Plot: Spider-Man meets the "Brand New Day" Kraven. And Kraven’s a chick!

Comments: Ol’ Webhead is down on his luck, as usual, and gets a job to pay the bills and satiate his angry roommate. For a New Yorker, "Brand New Day" has been a fun tour around the city that never sleeps from an accurate rendition of the Angelica Theater and the Museum of Modern Art by Marcos Martin in issue #560 to outside Yankee Stadium by Paul Siqueira last issue. So it’s quite thrilling in #565 to see Spidey working in Midtown Comics West, a mainstay comics shop here in the city.

The most obvious and consistent theme within "Brand New Day" is goofiness. All the writers in the Spidey Braintrust (Bob Gale, Marc Guggenheim, Dan Slott, and Zeb Wells) all bask in the humor, be it Peter Parker’s new boss remarking how “there’s no way they get that thing out three times a month,” to Gale’s unbridled use of editorial captions.

Guggenheim has so far kept the jokes to a minimum, letting the funnies fly in delivered dialogue. For instance, as Peter saves his new boss from Kraven’s assault he screams, “You were leaping and -- you were like Nightcrawler or the Beast or Tigra or…Spider-Man!” Peter replies, “Say it a little louder, why don’t don’t’cha?” The humor impresses upon me the pleasure these writers are having in the direction of the series and crafting new stories.

Nonetheless, as there are many fans of the original Kraven and his last hunt, “Kraven’s First Hunt -- Part One” may upset the already displeased fans of pre-"Brand New Day" Spider-Man. I have no personal attachment to the character and do not intend to immerse superficially into any comparison between the two figures. This Kraven seems to hunt Spidey for the sheer joy of the hunt and the final killing shot.

Jimenez’s work is really striking in this issue, particularly one panel. When Kraven follows Spider-Man home, she forces Peter at gunpoint to put his costume back on in front of her. As Peter stands garbed in his blue and red web outfit, he towers over the petit huntress. The scene adds a layer of humiliation to Peter’s capture, as he could probably take her down in a straight fight. But can Spidey really sock a girl? Even one compelled to hang him upside down?

Amazing Spider-Man #565 is an enjoyable action comic with great jokes and an interesting twist on Spider-Man rogue’s gallery.

Final Word: Twhip!!

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