Now this is the sort of thing I expected from a writer of Paul Jenkins's caliber. Jenkins brings the hottest potato in international politics to the table, and he tosses it to his title character. He adds an edge and intellect to a classic Spidey villain in the process. Sure, the circumstances here are more than a little extreme, but this is a super-hero story -- extremes are the order of the day. There's something holding this story back, though, a key element in the issue that doesn't sit well with this reader, and that's the artwork of Humberto Ramos.
Dr. Octopus has kidnapped the Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations, and the world awaits to learn the purpose behind this unexpected act of terrorism. Doc Ock makes his demands known -- Spider-Man is to unmask in the middle of Times Square in front of the global media, or a key figure in the elusive Middle East peace process dies. Between between Israel and Palestine... resting on the shoulders of a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Oh, how he longs for the days of battle to the death with Venom.
The greatest liability in this issue is the artwork. Ramos's figures are far too exaggerated here. Despite a sharp plot and well-crafted dialogue, it's difficult to take Dr. Octopus seriously given his porcine features. It's a shame, because Ramos's new costume and tech designs add a dark tone of menace to the character. Spider-Man's inhuman appearance is off-putting as well. His bulbous head and emaciated neck would have the most anorexic, waifish supermodel looking at him in disbelief and disgust.
One of my favorite aspects of this book is Jenkins's decision to transform the Palestinian ambassador into something other than just a bystander. He's not just a plot device here; he participates in the drama here. Jenkins crafts a perceptive and intelligent character in Hayyan Zarour. It's a shame the potential for further use of this character beyond this story arc is pretty much negligible. I also loved Jenkins's portrayal of international espionage as a factor in this story; it struck me as a rather credible plot development, and fostering greater credibility is important in a story about characters named after a spider and an octopus.
So, is putting the notion of Middle East peace at the feet of a New York super-hero an insane idea? Sure. The question is, though, is it disrespectful of the real-world conflict and accompanying tragedies? I don't think it is, no. Jenkins brings some relevance to what could have easily been another inconsequential conflict between the title character and Doc Ock (see either one of the two Doc Ock limited series on the go now for examples of such inconsequential conflicts). It gives the reader something real and vital to consider rather than whether or not Spidey's webbing can restrain the villain's mechanical arms.
