22 Jan 2002
This book collects issues #8 - #13 of Bendis' reinvention of Spider-man for the 21st Century. Those reading this review will probably already be aware of the first volume - Ultimate Spider-man: Power and Responsibility. If not I recommend you start with that book first and I guarantee you will be buying this book at the earliest possible convenience. This album collects the second major story arc of the series so far. Spider-man battles two new adversaries (I won't spoil it by saying who) against the backdrop of a young Peter Parker coming to terms with his new found abilities and the effects they have on him and those around him. Also several new characters (for first time readers such as myself) are introduced at various stages, all updated for the modern era, which pose questions which will no doubt be answered later down the line. I cannot recommend this intelligently written and superbly illustrated book highly enough and I for one am hooked! The next collection cannot come soon enough. If you can't wait that long though I can recommend the Ultimate X-men whose first six issues are also collected.
A Father's Legacy is hard to deny..., 16 May 2007
With the accidental discovered of a box overflowing with the past, Peter and Aunt May relive a past picnic and amongst the ghosts, an old face, Eddy Brock. Peter sets off to meet up with his childhood family friend with a copy of the video he had discovered. After a wise lesson, Eddy reveals his surprise... A flask of the 'Suit', both their father's biological creation.
A reggae concert to distract and an overcurious spidey, with a dropped spoon to mix, leads to the creation of ULTIMATE BLACK SPIDERMAN, stronger, faster and sporting a stylish new look. But after seeing the suit for what it was, he must destroy it... When Eddy caught him red handed, he was none to pleased.
So much so, the vengeful young Brock took the step, and ULTIMATE VENOM is created. A raw force to rival poor Spidey who has to face his own demons. Can Spidey overcome the monster known only as Venom!
One of the greatest Ultimate Spiderman story, a deeply dark look at Peter's Past, Future and most importanly, Himself. I fully recommend!
As good as it gets, 11 Nov 2004
When Ultimate Spider-man started it was like a breath of fresh air. Although this new interpretation of Spider-man was different it was proving to be some of the best Spider-man work done. But, when I heard news the extremely popular Spider-man villain was to become "Ultimised", as a lifelong Spider-man fan the first thoughts I had were this will not work. I was made to eat those words when I read Ultimate Spider-man Vol.5 Venom. This new interpretation of one of Spider-man most successul villains manages to be better than the original story told in the early 90's. Yes the alien costume story in the original Spider-man comics is great but is nowhere near as realistic as the Venom origin told by Brian Michael Bendis in Ultimate Spider-man.
Vol. 5 of Ultimate Spider-man picks up after the end of the Legacy story and the momentum just keeps on going. Throughout the story we are introduced to the new Eddie Brock (younger but still not a nice person) and we also learn a helluva lot more about Peter Parker's parents. This story is one of the darker Spider-man stories with the majority of action being set in darkened settings (the rain soaked confrontation between Peter and Venom is astonoshing) and once again Peter learns that with Great power comes great responsibility. The writing is as good as all Bendis' previous work on Ultimate Spider-man with Mark Bagley's art and Art Thiberts inking also deserve praise.
The only problems I had with "Venom" was we don't get to see a showdown between with Peter in full Spider-man costume but this is a very slight niggle, secondly, this book only works at its best when it is looked at in the full context of the Ultimate Spider-man universe so you might have to read volumes 1 thru 4 to get maximum benefit out of the story.
You may hear people criticising the Ultimate line beacuase it is so different from the "old" Spider-man but that was the whole point of the Ultimate Spider-man line. The new Venom story does just that and is one of the high points of Ultimate Spider-man.
Spiderman Vs. Venom, 27 Oct 2003
This volume is very very good - but I wouldn't have given it five stars if I could give it four and a half. The cons? He's a very young teenager and I preferred Toby Maguire. Pro's? Venom is one of the coolest bad guys ever. EVER. He is drawn beutifully in this comic, strong and lethal yet oddly smooth and slimy. He looks great. The fighting is pretty good too - lot's of WHAM's and SCRREEEEEEEEEEECCCCHH's. Not just that but there's some good bits of emotion in it - a serious turn in the tale with MJ. All in all I hope I've written this review in such a way your dying to know more.
spideys ultimate villian gets the treatment, 19 Jul 2003
once again more excellent stuff by the ultimate spider-man team. brilliantly updated and written. if you have any of the ultimate series this is a must as he is one of spideys ultiamte villans. what more can i say. the reader will read this from cover to cover in know time, leaving the reader beggin for more heres to the next book
More quality Bendis, 18 Nov 2007
I almost wanted to hate this, simply because i felt i was buying too much Bendis and i'm not sure if thats good for you. So, im sorry to say that this is, again, another excellent read. Everything that you would expect from a quality Bendis book is here, witty dialogue, great pacing and spot on characterization. This is the current artists last book and i'm hoping they may go for a real change, as i've never been a big fan of the art on this (and a lot of the other Ultimate titles). The story lines have always deserved something a little more gritty and realistic, but thats just me and i'm sure they'd be plenty of others who disagree. My only gripe with the book is the treatment of Moon Knight, the introduction of a further personality of a 10 year old girl just wasn't gelling for me. I have missed a few books so there may be an explanation, but i'm not sure i'm buying it whatever it is. Still, that withstanding, this is just great entertainment.
Enter Spidy's new girl, 01 Dec 2008
With Peter now split from Mary Jane due to his fear that she will always be in danger with him, he focuses on his life as Spiderman. However, the first annual brings a new girl to Spiderman's life. Bored with life at the school, Kitty Pryde starts to realise that she's the outcast, unable to fit in with anyone and desperate to find a boyfriend due to her breakup with Ice Man. Kitty remembers when she met Spiderman and starts to think about dating him even though she is warned not to by Jean. The phone conversation is enjoyable as anyone can remember their first time they had to call a girl or boy and it is funny to see that Peter is finding it as hard as she is. The annual ends with the pair becoming an item and e-mailing each other.
As the story continues, Spiderman starts to find himself the target of Silver Sable and her team because of his invovement in Roxon Oil. Flash accidentally gets mistaken for Spiderman and taken captive. The fight between Spiderman and Sable and her team isn't that enjoyable but there are plenty of fights throughout the volume, including a fight with Rhino and Vulture. Throughout the volume you can't help but feel sorry for Mary Jane because she finds out that Peter is seeing someone new and even though they seem great for each other you can't help but think that it may end sooner than they want.
Even Silver Sable is cool in the Ultimate world, 12 May 2006
Here is volume 15 of Ultimate Spider-Man and Brian Michael Bendis still hasn't run out of great stories to tell. As always his dialogue crackles like a campfire and you sometimes can forget you're reading a comic book and think you've descended into a novel. Like all the other volumes (maybe with exception of the Sinister Six story) the balance between character development and all out action is nicely balance. The Humour is spot on and it makes it all worthwhile to wait the six odd months it takes to get my hands on a collected volume rather than buying the comic monthly.
This is a great read and I whole-heartedly recommend it.
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Customer Reviews
A DC fan Converted!!, 15 Jun 2007
I am a big fan of DC comics and their characters. I mainly follow the stories of Batman,Superman and the Justice League of America. I have never really got into Marvel at all, but have been a fan of the Spiderman films, and then my girlfriend started to tell me all about the sub-plots of the characters, so i decided to give this volume a whirl, figuring that if i didn't like it, it was no great shakes.
I have to say that i was really surprised bu the quality of the story-telling, sub-plots, background, characterisation and of course, the art-work. This volume deals with the origins of Spiderman, and although I believe it isn't quite the original version that first came out all those years ago, i thought it was very well done. It follows elements from the first Spiderman film with the Goblin, Harry Osborn,Doc Ock, Mary Jane, Aunt May and Uncle Ben, but gives the story some real depth. We see Peter as a typical teenager, with built-in angst and struggles against authority whilst not being able to tell the girl he is attracted to how he feels about her. We see how he gets his powers, and how he strives to find his place in the world - what he should be doing with them, how best to use them etc...
What i really liked was the pacing of the whole volume. It wasn't all about fighting and action sequences.It was punctuated by them, and not at the expense of the story or the characters. There is plent of smart humour in here too, and i liked that - it is something that other writers should take heed of. Sometimes a comic needs to have some fun too!
I read through this volume in pretty much one go. And i bought the next few to keep me going!! There are a lot more to come, and i for one, will be adding them to my collection.
I would recommend this volume to anyone who likes the films and wants to know more about Spiderman and all the other characters he meets. My girlfriend knows the original story-arc and says that for the die-hard Spidey fan these are excellent re-workings of those classic beginnings. So, i guess there is something here for everyone!Old and new fans alike!
Finally, i have to say that this is one of the best graphic novels i have read in a long time.I am a huge DC fan, but have found their recent work to be a little hit and miss. Some of their works are too action heavy, or too serious, or under-developed or don't add anything to the great characters they have. This collection by Marvel outshines anything i have read by DC in a long, long time - and that probably goes right back to Kingdom Come by Alex Ross, which is about 10 years old now!
I can't wait to read the next volumes in this series - excellent, one-sitting stuff!!!!!! Great beggining, 05 Dec 2006
I have realy enjoyed spider man ever since I was 5, but I have never read any comics. I was 12 when I read this for the first time and was amazed by it, it could show emotion but yet comedy, action yet dialouge. I would recomend this to anyone, it is making me read all of the Ultimate Marvel saga. The new benchmark for FOOM, 04 Mar 2006
I originally bought the Ultimate Spiderman books for my kids, to give them a fresh and new way into the ludicrously overworked world of the Amazing Spiderman. They loved it. I read the books when they were finished... and I loved it. Bendis doesn't put a foot wrong. You can feel the respect and enthusiasm and excitement that he has for the character, for the mythos, for Marvel... for comic books. He obviously loves, and admires the Lee-Ditko webslinger but doesn't let that get in the way of striking out with a fresh and exhilirating world of his own. This Peter Parker is confused, conflicted, resentful and overwhelmed. His emotional and familial strifes are as troubling and traumatic as his superhero run-ins. As the series progresses Bendis isn't afraid to take chances and play with the characters and our expectations of them. Most of all the books are very tender and full of humour. there's real fondness and real love in these books. Don't get me wrong. This isn't schmaltz. Love and tenderness are good things. Tough, lycra-clad, superheroish things. Honest. Buy these books and enrich your life.
Not as 'Ultimate' as I had hoped it would be, 13 May 2004
After hearing & reading aall the hype for quite some time, I finally broke down and checked out the first major "Ultimate Spider-Man" story arc that this TPB collects. A new take on the origin and first efforts of the Spider-Man, eh? Hmm. I figured I'd give it a shot. Besides, I was (& still am) a big fan of writer Brian Michael Bendis' work on SAM AND TWITCH and POWERS, and expected more of the same excellence from him here. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed by the results. It was decent reading, but nothing that I'd consider an all-time classic-in-the-making. I wasn't big on the setup to the origins of the Spidey/Green Goblin/Dr. Octopus feuds. Now they're sort of lumped together, rather than separate (This little twist isn't particularly original, either; an earlier Spidey-retooling attempt, John Byrne's "Chapter One", also did this with Parker & Doc Ock). This little grouping also had an element of destiny that I didn't much care for. However, I rather enjoyed the part where the post-bitten Parker finally stands up for himself (at least a little bit) against 'Flash' Thompson; it's about time! Ultimately (doh!), this new Spider-Man tale suffers from the ol' Re-Make-Of-A-Classic-Movie syndrome: despite all the effort put into it- new plot twists, modernizing of characters, etc- it could never hope to match up to the original. I guess I'm still a bit of a chauvinist for Stan Lee & Steve Ditko's "Origin of Spidey" tale as told in Amazing Tales #15, and the first several issues of Amazing Spider-Man volume 1... 'Late
Spidey's Origin Retold, 01 Feb 2004
After 40 years of Spider-Man Brian Bendis and Bill Jemas started everything again, it was a risk, what if it didn't catch on? Well it did catch on! Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 1 collects the first seven issues, based on Amazing Fantasy 15 (Spidey's origin) with a slighly, ahem, different Green Goblin (that works perfectly.) The plot is pretty similar to the film and features a short appearence by Otto Octavius (Doc Ock.) Ultimate Spider-Man propels Marvel into the 21st century.
Spiderman is here!, 03 Dec 2008
The second volume of the Ultimate Spiderman is here and it is amazing. The first volume takes a slow start, giving us a more detailed look into how Peter Parker became Spiderman and the transformation of Norman Osborn into the Green Goblin.
This second volume moves away from the Green Goblin and introduces us to the Kingpin who controls most of New York's crime. Not only this but we see Peter take the job at the Daily Bugle and we meet Jonah and Robbie who only have a small part so far in the Ultimate series.
Peter gets angry that someone like the Kingpin can walk around freely while good people like his uncle are killed. Angry, Peter goes after the Kingpin but doesn't know what he walks into and the Kingpin is the next person to know his true identity.
This volume has a lot more action than the previous, with peter fighting the Enforcers, Electro and the Kingpin, alongwith other thugs on the streets. Yet there is also the building of the relationship between Peter and Mary Jane and for a change of events, Peter realises that he can never have a realtionship with MJ while he is Spiderman and chooses to telll her the truth.
Where the original Spiderman is entertaining it is very out dated and the first few volumes are very slow with few major storylines, the Ultimate Spiderman hits the big storylines straight away and is an enjoyable read.
Well worth buying, one of those books you can keep picking up and reading as it is entertaining.
A Superb follow-up to volume One, 15 Jun 2007
This is the second in the Ultimate Spiderman series (which has it's 17th volume published this year!), and if you haven't read the first volume then you really need to read that edition first.
This continues the reworking of Spiderman's history dealing with Peter Parker coming to terms with his position of responsibility as a super hero, whilst trying to retain his teenage identity and 'normality'. He has more moral issues to contend with as both hero and teenager, and this book doesn't shy away from showing the difficulties he is having. Unlike some comic book superheroes, Peter Parker has complications in his life, and it is nice to see this being shown rather than some other characters always being so sure of their destiny/responsibilities/place in the world etc.... In other words, Peter is the most 'human' of the super heroes around today. He isn't perfect, and he is flawed, but he is always working on improving himself. This volume deals with these issues so well because it isn't always about the action sequences; it is about Peter's interaction with his family,friends and him wrestling with his inner conscience. Having said that, the action sequences are quite superb!
Spiderman has more enemies to deal with, and as with the first volume this handled with care and respect - in other words, this is a homage to the original storylines, and not a complete reworking of what has gone before. The old adage of ' If it ain't broke......' rings true here.
Without spoiling the plot, i would say this is a worthy continuation to volume one, Power and Responsibility, and is well worth buying for Spiderman fans, and new fans alike.
This series is going to eat up hours of your life............
Puberty and Super powers, 27 Jan 2002
Its a tough time for Peter Parker, having recieved super powers Peter has vowed to start crime fighting. But at only 15 years old he has a few other problems to contend with like curfews and girls.
This new take on Spiderman is refreshing and bright. It is excellently illustrated and thoughtfully written. It is much easier to connect with our hero with the up to date atmosphere that he lives in. The new millenium allows Bendis to develop his characters boldly and without a fear of censorship or controversy.
The new Spiderman series is worth a look no matter who you are, it may not be a work of literary genius but is a thoughtful and entertaining piece of modern literature. But buy the first book before this one!
Go on give it a try it won't make you a nerd.
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN . . . and then some!!!, 22 Jan 2002
This book collects issues #8 - #13 of Bendis' reinvention of Spider-man for the 21st Century. Those reading this review will probably already be aware of the first volume - Ultimate Spider-man: Power and Responsibility. If not I recommend you start with that book first and I guarantee you will be buying this book at the earliest possible convenience. This album collects the second major story arc of the series so far. Spider-man battles two new adversaries (I won't spoil it by saying who) against the backdrop of a young Peter Parker coming to terms with his new found abilities and the effects they have on him and those around him. Also several new characters (for first time readers such as myself) are introduced at various stages, all updated for the modern era, which pose questions which will no doubt be answered later down the line. I cannot recommend this intelligently written and superbly illustrated book highly enough and I for one am hooked! The next collection cannot come soon enough. If you can't wait that long though I can recommend the Ultimate X-men whose first six issues are also collected.
A Father's Legacy is hard to deny..., 16 May 2007
With the accidental discovered of a box overflowing with the past, Peter and Aunt May relive a past picnic and amongst the ghosts, an old face, Eddy Brock. Peter sets off to meet up with his childhood family friend with a copy of the video he had discovered. After a wise lesson, Eddy reveals his surprise... A flask of the 'Suit', both their father's biological creation.
A reggae concert to distract and an overcurious spidey, with a dropped spoon to mix, leads to the creation of ULTIMATE BLACK SPIDERMAN, stronger, faster and sporting a stylish new look. But after seeing the suit for what it was, he must destroy it... When Eddy caught him red handed, he was none to pleased.
So much so, the vengeful young Brock took the step, and ULTIMATE VENOM is created. A raw force to rival poor Spidey who has to face his own demons. Can Spidey overcome the monster known only as Venom!
One of the greatest Ultimate Spiderman story, a deeply dark look at Peter's Past, Future and most importanly, Himself. I fully recommend!
As good as it gets, 11 Nov 2004
When Ultimate Spider-man started it was like a breath of fresh air. Although this new interpretation of Spider-man was different it was proving to be some of the best Spider-man work done. But, when I heard news the extremely popular Spider-man villain was to become "Ultimised", as a lifelong Spider-man fan the first thoughts I had were this will not work. I was made to eat those words when I read Ultimate Spider-man Vol.5 Venom. This new interpretation of one of Spider-man most successul villains manages to be better than the original story told in the early 90's. Yes the alien costume story in the original Spider-man comics is great but is nowhere near as realistic as the Venom origin told by Brian Michael Bendis in Ultimate Spider-man.
Vol. 5 of Ultimate Spider-man picks up after the end of the Legacy story and the momentum just keeps on going. Throughout the story we are introduced to the new Eddie Brock (younger but still not a nice person) and we also learn a helluva lot more about Peter Parker's parents. This story is one of the darker Spider-man stories with the majority of action being set in darkened settings (the rain soaked confrontation between Peter and Venom is astonoshing) and once again Peter learns that with Great power comes great responsibility. The writing is as good as all Bendis' previous work on Ultimate Spider-man with Mark Bagley's art and Art Thiberts inking also deserve praise.
The only problems I had with "Venom" was we don't get to see a showdown between with Peter in full Spider-man costume but this is a very slight niggle, secondly, this book only works at its best when it is looked at in the full context of the Ultimate Spider-man universe so you might have to read volumes 1 thru 4 to get maximum benefit out of the story.
You may hear people criticising the Ultimate line beacuase it is so different from the "old" Spider-man but that was the whole point of the Ultimate Spider-man line. The new Venom story does just that and is one of the high points of Ultimate Spider-man.
Spiderman Vs. Venom, 27 Oct 2003
This volume is very very good - but I wouldn't have given it five stars if I could give it four and a half. The cons? He's a very young teenager and I preferred Toby Maguire. Pro's? Venom is one of the coolest bad guys ever. EVER. He is drawn beutifully in this comic, strong and lethal yet oddly smooth and slimy. He looks great. The fighting is pretty good too - lot's of WHAM's and SCRREEEEEEEEEEECCCCHH's. Not just that but there's some good bits of emotion in it - a serious turn in the tale with MJ. All in all I hope I've written this review in such a way your dying to know more.
spideys ultimate villian gets the treatment, 19 Jul 2003
once again more excellent stuff by the ultimate spider-man team. brilliantly updated and written. if you have any of the ultimate series this is a must as he is one of spideys ultiamte villans. what more can i say. the reader will read this from cover to cover in know time, leaving the reader beggin for more heres to the next book
More quality Bendis, 18 Nov 2007
I almost wanted to hate this, simply because i felt i was buying too much Bendis and i'm not sure if thats good for you. So, im sorry to say that this is, again, another excellent read. Everything that you would expect from a quality Bendis book is here, witty dialogue, great pacing and spot on characterization. This is the current artists last book and i'm hoping they may go for a real change, as i've never been a big fan of the art on this (and a lot of the other Ultimate titles). The story lines have always deserved something a little more gritty and realistic, but thats just me and i'm sure they'd be plenty of others who disagree. My only gripe with the book is the treatment of Moon Knight, the introduction of a further personality of a 10 year old girl just wasn't gelling for me. I have missed a few books so there may be an explanation, but i'm not sure i'm buying it whatever it is. Still, that withstanding, this is just great entertainment.
Enter Spidy's new girl, 01 Dec 2008
With Peter now split from Mary Jane due to his fear that she will always be in danger with him, he focuses on his life as Spiderman. However, the first annual brings a new girl to Spiderman's life. Bored with life at the school, Kitty Pryde starts to realise that she's the outcast, unable to fit in with anyone and desperate to find a boyfriend due to her breakup with Ice Man. Kitty remembers when she met Spiderman and starts to think about dating him even though she is warned not to by Jean. The phone conversation is enjoyable as anyone can remember their first time they had to call a girl or boy and it is funny to see that Peter is finding it as hard as she is. The annual ends with the pair becoming an item and e-mailing each other.
As the story continues, Spiderman starts to find himself the target of Silver Sable and her team because of his invovement in Roxon Oil. Flash accidentally gets mistaken for Spiderman and taken captive. The fight between Spiderman and Sable and her team isn't that enjoyable but there are plenty of fights throughout the volume, including a fight with Rhino and Vulture. Throughout the volume you can't help but feel sorry for Mary Jane because she finds out that Peter is seeing someone new and even though they seem great for each other you can't help but think that it may end sooner than they want.
Even Silver Sable is cool in the Ultimate world, 12 May 2006
Here is volume 15 of Ultimate Spider-Man and Brian Michael Bendis still hasn't run out of great stories to tell. As always his dialogue crackles like a campfire and you sometimes can forget you're reading a comic book and think you've descended into a novel. Like all the other volumes (maybe with exception of the Sinister Six story) the balance between character development and all out action is nicely balance. The Humour is spot on and it makes it all worthwhile to wait the six odd months it takes to get my hands on a collected volume rather than buying the comic monthly.
This is a great read and I whole-heartedly recommend it.
Kick butt, 12 Nov 2008
The first two volumes are very much introducing us to Peter Parker and his alter-ego Spiderman, they are quite serious as the first is about Peter living up to his responsibilities and the second about Peter dealing with being tagged as a menace when he tries to help the people.
This book though is a lot more relaxed and enjoyable, as Spiderman not only faces Doc Oc but Kraven. I love how they bring Kraven in as like with the original comics but the writers must have realised that even if Kraven was tough he was still only human and Spiderman could easily take him. I didn't like Kraven in the original comics and thought of him as a weak villian (the whole obsession of capturing Spiderman bored me) and realising they were bring him in the Ultimate Spiderman didn't feel me with excitement. In spite of this I loved how Spiderman deals with Kraven after battling Doc Oc.
An awesome read
Spider-Man takes on Doctor Octopus and Kraven the Hunter, 05 Apr 2003
Just when I thought the game plan of the "Ultimate Spider-Man" with regards to the love life of his alter-ego Peter Parker was to go directly to Mary Jane Wats | | |