Torment - Part Three Credits: Todd McFarlane (artist/writer), Rick Parker (letterer), Bob Sharen (colors)
Summary: Spider-Man and the Lizard continue their battle, as the mystery priestess casts spells and Mary Jane catches a cab. The priestess orders the Lizard to drop Spider-Man into a pile of trash and leave the fight. Spider-Man, disoriented from the poison, flashes back to his origin. When he awakes, he’s greeted by Kraven the Hunter, with the Lizard standing by his side.
Approved By The Comics Code Authority: We see Kraven with a giant hole in his head (as this takes place after his suicide). There is a cloud of smoke behind him, so it’s possible that someone taking a quick glance at the page might assume the smoke is actually covering part of his face. That’s actually what I thought as a kid, until another kid pointed out to me the gory details you can notice if you look close.
Panel Count: 79. That averages around three and a half panels per page. This includes a two-page origin recap that really has nothing to do with the story.
Where’s Felix? : An ad for a Felix Broadway show appears on top of the taxi MJ is riding in.
Review: Why, it’s the same thing that happened in the last issue. Spider-Man and the Lizard fight, the voodoo lady keeps spilling vials, MJ is out dancing, and the Watchmen transition riff continues. McFarlane now adds some ‘70s-style second-person narration to the mix, so you get caption after caption saying that you are Spider-Man and that you are poisoned and you are responsible for your uncle’s death and you can’t believe that Kraven is alive. Once again, McFarlane’s crazy layouts keep this from being as boring as it should be, but this is badly decompressed by any standard.
6 comments:
OH God, that panel is really bad. What the heck is going on with the Lizards mouth/jaw? And how long is his tail supposed to be?
You gotta love how "Mary Jane catches a cab" is the whole summary for her sub-plot ;)
Y'know, I always loved Rick Parker's lettering. I wonder whatever happened to that guy. He seemed to disappear even before the Comicraft-letters-every-Marvel-comic era started up.
Parker works as a cartoonist now. I'm pretty sure he's been featured in the new Tales From the Crypt comic.
http://www.rickparkerart.com/
Been following this blog for a while (though with less interest when it was in Turtle mode, alas - I never read the issues).
Anyway, since we're back to something more fun, it seems the time to thank you for entertaining me for free all this time! Also, I believe this is the day for your heathen Thanksgiving - ;) c'mon, the real one was a month and a half ago!
I dunno what drives bloggers like yourself, but I sure do enjoy reaping the benefits! I hope you keep it up.
Thank you. Since McFarlane's run ends with issue #16, expect another announcement within a few weeks, hopefully.
Rick Parker had a pretty entertaining run as both artist and letterer on Marvel's Beavis & Butthead comic, of all places.
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