ASM16 & V14 Spoilers and Review: Dark Web Gets Weirder

[Pav]

Happy Wednesday to all my fellow fans of the Sensational Spider-Man, Ben Reilly! Today's issues feature a lot of Ben Reilly and Janine, so anyone who's invested in their personal journeys should find these issues of interest!

As always, I'm just excited to enjoy new issues and share my thoughts. Do I still prefer Ben as a straight-up hero? Yes! Do I love all of the choices that Zeb Wells has made regarding Ben, Janine, Peter, and others? Nope! But I have read today's issues, and I had fun doing so -- but I had to accept from Page One that this isn't an emotional, psychological tale by, say, J.M. DeMatteis.

1) In fact, the first page is the preview page: Ben misremembering what happened at the end of Beyond and crying, "Not psychoreactive goooooo..." as he sinks in. So yeah -- this comic is going for goofy, and I can't damn it simply because of its choice of tone. The question is: can Chasm function as both dangerous and goofy? Let's find out.

2) Back in the present, Ben and Peter are throwing down. Ben wants to bring Hell to Peter (because of the hell he's been through) and Peter isn't going to let Ben hurt anyone. I actually like the banter here between the two -- their banter is always important in a comic featuring them both -- and I'm reminded of the beginning of the Clone Saga, when Peter was still a little unhinged and Ben was often his punching bag. Now it's the other way around. That's Clone Bros for you, I guess!

3) The fight continues and all of a sudden we get the odd inclusion of a talking, demonic scooter who is essentially an innocent bystander caught up in the fight between Peter and Ben. So weird. So stupid. But it IS kinda funny.

4) The fighting and the banter continue. Peter says he's got experience on his side, but Ben's got new tricks -- and WE FINALLY GET TO SEE ONE OF BEN'S NEW POWERS: OFFENSIVE SPIDER-SENSE!!! So, yeah -- Peter's little ambush doesn't work and Ben's Spider-Sense shocks the heck out of him. Beyond seeing the new powers in action, I feel like this sequence of events really shows us where Ben is right now: the moment he realizes Peter is missing FELT very Petery; and I always feel like the secret to writing Ben is knowing you're actually writing Peter. Yet that is followed up with the goofy "I Don't Care What Actually Happened to Me Even Though it's My Motivation For Being Chasm" nonchalance that seems to be Chasm's persona.

5) "Anything you can do, I can do weirder."

6) "C'mon man. This is why we never made the baseball team."

7.0) Elsewhere, Maddie finally tells Janine / Hallows' Eve what she wants: a memory that can be found inside the X-Men Treehouse. Janine finally gets to use her powers by putting on a Frankenstein mask, gaining a bunch of mass and strength, and kicking the story's goofy-ass lobotomized Venom into the treehouse to cause mischief, which he is happy to do -- but that's gonna happen in today's issue of Venom.

8) Back to Peter and Ben fighting. Ben has a round golden thing from Limbo, and he's going to use it, saying that Peter can't beat him because Peter always hold back, but now Ben has all the power and none of the responsibility WHICH WAS KAINE'S WHOLE THING IN YOST'S SCARLET SPIDER SERIES AND FURTHER PROVES THAT BEN AND KAINE SHOULD REALLY BE IN EACH OTHER'S PLACES!!!! But that's not reality.

9) "I don't want to hurt you, Ben." Awwww!!!

10) "When I'm working, you call me 'Chasm!'" And with that, Ben uses the round golden thing to show Peter that Jonah and Robbie are in Limbo! Peter agrees to go, which activates Ben's spell, and an otherworldly thing with an unpronounceable name grabs Peter and pulls him there! Ben enjoys the moment, while Peter wakes up at his new job, working for Demon Jonah!

MEANWHILE...

7.1) Today's issue of Venom starts THEN, with Eddie Brock explaining to Maddie and Ben that all he cares about is getting his son back -- and if they betray him, well... he has a long memory. Ben responds, and the banter here between Eddie and Ben is actually really good -- funny, yes, but also feels very in-character for both AND alludes back to their first meeting! I bet we fought. I bet I beat you up." This is the kind of dialogue that still feels like Ben, even if the role as psychotic villain isn't the role I want for him. But wait! It's ANOTHER OF BEN'S NEW POWERS IN ACTION: it seems 'ole Benny boy can create a "memory chasm" in the heads of others, which is why Eddie has become the slobbering monster he now is in the present.

7.2) In the present, Janine and Eddie are about to do their thing, and we get some really excellent narration from Janine that feels in-character, realistic, and meaningful in that we really understand her perspective on why she's followed Ben and allowed herself to become Hallows' Eve. Honestly, I think it's worth the price of the comic.

7.3) But if you want more, then may I present an EXCELLENT fight between Venom and one of the best-written X-characters these days, Synch! Seems he's currently the only one home, as the other X-Men are out fighting demons. Synch's dialogue is really fun, and I really enjoyed the way he used Eddie's powers against him. I can't emphasize enough how fun their showdown is.

7.4) While they fight, Janine as a "Human Fly Hallows' Eve" sneaks into the X-Men Treefort and steals a portable Cerebro storage unit: Maddie's going to use it to get some Jean Grey memories back! And Eddie...? After getting his butt kicked -- and realizing that something is not right with him -- he runs down the street until he's confronted by none other than... Venom Jr! And that's that!

I still don't love Ben as a villain, and it's clearer to me more than ever that this should be Kaine's new status quo rather than Ben, who should be a (Scarlet) Spider-Man and deserves to be one.But hey -- I do think today's issues were, overall, very fun reads. I'm incredibly interested in seeing Ben's new powers in action and getting explained more fully -- and that goes for Janine too, who I think might be the real winner from Beyond/Dark Web: her narration in Venom really solidified that for me, and makes me all the more interested to read her upcoming miniseries.

My hope is that, after toying with Peter, Ben uses his "memory chasm" powers to fill in his own memory gaps, and in doing so, realizes what a total ******* he's been, then goes after Queen Goblin to cure her, so that SHE can then help Ben fix Peter. But we don't know exactly how this new power works yet, having only seen them used on Eddie Brock so far. And if Ben is destined to stay Chasmed for a little while, I hope Kaine does eventually show up for a tussle!

What does everyone else think about today's issues? Are you as intrigued by Ben's new powers as I am? Do you agree that Kaine would make a better Chasm? Are you able to enjoy the silliness? I look forward to your replies!

-Pav, who also read X-Men: Dark Web #2 and REALLY, REALLY LOVED IT, but left it out of the review due to lack of Ben...

[JustLuke]

While I don't agree with everything you say about this event Pav, I gotta say it's refreshing to see someone being positive about the event even if they're not fully on board with the direction they're taking some of the characters in. Seeing so much seemingly endless negativity about it gets exhausting at points. I do agree that Ben still sounds like Ben, but as you said him seemingly not really caring about the actual reason he became Chasm is kinda ridiculous. With all the times Peter says "THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED YOU MORON" you'd think Ben would at least contemplate the idea that his memories of the events of the end of Beyond may have been altered after his dip into the Ghostbusters slime (that's what I've chosen to call it now ). As for his powers, I'm gonna copy and paste what I wrote in another thread:

"Yeah alright, I sound like a broken record at this point (probably) but I'm gonna say it again after reading the issue: Chasm is a lame idea, and is pretty much just a mustache twirling villain here, but his powers are cool. Spider-Sense being able to actually hurt others somehow is actually a really fun ability for a Spider-Character to have. They even incorporate the squiggly lightning lines that people sometimes draw to illustrate Spider-Sense by having them actually physically present and attacking Spidey. That's neat. Even his energy webs that can form axes and **** are kinda cool, even if I question how that works. I guess he merges them with the spider-sense energy things? Weird but it's cool nonetheless. I can do without the whole...mind reading brain lobotomy thing from the Venom book though."

Additionally, if a future Spider-Man show or game ever adapts clones, I kinda wouldn't mind if they had him develop these powers to further distinguish him from Peter. Maybe they can be like Kaine's own heightened abilities, with his Mark of Kaine and Precognition powers being mutated(?) versions of Peter's ability to stick to things and his Spider-Sense respectively. They even kinda teased the idea of Ben's powers evolving in Planet of the Symbiotes, with his hunches and stuff, though that just turned out to be the Venom symbiote attatching itself to his hoodie. Just a thought, but it could be cool.

[Malachi]

While I don't agree with everything you say about this event Pav, I gotta say it's refreshing to see someone being positive about the event even if they're not fully on board with the direction they're taking some of the characters in. Seeing so much seemingly endless negativity about it gets exhausting at points.

I can recommend you to read any review if you want positivity. Currently this issue sits at 8.0 at comicbookroundup, aggregated from 2 reviews, both at 8.0.

As to the review I don’t really agree with PAV on anything. Good art though.

[JustLuke]

I can recommend you to read any review if you want positivity. Currently this issue sits at 8.0 at comicbookroundup, aggregated from 2 reviews, both at 8.0.

As to the review I don’t really agree with PAV on anything. Good art though.

I don't care for comic book review sites. I'm more so referring to the fans perspective. I don't care for the Wells run, and I've felt mostly nothing in regards to Dark Web up till this point, but even I feel like some criticisms are overblown at some points. Seeing Twitter, Reddit and other sites trash on it and act like there's no redeeming qualities at all gets exasperating and as I've already established I'm not even a fan of the story

[Kurolegacy]

I don't care for comic book review sites. I'm more so referring to the fans perspective. I don't care for the Wells run, and I've felt mostly nothing in regards to Dark Web up till this point, but even I feel like some criticisms are overblown at some points. Seeing Twitter, Reddit and other sites trash on it and act like there's no redeeming qualities at all gets exasperating and as I've already established I'm not even a fan of the story

I mean, even if it may be potentially overblown, it kinda says something of just how badly you’re off to and how disconnected the Spider office is towards the fans when the fan reception of the story is so negative as a consensus. Like when you have the likes of Reddit, Twitter and 4chan all agreeing that they don’t like your story, something has gone horribly wrong.

[JustLuke]

I mean, even if it may be potentially overblown, it kinda says something of just how badly you’re off to and how disconnected the Spider office is towards the fans when the fan reception of the story is so negative as a consensus. Like when you have the likes of Reddit, Twitter and 4chan all agreeing that they don’t like your story, something has gone horribly wrong.

I'll agree with you there. If the general consensus is that something...isn't quite good, then more often than not I feel like the people behind it should be reconsidering what they're doing. Still, I feel like being more fair in our criticisms would be better overall. If we tell them what we do like, then maybe it could prevent overcorrection. God knows I've seen some companies fall victim to that.

[TinkerSpider]

I can recommend you to read any review if you want positivity. Currently this issue sits at 8.0 at comicbookroundup, aggregated from 2 reviews, both at 8.0.

As to the review I don’t really agree with PAV on anything. Good art though.

When one depends on a company for free stuff to review, and the reviews are used to build one’s clout/website visitors/clicks on one’s platform, it’s amazing how critical acumen can go completely out the window. Just sayin’.

I enjoy Pav’s reviews immensely. This made me think I should pick up Venom. I’m nowhere near as charmed by the trite campy silliness of Wells’s writing, but that’s just me.

[Huntsman Spider]

When one depends on a company for free stuff to review, and the reviews are used to build one’s clout/website visitors/clicks on one’s platform, it’s amazing how critical acumen can go completely out the window. Just sayin’.

I enjoy Pav’s reviews immensely. This made me think I should pick up Venom. I’m nowhere near as charmed by the trite campy silliness of Wells’s writing, but that’s just me.

You should pick up Venom, at least to read. Al Ewing and Ram V have been doing pretty good work with both Venoms, father and son. And if they managed to pull something quite redeemable out of this Dark Web . . . well, even better.

[rckstr1253]

Well to each his own but I wouldn’t waste $4 or $5 on any of this crap. I’m hoping chasm bombs so maybe, just maybe, the writers at marvel learn to write good action packed comics without the typical rehash ideas they keep doing over and over. Oh well, one can only dream.

[Aura Blaize]

You should pick up Venom, at least to read. Al Ewing and Ram V have been doing pretty good work with both Venoms, father and son. And if they managed to pull something quite redeemable out of this Dark Web . . . well, even better.

It seems like Ewing just used Dark Web to further along his own story so no complaints there.

Though...wasn't Dylan Codex last time we saw him?

[Alex_Of_X]

We finally got our Spidey vs Chasm fight, pals, and guess what? It ruled.

I want to start with the art--I can't praise McGuiness enough. The pencils sing. You can slash away all dialogue, and the storytelling remains clear as day. Kinetic action leaps off the page. The background are lush and full of life: look at the dogs and the hydrant on the double splash before the recap page! The colors pop and glisten, and Caramagna's lettering is just the right flavor of goofy. My fave has to be the festive Merry Christmas punch. Just delightful.

That's not to say I think the art overshadows the writing, mind you. IMHO Wells and McGuiness know exactly what they're doing. Think back to #900, with its slapstick, big splashes and heightened, cartoony tone. That's exactly what the creatives are going for. IMHO it gives me Mantlo's Spidey\Waid's Dadedevil, tonally. Very different from the JRJR issues, even, but very successful in what it's going for. I think no one does goofy like McGuiness--Check out his Hulk stuff from 10 years ago. No wonder the highlight of that time is Hulk socking the Watcher in the jaw.

The big brother\little brother dynamic Pete and Ben have is tremendous fun. I don't think the tone would've worked with Kaine--him and Pete just don't have the same familiarity as these two do. Pete giving Chasm the W to save Jonah is Spidey 101. Love to see it.

Benji, meanwhile, is all sorts of twisted. I think of editorial's idea of making him the new Venom, and I'm starting to see it. If anything, it's a fun look at what would happen if Spidey forgot all about Uncle Ben and his morals. Let's see where it gets him.

I think the emotional confrontation between Ben\Pete will come in the omega issue. Kubert's a better fit for it, anyway.

[Matt Rat]

We finally got our Spidey vs Chasm fight, pals, and guess what? It ruled.

Beg to differ

That's not to say I think the art overshadows the writing, mind you. IMHO Wells and McGuiness know exactly what they're doing.

Zeb 'this is a writing exercise' Wells knows what he's doing?

Think back to #900, with its slapstick, big splashes and heightened, cartoony tone. That's exactly what the creatives are going for..

I'd rather have a serious, grounded story with nuance thankyou, not a Saturday morning s*itfest.

I have read today's issues, and I had fun doing so -- but I had to accept from Page One that this isn't an emotional, psychological tale by, say, J.M. DeMatteis.

..

And that is the whole problem, it lacks that emotional and intellectual depth that someone like DeMatteis could easily bring to the book if he were at all interested in exploring Chasm. Why should we just 'settle' for so much less?

[Zeitgeist]

So yeah -- this comic is going for goofy, and I can't damn it simply because of its choice of tone. The question is: can Chasm function as both dangerous and goofy? Let's find out.

I think that's the key question, but when you think about it, there's definitely a case for him to be goofy. Peter Parker as Spider-Man is a goofy hero after all, and Ben is his clone. There's something to be said for lived experiences, nature vs. nurture and all of that but I can understand why, if Ben is being played as a dark reflection of sorts, why they'd take the trademark Spidey quips and apply them to Chasm.

[Zeitgeist]

I mean, even if it may be potentially overblown, it kinda says something of just how badly you’re off to and how disconnected the Spider office is towards the fans when the fan reception of the story is so negative as a consensus. Like when you have the likes of Reddit, Twitter and 4chan all agreeing that they don’t like your story, something has gone horribly wrong.

Is it actually negative as a consensus, or are people just focusing on the viewpoints they agree with? I've no doubt it has it's vocal haters but the two out of three of the in-depth posts in this thread by posters seem to like it fine.

[Matt Rat]

Is it actually negative as a consensus, or are people just focusing on the viewpoints they agree with?

I've talked to people at my LCS and viewed the reactions on social media. It's not a popular direction at all. The views of Pav, Alex etc, are just a minority, even the big time Spider-Man podcasts who shill for it to get perks acknowledge there's a backlash and that it isn't an ideal scenario.