Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 2: Chameleons by Brian Michael Bendis and others

[katekintailbc]

Ultimate Comics Spider-Man, Vol. 2: Chameleons
by Brian Michael Bendis and others

This was a hoot! I'm not a huge Spider-Man fan (he's all right, but there are others in Marvel I love more), but having Spider-Man, Bobby from the X-Men, the Human Torch from the Fantastic Four, and Peter's girlfriend all living under Aunt May's roof? What fascinating dynamics! I mean, teens have enough to deal with without having to worry about also being superheroes and kind of orphans.

In this volume, the kids tie up some loose ends and try to help what looks like a new mutant teen neighbor of theirs. But the guy isn't exactly what he seems to be. This is in the wake of a lot of mutant hysteria that's been going on. Government agents come in to take Kitty Pride in the middle of class, and the boys can't do anything to help her. Then, some shape-changer arsehole kidnaps Peter and steals his identity. It takes the guy a while, but then he discovers that Peter is actually Spider-Man. Good thing he and his sister (who has the same ability) get greedy and are actually really bad at everything. Peter's friends can't help but eventually figure it out. But when Peter returns, he's forced to pick up the destruction of his life.

I loved the writing. The kids acted and talked like real kids--and like themselves, too! I loved Torchy's attitude espectially. But the dialogue was spot-on perfect.
Aunt May: No one's in trouble. But I think you boys need to suit up.
Johnny: Suit up?
Bobby: Are we going out to dinner? because I ate at--
Peter: Suit up in what?
Aunt May: Whatever you--you kids call it when you put on your costumes and go be super heroes. You need to do that.
Peter: You're asking us to go be super heroes.
Johnny: What the what?

or

Iceman: I know exactly what to do. I know exactly what to say.
Spider-Man: Really, because I remember a few months ago when we discovered my friend Liz was a mutant--
Iceman: That was completely--
Spider-Man: You were no help at all.
iceman: I helped.
Spider-Man: At all.
Iceman: I remember it differently.

Seriously, I MUST track down volume 1 and figure out if there's a volume 3 yet. This is the best-written and conceptualized Marvel universe spin I've read since Uncanny X-Men.