I guess the Bob Layton inks–on the cover–make all the difference. If only Esposito made LaRocque look a tenth as good as those Layton inks do on the cover….
Anyway, that opening is misleading. This response is a positive one. The issue is a great day in the life story. Peter Parker is in Cleveland on a crap assignment after pissing off Jonah, Iron Man (Jim Rhodes) is there trying to sell some technology company and retired supervillain Blacklash (or Whiplash–I wasn’t aware there was a name change until I read this issue).
It’s a funny, sad issue. Blacklash’s back in his home town after a public defeat, in miserable psychological shape, unable to rehabilitate and ends up battling the two superheroes.
Isabella does a fantastic scripting here–if only the art were better, it’d be something special. But still, it’s great writing.
I love this issue.
