Scarlet Spider

• Title: Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #6
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Peter David
• Artist: Will Sliney

The death of Ben Reilly‘s patient marks the end of Kaine‘s patience. However, before pitting the two Scarlet Spiders against each other once more, the comic introduces a wild card in Marlo Chandler-Jones who seems to have an unusual effect on both Ben and Kaine. Inspiring Ben to go after a pair of thugs shooting up Las Vegas, the Scarlet Spider jumps into action (although he does have to be talked out of gunning down the villains in the middle of the street by one of their would-be victims).

The introduction of Marlo certainly muddies the waters. Just what does the strange woman want from Ben? Her various powers over the years have been less than consistent, so just what is giving her influence over not one but both Scarlet Spiders? And why does she seem more interested in the original?

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• Title: Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #5
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Peter David
• Artist: Mark Bagley

Kaine finally catches up to Ben Reilly in Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #5. The comic is most memorable for the fight between the pair that takes up most of the issue. Despite his vow to kill the other clone, Kaine decides to let Ben Reilly live for now leading to a temporary halt in hostilities between the pair until Reilly can cure a sick child (who he neither knows how to cure nor really wants to).

Fans of both versions of the Scarlet Spider will get their money’s worth here seeing the pair duke it out in panel after panel. While a few panels are left over for Cassandra Mercury seeking out and confronting the person responsible for the recent attacks on her casino, the limited number of panels is mainly used to break-up the action between the two Peter Parker clones.

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• Title: Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider #3
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Peter David
• Artist: Mark Bagley

While the third issue of Ben Reilly: Scarlet Spider does offer a cameo of Kaine on the hunt for his clone brother, the majority of the comic deals with Ben Reilly‘s fucked-up Las Vegas adventure. With his lies buying some time from Cassandra Mercury, at the cost of a bomb in his neck, Ben is at least able to breathe again. However, when a group of spider-clad would-be heroes decides to show up in the casino our protagonist springs into action, playing the hero whether he wants to or not (at least for a little while).

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• Title: Scarlet Spider #9
• Comic Vine: link
• Writer: Christopher Yost
• Artist: Tana Ford

With the set-up of the team settled and the New Warriors victorious over the High Evolutionary I decided to pop back in on this title and give it a look. New Warriors #9 has two things going for it: lots of Scarlet Spider and an insane giant basketball mascot intent on proving himself a hero. This my friends is a good time.

Returning Kaine to Houston against his will Vance Astronik attempts to sell the hero on staying with the team when the city’s former basketball mascot, transformed into a giant 100 ft. insane bear, shows up to take down the “super-villains” and prove himself the true hero of the city. Scarlet Spider vs. giant stuffed bear? Yeah, that’s pretty awesome.

The B-story involves the rest of the team blowing off some steam by hitting a nightclub in Prague. Although it gives the various other characters less a role to play (which is fine by me with Kaine picking up the slack), this lighthearted subplot does foreshadow dark times ahead for one particular member. Must-read.

[Marvel, $3.99]