It never fails... when Bendis writes an Ultimate Spider-Man script that focuses on the relationship between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson, it stands out as one of the highlights of an already strong series. The writer surprised me with this issue, as I expected him to milk the awkwardness between Peter and MJ for months to come. It's no secret how Bendis consistenyly pulls it off. His script boasts genuine voices for the young characters, and the reader's able to hear his or her own words being expressed by these fleshed-out, believable figures.
Geldoff's explosive antics at the weekend party in Forest Hills attracts the attention of the police, and like everyone else around them, Mary Jane and Gwen bolt as soon as they hear sirens, with Peter in tow. The bus ride home provides Peter and MJ a few moments to themselves, and the seeds for reconciliation and personal revelations are planted. Meanwhile, Peter learns more about Geldoff through the high-school grapevine, including the rumors that he's a mutant.
Bagley brings the chaos of the mad teenage scramble to life wonderfully in the opening scene, but more importantly, he captures Peter's and Mary Jane's fear and elation. The story unfolds in the characters' eyes as much as it does in the dialogue. A key visual in the book is the letter from which the story derives its title. It really does look like it was written by a teenage girl, and it reinforces the real and universal quality of the relationship that's at the heart of this issue and the series as a whole.
Though the focus is clearly on Peter and Mary Jane in this issue, Bendis still subtly says a fair deal about Gwen Stacy. One can see that she's happy to see Peter and MJ talking, to see that her friend Pete is fnially taking steps in the right direction. Initially, Gwen served as the third
side in a romantic triangle, but she's slowly settled comfortably into the role of close friend. A strong platonic friendship between members of the opposite sex is really too rare in comics -- Archie Andrews has been dating both Betty and Veronica for years, for example -- and it's a pleasure to see Gwen Stacy defined as something more than a girlfriend to Peter Parker or one of his male friends.
Peter's reactions to Mary Jane's confessions are ones that we've all had in our lives, and as such, it's remarkably to relate to Peter's unbounded emotion. Bendis also transforms Mary Jane into an admirable figure. She takes a risk and expresses her true feelings, and while it may seem easy on the surface, it's a simple step that requires courage and confidence in anyone who dares to take such a simple step.
