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Amazing Spider-Man #37 v.2 (December 2001) Straczynski Romita jr. Hanna
the review:
When J. Michael Straczynski began handling "real world" events in the Spidey books by having Peter return to Midtown High, I was a little apprehensive. His gun story seemed a bit heavy handed and a little too stereotypical. However in this issue he breaks new ground, and rather than drudge up the same sort of troubled student cliches that we're so used to seeing in these sorts of books, he's written an interesting story, that doesn't have a real ending but offers help nonetheless. I think he hammers home the idea of not all troubled kids being potheads when a thoughful character named Jennifer (who I hope shows up more along with Joey the nerd), and her remark that not all of the kids living on their own ran away or are on drugs. It's a nice reflection to see that even good kids can fall on hard times, and it makes for a story with better depth.
As always, the art team of John Romita and Scott Hanna work wonders. They're doing aces in this book, and there was a real crispness to the art in this issue that made it really stand out. They're getting better with each issue. The detail in both the characters and the backgrounds is amazing. The art in incredible, to put it bluntly.
So, while I'd honestly prefer to see a good old fashioned punch-out in this title, it seems that whenever we do get those characterization is short-changed. However, I don't mind an issue like this. I only hope at some point we're able to get an issue that's a cross between this and the more action packed style of issues #34-35 that were big on action.
Amazing Spider-Man #37 gets ***1/2 out of *****.
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the plot:
While Aunt May deals with the discovery that her "frail" nephew Peter is actually Spider-Man, science teacher Peter Parker tries to help out a young student whose life appears to be falling off track, and the revelation that she and other kids have been kicked out of their homes and live in an abandoned building. Plus Spider-Man has to hurry to save the life of a teen whose drug overdose may cost him his life.