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6 Things I Want to See in Future Amazing Spider-Man Movies
Bring on the Amazing Spider-Man mega-franchise! Despite most of criticdom apparently hating The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and box office predictions less than ideal, this comic book geek was a big fan, and an even bigger fan of everything director Mark Webb and Sony Pictures seem to be doing with the Spidey franchise. I love the idea of Sinister Six and Venom movies. I love Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man. And I’m especially enjoying the various villains and Easter Eggs popping up left and right.
Though the mystery about Peter’s dad should be dropped like a hot potato.
Why do we need anything more than ‘radioactive spider bite’?
After reading several reviews, I thought I wouldn’t like The Amazing Spider-Man 2. But just like my doubt with the first one, the actual movie blew me away. Garfield is just so great as both Peter Parker and Spider-Man that I can’t help but love the films. So if he sticks around for a few more, I can’t wait for Amazing Spider-Mans 3, 4 and 5! There are more than enough villains from the comics to use, and more than enough classic character elements to bring into the films to keep them rolling along. And clearly Webb and Sony aren’t afraid to write their own stories and twists to the character.
But if they’re running out of ideas, I have some of my own for them to use! Click the jump to see my suggestions for all future Amazing Spider-Man sequels!
Review: The Amazing Spider-Man 2
We all know that Peter Parker never has much luck with the ladies, but on the big screen, his love is smoldering! Who would have guessed that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was a romantic comedy? The second entry in Sony Pictures’ second Spider-Man series is all about the love shared between an arachnid boy and his high school sweetheart. Sure there are a couple of super-villains thrown in for good measure, but that’s just what you have to deal with when you’re dating the Amazing Spider-Man!
Movie Rating: 8/10 – Very Good.
I don’t mind at all that Sony Pictures wants to make a mega-franchise out of their Amazing Spider-Verse. As far as I’m concerned, director Mark Webb and actor Andrew Garfield absolutely get Spider-Man. They get the humanity. They get the drama. They get the pure thrill of being Spider-Man. They seem awkwardly obsessed with Peter Parker’s dad, but that can be forgiven when the rest of their movies are so good!
I loved the first Amazing Spider-Man movie, and praised it for the nuanced, personable portrayal of Peter Parker. The same focus on Peter returns for the sequel, and once again I have to point out that the young Andrew Garfield is light years beyond Tobey Maguire in not just his skill as an actor, and his range, but just in how he embodies the character. Garfield easily carries the film, injecting Peter and Spidey with the right amount of humor and love for his family and fellow man. He’s joined by a returning Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, who just lights up the whole film whenever she’s on screen. The chemistry between the two actors is some of the best I have ever seen in film or television, and they really do make this movie into more of a love story than a superhero flick.
But it’s also, definitely, a superhero movie. And while those elements aren’t the strongest part of the film, they are still highly enjoyable. Like I said, Garfield is fantastic as Spider-Man, especially in costume. Not only is he legitimately funny, but he has such a great rapport with pretty much everyone he meets. The special effects are also top notch. The web-slinging is wildly fun and the fight scenes are pretty epic, but I would have to say that the movie’s trio of new villains – Electro, Green Goblin and Rhino – don’t live up to expectations. All three are solidly portrayed and fulfill their roles in the film, but they never amount to much themselves beyond giving Spidey something to do in costume.
But even if the villains are kind of clunky, and even if this film uses one of my most hated fiction tropes of all time, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 succeeds on the strengths of Spidey and his love story alone. Who would have thunk it?
Join me after the jump for the full review! I will try to keep SPOILERS to a minimum!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 4/19/14
This week was another wallet-busting week of comics. I may have to hold back on my caviar sandwiches if I hope to afford all of them! Fortunately, that means there were a lot of good comics in my pile this week, and I love me some good comics.
Plus, there were a whole bunch of DC titles that I read this week! We’ve got reviews for Batman, Wonder Woman and Batwoman, as if they all combined somehow. There’s also the latest issues of Batman Eternal and Harley Quinn, as well as the first issue of the new Sinestro solo series! Now there is a character I’m excited about!
On the Marvel side of things, the final issue of Superior Spider-Man hit the stands and it is…a nice conclusion. It’s not as amazing as I was hoping it would be. Instead, it seems more like Dan Slott and Marvel are in a rush to get to the new status quo of the new Amazing Spider-Man. Can’t say I blame them. We’ve also got new issues of Uncanny X-Men and the utterly fantastic Ms. Marvel, which wins Comic Book of the Week for sheer greatness and adorability.
She also uses ‘Embiggen’, making her the coolest teenager ever
I wonder what a younger, superhero-loving Sean would think about the fact that one of my favorite comics right now is about the awkward youth of a teenage girl. Of course, Young Sean was a big fan of The Secret World of Alex Mack, so there is a precedence.
Comic Reviews: Batman #30, Batman Eternal #2, Batwoman #30, Harley Quinn #5, Ms. Marvel #3, Sinestro #1, Superior Spider-Man #31, Uncanny X-Men #20 and Wonder Woman #30.
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 3/29/14
I’ve come to the realization that I just don’t read a lot of DC Comics anymore. I feel like I was reading a ton of them only a few months ago. But I do have a tendency to drop comics I’m not liking anymore. I haven’t touched an issue of Batman and Robin since they took out the Robin element. I gave up the various Justice Leagues after they all became uninteresting Forever Evil tie-ins. And I’m only reading about half of the Green Lantern franchise books these days It’s just weird. I feel kind of bad. I want to give DC more attention…but nope! The only review it gets this week is Aquaman!
Though I am looking forward to Geoff Johns taking over Superman. Maybe he has the magic touch and can finally give Superman a strong voice in the New 52. Though honestly, Greg Pak has been writing an amazing little story over in Action Comics. I should review one of those issues.
But for now, it’s almost all Marvel this week! We’ve got the first issues of Ghost Rider, Iron Patriot and the highly anticipated Silver Surfer! There’s also a new Hawkeye, and it’s as great as Hawkeye has always been, but everything pales in comparison this week to Superior Spider-Man #30! The biggest chapter so far in Goblin Nation is the Comic Book of the Week and earns my first ever perfect score of 10/10! It’s that damn good!
And we’ve still got one more issue of Superior Spider-Man and Goblin Nation to go!
Comic Reviews: All-New Ghost Rider #1, Aquaman #29, Hawkeye #18, Iron Patriot #1, Silver Surfer #1 and Superior Spider-Man #30.
Peter Parker the Amazing Spider-Man is Coming Back!
Some way, some how, Peter Parker is on his way back to comics in the pages of The Amazing Spider-Man, possibly as early as March! Behold, this image of Marvel Previews that has started circulating around the web!
Marvel haven’t released anything about what this means or implies, only that Dan Slott, the chief Spider-Man writer for years and years, is still going to be on the book. There’s no word on whether or not Superior Spider-Man will be cancelled or continue telling its own story, but this is pretty substantial proof that not only is Amazing Spider-Man coming back, but Slott is bringing Peter back as well. There’s no way Doc Ock would look so cheerful.
We all knew it was going to happen eventually.
Henchman-4-Hire 