The major comic companies put out enough comics that sometimes it can leave your head spinning and eyes bleeding as you search the new titles each week for something worth reading. To aid in your Geeky endeavors, Speak Geeky To Me on occasion reviews new titles from the major companies to spotlight the best and worst of what’s available at your local comic shop. So sit back, relax, and enjoy a new Comic Review.

 

The Info Bit

Title: Avenging Spider-Man #7

Genre/s: Superhero

Writer: Kathryn Immonen (Patsy Walker: Hellcat, Runaways)

Penciler: Stuart Immonen (Fear Itself, New Avengers)

Inker: Wade Von Grawbadger (Ultimate Spider-man, Fear Itself)

Colorist: Matt Hollingsworth (Punisher, Moon Knight)

Publisher: Marvel

Page Count: 20

Price: $3.99

 

The Review Bit

This issue of Avenging Spider-Man is just fun in absolutely every single way. It is everything you want in a comic for all ages. It’s got Spider-Man, She-Hulk, action, jokes, nothing you couldn’t hand to your kid or your parents, and it is filled with cats! I don’t even particularly like cats, but I love that this comics is literally filled with cats!

Avenging Spider-Man is one of Marvel’s new $3.99 books that includes a free digital copy. While I am not huge on digital copies, it does lighten the pain of a $4 book. However, the story in this one-shot issue would make it worth the price regardless. Written by Kathryn Immonen, with art by her skilled husband, Stuart, this issue is the type of comic you want to buy two copies of and hand one off to someone as the ideal introduction for them into the world of sequential art. Right from the get go, in the title and back-story page, there are more jokes than can be counted (and because of this I am actually posting it here, not something I’d traditionally do). From the background on Kitty Cats (actual felines, not some superhero) to the ever so important note that inker, Wade Von Grawbadger, is not related to the Immonens, you can’t stop smirking. But the true humor comes in the great story, hilarious dialogue, and brilliant art (with notably cute expressions).

The tale of this done-in-one comic is about She-Hulk and Spider-Man teaming up against the ancient Egyptian cat goddess, Bastet. When the heroes attend an event at New York’s fictitious Carnarvon Museum (a nod to the English Earl who funded the excavation of Tutankhamun’s Tomb), it happens to be the same night that an Egyptian cult makes the poor decision of trying to unleash their holy goddess. As you can imagine, hijinks ensue. Spider-Man and She-Hulk are perfect characters to team-up because, despite the fact that She-Hulk is no fan of the webslinger, they are both known for the humor in their titles. This allowed Kathryn to go all out on the jokes, and her husband to make more funny visuals than I’ve seen in a Spidey title in ages!

I really don’t want to say more about the story other than that you should go out and read it yourself. It’s cute, it’s goofy, and, most importantly, it is true comic book fun! Even the ending seems to have a Avengers movie style nod to Indian food. Seriously, what these New York food vendors must go through with all their costumed customers.

On the art end, the issue is penciled by the well known and respected Stuart Immonen, so with many fans of his art, there is almost nothing that need be said. His characters look like they’re supposed to, his expressions are never bland, and his action is exactly how you want it. Even with a comic known to be aimed at digital reproduction (as Avenging Spider-Man was the first comic to always offer a free digital copy), Stuart manages to make the paneling interesting, while rectangular enough for the guys converting not to complain much. The coloring looks good, the inking is solid, there is really nothing bad you can say about this issue!

 

 

The Rating Bit

As I said, there is nothing bad you can say about Avenging Spider-Man #7. I almost feel this is hardly a review, so much as it is a plea for everyone to go out and buy a copy. Without the slightest fear, I have to give this issue the very rare 10 out of 10. I’m not saying all comics should be like this (I love my Crossed and adult, non-superhero titles), but I am saying more comics should be like this. Perhaps the big companies, including this issues’ publisher, should look towards Avenging Spider-man #7 as an ideal way to pull in new readers. Retailers? Order yourselves all the remaining copies of this issue so you can constantly have a comic you can truly sell to anyone.