The cat's been out of the bag for weeks now, and many readers are bound to be curious about a story that probably involves a certain friendly neighborhood wall-crawler's aunt's rather wild youth. Soe have described this as a teen romance book, but the first issue doesn't strike me as romance, but it is a somewhat risque romp that stands out as a radical shift in genre for the publisher.
Teenage brothers Richie and Ben have opted to take jobs at a vacation resort in the Hamptons instead of just hanging around at home. Richie figures it'll be the perfect place to meet girls. Speaking of which, a wild girl named May has convinced her more straight-laced friend Mary that a summer of fun, flirting and hopefully more awaits them in the Hamptons as well. Destiny and hormones bring the four of them together, and it looks like they're going to get in some trouble.
Welcome to Fast Times at Marvel High, folks. Actually, the characters aren't overtly referred to as the Parkers; there are no last names, but it seems clear from the first names that we're to infer that these characters are Spider-Man's future family. Fortunately, the book doesn't wink at the reader, pointing at little hints of what's to come in their lives. It focuses on them in the moment. In fact, these characters are so different from the ones we've come to know over the years, one can probably enjoy the story more approaching it as a blank slate.
Is Trouble more about shocking readers than storytelling? Does portraying a young May as the complete opposite of her elderly self stretch credibility? Sure, there's a shock value in seeing the future May Parker in such a light, but I buy into the notion that people can change radically as they mature. Furthermore, I suspect this first issue -- with its titillating attitude -- is only one facet of the story. I certainly hope so. I would expect more serious subject matter is coming around the bend. I have to admit, turning May into a wildchild certainly carries with it some potential for controversy, and with it, some mainstream marketing opportunities and perhaps some irked parents of teenage readers.
The more titillating elements in the book are rather obvious, though, and they do nag at the reader a little. The characters talk about sex to the exclusion of all else, and it comes close to alienating the reader at times, coming off less like storytelling and more like marketing.
Given the slightful sinful focus of this first issue, Terry and Rachel Dodson's provocative and curvaceous artwork seems like the obvious choice to bring it to life. They capture the young May's frisky and energetic nature quite well, and I like that we can see that Ben is a bit sheepish when compared to his younger brother. Hollingsworth's colors are vibrant and lovely. They bring an appropriately dream-like quality to the story.
Ultimately, I think the greatest strength of Trouble -- at least from the perspective of this 30-something reader -- is it's easy to identify with these characters. Mind you, I didn't have a sex-filled romp at a summer resort in my youth, but I did have summers full of fun, without a care for any consequences. It's a defining element of youth.
Note: Some of the comments in this review were reproduced from a previous feature on the website.
