ASM15 Spoilers and Review: the Chasm Stares Back At You

[Pav]

It's been a hell of a long day, fellow Benophiles! It's currently 1:11 in the morning for 'ole Pav but there's work to be done: posting our thoughts on today's issue featuring Benny Boy, the current Chasm, the former (Scarlet) Spider-Man!

1) We start with NYC being terrorized by all manner of demons. More specifically, a couple and their baby are running from flying goblins and a toothy baby carriage when they're saved by Venom. Despite acting heroically and giving the baby a smooch for good measure, Venom wants to eat Spidey's brains -- likely because of his mind getting messed with by Maddie Pryor and Ben during the initial Dark Web issue.

2) Meanwhile, Peter is on his way to get some help from the person who helped him when he "lost MJ" -- whatever that means. When he reaches Norman, he finds the Gold Goblin at the mercy of Chasm! Peter immediately recognizes him as Ben, saying he knew Ben was still alive -- he could feel it. He asks Ben if he's okay, but Ben doesn't have time for pleasantries: he wants to take back the life that he believes was stolen by Peter, and NYC is going to suffer until he gets what he wants.

3) Peter laments the situation but tells Ben he can't let him terrorize NYC, and Ben says he figured Peter would respond that way, which is why he has the help of Venom, who attacks from behind thanks to the fact that he doesn't set off Peter's spider-sense. With Peter preoccupied, Ben leaves.

4) Peter and Venom fight, while outside of Oscorp, Ben uses the tongues of six liars, some magic chalice thingy, and the "Tome of Bala-Kan" to perform some kind of magic spell. Luckily, Ms. Marvel is there to stop him. Chasm can't be bothered but figures he "needs the practice" and continues using the magic spell book to, I guess, teleport Ms. Marvel to "the Otherplace." Limbo, maybe?

5) We're now back to Peter getting his webs handed to him by Venom, both bantering about Peter's brain's size and taste. Peter decides he's going to run away. Y'know, like heroes do.

5) At the offices of the Daily Bugle, JJJ has everyone working through Christmas to report on what's happening in NYC. He goes into his office, where he finds Chasm sitting at his desk, looking very threatening with his magic book and his glowy hand.

6) Back to Peter again, who threatens to light the demonized Christmas trees on fire, causing them to scream at a high-pitched volume; this, we all know, hurts Venom, and Peter is able to knock out Eddie. It's at this point that Madeline Pryor and Hallows' Eve show up. Peter comments on her looking like Jean; and Maddie tells him to watch what he says or she'll remove his mouth. It's a pretty interesting threat, considering the nightmare that Ben had in the Dark Web: Dusk issue from last week. Anyway, Maddie can't have Peter capturing Venom because he's important to her secret plans, and Chasm shows back up to fight Peter.

And that's the issue!

Was it good? I dunno! That's up to you to decide!

For my money, it was a very quick read in which nothing substantial really happens. Other than the fight between Peter and Venom, we kind of just get these little snippets of other subplots that are going to happen in the other connected issues -- and honestly, I can't say I care much about what happens to Ms. Marvel, for example. As someone who is here to see Ben in action, I gotta say that despite the large amount of panel time he gets in this issue, I didn't enjoy his presence here like I did last week in Dark Web: Dusk. The banter isn't as funny, he's doing magic without any explanation as to why or how, and WE STILL DON'T KNOW IF HE HAS NEW POWERS!!! It's a little ridiculous at this point that what Ben can and cannot do hasn't been touched upon at all.

I think what bothers me most is that Peter shows genuine care towards Ben when they meet face-to-face, but Ben has no time for it. I'd have preferred some kind of... I dunno... some kind of doubt on Ben's part about the path he's taking, whether Peter is really the one to blame, etc. But hey -- as many of us have said, it's not like Ben is being written particularly well, with weak in-story reasoning for why he's had his heel turn.

So overall, while I'm still interested in seeing how this plays out for Ben and Janine, I can't say I found this to be a strong issue -- and certainly not as enjoyable as last week's entry into the Dark Web storyline. It's not egregiously bad; but it doesn't feel like the story has really progressed at all and ended too quickly for me to consider it a legitimately fun read.

-Pav, who looks forward to seeing Janine actually doing something in future issues...

[Alex_Of_X]

I was very much charmed by #15.

Not to say that I'll handwave the negatives away--the scenes with Kamala and JJJ are abrupt and unfulfilling. As set-up goes, it's clunky. My instinct is to chalk it up to Cross-over growing pains--to my knowledge this is the first one Wells has helmed, and the seams show. Another thing is Ben confronting Peter, leaving AND coming back in 22 pages does take the wind out of the momentum. Poor Benjy running in circles. Would a change of locale hurt? Or some sort of escalation?

But imho the rough edges pale before the mounds of fun Wells\McGuiness are putting down. The possessed stroller, trees and newsstand are delightful. Venom is roided up--all muscles and latexy symbiote goop. He's very much Tom Hardy's Venom--dump and schlocky, which is almost...whimsical? This is very much a comedy issue--I was grinning ear to ear. And himbo Venom made for a delightful Mid-Boss for Pete to tackle. Their fight is crisp, kinetic and even inventive! Spidey very much flexing his smarts here. Always cool to see.

Anyway, yeah, the comic is very much what's on the cover. The sweet and sour of horror\comedy on display prob won't hit for everyone, and that's fair--I think the X-Men tie-in went a bit too far on the hyucks. But for my money--this is primo Spidey, warts and all.

[Malachi]

Better then Dark Web 1. But that issue also was akin to hitting your head on a locked door hoping it would somehow open.

A set up issue more then anything else. Art really good but the story mostly empty.

I am not expecting Ben to be redeemed, built up, or in any way transioned from this role. Sure we will eventually get more info on his powers and mentions about how he can't remember certain memories. Those things will be answered but beyond that this is Ben for the foreseable future. At least McGuinnes draws his costume well.

Wells said that after Dark Web the mystery box of what happened to Peter and Mj would be answered. So far snails are looking with jealousy at the pace of that plot. Paul have apperead how many times? The kids? MJ herself?

Let Wells do his Inferno 2, he clearly seems to be enjoying it. I miss the nasty and scary factors from the original though, this is the Disney version of Inferno. Romita JR on Daredevil will forever be Inferno for me. That scared me as a kid and fascinated me with all the things happening. That felt like demons attacking New York.

[Matt Rat]

If this were a Boom arc for Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers and Chasm was Lord Drakkon and Madelyne Rita I would not object.

[Kurolegacy]

*Peter acting in a way that shows that he cares about Ben running completely contrary to how he’s mentally been thinking of him*
Ben: Hmm. Has my entire perception of this whole thing been wrong and blown entirely out of proportion? Ehh what am I thinking, I’m not even a character anymore in the eyes of the current writer. Rather, just a plot element for him to live out his strange obsession with Inferno through.

[Mercwmouth12]

*Peter acting in a way that shows that he cares about Ben running completely contrary to how he’s mentally been thinking of him*
Ben: Hmm. Has my entire perception of this whole thing been wrong and blown entirely out of proportion? Ehh what am I thinking, I’m not even a character anymore in the eyes of the current writer. Rather, just a plot element for him to live out his strange obsession with Inferno through.

Peter was written the worse of any character this issue past the preview. Nothing about him worked and acted worse then in any character ever written in last couple of runs

[Steven Caldwell]

Oh look, Ben is evil again.
Where have I read this before?
Multiple times it seems?

[Huntsman Spider]

If this were a Boom arc for Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers and Chasm was Lord Drakkon and Madelyne Rita I would not object.

Shattered Grid, to say nothing of Lord Drakkon's introduction in the BOOM! Studios MMPR comics, was at least better-written, developed, and characterized than this. I mean, I'd also more than happily settle for this if The Chasm Formerly Known as Ben Reilly was from Marvel's version of DC's Dark Multiverse, a Multiverse where everything that could go wrong and twisted did indeed go wrong and twisted, as that would make more sense and be less convoluted than hollowing out Ben's psyche so he'd be easier to twist into a villainous caricature of himself.

Small correction to Pav's otherwise excellent review, though: Jonah currently works at, if not runs, Threats and Menaces, not The Daily Bugle.

[exile001]

3) Peter laments the situation but tells Ben he can't let him terrorize NYC, and Ben says he figured Peter would respond that way, which is why he has the help of Venom, who attacks from behind thanks to the fact that he doesn't set off Peter's spider-sense. With Peter preoccupied, Ben leaves.

This was may favourite part. I fully expected Peter to greet Ben as a threat, but he is genuinely happy that he's alive and instead offers help. He doesn't give up on him even after realising Ben is behind this.

It's not great characterisation for Peter, who should be furious at all the danger to civilians, but maybe he's on my side and finds it impossible to take talking cartoon prams and Xmas trees seriously.

I think what bothers me most is that Peter shows genuine care towards Ben when they meet face-to-face, but Ben has no time for it. I'd have preferred some kind of... I dunno... some kind of doubt on Ben's part about the path he's taking, whether Peter is really the one to blame, etc. But hey -- as many of us have said, it's not like Ben is being written particularly well, with weak in-story reasoning for why he's had his heel turn.

I think the thing with Ben is that he only remembers fighting Peter.

He has few memories left and has admitted most are bad, so maybe he just recalls the fights with Peter and none of the moments when they were brothers.

He definitely (mis)remembers the end to Beyond, where he was already angry at Peter before falling into the goo so now believes Peter is responsible. I believe he has conflated Beyond stealing his memories with the story's ending with Ben/Peter. He believes Peter was taking back his memories from Ben rather than trying to help him.

I think that's what Wells is going for and it's pretty clear Limbo has been making him worse (I hope that's intentional). I remain hopeful that this ends with Ben redeemed or at least partially restored.

Despite the terribly written way of getting there, I was looking forward to a good, old fashioned Spider-man/Venom fight. I was bitterly disappointed.

[Huntsman Spider]

This was may favourite part. I fully expected Peter to greet Ben as a threat, but he is genuinely happy that he's alive and instead offers help. He doesn't give up on him even after realising Ben is behind this.

It's not great characterisation for Peter, who should be furious at all the danger to civilians, but maybe he's on my side and finds it impossible to take talking cartoon prams and Xmas trees seriously.



I think the thing with Ben is that he only remembers fighting Peter.

He has few memories left and has admitted most are bad, so maybe he just recalls the fights with Peter and none of the moments when they were brothers.

He definitely (mis)remembers the end to Beyond, where he was already angry at Peter before falling into the goo so now believes Peter is responsible. I believe he has conflated Beyond stealing his memories with the story's ending with Ben/Peter. He believes Peter was taking back his memories from Ben rather than trying to help him.

I think that's what Wells is going for and it's pretty clear Limbo has been making him worse (I hope that's intentional). I remain hopeful that this ends with Ben redeemed or at least partially restored.

Despite the terribly written way of getting there, I was looking forward to a good, old fashioned Spider-man/Venom fight. I was bitterly disappointed.

In a way, you might be right about Limbo making Chasm worse, since it's a hellish dimension that feeds off and gains power from the anguish of its inhabitants and denizens, so it could probably amplify those feelings to get even more of that psychospiritual fuel. That said, I do share your disappointment about the Spider-Man vs. Venom rematch amounting to so little in the end.

[exile001]

That said, I do share your disappointment about the Spider-Man vs. Venom rematch amounting to so little in the end.

I was so disappointed I just started re-reading a Spider-man vs Venom collection of the Michelinie ASM issues for like the 100th time. They are insanely fun comics.

[Huntsman Spider]

I was so disappointed I just started re-reading a Spider-man vs Venom collection of the Michelinie ASM issues for like the 100th time. They are insanely fun comics.

Ha, yeah. Indeed.