Writer: Dennis “Hopeless” Hallum

Art: Luca Maresca, Rachelle Rosenberg, VC’s Travis Lanham, and Sana Takeda

Price: $3.99

Release Date: March 11th, 2020

Surprisingly this is one book that I always look forward to when it comes out! Especially after the main book, “City at War,” was a major let down. It could be because this probably going to be the adaption to the DLC. A smaller material to put into a graphic novel could be the answer. If so, I really hope all the DLC’s get a spinoff as well. Of course, only two issues in, hopefully, this issue keeps it going. Let’s dig in and see what we have here…

We start this week’s issue with MJ looking a bit nervous as to why Spidey is just pacing back and forth. When he does come inside and just the mood shifts so dramatically when you see MJ on the chair. The artwork really shines through on this first couple of pages. You can even feel a Star Wars vibe “I have a very bad feeling about this” about to go down between Mary Jane and Pete.

Unfortunately, that is going to have to wait. In case you forgot (like I did), we are showing the present story and a past story of when Petey and Felicia were an item. But this time we go even further back prior to when MJ and Spidey are about to break up. Basically, she can’t keep up with being scared for his life every time he goes out. A good chunk of the issue was dealt with this progression. I went on for a bit too long. We then see MJ has been stalking Peter and now she knows about him and Black Cat. That only took four pages. Felt nicely done.

At this point, we are a third of the issue left, and the story did not progress. For a five-issue mini-series, no time should be wasted. You have a lot to set up and tell a story. Especially how we have been going back and forth between the past and the present.

Now we get back to the present after which Pete has already told MJ everything, go glad that we did not do a recap. Some writers would do a recap and be just a waste of our time. Instead, we get a bit of both past and present to compare what MJ was feeling when they broke up. Not going to lie but I wish Peter said: “We were on a break”. Just a nice nod to “Friends”. But we did not get that reference, and even so, only one of the past panels really fit and made sense, the others were a bit of a waste to have. Saved by the bell as Black Cat has some info to share. With only a few pages left to share, I will give credit to Dennis. He progressed the story with a nicely done ending, and on an ending that made me go “WOW!”

Final Thoughts:

Well, more than half of the issue done and I am still impressed with this book! Was it perfect? No. But the art was beautiful throughout the issue and had some great dialogue. I just wish it had more action, from the little action we had, even that was a bit short. Unfortunately, the story did not progress a whole lot. Hopefully next issue we see a bit more story. Still an issue I would highly recommend!

7.8/10