There have been plenty of kudos for Loeb and Sale for their work on Spider-Man: Blue, so much so that fans are chomping at the bit to check out their next look at a classic Marvel character, in Hulk: Gray. Personally, though, I just don't get it. Their retelling of some key moments from the Silver Age run of Amazing Spider-Man is entertaining, sure, and casts those stories in a more mature light. But it also spotlights some of the awkwardness of storytelling from yesteryear and says little new about the title character.
Peter Parker is exhausted. He's just had to contend with a new Vulture stalking the skies of New York City, and if fighting super-villains weren't enough of a headache, he's not even able to enjoy recent developments in his life that any other red-blooded American guy would kill for. He's got a great, huge new apartment in the city, and not one but two gorgeous women fawning over him. Meanwhile, Adrian Toomes decides to get even with the man who usurped his villainous title and gear.
Sale has clearly adapted his style to capture the dynamics that Steve Ditko and John Romita brought to the title character in the 1960s. Sale's trademark darkness is still here, but some of his unique style is lost. For example, a climactic splash page near the end of the book -- reminiscent of the cover image from Amazing Fantasy #15, Spidey's first appearance -- looks more like it was rendered by Sal Buscema than Tim Sale. Don't get me wrong, I like Buscema's work a lot, but it doesn't suit this particular story and atmosphere. Fortunately, Buccellato's muted colors do capture the more reflective tone of the script.
I think where Loeb lost me in this issue is when we see how sweet Peter has it. Free apartment in Manhattan? Two knockouts desperate to play the role of nurse? Part of Spider-Man's appeal is that the character suffers through the same problems as us regular schlubs, on top of all the super-hero stuff. However, to be fair, these plot developments aren't Loeb's work, but of creators who came before. Still, that kind of oddity and weakness in the plotting deserves to remain in that earlier time, and I'd like to see something more plausible and modern now.
Still, some of the fun and energy from those stories of yesteryear does make it through the retelling process as well, and I like how Loeb tempers those more innocent tones with the mature narration in Peter's voice.
