Amazing Spider-Man #537 *spoilers*

[Pyro]

OH MY GAWD! This was a truly great issue. Amazing even. Each scene was so great, I shall describe them as follows:

The War at Home pt. 6 of 7

The sweet cover depicts Spidey fighting alongside Cap and Punisher.

It opens with Peter waking up in the motel. He goes outside with a hat and sunglasses to pick up a copy of the morning's Daily Bugle with the headline: "Spider-Man/Parker Challenges Registration." While he is out there, a hooker he met last issue recognizes him and calls someone named Lucille saying she found something that will bring them a lot of money.

Next, Captain America give the Human Torch a mission to find Peter. We get some glorious images of Johnny flamed on (oh, how I've missed that for the past year or so) and he makes a flame signal in the sky that displays Spider-Man's logo and says "Call Me."

Meanwhile, Wilson Fisk is in prison talking with an unnamed associate about doing Peter in and anyone else who he may be with. It's very chilling because they speak in code as if it were business thing and Fisk was giving someone a bonus.

Then Cap goes to find Spidey on his own after a talk with Falcon on how Peter may be being used by Tony. Then it's another great scene where he and Peter talk about what patriotism is (Cap quotes Mark Twain). Peter declares his loyalty to Cap and swings off with him feeling good that he's on the right side.

We go back to the associate of the Kingpin's and he's in a car with an assassin and fills him in on his job. The assassin says he will have no problem with Peter's spider-sense because he sleeps on the job, it's one of his trade secrets. The other is never leaving a direct connection to a job alive to testify against him. So he horrifically murders Fisk's associate with 3 gunshots and then he sets the car on fire! Wow.

MJ and May are in their motel room waiting for Peter. MJ's getting worried because they think Peter should be back by now. The assassin knocks on the door and asks if they need towels, but they refuse. As he leaves, he attaches some sort of device on the door. He then goes across the street into a seemingly abandoned building and prepares his gun, aiming at MJ who is standing right next to May.

Peter, Cap, and a few others in the resistance are walking underground while Cap talks about their plan moving towards a final showdown with Tony's forces. Cap says that they are doing pretty well tactically, he just wants to know if there's anything he still doesn't know, so nothing will go wrong. Peter assures him Cap probably has everything covered. Then we go to a splash page of MJ and May being targeted!:eek:

________________________________________________

I thought this was a great issue! So many thrilling moments. I really don't want either MJ or May to die. They're to important to Peter and to me as well.

Ron Garney's art was spectacular! His style isn't very realistic, but it sure is powerful. Every splash page had it's punch; I especially liked the page with an upshot of Cap talking to Spidey. That whole scene was great actually. He also does a great job with the Human Torch. His rendition of Spider-Man in his traditional costume is pretty sweet and I particularly like the image of him when he lands on the roof. Occasionally he draws the eyes weird though. The coloring was great as well.

JMS did a good job with this issue. I will be very upset if he kills someone off, but I'm bracing myself for it. I'm very glad this arc is back on track because I really hated #535. #536 was pretty good, but this was better. Overall, I think this has been a very exciting arc.

Thoughts?

[MaxofSteel]

Curses! :mad:

I wish I had been more thurough at my LCS. I guess I must have missed this issue. I'l pick it up later when I get the chance. Sounds pretty good.

[lllhouselll]

the end is a kinda been here done that but all in all a good issue

[jackolover]

This issue is part of the set that discusses the reasons Cap and Tony went to war.

ASM 537,
Cap/IM:Casualties


These 2 books dissect what both men feel is the correct cause of action.

Tony - because Project wide awake is the alternative, and, people of unsound mind (like a drunk Tony) need to be held responsible if they go wrong.

Cap - because, (as in ASM 537), the country is the people, and you can hold your head up high knowing that an individual stands his ground against the authorities, when it's required.

We have heard many of the arguments about why the anti's and pro's have taken their positions, by discussing them over the forum, but here, now, we see the unfetted logic of the 2 generals leading each faction. I sure hope Tony hasn't fought this war just as a faint, or a deception, to distract the authorities, so he can impliment another tactic. I want this final battle to be a true representation of Tony and Steves heart, with all the sorbid conclusions to come from the ending. I want it to be the battle of ideas of 2 mens minds.

[Erik Lehnsherr]

I'm not gonna read this thread but I will be picking this issue up later today. The last two Amazings have been EXCELLENT and I don't expect any less from this one.

[Killer Bee]

What a lousy cliffhanger. Straczynski doesn't have the balls to let that sniper pull the trigger.

[Miss Kitty Fantastico]

What a lousy cliffhanger. Straczynski doesn't have the balls to let that sniper pull the trigger.
Probably true - there'd be too much pressure from on high not to take out MJ or May. And in any case the plan seems to be to take out Spidey himself, with the other two as a bonus - presumably the assassin is going to wait until Peter shows up and walks into the crosshairs.

Still, you never know with JMS. I'll tell you what, if the first 21 pages of the next ASM don't feature MJ or Aunt May at all, just big Civil War battles and so forth, I'd put $10 on page 22 being Peter coming through the door to find them both dead.

I don't really have anything to add to what's been said already here. This is JSM firing on all cylinders, I'd say the high point of the CW Spider-Man run so far. If the final issue can top it, ASM will have earned the billing it's been getting as most crucial CW tie-in.

(I just hope they leave out the damn advertising card inserts next time.)

[oneasian]

lol the advertising insert cards!

i was annoyed with those too. it makes turning the pages harder!

i thought the issue was a good read. i'm just dreading what they're going to do to Spider-Man this year. expect the worst, hope for the best, right?

[bulbasteve]

This issue is part of the set that discusses the reasons Cap and Tony went to war.

ASM 537,
Cap/IM:Casualties


I'd prefer if we kept Cap/IM as the guide for Caps view. As much as I want to rag on the guy, it is unfair even to him to simplify his views to a quote. And frankly explaining a position with a quote is like the thing you learn not to do in 5th grade debate class. But I think it is just JMS REALLY not you know...being that good at this whole giving characters their own thoughts thing. It just struck me as the laziest sort of writing to me, hell the talking head Cap/Iron Man did a better "show don't tell" job than ASM.

Oh as for the cliffhanger, doesn't the solicits give away what is going to happen to at least one of those two?

[The Shadow]

The last two Amazings have been EXCELLENT and I don't expect any less from this one.

It's ot as good... it's BETTER (IMO anyway) than the last two and i thought they were great.

JMS is on a roll lately.

[lllhouselll]

the worst part of the issue well all the marvel ishs this week was those damn ad cards BOOOOOO ad cards , im betting the hooker accidentily walks in front of the window and gets killed, mj and may flee and the sniper runs into the punisher

[Kirk G]

I wonder if the hooker realizes what is going on.
I mean, doesn't she have red hair also?
Is it possible that she's going to walk alongside of Peter toward the room, and the sniper will become confused enough to plug her also? or instead?
Maybe Spidey's spidersense will go off and his actions will convince the sniper that the girl next to him is his girlfriend/wife?

Just thinking out loud here...

[Magneto Rocks]

Afterl ast issue fell flat for the first time in Civil War, this is back to the usual high standards and for me, ASM is by far the best CW tie-in series (Apologies to Captain America), so much so that it's a wonder the same man penned the 4 dull and pointless FF tie-ins. THIS is JMS at his best, this is the JMS who wrote those early stories- and dammit, this may be my favourite ASM story in a very long time. We all know MJ won't die, simply because in order for "One More Day" to give the final word on the marriage, there has to BE a marriage. And I don't think May will die YET simply because I think she's in the ambulance 2 issues later. But it is interesting to note we don't know the cover of ASM 538 yet...

I hope this arc goes out with style!

[jackolover]

I'd prefer if we kept Cap/IM as the guide for Caps view. As much as I want to rag on the guy, it is unfair even to him to simplify his views to a quote. And frankly explaining a position with a quote is like the thing you learn not to do in 5th grade debate class. But I think it is just JMS REALLY not you know...being that good at this whole giving characters their own thoughts thing. It just struck me as the laziest sort of writing to me, hell the talking head Cap/Iron Man did a better "show don't tell" job than ASM.?

Okay, it is kind of lame of JMS to put quoted words in Steves mouth. But hey. Steve isn't a debater, he's a fighter. Maybe Steve thinks this says it better.


Oh as for the cliffhanger, doesn't the solicits give away what is going to happen to at least one of those two?

What do you think the solicits say?

[bulbasteve]

Okay, it is kind of lame of JMS to put quoted words in Steves mouth. But hey. Steve isn't a debater, he's a fighter. Maybe Steve thinks this says it better.

I don't think I would have minded it much if the same thing didn't happen in his own tie-in and he was called on it by agent-what's-her-face.


What do you think the solicits say?

I didn't actually read them! But didn't it say a certain member was being rushed in an ambulance in like 2 issues.

[IamtheRock3]

What is kingpin assains after them

though Cap was working with kingpin

[Van Custo]

i need one question answerd..

its probly obvius and im being dumb but its very late lol

in this issue peter finaly joines with cap after the talk and all that...

but in civil war 5 and 6 hes brought in with the punisher then goes right away with them ...

umm...how do these 2 things work together lol

[Miss Kitty Fantastico]

in this issue peter finaly joines with cap after the talk and all that...
but in civil war 5 and 6 hes brought in with the punisher then goes right away with them ...
umm...how do these 2 things work together lol
They can't really be reconciled - it's okay to ignore a detail here and there in the interests of enjoying a story, but any work-around to this one would rely on ignoring too many details to make it really viable. The best approximation I've thought of (bear in mind I haven't seen CW#6 yet) is this:

* Spidey and Iron Man face off in Avengers tower, Spidey busts out (CW#5 and ASM#536)
* Iron Man chases and fights Spidey on the street, Spidey goes into the sewer (ASM#536)
* Spidey hides out with Aunt May and MJ in a seedy hotel, and goes on TV to disavow the SHRA (ASM#536-7)
* Spidey meets Cap on the rooftops and agrees to join him (ASM#537)
* Spidey takes part in various Secret Avengers missions; in one of them he is isolated from the other SAs and located by the Thunderbolts (unseen)
* Jester and Jack O'Lantern catch Spidey in flight and beat the bejeezus out of him; Punisher rescues him (CW#5, Punisher War Journal #1)
* Punisher brings Spidey back to Secret Avengers HQ, and joins up himself (CW#5)
* Spidey is with Cap and co. (Punisher included) while Kingpin's assassin lines up MJ and May in his sights (ASM#537)

That's about the best I can do - you have to ignore the implication that MJ is talking about Spidey going out to meet Cap when she says he should be back by now in ASM#537, Ultra Girl and Punisher's exchange in CW#5 indicating Spidey wasn't already a Secret Avenger, and (most glaringly) pretend that Spidey's not wearing the Iron Spider outfit in the sewer fight in CW#5 and War Journal #1. Aside from the damned costume it's not such a big deal to pretend it all fits together.

[Harding Prime]

The best approximation I've thought of (bear in mind I haven't seen CW#6 yet) is this:

* Spidey and Iron Man face off in Avengers tower, Spidey busts out (CW#5 and ASM#536)
* Iron Man chases and fights Spidey on the street, Spidey goes into the sewer (ASM#536)
* Spidey hides out with Aunt May and MJ in a seedy hotel, and goes on TV to disavow the SHRA (ASM#536-7)
* Spidey meets Cap on the rooftops and agrees to join him (ASM#537)
* Spidey takes part in various Secret Avengers missions; in one of them he is isolated from the other SAs and located by the Thunderbolts (unseen)
* Jester and Jack O'Lantern catch Spidey in flight and beat the bejeezus out of him; Punisher rescues him (CW#5, Punisher War Journal #1)
* Punisher brings Spidey back to Secret Avengers HQ, and joins up himself (CW#5)
* Spidey is with Cap and co. (Punisher included) while Kingpin's assassin lines up MJ and May in his sights (ASM#537)


Just a few tweaks should make it right...:)

* Iron Man chases and fights Spidey on the street, IM starts the fight. (ASM#536)

* Spidey and Iron Man face off in Avengers tower, Spidey busts out and goes to sewer where he is ambushed by Jester and Jack O'Lantern (You can see the damage of the beginning of the fight at the start of CW#5 from what happened in ASM#536)

* Punisher brings Spidey back to Secret Avengers HQ, and joins up himself (CW#5)

* Spidey hides out with Aunt May and MJ in a seedy hotel, and goes on TV to disavow the SHRA (ASM#536-7)

* Spidey meets Cap on the rooftops and agrees to join him (ASM#537)

* Spidey is with Cap and co. (Punisher included) while Kingpin's assassin lines up MJ and May in his sights (ASM#537)

It actually has pretty good corallation. This is the best Tie-in, in my opinion, with the Wolverine story. X-Men was useless, Cable/deadpool was good, NA, CA & IM were all deserved.

[Harding Prime]

The Cover was kinda misleading....

But awesome Mark Twain reference! I don't know how Cap makes ASM another one of his best books, but you can't hold a good character down. Good to great issue.

[Magneto Rocks]

Just a few tweaks should make it right...:)

Sorry Harding, just one tweak necessary ;)


* Iron Man chases and fights Spidey on the street, IM starts the fight. (ASM#536)

Nooo.... IM descends and tells petey to surrender. Petey slugs him. So...

*Iron Man chases and fights Spidey on the street. Spidey starts the fight.[/quote]

There we go. :)

[XPac]

Sorry Harding, just one tweak necessary ;)



Nooo.... IM descends and tells petey to surrender. Petey slugs him. So...

*Iron Man chases and fights Spidey on the street. Spidey starts the fight.



By the time they hit the street, no one started the fight. It had already started. Tony tackled Peter for trying to leave the building, and Peter hits him through a wall in retaliation. SHIELD agents arrive to attack Peter, and off we go.

[Harding Prime]

Sorry Harding, just one tweak necessary ;)



Nooo.... IM descends and tells petey to surrender. Petey slugs him. So...

*Iron Man chases and fights Spidey on the street. Spidey starts the fight.

There we go. :)

I still have the timeline correct...point of perception. Most people agree with me anyways, so according to wikiality, that makes it fact.:D

[Magneto Rocks]

The ones who matter- IE: The ones who wrote it, edited it and put it out- plus the page itself- agree with me, so by dictionary, that makes it right ;)

Check the scene yourself. I udnerstand the confusion in Stark Tower but on the ground there can be no doubt Spidey hurls the first punch.

[XPac]

The ones who matter- IE: The ones who wrote it, edited it and put it out- plus the page itself- agree with me, so by dictionary, that makes it right ;)

Check the scene yourself. I udnerstand the confusion in Stark Tower but on the ground there can be no doubt Spidey hurls the first punch.

Yes, but my point is that by the time they hit the ground, punches have already been throw. It's no longer the first punch by that point... it's at least the third. Like I said... no one started the fight at that point because it was already started. The tackle, the thrust through the wall, and the SHIELD agents firing on him already happened.

[Harding Prime]

IM still starts the fight, why are arguing this. I don't care who throws a punch later in the fight, just cuz you stop fighting for 1 minute doesn't mean the fights over. Who cares, IM had it coming, but he still blind sighted Spider-Man for no reason.

[Miss Kitty Fantastico]

Hmm... actually, yeah, I'm starting to see the correlation between ASM and CW#5 clearer - it having been some time since I read ASM#536, I neglected to take into account the 'some time later' and the editor's note in that issue, which flags where the Jester/Jack attack and Punisher's intervention took place. And though initially I was sceptical that Spidey could wake up in Cap's lair and not have The Talk with Cap that he had - for the first time, evidently - in 537, it makes sense, if you imagine that Peter left as soon as he woke up to go check on May and MJ - for those two, he wouldn't stop even to hear what Cap had to say at that moment.

Chalk up the pointless alternate explanation to not enough sleep on my part, I guess.

As for who threw the first punch, both of them, kind of - Iron Man clearly is the initial aggressor when he barges through the wall and crash tackles Spidey at the end of #535, but then in CW#5 (you can still see the damaged wall) they get to talking, and it's Spidey who resumes the fight (reacting, I think, to what he perceived as Tony threatening May and MJ, though I'd say Tony was warning Peter, not threatening). Then in #536, at street level after the SHIELD goons have blasted him out the window, it's again Spidey who throws the punch that restarts the fight. It's kind of elegant that, if you read ASM without CW, it seems like the crash tackle in 535 leads straight to the fight in 536, but the CW material nonetheless slots in between the two seamlessly.

Pity JMS couldn't have handled FF with that kind of elegance...

[XPac]

Hmm... actually, yeah, I'm starting to see the correlation between ASM and CW#5 clearer - it having been some time since I read ASM#536, I neglected to take into account the 'some time later' and the editor's note in that issue, which flags where the Jester/Jack attack and Punisher's intervention took place. And though initially I was sceptical that Spidey could wake up in Cap's lair and not have The Talk with Cap that he had - for the first time, evidently - in 537, it makes sense, if you imagine that Peter left as soon as he woke up to go check on May and MJ - for those two, he wouldn't stop even to hear what Cap had to say at that moment.

Chalk up the pointless alternate explanation to not enough sleep on my part, I guess.

As for who threw the first punch, both of them, kind of - Iron Man clearly is the initial aggressor when he barges through the wall and crash tackles Spidey at the end of #535, but then in CW#5 (you can still see the damaged wall) they get to talking, and it's Spidey who resumes the fight (reacting, I think, to what he perceived as Tony threatening May and MJ, though I'd say Tony was warning Peter, not threatening). Then in #536, at street level after the SHIELD goons have blasted him out the window, it's again Spidey who throws the punch that restarts the fight. It's kind of elegant that, if you read ASM without CW, it seems like the crash tackle in 535 leads straight to the fight in 536, but the CW material nonetheless slots in between the two seamlessly.

Pity JMS couldn't have handled FF with that kind of elegance...


Yeah, it was well done. You really don't NEED to read to other stories to get an idea of what's going on, but it certainly adds the complete picture.

I'd definately argue Amazing Spider-Man is a must have tie in almost right up there with Frontline. It blends really well and fleshes out a lot of aspects of the story that Millar understandably only touches on.

[Magneto Rocks]

I agree with XPac and Kitty- although I disagree with Frontline being essential. I also have t oagree- it's difficult to see the seamless blending off ASM and CW and imagine the same guy did the crude poorly done blending of FF and CW...

[Harding Prime]

I agree with XPac and Kitty- although I disagree with Frontline being essential. I also have t oagree- it's difficult to see the seamless blending off ASM and CW and imagine the same guy did the crude poorly done blending of FF and CW...

Wow, we are all in agreement for once...this is nice.:)



This won't last.:evilsmile

[Pyro]

I agree with XPac and Kitty- although I disagree with Frontline being essential. I also have to gree- it's difficult to see the seamless blending off ASM and CW and imagine the same guy did the crude poorly done blending of FF and CW...Frontline isn't essential. It contains stories that aren't being told in CW proper, but not reading them, but none of the stories have much impact on the main CW story. ASM and FF are more essential as they directly further the plots in CW.

[Harding Prime]

Frontline isn't essential. It contains stories that aren't being told in CW proper, but not reading them, but none of the stories have much impact on the main CW story. ASM and FF are more essential as they directly further the plots in CW.

That is why I don't read Frontline. All though they did take out one awesome character.

RIP - Bantam 1993-2006

[XPac]

Frontline isn't essential. It contains stories that aren't being told in CW proper, but not reading them, but none of the stories have much impact on the main CW story. ASM and FF are more essential as they directly further the plots in CW.

I think in a way that makes it MORE essential.

You are being told aspects of the story that aren't being covered in the main CW title (which is basically a chronicle of the fight between Cap and Tonys teams).

ASM and FF merely flesh out stuff you already know from CW. Frontline gives you stuff you won't find anywhere else. That's why Marvel has said from day one that if you only get one companion book to CW, it should be Frontline.

[FunkyRenegade]

lol the advertising insert cards!

i was annoyed with those too. it makes turning the pages harder!

i thought the issue was a good read. i'm just dreading what they're going to do to Spider-Man this year. expect the worst, hope for the best, right?
Having to rip an advertising card out of each of the books I bought today was a chore.
But that aside I loved this issue :]
imo it's WAY better than the constant cliffhangers of main CW series.
I've got a feeling May OR MJ will be killed, could be why Peter gets back in the Black suit? Mourning? Just an idea :]

[Pyro]

I think in a way that makes it MORE essential.

You are being told aspects of the story that aren't being covered in the main CW title (which is basically a chronicle of the fight between Cap and Tonys teams).

ASM and FF merely flesh out stuff you already know from CW. Frontline gives you stuff you won't find anywhere else. That's why Marvel has said from day one that if you only get one companion book to CW, it should be Frontline.I guess it depends on whether or not you enjoy Frontline. Personally, I think it sucks, so I'm happy to be able to ignore it. I do follow what goes on in it, but so far I'm glad that nothing has happened that is important to me, so I consider it inessential. But you are right, if you like it, it covers material you can't find elsewhere so it is essential.

[Erik Lehnsherr]

It's ot as good... it's BETTER (IMO anyway) than the last two and i thought they were great.

JMS is on a roll lately.

I finally picked this issue up today and DAMN it was a great read. The Captain/Spidy interaction was done perfectly. And the Kingpin making a huge move thanks the unrest of the Civil War was just as riveting. This may be the best book in Marvel right now. I loved it..can't wait for the cliffhanger conclusion.:)

[ZacharyLovesYou]

It was a great book, indeed. JMS is really writing a really good Captain America character lately; especially when he pairs him with Spidey. (Even though I was like, "Holy shit... Who remembers that much of a book?") But even so, it just worked.

And Frankly, I hope they kill off MJ. I'm sick of her. I mean, you read Kraven's Last Hunt, and you feel her importance. Now-a-days? Not so much. Besides, I think it'd make for some damn good stories for Pete if they did.

[Harding Prime]

And Frankly, I hope they kill off MJ. I'm sick of her. I mean, you read Kraven's Last Hunt, and you feel her importance. Now-a-days? Not so much. Besides, I think it'd make for some damn good stories for Pete if they did.

That won't happen, but I'm hoping for more Aunt May, she has run her course. Something needs to happen for him to go back to black.

[Erik Lehnsherr]

WHOA! Let's not kill of MJ but hopefully there are some huge ramifications from the ending.

[ZacharyLovesYou]

That won't happen, but I'm hoping for more Aunt May, she has run her course. Something needs to happen for him to go back to black.

Ugh. I want to see the black costume, but I hope they have some really significant reasons/good story behind it. I'm gonna hurl if they don't get more creative than "Well, we need a Spider-Man 3 tie-in... Alright, someone come up with a symbiote story."

[cheshire42]

Sounds like there could be another Girlfriend in a Refrigerator coming along soon. Perhaps with an elderly Aunt as well?

Surely JMS has better chops as a writer than to go down the "kill off the girl" path. Unless he's just following his marching orders... which would be just sad.:D :eek:

[Harding Prime]

Ugh. I want to see the black costume, but I hope they have some really significant reasons/good story behind it. I'm gonna hurl if they don't get more creative than "Well, we need a Spider-Man 3 tie-in... Alright, someone come up with a symbiote story."

I think they will be related because the black costume returns in 539 which is directly after this civil war story arc.

[Kirk G]

Are you saying that Spidey will attempt to go undercover by adopting a black suit and appearing to be a different Spider-Man?

[PunisherFan]

That is why I don't read Frontline. All though they did take out one awesome character.

RIP - Bantam 1993-2006

You forgot the equally awesome Typeface buying it in the last issue. lol Seriously though I feel if MJ or May die then it should be by a Spider-Man villain. Like hoy Gwen was killed by Norman Osbourne. Some random douche with a gun doesn't do it for me. They should have had some Spider-Man villain with a gun pull the trigger like Jimmy-6 or Tombstone or even The Rose ( the last one Connover, I know Richard Fisk is dead) Hell I'd even take The Boomerang over that guy.

[Green Goblin]

Another great civil war issue and I really like Spiderman talk with cap but I don't anything bad to happen to mary jane or may but it seemes that way with the sniper at the end