Writer: Dennis “Hopeless” Hallum

Art: Emilio Laiso, Rachelle Rosenberg, VC’s Travis Lanham, and Skan

Price: $3.99

Release Date: September 24, 2019

Is this story actually needed? That is a big yes from this reader! I loved the PS4 Spider-Man video game but was not a fan of the comic they did on it. It would have been better as an origin story, instead of just rehashing stuff from the video game. I was so excited that we are getting a brand new story that is expanding that universe and I will not know everything that is going to happen. But is the story Hopeless choose, a good fit or is this just another cash grab Spider-Man story? Let’s dig in and see what we have here…

Now if you remember the last issue, we ended with MJ and Peter’s dinner getting out of hand by something or someone. As their “ghost” swings by to give them a message. Unfortunately, where we start off this issue is at least the next day at night. Getting serious City at War vibes with this time skip between issues. That was one of my major issues with that story.

Peter and MJ go and check to what we can assume is a magic story where they would like to get a seance done. By none other than, Quentin Beck. Now he is in a lot now, was just in the Amazing Spider-Man book, the latest Spider-Man movie, and was in the Symbiote Spider-Man mini-series. Which makes him suspect number one, that whatever is causing all the trouble is part of his special effects. Wouldn’t surprise me at all!

Unfortunately, we have to remember this is a different universe and we find out Beck may not be the villain we all think he is, well at least not for now. Guess it’s time to get back to the whiteboard as Urich, Parker, and MJ are all at the Daily Bugle looking at tapes of Osborn doing human test experiments. All for Robbie to jump into rail MJ for not turning in her assignment on time about disappearing food. Thankfully those two words meant something to Peter, in other words, a forced scene.

Wouldn’t be much of a Spider-Man book if we didn’t see him in his suit battling someone. While the new suit does look great and more powerful, surprise they don’t have him have electric webs like in the video game. Seems like it would go well with the new suit.

While Peter is battling foes, MJ headed to the Daily Bugle to set a trap. When we see MJ head to the basement, it is revealed that the MJ that went into the Bugle isn’t the same MJ in the basement. More of a hologram. It would have been a great plan if we didn’t see her open the door.

While trapping out “ghost” in the basement, Peter heads over to the bugle to help MJ figure the whole mess out. We get some nice and natural dialogue of the whole situation while they are both watching the cameras. And just like Scooby-Doo, we learn that the ghost is actually just a person. More than a person, a speedster!

Final Thoughts:

Well started off actually great! Besides the whole time skip. But it wasn’t a major time skip like City at War. Art has improved in some panels and other panels basically stayed the same. Can tell which panels were rushed. Would I recommend it? Leaning towards yes but next issue better make me psyched for following issue with an awesome cliffhanger, one we got didn’t do the trick.

7/10