Writer: Tom DeFalco
Artists: Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema
Publisher: Marvel/MC2
Plot:
Spider-Girl’s guilt over an alliance with a seedy criminal serves as the backdrop in this issue, which also features the debut of her own version of the notorious "black costume." A battle with a violent, philosophical behemoth and the aftermath of the conflict only serve to further her shame.
Comments:
This issue slightly dragged, with no major developments in the conflict between Lady Octopus and May, the Normie Osborn marriage fiasco, the Buzz' quest to find out who Spider-Girl is, or Secret Agent Wheadon's undercover supergroup...although the staggering amount of subplots is a testament to DeFalco's sheer writing skill, and the reader must realize that he cannot develop all these in a single issue. Still, the fact that he is even able to simply mention these and not let them be forgotten is nothing short of stunning, in today's comic book world where subplots go for about 4 issues before being swept away in the dark mysteriously, due to editorial preferences or poor memory on the writer's behalf.
DeFalco's strong point is how well he is able to illustrate May's legitimate shame over her alliance with the Black Tarantula, when she is forced to lie to her parents and then to a schoolmate whom she has looked out for in the past. On top of that, she is chastised by the "now-legendary" Elektra, the trainer assigned to her by the Tarantula, for her fighting ability--she claims that Mayday needs to step out of her father's shadow. All these issues in Mayday's life serve as very genuine catalysts to bring in the black costume. Instead of taking the easy way out and simply having Mayday don new duds because of her old costume falling to pieces, DeFalco creates stronger reasons behind the costume change--she wants to "start clean." However, as she fights Kodiak, wearing the new costume for the first time, the result of this battle indicates that simply changing her look cannot wipe the slate clean--in fact, more problems arise. The final line of dialogue in the issue will bring back fond memories of Peter Parker's own black costume struggles. The only problem I have is how in this issue, DeFalco uses the "You are May 'Mayday' Parker," daughter of Spider-Man" line twice, and it really gets repetitive considering he uses that in every single issue anyway.
The art continues to be strong, as Ron Frenz rejoins DeFalco after getting a one-issue break. Although many readers have a problem with his "angular" sense of artistry, I personally see no problem with his style. His work is a happy medium between portrait and cartoonish, and gets the job done--when emotions need to be conveyed, he displays them well enough, and the splash where May is shown in the black for the first time is to die for. Credit must be given to Sal Buscema for making this issue seem a little more...dull and darker (as far as inks) than usual, matching the somber tone throughout the issue.
Final Word:
One might wonder, "What's all the hype about?" For starters, this is the sole comic out on the market that continues to consistently deliver month after month, issue after issue. The element that Tom DeFalco maintains that many other writers seem to have forgotten is continuity. Although he will do an occasional 6-part storyarc, i.e. The Mark of Kaine or Marked for Death, every issue is its own, self-contained story and yet carries over elements from the previous issue. Events that took place ten, twenty, even thirty issues ago, are not forgotten. Another component that makes this book work so well and have an aura of "fun" about it is its refreshing innocence mixed with spunk, as well as covering day-to-day issues that affect real teenagers in today's society. Everything in the comic, down from the artwork to the dialogue to the plot, is an all-ages affair. It helps that May is in high school, of course, but then again so is Emma Frost and the story taking place in her book is rather adult, for a lack of better words. Last, but not least, is the independence of the MC2 universe from "mainstream" Marvel titles, which allows for a better appreciation of the characters and plot developments in this "what-if" world. Some of these creations are rather intriguing spinoffs from classic Marvel continuity, which will have longtime Marvel fans smiling in irony.
For longtime readers, Spider-Girl #75 is actually kind of slow-moving, but for those who haven't read this title before, it is a perfect jumping-on point. If you want be a part of something special that may not last much longer due to corporate snootiness and the beginning of a new comic also known as "Spider-Girl," the titling of which seems to be an attack to DeFalco and his loyal fans, then definitely pick up this issue of Spider-Girl...the original Spider-Girl. (Ugh, I'm going to have to get used to saying that...*shudders*).
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