Writer: Cody Ziglar
Artists: Ivan Fiorelli, Carlos Gómez & Paco Medina.
Colorist: Rachelle Rosenberg
Cover Artists: Mark Bagley, John Dell & Brian Reber.
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Reviewer: StoryBabbler
Peter Parker is in the hospital and Ben Reilly is Spider-Man! However, while Ben is out protecting New York, Peter remains in the hospital where his loved ones wait with weary hearts. One in particular, Aunt May, can’t stand to see her nephew in this state, so she turns the only other person she knows who can help Peter – Otto Octavius! In Amazing Spider-Man #80.BEY, Aunt May and Doctor Octopus team-up to save Peter!
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Review:
So, this comic is a much better tie-in than the last Beyond tie-in with Misty Knight. For starters, it’s actually relevant to not only the previous issues but the next issue in Amazing Spider-Man. Plus, the comic has actual ramifications that will pan out in the main series. On top of all of that, the comic is well-written, carries its own voice, and has a neat little story to tell with Aunt May and Doctor Octopus. The only real problem is how predictable some of the events in the comic unfold.
First off, the tone of this comic is sappy and fun as Cody Ziglar nails writing the duo of Aunt May and Doctor Octopus. Of course, like other writers in the Beyond Board, Ziglar takes some liberties with how they talk and interact with each other, but it maintains this over-the-top sincerity that matches Doc Ock’s character as much as Aunt May’s. But there’s also plenty of intrigue, action, and cool moments with Doc Ock in the comic. The narration also helps nail down Aunt May’s characterization as someone who’s backed into a corner trying to help Peter, while Otto is the grandiose mad genius and hapless romantic who will do anything for her.
The story is actually something I felt would never get picked up on in this Beyond storyline. See in the first issue of the Beyond storyline, where Peter and Ben catch-up again, they team up against the U-Foes at Empire University, who were last seen working for Alpha Flight in The Immortal Hulk series. The rest is history, but the bigger point is that the main series never bothered to explore why the U-Foes were there to begin with. And now it gets fleshed out in this tie-in with May and Doc Ock, which brings satisfying results.
The ending, when it comes to the matter of Aunt May and Doctor Octopus, is the only real downer of this comic. It’s fairly predictable how it ends for those two, and it feels both sad and telegraphed while reading it. But that doesn’t bring this comic down since it has two consequences that will actually matter in the main series, making this a must-buy for anyone invested in the Beyond storyline.
Final Thoughts:
Amazing Spider-Man #80.BEY delivers a story that manages to be fun and integral to the main series. The story pulls through with a tale starring Aunt May and Doctor Octopus working together. The dynamic between May and Doc Ock is both fun and enjoyably sappy, with the former as the lead. It’s definitely a better tie-in than the one with Misty Knight and Colleen Wing. This comic is a definite recommend to anyone invested in the Spider-Man Beyond storyline.