Quality of Amazing Spider-Man Vol. 2?

[JohnnyC]

Well, of course Amazing began the short-lived vol. 2 in 1999. You all know that. What I want to know is whether these issues (the ones that are considered "Vol. 2" issues) are any good. My LCS has a bunch of back issues that are fairly cheap, but if they're absolute crap I would prefer to not drop the cash.

Your thoughts on those 29-ish issues?

[ZT4]

It set the course for the unreallistic handling of Peter, MJ, May and others that sadly didnt entirely go away, and most of is very flawed.

That said, theres good stuff in between the cracks. I found the Shadrac storyline and crossover with Ice-Man old-school, inconsequential fun, and Mackie got to do "House of Osborn" with Jenkins, which was a tour de force. The Venom story with Anne's suicide was a good follow-up to the continuity of a largely obscure Venom mini-series too.

[ZT4]

Edit: Double post

[Sonicjuce]

Well, of course Amazing began the short-lived vol. 2 in 1999. You all know that. What I want to know is whether these issues (the ones that are considered "Vol. 2" issues)

Well it's actually still refered to as Vol 2 although that makes little sense...

[Mister Mets]

Most of it's poor. It's not even worth getting for John Romita Jr's art, because the man actually improved when JMS's run started (though it could have also been changes in coloring.)

The 25th issue is worth getting, part of a Green Goblin crossover with Peter Parker Spider-Man.

The 2oth or 21st issue reprints some Spider-Man classics, so it may be worth getting just for that.

[The Confessor]

Well, I thought it was pretty good, for the most part. I agree that the writing got a lot better when JMS came on board but those first 29 issues writen by Howard Mackie were still pretty decent in my opinion.

If you can pick 'em up cheap, I'd say "go for it!"

[Sonicjuce]

I agree that the writing got a lot better when JMS came on board but those first 29 issues writen by Howard Mackie were still pretty decent in my opinion.

See I agree with this. Everyone is fast to cast aside Mackie but I really don't think the relaunch was entirely his fault. He did an outstanding job with sub plots and supporting cast. He suffered through trying to finish up sub plots he didn't start that were probably his hugest failure. He also used a ton of Venom which was likely an editorial choice because Venom is supposed to sell comics. Otherwise I think he did a great job casting classic feeling Spider stories with a fresh twist.

[ZT4]

I dont think anyone else has even tried to do anything with the Stacys except Mackie without depending on Gwen. The Senator Ward storyline had a lousy, cliched payoff, but everything building to it was classic conspiracy theory drama. Arthur came out of that crap looking like a million bucks...too bad he vanished when Mackie left the title.

I also liked "Name of the Rose", even if it's not a highlight of "Web of", it was the height of the "Much older" Spidey territory during the 1990s.

"Night of the Goblin" was also from Mackie and it was pretty much the best thing about "Revelations".

[Nick MB]

With the singular exception of ASM #25, the Goblin cross-over with PPSM #25, it really wasn't very good. The Senator Ward storyline seemed very editorially forced, with only the vaguest of ideas where it was going.

The Staceys were strong characters at times, but got their best use pre-relaunch. Even the ideas that had potential (playing up the mystery of whether JJJ had looked under Spidey's mask or not) didn't seem to quite work.

Part of the problem, in my opinion, was that it wasn't really a new start. The series spent its first few months tying up loose ends from the Gathering Of Five (Shadrac, Mattie Franklin), a storyline which wasn't that good in the first place, and the moved on to... tying up the loose end of the fifth Green Goblin from Spider-Hunt. Joy of joys.

And, yes, I know I sound like I'm being bitter, but the sales figures tend to agree with me that the relaunch was a disaster. I don't actually mind some of Mackie's other Spidey work, but the clunking dead fist of editorial stifled him there, I think.

[ZT4]

With the singular exception of ASM #25, the Goblin cross-over with PPSM #25, it really wasn't very good. The Senator Ward storyline seemed very editorially forced, with only the vaguest of ideas where it was going.

Curiosuly enough, that came around because of an alien invasion crossover plot at the end of Harras's tenture.

What is it about shitty Spidey reboots and aliens dropping by right after?

[beachball8]

Well what are the quality of the books? Are they all creased up by now or genuine NM stuff? If they're NM and ur collecting ASM then why not buy 'em? I guess they're only going for a few dollars anyway?

[Billy Parker]

They are really good. There are a few that are bad, but the majority are good.

[ZT4]

Well what are the quality of the books? Are they all creased up by now or genuine NM stuff? If they're NM and ur collecting ASM then why not buy 'em? I guess they're only going for a few dollars anyway?

TPBs would only publish 'em under duress...there's a reason they started with JMS's AMS.

[matthewaos]

Yeah, the goblin stories worth, and the first JMS stories, until Happy birthday (#500). I don't remember anything better, the opposite though. You may found some Mackie characters look like or act like some of JMS...

[Shade 20x6]

It's underwhelming, but to be honest, not really any worse than BND so far.

[Billy Parker]

to be honest, not really any worse than BND so far.

Oh you are so bitter!

[ZT4]

More like intelligent.

[JohnnyC]

Can we please not turn this into another stupid BND bashing thread? There's about a thousand of those! Just go bitch there. You don't like BND. So do a lot of other people. I don't care. You have plenty of threads to whine in.