I have an affection for Mark Bagley, based on Ultimate Spider-Man, but apparently it’s an overall thing. I mean, when I think of teenage Peter and Mary Jane, I think of Bagley’s rendition of them. However, his art is far from flawless, as this issue frequently shows. His faces are often way too rough and hurried–I’m thinking of Norman Osborn and Uncle Ben in particular.

Otherwise, a very good issue. It’s interesting how Bendis sets Doctor Octopus up as a villainous jerk before his accident (something Lee didn’t do, much to the detriment of the character).

There’s no Spider-Man yet. No mention of it. Black leotard Peter is as close as we get here. Bendis is taking his time with certain elements, but I can’t help but notice it’s a rather fast read. For all the decompressed storytelling, not much happens–not even in dialogue.

But good.