by Randy Lander

SPIDER-MAN'S TANGLED WEB #12 "I Was A Teenaged Frog-Man" Highly Recommended (9/10) Marvel Comics Writer: Zeb Wells Artist: Duncan Fegredo Letters: Comicraft Editor: Axel Alonso Price: $2.99 US/$4.75 CAN I think I can be forgiven for being a little nervous about a writer whose dubious credentials were winning the Wizard video awards contest. However, Zeb Wells has provided a terrific tale with "I Was a Teenage Frog-Man," comparable to the work of more experienced writers like Rucka, Cooke and Jones on this book, and while it is hilariously funny, it also has a heart that is a little more serious. With Duncan Fegredo providing his always impressive visuals, this is another strong issue for Tangled Web, and it seems, another promising new talent found for Marvel. There's something inherently funny about ridiculous characters like Frog-Man or Razorback, but too many writers stop short at assuming the inherent humor is enough. Wells instead uses the ridiculous Frog-Man as the basis for a story of a troubled father-son relationship, the tribulations of a high school geek and a general reflection on what it means to be different. This is classic stuff, reminiscent of Bendis's or even Stan Lee's work on Peter Parker and his high school difficulties, with as realistic a depiction of being the underdog and suffering bullies as I've seen. Wells also provides a convincing look at how embarrassing parents can be to a teenager, and how that embarrassment doesn't necessarily mean a loving relationship isn't possible or even already there. For all of that deep and serious stuff, though, this is not a book that gets too bogged down in angst. In fact, it's very funny, and had me laughing out loud more than once. Well's depiction of an inane morning news show and their "human interest stories" was dead-on and hysterical, and Vincent Colorito's seeming inability to be embarrassed makes for some very funny moments as well. And while I'm glad Wells didn't run the gag about Frog-Man being ridiculous into the ground, that doesn't mean he didn't make use of it for some pretty amusing storytelling. The last time Duncan Fegredo worked on Tangled Web, it was for the "Flowers for Rhino" story, and his work here is every bit as impressive as it was there. Maybe even moreso, as he colors his own work in this issue, and the darker tones seem to fit his work very well. What really impresses about Fegredo's work, as much in "Flowers for Rhino" as it does here, is how he makes the surreal costumes and super-heroic elements fit so well into a very normal world. Eugene, Vincent and the rest of the cast are very expressive and real, and having Spider-Man show up in that world could easily seem awkward and out of place, if it weren't for Fegredo putting him in a non-super-heroic jacket and hat over his costume. The result is that Spider-Man looks a little silly and real, just as someone in a costume would in the midst of normal suburbia. Tangled Web is the Spider-Man book for people who don't care overmuch about Spider-Man, for those who are looking for stories a little left-of-center. "I Was a Teenage Frog-Man" is a very impressive debut for Zeb Wells, and it's another solid story from a book that I've come to expect excellence from. Email Randy Lander comments about this review, or discuss it on the Fourth Rail message board.