Book Review: Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham by S. Skeates et al.

Peter Porker, The Spectacular Spider-Ham written by Steve Skeates with Tom DeFalco and others, penciled by Mark Armstrong and others, and inked by Joe Albelo and others

After seeing Into the Spider-verse, I was intrigued to learn more about the Spectacular Spider-Ham. I'd heard of him before but never given him a chance. He certainly seems like a one-joke character, but could the creators make more of him?

Spider-ham first appeared in 1983 in a comic line aimed at the younger crowd. The book is full of animal versions of Marvel characters like Captain Americat, Croctor Strange, Ducktor Doom, and the Fantastic Fur. Each issue in this collection of five features a main story with Spider-ham (and occasional guest heroes and villains) and a shorter story of another playfully re-imagined Marvel hero, like Goose Rider for Ghost Rider or Thrr (a Norse dog) for Thor. 

While there are some stories that work well as entertainment for children and for adults too, I found these tales are just for kids. They were only occasionally funny to me and the stories were mostly predictable (except for one toward the end). The art is cartoonish, fitting the silly antics and ridiculous situations (even by comic book standards). 

Not recommended unless you are a kid.

Book Review: Ant-Man Season One by T. Defalco et al.

Ant-Man Season One written by Tom Defalco and art by Horacio Domingues

In a modernizing reboot of the Ant-Man character, Hank Pym travels with his wife Maria to Budapest for a science conference. They are supposed to meet at a restaurant but Hank runs late and gets there just as a terrorist bomb destroys the building. The story jumps forward to Hank with a therapist trying to deal with his issues. He's had a bunch of mental health problems throughout his life, making him a bit paranoid. His overbearing father pulls him out of the appointment and bullies him into working for Egghead Innovations. They want to develop the technology that Maria was working on. Hank suspects the company of orchestrating her death and wanting to monetize her discoveries without giving credit. He's given a lab partner, Bill Foster, whom he suspects is a spy. Bill contributes to discovering how to use Pym Particles (which Hank wanted to name after his wife, but the company already announced it) to make things smaller and larger. After conducting a successful experiment, two security guards burst in. Hank is fired and the company wants all the materials, including the research. They wind up shrinking Hank, who manages to flee. But he is going to get revenge on the company and Elihas Starr, the evil corporate honcho who clearly has no good intentions (though his skull is indeed egg-shaped).

The story follows a very paint-by-numbers plot, which would be okay if other parts made up the deficit. Hank is sympathetically depicted but the other characters are much more two-dimensional, except when they need to provide more drama or a plot twist. These instances come off very unconvincingly, like when the security guards know how to use the miniaturization equipment on Hank, or when Bill betrays Hank but then instantly is back on his side. No wonder Hank has mental issues! The art is just okay and occasional jokes lighten the mood. Overall, this is not a satisfying reboot for Ant-Man.

The book also has the first issue of Avengers Academy, where Hank Pym gathers a bunch of young people with superpowers. They were all taken in by Norman Osborne who tried to develop their powers for his own nefarious purposes. Now, they are training to be heroes. They seem like an interesting enough set of new characters but I do not plan to read more about them.

Not recommended--there's nothing terrible here other than an impression of blandness.

Book Review: Ant-Man: Astonishing Origins by T. DeFalco et al.

Ant-Man: Astonishing Origins written by Tom DeFalco with art by Horatio Domingues and color art by Chris Sotomayor

Two stories are told in this book. First is a new origin story for Hank Pym, the original Ant-Man. Second is a story about Scott Lang, the current Ant-Man.

The first story reads like a modern reboot. Newlywed Hank Pym loses his wife to an apparent terrorist attack in Hungary where she was about to present at a science conference. Hank is a bit paranoid about it (Were they really targeting him or his wife? Were they sent by his American enemies/competitors?) and is quite self-aware about his paranoia. He doesn't trust his dad, who is unsupportive to say the least. He does get Hank a job at Egghead Industries, though Hank thinks its just a set up to exploit him. He's given an assistant who seems like a spy rather than a helper. Under pressure, he hides the best part of his work hoping to use it for his own advantage rather than the corporation.

I found the whole focus on paranoia less interesting and less compelling. It didn't make Hank more heroic, just pathetic. He doesn't come off as particularly clever either. On the other hand, he does have the courage and stick-to-it-ness that heroes need. Overall, I wasn't all that impressed.

The second story follows Scott Lang as he applies for a security job at Stark Industries. Scott has been Ant-Man for a while and his life is in shambles. He wants to reconnect with his daughter while avoiding his ex. He's living in a squalid New York apartment. And it looks like he'll have to play dirty if he wants to beat the other candidates for the job.

This story is much better. While his plight is mostly his own doing, Scott puts some effort in to make things better for himself and his daughter.

The book is a mixed bag, some good, some bad, making it a totally average book.

Book Review: Fantastic Four/Inhumans: Atlantis Rising by G. Herdling et al.

Fantastic Four/Inhumans: Atlantis Rising written by Glen Herdling, Tom Defalco, Tom Brevoort, Mike Kanterovich, and Roy Thomas with Paul Ryan; art by Geof Isherwood, M.C. Wyman, Paul Ryan, and others

Morgan le Fey, evil witch of Arthurian legend, decides to raise havoc by raising Atlantis from the Atlantic floor. She wants to claim it as her ancestral home, Avalon, that sank beneath the sea millennia ago. The Inhumans, a hidden race that has moved from hiding place to hiding place (currently on the far side of the moon), also claim the land as their lost homeland. A freak accident by Nathaniel Richards (Reed Richards's father) has jeopardized the Inhumans's lunar home, so they need another place. Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner and exiled king of Atlantis, naturally wants the land back under the sea and claims it for his people. The Fantastic Four (minus Reed, who died along with Doctor Doom battling aliens before this story started) has recruited Scott Lang, the second Ant-Man, to work with the team (and presumably keep the "Four" in "Fantastic Four"). They rush to the aid of the lunar Inhumans and then get involved in the Atlantis shenanigans.

The plot is rather complicated, which is a strength since it generates plenty of conflict and excitement. Even with a huge number of characters (I didn't even mention the Fantastic Force, a spin-off team from the Four), readers can follow what's going on and don't get lost in the chaos (something that happens in the Age of Apocalypse graphic novels). For a big crossover event, it's a fun and satisfying read.

Recommended.