The Wolverine teamup in issues #66 and 67 was about comedy. The Human Torch teamup in issues #68 and 69 was about teen angst and drama. This new two-part teamup story -- featuring the Ultimates and Dr. Strange -- is about... well, I don't know what it's about, and therein lies the problem. The pacing here is incredibly slow, and the tone of the narration is unengaging. And though there's an interesting speech about adulthood from the perspective of a teenager, there's no clear plot or theme that holds this issue together. This comes off as a random mish-mash of ideas Bendis had for the book, and rather than let them languish, he jammed them all into this issue.
Peter Parker and Mary-Jane Watson finally go out on a proper date, consisting of dinner at a restaurant neither one can really afford and some engrossing conversation about the amazing, unusual and difficult turns Peter's life has taken. He tells M.J. of his most recent encounter with the Ultimates and how he helped them subdue a cyborg's devastating rampage through the city. And he tells her of the opportunity J. Jonah Jameson gave him by allowing him to shadow reporter Ben Urich on an assignment... one that brought him face to face with the so-called Sorceror Supreme to the Stars, Dr. Strange.
The collaboration between pencilelr Mark Bagley and inker Scott Hanna doesn't make for the most polished art, and usually, that's not a problem. Their Spidey always looks great, and they manage to capture the youth of the core cast members. But their take on the Ultimate version of Iron Man, for example, fails to convey the power and sleekness readers expect after seeing the character in Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch's Ultimates. Their Captain America doesn't convey the same confidence and larger-than-life quality; he just seems like a generic super-hero here. The artists do capture the magic of a simple evening out, though; I really like the atmosphere they foster in the restaurant scenes.
Much of this issue consists of Peter's narration running down the margin of the pages while the images unfolds separately from his recollections. I realize Bendis is trying to convey that these are flashback scenes, that Peter is telling the story to Mary Jane, but the method create a divide between the story and the main character. He comes off as more of an observer than a participant. I did, however, enjoy his discourse on his disillusionment with adults. He sees them as dissatisfied human beings who fail to appreciate what they have. It rings true as the sort of thing a teen would feel back those adults around him.
Is this a story about an adventure with the Ultimates? No. Is it about Peter and Mary Jane's relationship? No. Is it about Dr. Strange? I can't tell yet. This book starts off in one direction, heads in another by the second act and then dashes off in another direction by the third. It's a scattered script, and it really calls for more focus. 6/10
