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By Brian Michael Bendis & many and various (Marvel)
ISBN 0-7851-1300-2
The final volume reprinting the other Spider-Man’s meet-and-greet adventures cover the last three issues of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up (#14-16) and the Ultimate Spider-Man Super Special. Terry (Strangers in Paradise) Moore illustrates Bendis’s mediocre and somewhat silly spy tale featuring the remarkably fresh-faced Black Widow, plus a cameo by Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D.
The last two issues featured Shang-Chi, Master of Kung-Fu, in a big fight story. He’s a human weapon trained since birth by his father, an evil Chinese warlord who used to be Fu Manchu. Copyright being what it is we don’t know if his evil dad is that infamous trademark anymore, since that license has long since expired but whoever he is he’s still plenty mean. It’s all lovingly rendered by Rick Mays, Jason Martin and Andy Lee.
The volume is filled out with a giant collaborative venture both in terms of guest stars and guest artists. Basically it’s a travelogue of the Ultimate Marvel Universe held together by Spider-Man examining his motives foe being a hero. If you’re not that bothered by who drew things, feel free to skip the next paragraph and jump to the summing up.
In a fairly ultimate jam session, a number of creators all drew a slice of this story. In order of printing, they were Alex Maleev, Dan Brereton, John Romita Sr. & Al Milgrom, Frank Cho, Jim Mahfood, Scott Morse, Craig Thompsom, Michael Avon Oeming, Jason Pearson, Sean Phillips, Mark Bagley & Rodney Ramos, Bill Sienkiewicz, P. Craig Russell, Jacen Burrows & Walden Wong, Leonard Kirk & Terry Pallot, Dave Gibbons, Michael Gaydos, James Kochalka, David Mack, Brett Weldele, Ashly Wood and Art Thibert illustrating cameos from Blade the Vampire Hunter, Elektra, Daredevil, Captain America, Fantastic Four, Human Torch, the Ultimates, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, Black Widow, S.H.I.E.L.D., X-Men, Wolverine and the Punisher.
Although not the edgiest or most powerful of volumes in respect of story-telling, the brave artistic choices in this collection make it an art connoisseur’s delight, and of course most comics fans will love all the pretty hitting and kicking.
© 2002, 2003 Marvel Characters, Inc. All Rights Reserved.