Parallel Lives
Graphic Novel

Writer: Gerry Conway
Penciller: Alex Saviuk
Inker: Andy Mushynsky

Longtime Spider-Man writer Gerry Conway gives tribute to the early writers of Amazing Spider-Man by crafting this excellent graphic novel about the life of Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson. Witty, touching and adhering to continuity, this is the best work one could read to learn exactly who Peter Parker is.

The oversized graphic novel reads like a fairy tale. The narration comes from both Peter and Mary Jane as they live their individual lives and then their life together. Readers clearly see Peter progress from an "aw-gosh-geez" teenager to a determined and risk-taking hero to a cynical young man and finally to the married professional. Despite the limitations of a 4-color book, Conway pulls through and paints a unique tableau.

Marvel fans and casual comic book readers find Doctor Octavius a laughable villain (though it didn't stop Spider-Man 2 from being a blockbuster). In Parallel Lives, he serves as a foil for Peter and Mary Jane's life. The graphic novel also justifies Doctor Octopus as a sympathetic character and why he is one of Spider-Man’s greatest foes - it is not because of his genius or his tentacles but his madness and pure hatred for Peter Parker and Spider-Man.

Readers will wonder who has suffered the most from the three - Peter with the constant struggles as a costumed adventurer, Mary Jane with her shattered family life and poverty, Octavius with the madness and ostracism he has faced all his life.

There is very little action till the very end as Conway focuses on the narration. In fact, this is one of the points he brings across - the villains Peter Parker encounters along the way (Molten Man, Kraven and many others) are just distractions in a life that is pretty normal. Still, when a deadly conflict does occur by the end of the book, the tension escalates and Peter wonders (as does the readers) if his life would always be this way.

Alex Saviuk and Mushynsky’s art is at its best - clear, simple, clean and well-done. The colors are bright and vibrant and perfect for this fairy tale graphic novel. The script complements the panels perfectly (Peter's marriage and Mary Jane's denial during the death of Peter's uncle are some of the best pages).

Parallel Lives is a quick read but reveals more about Peter Parker than reading a hundred (or 200) issues of the current titles. Many hardcore Spider-Man fans would wonder why Gwen Stacy, Peter Parker's first true love, is not mentioned in this book. But the answer is obvious. The story is about Mary Jane and Peter Parker and the parallel lives they have led. Fans who have read comics for years will find Parallel Lives a nostalgic work that brings back memories of excellent comic book writing, relevant plots and true characters.

 

Rating:

  
 
August Issue