Though Straczynski is bringing some fresh ideas into the mix with his take on Spider-Man, his stories seem to be following something of a classic pattern, and that's a good thing. While it may not be the most original plot element, it's always good to see Spidey reasserting his will to keep going, and the creation of a new Dr. Octopus without pushing the old one aside made for a great central conflict for the story. In addition, with that plot keeping the action going, Straczynski had room to explore the changed dynamic between Aunt May, Peter and Mary Jane, all with Romita Jr. and Scott Hanna continuing to provide beautiful artwork.
Honestly, part of me is wondering how many times we can see Spider-Man pushing his way through piles of debris using his force of will and still be impressed at the effort. The rest of me remains impressed by what it says about the character, and it's a good creative team that can bring me into the moment that way. Romita Jr. does a good job on the not easy task of conveying Peter buried under a lot of shifting debris, and Straczynski continues to show an understanding of Peter with the thought balloons that contain his self-doubt and nervous wisecracks, all wrapped around a core of strong will.
One of the great things about Amazing Spider-Man right now is a lot of solid action. For action, this is the best Spider-Man title, and the showdown between Spidey and two Doctor Octopuses (Octopi?) is a great sequence. Romita Jr. portrays the strength and danger that the mechanical tentacles of both men possess, which is impressive given that the costumes look pretty ridiculous if you stop and think about it. Straczynski also pulls a nice double take moment with Octopus's entrance into the fight in the first place.
While I loved the action, some of my favorite moments in the issue are actually some of the smallest parts of the issue. The exchange between Peter and Mary Jane at the end, while bordering on the melodramatic, is a sweet summation of their relationship. I'm all the more impressed by this because I've heard the stories that Kevin Smith is the guy who gets to decide Spidey's romantic future, which has given the Spider-Man/Mary Jane story in this issue something of a "who cares? Nothing's going to happen" feeling at times. And Aunt May's in-jokey, funny line that plays off the revelation of Peter's identity (and another one this issue, a nice bit of continuity use) was great fun.
It seems hard to imagine that only two years ago, I thought Spider-Man would never be readable again. Amazing Spider-Man, and indeed the rest of the Spider-Man line, is a testament to the school of thought that places creators above characters, and shows that it's better to have the right talent and a long-standing popular character, rather than coasting on just the character's popularity.
