This cover is a lot busier than Part 1's cover done by--I later learned--John Romita Jr. Which by the way, that just blew me away. Normally, if there is one artist's work I can always pick out of a line-up, it is John Romita Jr's. He has an incredibly distinctive art style. Plus, didn't know he was working for Marvel back in the 1990's, since he looks fairly young for being...54??! What the heck?!
Anyways, back on topic. This issue:
First thing I noticed was what appears to be Carnage leaping out of the page. I don't know if it is him or not, or if it is Kletus Kassady or someone else, or what is going on there, but that was my first impression. There is no one else in the background that I recognize.
The second thing I notice is that written on the arm of the chair is the artist's signature "Bagley &...." and I cannot read the second name. Is this actually Mark Bagley? Woah! I thought he was a younger artist in the industry (completely based on my assessment of his work on Ultimate Spider-Man, apparently), but he is 53 himself!! What is going on?!
Also, totally not what I expected him to look like. I used to want to hug him; now I think a polite wave is more in order. His mustache seems threatening....
Anyways, back to the topic at hand--Bagley really surprised me because I thought he didn't enter the industry until after Quesada became EIC, and because I thought he was a younger fella. It feels like I didn't really know all that much about the creators behind these comics as I thought I did. The very best that I can claim is that I know who and what I like, and who and what I do not like. I like Bagley....as an artist.
Last thing I remember from the last issue is that Ben Reilly is standing trial because Kaine planted some fingerprints at a crime scene, which were also Peter's fingerprints so technically Peter is supposed to be standing trial...but Ben switched places with him so that Peter could go track down Kaine and try and clear both of their names. Peter catches up with Kaine in some dance studio (oddly enough) and they fight until the Traveller (whom I am unfamiliar with) shows up and takes both Kaine and Peter to destinations unknown.
Okay, so we all on the same page? All caught up? Good.
Carnage as the prosecutor? That's just fun, lol.
Just a couple pages in this time and I have all ready found the title page--neat! Mark Bagley is definitely the penciller. Don't recognize anyone else, including the writer. Different from the last issue though.
They are touching on some pretty weighty topics so far--is Peter's very existence as a superhero the cause of the super-villains assembled? Kind of a deep concept. On the surface, I want to say "of course not!", but it could be argued either way. If he is responsible for the villainy here, then that means he is culpable for all the heinous acts they ever committed, not to mention ruining the lives of the individuals themselves.
Obviously he is going to get off, but very interesting concepts none-the-less.
Who is Judas Traveller, anyway? Why I have I not heard of him at all?
Another question: what is Kaine's love obsession with Spider-Man? He has no qualms beating the fudgesicles out of Peter, but he talks about how much respect he has for him and how he didn't want to bring any trouble to Peter. Now in this issue, he is fighting on behalf of Peter (though it seems like it doesn't take much to get Kaine in a fightin' mood), knocking around Judas Traveller, speaking of "his decency, his valor, his sheer humanity". It's a little disconcerting. It's like "thanks, Guy that I just met and that beat the crap out of me".
What is the mentioned "mark of Kaine"? I like the biblical reference, but I did not realize it was a power possessed by the Marvel character.
Did you ever notice that Traveller and Bagley sport matching mustaches? I am wondering if it is just the coincidence of the day or an artist's interpretation. Also wondering--which came first, Bagley's nose neighbor, or Traveller's lip tickler?
Back on topic, sorry:
Carnage is on the stand, and I am assuming (for lack of a statement to the contrary) that it is the fragment of symbiote bound to Kletus Kassady
He's screaming about how Peter made him into a monster, but from what I remember of Kletus, wasn't he on death row as a serial killer when the symbiote found him for the first time? That is a very poor defense.
Also, I think I have figured out who the Traveller is. He is some moderately powered jerk-off that wants to run with the big dogs, but is of so little importance that he warrants no attention from the seriously powered beings, so he sets himself up as a judge of those "below him" to make himself feel like he has power over life and death, over judgment. It's pathetic on so many, many levels.
Kaine is not a bad lawyer. Maybe he should cut the hippie hair and try his hand at taking the bar. Lol, okay--attacking the witness out of annoyance was probably not the most professional thing to do. But it kind of speaks to Kaine's power level--he actually physically hurt a symbiote-bonded being with just his hand.
May Parker is dead? How did I miss that memo?
Peter Parker bursting out of the chains was pretty badass. He was paralyzed and silent up until this point, so it was a powerful scene. Fun.
Kaine just looks cool, no matter where he shows up in this issue. What ever happened to him as a character? I find him fascinating. Him yelling about Peter's decency and his irrational compulsion to protect Peter seems a bit more...programmed than actual reasoned-out loyalty and adoration. It's like he was brainwashed. Plus, what is this talk about all these murders he's committed, and what a depraved and corrupt soul he is? The only person I can gather that he has killed thus far was Otto Octavious, and if that is true, that means he is just a Peter Parker that doesn't know how to pull punches. Kind of like Damian Wayne or Jason Todd from the Batman universe--Bruce doesn't kill, but Jason and Damian are willing to resort to more extreme measures. It is kind of feeling similar to that for me, but with Spider-Man...just because Peter isn't willing to become a murderer to do the right thing...
Of course, there is that whole "framed Ben Reilly" thing. But to Kaine, Ben may represent a character that is besmirching the good name of spider-man, of Peter Parker, this guy that Kaine respects and admires so much. It is not uncommon for clones to be under a great deal of distrust and animosity because of the common ideal that clones are inherently evil, whether the evidence points to true villainy or not.
In closing thoughts, I think I disagree with the title of this story. "The Trial of Peter Parker", sure that's fine. But had I titled it, I would have gone with--
Judas Traveller: The Grand Mustachioed Time-Waster
~Andie~
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