In previous issues of this series, Millar and company set the title apart from other Spidey comics with a far more brutal portrayal of the violence that's an inherent part of super-hero storytelling. There's a little more of that to be found in this issue, the first chapter of a new story arc, but the more mature side of this issue is to be found in the everyday problems that the title character faces on top of the extreme and fantastic ones that are already complicating his life. Furthermore, Frank Cho does a great job with the art, and his cheesecake tendencies are submerged a bit so as not to intefere with the story.
Someone out there knows Peter Parker's secret, and he doesn't know who it is. May is missing, the captive of the mysterious foe. Spider-Man's secret identity was almost compromised to the whole world, and J. Jonah Jameson has offered a $5 million reward for the truth. And now, Doctor Octopus is on the loose. Could things get any worse? Well, yes, they could. When the phone rings at the Parker household, Peter learns Mary Jane has keeping a secret from him. She did it out of love, though, trying to shield her husband from having to worry about yet another concern.
Cho's work here boasts a consistent tone with the style of regular artists Terry and Rachel Dodson, but his own unique style still shines through. He makes Mary Jane and the Black Cat a little too buxom, but he doesn't get carried away with implausible, sexual poses either. The Doc Ock scenes are impressive, and they remind me of the style of Tony (Ex Machina) Harris. I also liked how he brings a fierce, intimidating look back to Eddie Brock. The crowd scene that serves as the issue's cliffhanger is well rendered as well, full of believable detail.
Mary Jane's explanation of the bad luck she had, the bad decisions she made and her reasons for making them all ring incredibly true. The trouble in which this young married couple finds themselves is the sort of thing to which all of us can relate. Millar wisely devotes a lot of time and dialogue to this element of the story. Clearly, it's not the main driving force behind the overall plot of the series or this story arc specifically, but it's an important element, allowing the reader to connect with one of the multitude of problems the title character is experiencing.
One aspect of the book that didn't quite sit right with me is how easily Peter seems to accept or let go of horrible developments in his life and those around him. We're told he's distraught over his aunt's kidnapping, but I just don't feel it. He seems far too accepting of the Black Cat's status as an employee of a cold-blooded killer. I also suspect that Millar drops a strong hint in this script as to the identity of the mystery man behind everything; I hope this doesn't prove to be the case, as it seems a little obvious.
