Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #21 review

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #21

By Ken
Rating: 2.5

"Consuming Passion"

Writer: Peter David
Artist: Todd Nauck (p), Robert Campanella (i), John Calisz ( c)

Synopsis: Previously on FNSM #20, Eros, The Other kidnapped Flash Thompson from the bowling alley while he was on his date. After a little heart to heart talk with Betty Brant in Flash's apartment, Peter leaves her to go find Flash after concluding Midtown High Nurse Arrow is really The Other who I will call “Tee-Oh” for easy reference. Then Spidey crashes the bowling alley and does battle with Tee-Oh. Flash escapes with his date to a truck only to be thwarted by Tee-Oh and her legions of cannibalistic spiders. Spider-Man saves Flash's date, but upon reaching the truck, Flash was nowhere to be seen along with any of Tee-Oh and her horde.

Now on FNSM #21, while on the truck, Spider-Man ponders what could've happened to Flash and Eros, Tee-Oh's real name. In deep thought, Spider-Man is harassed by a law enforcement official, who has an armory in his car’s trunk that would make Frank Castle urinate in his Kevlar. Spider-Man's chit-chat with the police officer was filmed unbeknownst to the web slinger. This film will have ramifications later in the book, as it leads to Robbie Robertson yell at J. Jonah Jameson in front of the Daily Bugle staff. Spidey finds Tee-Oh and a webbed up Flash Thompson in a warehouse where Peter and Tee-Oh have a battle. Guess who won this round?

Comments: I would have given FNSM #21 a 3-bullet rating. I had to deduct a bullet point, because of a certain nuisance in the art. Now don't get me wrong. In respect to Amazing Spider-Man and Sensational Spider-Man, FNSM is supposed to be lighter in tone whether it is story or art. Todd Nauck did a good job with the pencils, and Robert Campanella's ink accentuates Nauck's pencils nicely. However, it is the drawing of the noses of every character in this issue that made me deduct a bullet point. I was tempted to deduct a bullet point and a half, but Peter David's writing offset that temptation. All the noses came out like a shortened horizontal boot with a spiky toe. Every time I looked at the panels depicting Tee-Oh, a picture of The Iron Sheik's pointed boots would pop up in my mind. I can understand rendering Tee-Oh's, nose that way to reflect her non-human status. But Betty Brant's nose on pages 3 and 4 are rendered the same way which made her face look annoying.

It is easier to find negative things to say about the art than the positive ones. However, in my mind I have a valid reason. On positive notes, the battle scenes between Spider-Man and Tee-Oh was great. You can tell her determination with her intense eyes. Nauck’s art conveys her between intensity and insanity, making her more dangerous. After all, Tee-Oh's eyes switch from rage to complete confidence almost knowing that she will win. By fighting with their stingers, the battle reminded me of the vicious ballet between Sabretooth and Wolverine. You can’t be more dynamic in that sequence. The only difference was the sound when Spider-Man's stinger came out, "SNAK". Next is the presentation of the creepiness all the thousands of spiders and that disgusting “special egg”. It makes one shiver and look underneath to make sure there are no spiders around. All in all Todd Nauck fits well with Peter David's witty-serious writing. Now, perhaps a "nose job" can be done by Todd Nauck.

Have you ever encountered a dangerous animal that was funny? Peter David's writing on this issue reminded me of the laughing hyena. This is actual praise. The story moves forward, and each new setting, results with greater danger for Spider-Man. Also, the reader cannot help but laugh with the witty dialogue that is de facto Peter David. Spider-Man's "Back in Black" storylines have supposedly darkened our superhero. However, FNSM helmed by Peter David, the fans get the classic witty-banter from Spidey during his battle with Tee-Oh, and from his encounter with the police officer earlier. Peter is the definite writer for FNSM. He fits the tone perfectly. Whether it is “red and blue” or “back in black”, Peter David captures the essence of Spidey's crackling dialogue. This is a rare benefit seldom seen by readers of Spidey today, as his dialogue by other writers fail to capture this defining characteristic of our Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

Final Words: This book is for you if you are a Spider-Man fan, and want some of Spidey's other stories tie up its loose ends. If not, it is still a good book to pick up if you just want to be entertained with a genuine Spider-Man character who is witty and entertaining.