This video is a brief exploration of Cindy “Silk” Moon, the second person that infamous spider bit after Peter Parker. She’s a fairly new character to the world of Spider-Man and Marvel Comics. Her journey since debuting in 2014 has been a erratic. But she won me over as her story unfolded and I think her story matters now more than it did when she debuted. Enjoy!
Tag Archives: Spider-Man Comics
How Cindy Moon Won Me Over And Why Her Story Matters
Filed under Jack's World, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man, YouTube
New Comic Book Day September 29, 2021: My Pull List And Pick Of The Week
Every Wednesday is New Comic Book Day and every New Comic Book Day brings something that enriches my world. I imagine many fellow comic book fans feel the same. They may not do what I do and wake up at 4:30 in the morning every Wednesday to read all the new books on their pull list, but the sentiment is still the same.
The world is a crazy, chaotic place. We’re also entering a time of year where the days are getting shorter, the weather is getting colder, and random trips to the beach aren’t as feasible, unless you live in a tropical climate. This is a span of time that is light on holidays, heavy on school, and high on stress. We all need something to help us endure.
For me, having a stack of new comics to look forward to every week doesn’t just help. It energizes my soul. It’s like getting a pep talk from Captain America every week. It just encourages me to get out there, endure all the craziness, and let my love of comics give me the jolt I need every week. It’s a beautiful thing.
This week promises to be even more beautiful than most. Some major events are gearing up, as they often do every fall. Both Marvel and DC Comics love to start major events in the early fall, often allowing them to conclude just in time for the holidays. They make for exciting times, as well as wild speculation on message boards. What more could a comic book fan ask for?
Once again, I offer my pull list and pick of the week. Always, I hope a new batch of comics gives you all the strength you need to endure another week. Enjoy!
My Pull List
My Pick Of The Week
Amazing Spider-Man #74
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
New Comic Book Day August 11, 2021: My Pull List And Pick Of The Week
As I type this, I am on vacation. I am literally just a block away from the beach. Trust me. It’s even better than it sounds. After last year, any vacation is bound to feel ten times more satisfying. As such, reading new comics on the beach should be even more satisfying than that.
There aren’t too many ways to make New Comic Book Day even more enjoyable than it already is. Being able to download my comics to my iPad and read them at the beach on a nice summer morning is definitely one of them. Between the cool ocean breezes, the deliciously unhealthy beach food, and the promise of a nice day of fun and the sun, this is one of those extra special New Comic Book Days.
I cannot overstate how much I needed this vacation. Last year marked the first time since college that I wasn’t able to spend any time at the beach, visiting family and hanging out with friends. It was heartbreaking, to say the least. This trip has been both overdue and cathartic. Having new comics to enjoy on top of it all only makes all of it more rewarding.
Whether you’re on vacation this week or not, New Comic Book Day is one of those days that can make any trip better. It certainly has made mine better. I hope it does the same for everyone else. So, before I get back to soaking up some sun, here is my pull list and pick of the week. Enjoy!
My Pull List
Red Sonja: Black, White, Red #2
Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #5
Star Wars: The High Republic #8
My Pick Of The Week
Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #5
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
New Comic Book Day July 14, 2021: My Pull List And Pick Of The Week
Times are changing. The world is a scary, chaotic place. Just keeping your sanity, as well as your sense of humanity, has never been more challenging. I honestly don’t remember the world being this messed up ten years ago. Maybe I’m just getting older, but maintaining a balanced perspective just keeps getting harder.
Thankfully, my love of comics has continued to help me every step of the way. We all have something or someone that helps keep us anchored. Without it, we would be so overwhelmed that we couldn’t leave our homes without a baseball bat and a helmet. For me, comics is a big part of that anchor. It reminds me that there’s still a place for simple, straightforward awesome in this world.
Whether it involves superheroes, real people, or aliens with misshapen heads, comics have always been my refuge, as well as my sanctuary. When watching a news feed becomes too distressing, I pick up my favorite comics and leave the ugliness of the world aside, if only briefly. It’s therapeutic, as well as relaxing.
Wednesdays make spending time in this refuge all the more rewarding. A new stack of comics to start my day is like a massage for my soul. The older I get, the more I’ve come to appreciate that feeling. I encourage others to share it with me. The world isn’t getting any less chaotic. Let’s not let that stop us from enjoying something awesome.
To that end, here is my pull list and pick for the week. Hopefully, they leave your soul feeling as refreshed and invigorated as mine. Enjoy!
My Pull List
Spider-Man: Spider’s Shadow #4
My Pick Of The Week
Sinister War #1
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
New Comic Book Day February 10, 2021: My Pull List And Pick Of The Week
There’s just a few more days until Valentine’s Day. Being a lover of romance and a writer of erotica romance novels, I certainly appreciate a holiday centered around love. At the same time, I have mixed feelings because I’m currently single and have been for quite some time.
It can get lonely on Valentine’s Day. However, even if I am alone, I can still appreciate love and my love of comics certainly help with that. Beyond my fondness for superhero romances, my love of comics helps remind me why love is a feeling worth pursuing.
It’s a beautiful thing. If you’ve found love with someone, then you understand its power. Even if you haven’t, the stories in comics help depict why it’s so powerful for so many characters. Love is a big part of what drives famous heroes like Superman, Spider-Man, and even characters like the Punisher.
It even drives villains. Let’s not forget that in the comics, Thanos was in love with the physical manifestation of death. It’s creepy, but it still counts as love.
I may have to spend another Valentine’s Day alone this year. That’s always disappointing. However, thanks to my love of comics, I never feel too lonely. I hope others can enjoy that same feeling. To assist, here is my pull list and pick of the week. Enjoy!
My Pull List
Future State: Justice League #2
Future State: Superman/Wonder Woman #2
Wolverine: Black, White & Blood #3
My Pick Of The Week
Morbius: Bond of Blood #1
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
The Spider-Man Paradox: Power, Responsibility, And Guilt
My YouTube channel, Jack’s World, is still very new and still has plenty of room to grow. I really enjoyed making my video on “Dark Phoenix.” That’s not surprising. I enjoy talking about superhero media in general. To that end, I’ve made another video, this time on Spider-Man. I originally intended to make it an article, but I think it works much better as a video. Enjoy!
If you have any suggestions for topics you’d like me to cover in a video, especially the superhero variety, please let me know.
Filed under Jack's World, Marvel, psychology, Spider-Man, superhero comics, superhero movies, YouTube
Jack Fisher’s Weekly Quick Pick Comic: Black Cat Annual #1
Being an unapologetic fan of romance and superhero comics, I like to think I understand the dynamics of superhero couples better than most. Some, like Superman and Lois Lane, will always be iconic. They’re defined by how strong and ideal their love is in the face of overwhelming forces. There’s certainly a place for couples like that in comics.
Then, there’s Spider-Man and Black Cat. In terms of romance, they’re one of those couples who are like nitro and glycerin. Alone, they’re stable in their own right. Put them together, though, and things get volatile. Sometimes, it’s sexy. Sometimes, it’s literal. Most of the time, it ends badly, even by Spider-Man’s defining Parker Luck standards.
However, it’s because their relationship is so volatile that it’s also a lot of fun to follow. If ever you needed proof of that, “Black Cat Annual #1” should make that point beyond a reasonable doubt. In one single comic, you see why Spider-Man and Black Cat have such unique chemistry, yet still frustrate one another in the most adorable way possible.
You don’t have to be a romance fan to appreciate it, but it certainly helps. While “Black Cat Annual #1” is entirely a love story, it dares to have fun with a historically volatile relationship.
The story is billed as the wedding between Spider-Man and Black Cat. To all the Mary Jane Watson fans out there, as well as those not familiar with the dynamics between these two, there’s no need to worry. I won’t spoil much, but I will spoil that the wedding isn’t exactly traditional, even by superhero standards.
The wedding is just part of a more elaborate plot hatched by Black Cat. She just ropes Spider-Man into it because it involves dangerous criminal organizations like the Maggie. He’s reluctant. He’s not thrilled about it. Even his usual wisecracks are somewhat tempered. He still does it, though. That’s the kind of effect Cat has on him.
It’s not healthy, but it’s hardly the most toxic relationship Spider-Man has had over the years. This is a guy second only to Wolverine in terms of getting caught up in unhealthy relationships, some more so than others. While Black Cat might not bring out the worst in him, she’s more capable than most at getting him involved in less-than-heroic endeavors.
In this case, the wedding is almost secondary. Initially, it looks like Black Cat is just looking to steal from the Maggie and humiliate them while looking good in a wedding dress. Even for Cat, that’s pretty ambitious. However, as her plan and its many dangers unfold, her motivations aren’t quite as clear cut.
Writer Jed MacKay nicely captures Black Cat’s persona and motivations. She’s still a thief at heart. That, she doesn’t run from. On the surface, she’s cunning, sassy, and manipulative. However, she’s not a thief in the same mold as Spider-Man’s other villains. She doesn’t steal food from orphans and chuck it in the East River.
MacKay balances out her sass with some genuinely respectable goals. Even Spider-Man cannot deny that. While he’s still not thrilled with her methods or the fact that she roped him into a wedding ceremony, he still gives Black Cat his tenuous trust and she rewards that trust, for the most part.
There’s plenty of banter. There’s also plenty of quips and complaining on Spider-Man’s part. That doesn’t stop Black Cat from having fun with him, even as they face danger and deceit every step of the way. By the end, she clearly has had more fun than Spider-Man.
It’s a fitting summation of their relationship. They have chemistry. They genuinely care about one another. They also work well together. At the same time, they really push each other’s buttons, get on each other’s nerves, and have them do things they prefer not to do. It can make for a volatile and sexy romance, but it’ll never be stable.
MacKay captures the best parts of that dynamic in “Black Cat Annual #1” and fits it into one of Black Cat’s more creative heists. It all comes together perfectly in a single comic, complete with a beautiful cover by J. Scott Campbell and incredible interior artwork by the likes of Natacha Bustos, Juan Gedeon, and Joey Vazquez.
“Black Cat Annual #1” will not convince you that Peter Parker and Felicia Hardy are star-crossed lovers in the mold of Superman and Lois Lane. However, it does nicely demonstrate that there’s plenty of room for a different kind of romance in superhero comics.
It doesn’t have to be a classic love story. It doesn’t have to be totally toxic, either. There’s a lot of gray area in between. Spider-Man and Black Cat occupy a unique spot in that area. They can team up. They can oppose one another. They can even love one another. All this is possible due to the unique dynamics between them. That’s what make them a special kind of superhero couple.
While “Black Cat Annual #1” didn’t give us a true, full-fledged wedding, it offered plenty of fun for these volatile ex-lovers. At the very least, this phony wedding went a lot better than the wedding between Kitty Pryde and Colossus.
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
Jack Fisher’s Weekly Quick Pick Comic: Amazing Mary Jane #1
An iconic character is only as great as their supporting cast. On their own, icons like Batman, Superman, and Captain America can only do so much to carry their story. Like Santa Claus without his elves, they’re limited in how compelling they make that story without other characters around them adding dramatic fuel to the story.
This is especially true for characters like Spider-Man, whose supporting cast is one of the strongest and most in extensive in comic book history. If you need proof, just remember that a movie based around one of Spider-Man’s greatest villains grossed over $856 million. However, if you need further proof that Spider-Man’s supporting cast is what makes him so amazing, then look no further than Mary Jane Watson.
She’s not just Spider-Man’s girlfriend.
She’s not just the super-hot, super-sexy redhead who gets every straight man’s blood flowing for all the right reasons.
She’s not just the eye candy that makes for some of the best variant comic book covers of all time.
Mary Jane Watson makes Spider-Man a greater character because she’s a great character in her own right. She didn’t come into his story as some wide-eyed bimbo who existed only to make Peter second-guess the merits of male superheros wearing skin-tight outfits. She has her own story, motivations, and aspirations.
Most of the time, her story is relegated to secondary sub-plots in Spider-Man’s stories. While some of those stories are great for both characters, she’s never had a chance to carry her own story. Leah Williams and Carlos Gomez finally give her that chance in “Amazing Mary Jane #1.”
It’s still a story closely tied to Spider-Man, but Mary Jane is the one leading the charge this time. It’s not a radical reinvention of who she is or what motivates her. Williams and Gomez simply shift the spotlight to her and let her work her amazing charisma. It’s a simple approach, but it works.
Mary Jane is still an aspiring actress. Like many aspiring actresses, she’s looking for ways to further her career. The basic premise of “Amazing Mary Jane #1” is that she gets an opportunity to do just that. It even involves a role that she’s very familiar with. She’s caught up in a battle involving Spider-Man. For her, she really doesn’t need to do much acting.
There’s just one glaring problem and it’s not just that her role is reduced to being a beautiful woman in a skin-tight outfit. This opportunity that she desperately wants happens to be courtesy of Quentin “Mysterio” Beck, one of Spider-Man’s most colorful villains and one whose star really rose with “Spider-Man: Far From Home.”
It’s a situation that might make even the most ambitious actress hesitate. At the same time, it puts Mary Jane in a position to show her greatest strengths, none of which involve superpowers. She’s able to carry the story with her personality and William captures it wonderfully on multiple fronts.
Mary Jane doesn’t just smile and nod to go along with everything. She speaks her mind, but never in a way that makes her sound condescending or self-centered. She sees something wrong with the role she’s playing and she confronts it. When the nature of that role is objectively bad for both her and the movie, she says so.
It’s an issue ripped right from recent news surrounding the Hollywood horror stories that ambitious actresses have endured. It’s a sensitive, hot-button issue, but one that “Amazing Mary Jane #1” doesn’t ignore. The characters don’t ignore it, either. It’s a real issue that’s worth addressing, even in a superhero comic.
However, that issue never derails the story or takes away from the substance of the plot. “Amazing Mary Jane #1” is not about Mary Jane Watson calling out the predatory practices of Hollywood producers. It’s about her finding out that this major opportunity her in the center of Mysterio’s latest endeavor.
Being Spider-Man’s girlfriend, she knows better than most that this endeavor will likely involve something going horribly wrong. Since she’s in Hollywood and Spider-Man is in New York, she can’t count on being rescued this time.
It’s a great setup that perfectly blends Mary Jane Watson’s personal story with one of Spider-Man’s most well-known villains. She’s still part of Spider-Man’s story, but this is one in which she shoulders the responsibilities. On top of that, she has to do that without the aid great power.
At the same time, the very absence of that power is part of what makes Mary Jane such a strong supporting character for Spider-Man. She knows she’s not the one with the superpowers. Even Spider-Man knows this. That doesn’t stop her from accepting those responsibilities. She, more than anyone, shows Peter Parker that responsibility doesn’t end with stopping muggers, criminals, and guys with fish bowls for heads.
Even when she’s accepting responsibility, Mary Jane Watson still knows how to have fun. Williams goes out of her way to capture that in “Amazing Mary Jane #1” and Gomez makes her look great while doing it. The sweet, playful moments between her and Spider-Man often bring out the best in both characters. They’re the kind of moments that are sure to piss off Mephisto.
Peter Parker will always be the center of the greater Spider-Man universe, even when that universe involves talking pigs. However, Mary Jane Watson makes that universe more compelling and dramatic with her presence. She also makes it sexier, but that’s just a nice bonus. “Amazing Mary Jane #1” further proves that she’s capable of being amazing in her own right.
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic, Spider-Man
Jack Fisher’s Weekly Quick Pick Comic: Spider-Man #1
It’s an unwritten rule in superhero comics. Certain characters are only ever allowed to grow, evolve, and mature to a limited extent. Whereas some like Iron Man, Hulk, and Captain Marvel are allowed to grow and mature, others tend to revert to a rigid status quo that keeps them in a certain state, often for marketing purposes. Few characters are beholden to this rule as Spider-Man.
Whether he’s Peter Parker or your friendly neighborhood wall-crawler, Spider-Man is rarely allowed to grow beyond the down-on-his-luck, can’t-hold-a-job, struggles-with-relationships situation he’s been in since the Nixon Administration. Granted, he can still have plenty of fun, entertaining adventures in that state, but it can get predictable and monotonous after a while.
Then, every once in a while, you get a book like “Spider-Man #1” by J. J. Abrams, Henry Abrams, and artist Sara Pichelli that dares to shake things up with the standard Spider-Man formula. It’s not in the same continuity as the mainline Amazing Spider-Man books, but that’s exactly what helps it stand out. It has a chance to do something different with Spider-Man’s story and it takes full advantage of it.
Using the same approach as “Into The Spider-Verse,” this book tells a new kind of story that puts Spider-Man into a whole new situation. For once, it’s unpredictable. There’s no status quo to revert to. It has to build an entirely new world for Spider-Man. Both Abrams and Pichelli prove they’re up for the challenge.
This new world is not for the faint of heart, especially if you’re a fan of Spider-Man never being allowed to mature past 30. It’s a world where Spider-Man’s responsibilities finally caught up with him. He was able to save the day. He was able to defeat a villain named Cadaverous, a name that isn’t quite as ridiculous as it sounds, but he paid a high price.
That’s because this version of Spider-Man wasn’t just late for work, late for a date, or missing his rent payment again. This Spider-Man had a lot more to lose. He had a family. He and Mary Jane are married and not just trying to schedule dates. They have a son named Ben. Peter Parker has every reason to come home safe, intact, and triumphant.
I won’t spoil too many details, but I’ll just say that doesn’t happen. In this case, saving the day doesn’t necessarily mean keeping Galactus from eating it. Yes, Spider-Man does save lives. However, the life he can’t save ends up changing his life, his responsibilities, and his ability to shake hands. That last one wasn’t a joke, by the way.
In other versions, including many alternate realities, some being more ridiculous than others, this sort of loss would’ve broken Spider-Man. It would’ve broken his family too. It’s one of Spider-Man’s most famous foils. When he loses too much, he quits being Spider-Man. While it rarely lasts, this is a world with different dynamics. He actually has a reason to not be Spider-Man anymore.
His son, Ben, gives him even more reason and not just because of the losses they’ve endured. Unlike some of Spider-Man’s other alternate reality kids, Ben is not nearly as endearing or likable. He’s young, he’s impulsive, and he’s angry at the world. Essentially, he’s not the kind of kid you’d want to continue Spider-Man’s legacy.
At the same time, Ben shows that he still has some of the traits that make Spider-Man the iconic hero he is. He’s not a lost cause. He’s not some brooding loser who looks for excuses to be miserable. He even comes off as genuinely relateable, more so than Peter Parker in some respects. You may not entirely sympathize with him, but you can still understand him.
This kid is every bit as haunted as his father. Unlike his father, though, he’s a kid who doesn’t have years of being a battle-hardened superhero under his belt. Even if he inherited his father’s super-powers, he didn’t inherit his ability to cope with loss. He didn’t have his proverbial Uncle Ben moment because so much of his situation was beyond his control.
Overall, “Spider-Man #1” is a different kind of Spider-Man story, but not just because it takes place in an alternate continuity. It doesn’t directly mirror old, time-tested Spider-Man tropes. It also doesn’t paint Peter Parker as someone who simply crumbles when he loses too much. He, Ben, and the supporting cast around him simply do their best to move forward with their lives.
For a superhero comic that tends to regress to the status quo more than most, it’s both refreshing and engaging. For once, we have a Spider-Man story we can’t expect to end with him sleeping on his Aunt May’s couch because he missed his rent again. We have a different Peter Parker with an emotionally unstable son trying to make the most of a tough situation.
On top of that, the villain responsible for that situation is still out there. We don’t know much about it or whether he’s related to any of Spider-Man’s long list of enemies, but that only adds to the intrigue. Abrams and Pichelli are taking Spider-Man’s story in a new direction and there’s no telling what might happen. As someone who has read more Spider-Man comics than most, I find that genuinely refreshing.
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
Jack Fisher’s Weekly Quick Pick Comic: Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11
There’s an old saying for those of us who have read Spider-Man comics for a good chunk of our lives. Behind every strong Spider-Man is a beautiful redheaded woman. Sure, sometimes that woman is a cute blonde or a skilled thief, but it’s the beautiful redheaded woman who often makes Spider-Man the iconic superhero he is.
If ever you’ve doubted that, then “Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11” should provide the definitive proof you’re looking for. Spider-Man, like many iconic heroes, derives as much of his strength from his supporting cast as he does his powers. For years, the bedrock of that power was his Aunt May. Then, Mary Jane Watson entered the picture and his bedrock hit the goddamn jackpot.
While their history, romantic and otherwise, has been convoluted by some rather infamous moments, Mary Jane Watson has proven to be one of the most integral components of Spider-Man’s story. It’s part of the reason why she’s his most iconic love interest and I say that as someone with the utmost respect for Gwen Stacy.
However, like many superhero love interests, Mary Jane often gets caught in the crossfire of Spider-Man’s heroic activities. There are times when she’s more damsel than lover and these days, that trope is prone to all sorts of unpleasantness.
It’s for that reason, and so many others, that “Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11” is uniquely satisfying in how it affirms Mary Jane’s role in Spider-Man’s life. She doesn’t just prove herself and look sexy while doing it. She tells a side of Spider-Man’s story that isn’t often told.
Writer, Tom Taylor, has given plenty for both Spider-Man and Peter Parker to do since he took over the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man series. For this issue, however, he keeps Peter Parker on the sideline. Superheroes need rest too and Mary Jane understands that. She also understands that being Spider-Man’s girlfriend requires more than just looking great in skin-tight outfits.
There are responsibilities, as well. Responsibility has always been a big part of the Spider-Man mythos, going all the way back to the days of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. It doesn’t just apply to Peter, though. Mary Jane has her own share of responsibilities and not just with respect to being a good girlfriend.
She narrates much of this issue. Taylor doesn’t rely heavily on melodrama or standard relationship issues. Much of the dynamic between her and Spider-Man resemble that of a couple who’ve already worked those issues out. They’re just two people, managing their lives, and doing their part.
For a couple whose romance is one of the most iconic in comic book history, that shouldn’t be such a novel concept. It really shouldn’t and yet, Taylor makes it feel like the most refreshing romantic sub-plot in years. That says more about the history of Spider-Man’s love life than it does anything else.
In addition to being the focus of the story, she finds herself in a situation that usually requires superpowers or billion-dollar gadgets to deal with. It’s not the most daunting situation she’s ever been in. There’s no Green Goblin or Sinister Six to deal with. Even so, it has all the traits of a conflict that usually requires her being rescued.
However, that’s not how it plays out. On top of showing why Mary Jane Watson is such a great superhero girlfriend, “Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11” proves she’s just as capable in those situations. She doesn’t have super-powers, unless you count being irresistible to heterosexual men. For this particular story, she doesn’t need them.
Whereas most civilians would just run at the sight of a threat that requires a suit of armor or a magic hammer, Mary Jane steps up to help. She still can’t do it alone, but she still finds a way to seem as capable as any experienced her.
It’s not just her choice. She sees it at her responsibility. It shows that Spider-Man has influenced her every bit as much as she has influenced him. That doesn’t just belabor why she’s so important to both Spider-Man and Peter Parker. It perfectly reflects the larger themes of Spider-Man, as a whole.
While the news surrounding Spider-Man’s movies are making all the headlines, comics like “Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11” prove why his story is so endearing. There have been countless comics that show Peter Parker rising to the occasion, fighting crazy super-villains, and saving the day. This comic shows how taking those responsibilities seriously help inspire others to do the same.
Mary Jane Watson may never win a fight against Rhino or the Green Goblin, but Taylor makes it abundantly clear that if she has the power to help in a situation, she won’t back down. She’ll fight when others run away. She’ll be strong when others can’t. She’ll look sexier than Peter Parker ever will in the process, but that’s more a bonus than a responsibility.
Throughout her history, Mary Jane Watson has shined in many ways, both on her own and as Spider-Man’s top love interest. A book like “Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #11” might not be her most iconic moment, but it shows in a single issue why she’s such an amazing part of Spider-Man’s spectacular story.
Filed under Jack's Quick Pick Comic
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