About Heroes

This review was submitted by Spider-Ben

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis
Artist: Mark Bagley
Covers: Mark Bagley and Richard Isanove

Good God, this comic book was one of the finest stories I have read in the past year! Sure, Civil War is getting all the hype, but Bendis and Bagley deserve much more recognition for their outstanding work. The clone saga ends, and Peter has to confront the man responsible for all this clone madness, Doc Ock!

Peter and Jessica finally come face to face with Ock, and realize they have to defeat him despite his new abilities to control metal. I guess Magneto and Otto used to be friends or something, but seeing his new set of metal arms was pretty sweet. Meanwhile, the Fantastic Four are working hard to help MJ deal with the OZ inside her body. With the help of Dr. Storm, Reed is able to find a way to counteract the OZ. MJ wakes up and freaks out, and turns back into the sasquatch goblin creature. Meanwhile, Peter and Jessica finally beat the crap out of Ock, and learn that two more of the clones have died in the recent madness. Peter gives Ock to Nick Fury, and Fury tells Gyrich to piss off for authorizing this madness in the first place. Jessica runs away, refusing to surrender to Fury. I loved the part when Jessica and Peter were arguing, and Jessica states “I don’t have time to waste arguing with myself!” Bendis finds a way to put humor in a rather dark story, and that is another reason why I love him.

OK, now to the part of the book that made me so happy I teared up. Johnny takes Peter to the Baxter Building, and he finds MJ freaking out. When she turns into the sasquatch, she watches Peter and turns back into human form. Peter races to her, and calms her down. Dr. Storm and Reed deliver the antidote, and MJ is OK. She wants to know what is happening, and Peter tries to explain all this craziness. But finally, Peter is so happy that MJ is OK that he tears up and hugs her, stating how he loves her. He made a mistake but he loves her, and always has. Bagley absolutely freaking nails the next panel, as MJ’s expression is just top notch. After all the shit they have been through, MJ realizes that Peter is totally sincere and the two embrace. Good God was that amazing. I’ve always wanted Peter to be with MJ. With the regular Marvel U about to destroy Spidey’s marriage (Thanks JMS and Quesada, that is such a great idea. Idiots, but I won’t go into that right now.) OK, so Peter and MJ are together and in love and it just total rocks!

The writing and art is perfect, and like I said I got all teary eyed. It’s just perfect. The story ends with Reed announcing he can isolate the OZ in Peter’s body, and revert him to a normal teenager again. Peter must make a crucial choice in what to do. But it doesn’t matter cause PETER AND MJ ARE BACK TOGETHER!!! Thank you Bendis and Bagley!! Thank you so fucking much, I love you guys.

Thoughts/Comments:
I think I pretty much expressed my feelings for the issue in the entire summary. The book is perfect. I laughed, I cried, and I re-read the issue 3 times in one setting! Oh, I forgot that Peter’s dad (who is a clone of Peter who was aged) had a pretty lame death. Sue told him he was a clone, he freaked out and aged rapidly. Then died. That was kind of weak, but the rest of the issue rocked! To bad that I only have 6 more issues of Bagley before the wretched evil that is Stuart Immonen takes over. I tell you, if Bendis wasn’t still writing the title I’d drop it in a minute. But I love Bendis and MJ and Peter are together again! This book gets a total A+! I need to sit down and re-read the entire ultimate clone saga now, it’s that damn good.