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The Amazing Spider-Man (1999) (Collected Editions) #49
The Amazing Spider-Man: Danger Zone
The Hobgoblin returns ... but his newest diabolical scheme will throw even Spider-Man for a loop! Plus: Spidey is stuck in a world where Peter Parker never existed - and reality is coming apart! Guest-starring the Avengers!
COLLECTING: Amazing Spider-Man 692-697, Avenging Spider-Man 11
COLLECTING: Amazing Spider-Man 692-697, Avenging Spider-Man 11
128 pages, Hardcover
First published November 28, 2012
About the author
Dan Slott
2,031 books457 followersDan Slott is an American comic book writer, the current writer on Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man, and is best known for his work on books such as Arkham Asylum: Living Hell, She-Hulk, Silver Surfer, The Superior Spider-Man, and Ren & Stimpy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
March 3, 2017
The Parker lucky streak continues.
Peter Parker’s showing of his new Parker Particle machine at Empire Labs and he nearly blows a kid up, instead the kid gets transformed into super powered being, and now needs a mentor. The choice was between Spider-Man and Hank Pym, so in order not to set the kid on a road to mental instability and spousal abuse, Spider-Man gets to baby sit.
Instead of a kid, like Peter, who’s instilled with the values and good sense he got from the Parkers…
Wait…what the hell?
Basically, the Alpha kid is a selfish ass who thinks of nothing but himself and how he canmake it with the ladies and make some big bucks become an Avenger as quickly as possible.
Thanks, ya show boating punk!
So Spidey obviously has his work cut out for him.
There’s also one of those touchy-feely issues sandwiched in between the mayhem, where Peter again tries to tell Aunt May that he was responsible for Uncle Ben’s death. It’s one of those stories that Marvel believes if you read it will reawaken the human spirit within all of us and will be better people for having perused it.
Oh, Jeff. That was too cynical, even for you!
Oh and bite me, Jiminey!
The last set of issues involves Spider-Man’s spider sense on over drive courtesy of that sneaky no-goodnick, Tiberius Stone, who’s planted some device that combine spider-sense and crack. So we get to see Peter go nuts at the drop of a hat (literally) and he gets extra wavy lines coming out of his skull as well.
It also features an old man Hobgoblin vs. a young upstart Hobgoblin.
Peter Parker’s showing of his new Parker Particle machine at Empire Labs and he nearly blows a kid up, instead the kid gets transformed into super powered being, and now needs a mentor. The choice was between Spider-Man and Hank Pym, so in order not to set the kid on a road to mental instability and spousal abuse, Spider-Man gets to baby sit.
Instead of a kid, like Peter, who’s instilled with the values and good sense he got from the Parkers…
Wait…what the hell?
Basically, the Alpha kid is a selfish ass who thinks of nothing but himself and how he can
Thanks, ya show boating punk!
So Spidey obviously has his work cut out for him.
There’s also one of those touchy-feely issues sandwiched in between the mayhem, where Peter again tries to tell Aunt May that he was responsible for Uncle Ben’s death. It’s one of those stories that Marvel believes if you read it will reawaken the human spirit within all of us and will be better people for having perused it.
Oh, Jeff. That was too cynical, even for you!
Oh and bite me, Jiminey!
The last set of issues involves Spider-Man’s spider sense on over drive courtesy of that sneaky no-goodnick, Tiberius Stone, who’s planted some device that combine spider-sense and crack. So we get to see Peter go nuts at the drop of a hat (literally) and he gets extra wavy lines coming out of his skull as well.
It also features an old man Hobgoblin vs. a young upstart Hobgoblin.
May 17, 2018
A cool story about Alpha and a better story about Hobgoblin.
November 24, 2013
Slott pays tribute to Spidey's history by granting him a chance to redeem a kid who gets powers the same way as him but none of the guilt to motivate the kid to walk the straight and narrow. This is Spidey's Sliding Doors moment, and it doesn't go well. Wraps up tidily, which is to be expected in a limited arc (aka not an "event"), and which is a terrible way to pretend to deal with the fact that they just set up a character as stronger than Sentry and took him out in a tenth of the time.
Ramos' art on the Alpha arc is still fun and keeps the mood from slipping into melancholy or downright dour (which is a real danger considering the trouble with Alpha).
However, Slott's Alpha story is like Homer's Odyssey compared to his team-up with my arch-enemy, Christos Gage. If you think Slott can slip into the pedant role a little too much, you ain't seen nothing until you watch Gage bash you over the head with his brain-damaged dialogue and plotting. Gage's motto: never show something in art, or imply it in cryptic phrases, when you can wash the page in excruciating detail until the reader screams, "Stop insulting me!" Each character announces what they're doing and/or why to make sure that every slack-jawed mouth-breathing reader didn't miss any detail, no matter how well-telegraphed. It's hopeless.
However, I have to believe that the plotting is Slott, and he just handed over the dialogue duties, because at least the *idea* of what happens here is entertaining.
Camincoli does a fine job of the art - zippy, kinetic stuff and mostly realistic without being Deodato-level of OCD.
The best part of this book is what it foreshadows, and while that's not much of a mystery to any Marvel/Spidey-head by now, it's still a great tension-builder to see it slowly roll up.
Ramos' art on the Alpha arc is still fun and keeps the mood from slipping into melancholy or downright dour (which is a real danger considering the trouble with Alpha).
However, Slott's Alpha story is like Homer's Odyssey compared to his team-up with my arch-enemy, Christos Gage. If you think Slott can slip into the pedant role a little too much, you ain't seen nothing until you watch Gage bash you over the head with his brain-damaged dialogue and plotting. Gage's motto: never show something in art, or imply it in cryptic phrases, when you can wash the page in excruciating detail until the reader screams, "Stop insulting me!" Each character announces what they're doing and/or why to make sure that every slack-jawed mouth-breathing reader didn't miss any detail, no matter how well-telegraphed. It's hopeless.
However, I have to believe that the plotting is Slott, and he just handed over the dialogue duties, because at least the *idea* of what happens here is entertaining.
Camincoli does a fine job of the art - zippy, kinetic stuff and mostly realistic without being Deodato-level of OCD.
The best part of this book is what it foreshadows, and while that's not much of a mystery to any Marvel/Spidey-head by now, it's still a great tension-builder to see it slowly roll up.
January 23, 2016
The story in the first half is basically a rehash of the science experiment that turned Peter Parker into Spider-Man. This time the experiment is Peter's and an accident gives another high school student powers. Peter of course feels guilty and does his best to train him and show him how to be a hero, but the new guy is really a jerk and doesn't care about responsibility. The whole thing is a What If? and on the surface it's a nice contrast to Peter, but there isn't a lot of depth there. You always feel like the whole thing is just a long fill-in because afterwards everything is pretty much status quo.
After this is a single issue from Avenging Spider-Man where Aunt May and Peter visit Ben's grave. It's just the two of them talking and lots of flashbacks to the period just after Ben dies, giving us an idea of how the two felt and were dealing with Ben's death. I actually liked it. That's a period where I don't think many writers have touched upon before.
The last arc goes back to the storyline of the new (and old) Hobgoblin and more foreshadowing for something major happening in the future. This is more standard Slott: lots of moving parts but still leading towards something bigger. Entertaining but nothing earth shattering.
After this is a single issue from Avenging Spider-Man where Aunt May and Peter visit Ben's grave. It's just the two of them talking and lots of flashbacks to the period just after Ben dies, giving us an idea of how the two felt and were dealing with Ben's death. I actually liked it. That's a period where I don't think many writers have touched upon before.
The last arc goes back to the storyline of the new (and old) Hobgoblin and more foreshadowing for something major happening in the future. This is more standard Slott: lots of moving parts but still leading towards something bigger. Entertaining but nothing earth shattering.
November 14, 2018
Two Hobgoblins, twice the fun! What more could you want? :)
February 4, 2023
İlk hikaye Andrew Maguire'in hikayesi. İsim epey manidar tabii. Okulda itilip kakılan, içine kapanık bir çocuk olan Andrew okul gezisiyle Horizon Labs'e gider. Peter'ın deneyi sırasında işler ters gider ve Andrew ışına maruz kalır. Artık Phoenix'in bile ötesine geçebilecek güçleri vardır. Bu güçleri nasıl kullanacağı konusunda sorumsuz davranır ve Peter'ı zıvanadan çıkarır. Benzer profilde olmalarına rağmen ahlaki bir ders edinmemiş olması Andrew'ı güç zehirlenmesine götürüyor. Hikaye pek keyifli değildi. Can sıkıcı bir karakterin can sıkıcı bir öyküsü. Her şey beklendiği gibi ilerliyor.
İkinci hikayede gerçek Hobgoblin geri dönüyor ve yerini alan yeni goblinle dövüşüyor. Peter manşetlere Spider-Man'ın başyardımcısı diye çıkınca hedef haline geliyor. İki goblin daha sonrasında güçlerini birleştirse de pek tehdit olamıyorlar. Sıradan bir hikaye kısacası. Bir sonraki kitapta seri sonlanacağı için bu hikayede alttan alttan bir şeyler oluyor final için.
İkinci hikayede gerçek Hobgoblin geri dönüyor ve yerini alan yeni goblinle dövüşüyor. Peter manşetlere Spider-Man'ın başyardımcısı diye çıkınca hedef haline geliyor. İki goblin daha sonrasında güçlerini birleştirse de pek tehdit olamıyorlar. Sıradan bir hikaye kısacası. Bir sonraki kitapta seri sonlanacağı için bu hikayede alttan alttan bir şeyler oluyor final için.
September 18, 2025
"WHEN IT COMES TO ADVANCED SLUGFEST 101, I ALWAYS SEND IN A SUBSTITUTE. IT'S A PRETTY SAFE BET THIS ISN'T EVEN ME RIGHT NOW."
- The Jackal to Spider-Man after the latter punch-destroyed one-of-many Jackal-clones.
Teenager Andy Maguire is excited to go on a school field to Horizon Labs, where sciemce superstar Peter Parker is unveiling something new. Does Andy get bitten by a rabid platypus and become the "Frothing duckbill?" (which isn't the worst idea I've ever had). No, something worse. He gets ALL the power with NO responsibility. The Jackal shows up with some clones and acts a total jackal-ass.
Then the Hobgoblin(s) is(are) back to get into Norman Osborn's hidden stash of Goblin tech. Madame Web has a vision the leaves her foaming at the mouth.
As always, most excellent. I was rather taken by Camuncoli's art. Four stars.
- The Jackal to Spider-Man after the latter punch-destroyed one-of-many Jackal-clones.
Teenager Andy Maguire is excited to go on a school field to Horizon Labs, where sciemce superstar Peter Parker is unveiling something new. Does Andy get bitten by a rabid platypus and become the "Frothing duckbill?" (which isn't the worst idea I've ever had). No, something worse. He gets ALL the power with NO responsibility. The Jackal shows up with some clones and acts a total jackal-ass.
Then the Hobgoblin(s) is(are) back to get into Norman Osborn's hidden stash of Goblin tech. Madame Web has a vision the leaves her foaming at the mouth.
As always, most excellent. I was rather taken by Camuncoli's art. Four stars.
March 20, 2023
Spider-Man accidentally gives superpowers to a conceited little asshole. It doesn't go well. In the second story, the original Hobgoblin returns and battles the new Hobgoblin, with Spider-Man stuck in the middle. It's fine but it feels like filler.
May 21, 2013
Alpha (692-694). One of the problems of introducing a very annoying character who’s meant to be annoying … is that he’s annoying — so as much as anything I was hoping for this arc to be over [6/10].
Avenging Spider-Man 11. This story of Peter, May, and Ben’s grave is brilliant. I really wish Zeb Wells was writing more. Pity about the artwork though … [9/10].
Danger Zone (695-697). Fortunately Danger Zone is a big step up from the annoyingness of Alpha. We get great attention to the Hobgoblin subplots, nice ties to Norman Osbourne, and a great use of Max [8/10].
Avenging Spider-Man 11. This story of Peter, May, and Ben’s grave is brilliant. I really wish Zeb Wells was writing more. Pity about the artwork though … [9/10].
Danger Zone (695-697). Fortunately Danger Zone is a big step up from the annoyingness of Alpha. We get great attention to the Hobgoblin subplots, nice ties to Norman Osbourne, and a great use of Max [8/10].
January 6, 2015
I gave this two stars because I am not really a Spiderman fan and was lent it to read as it is not something I would pick up given the choice.
The stories were well put together and on the whole the artwork was pretty good, but characters like Alpha just made me want to slap the boy... sadly not possible with a fictional character! But it did make the difference between Peter's upbringing and Alpha's and the effect it has on them and how they then chose to use their powers very apparent, and a I suppose a warning about how you bring people up!
The stories were well put together and on the whole the artwork was pretty good, but characters like Alpha just made me want to slap the boy... sadly not possible with a fictional character! But it did make the difference between Peter's upbringing and Alpha's and the effect it has on them and how they then chose to use their powers very apparent, and a I suppose a warning about how you bring people up!
April 17, 2014
Strange... GR labels this ISBN as "Hobgoblin Incorporated", but the book's cover shows the title as "Danger Zone". (Even the cover here on GR...) And the writer is Dan Slott, with some help from Christos Gage, not Brian Reed.
Halfway through this book. The first story arc, with new teen superhero Alpha, was good. Avenging Spider-Man #11 is one of the most beautiful comic stories I've ever read.
Halfway through this book. The first story arc, with new teen superhero Alpha, was good. Avenging Spider-Man #11 is one of the most beautiful comic stories I've ever read.
December 5, 2023
This book consists of two arcs with a filler...er, fill-in issue included. First we get the Alpha arc, where Spider-Man gets a sidekick in what must be the most uninspired writing of Dan Slott's career. The horrid, amateurish artwork by Humberto Ramos doesn't do any favors to the already bad story idea. These three issues are best forgotten. Let us never mention them again as long as we live.
Next we get the millionth flashback story about what happened after Uncle Ben's murder, in what must be the 1,000th annual visit to Uncle Ben's grave on the anniversary of his death. A horrid ret-con* retread. Someone needs to sit down and piece together all of these pointless flashbacks over the past decade. I bet that we can account for every nanosecond that occurred in between Amazing Fantasy No. 15 and Amazing Spider-Man No. 1. When you can't create, you ret-con. Oh, and Steve Dillon draws some horrendous teeth. I've never seen Aunt May portrayed as a horse before. I'll never be able to unsee that.
*Ret-con is short for retroactive continuity, where a writer inserts backstory that wasn't there before. It can be a great storytelling device but it is often used as a cop-out.
Finally, we get the three part War of the Goblins arc. The new Hobgoblin vs. original Hobgoblin. Kingpin and his inside man at Horizon Labs causing trouble for Spider-Man. All of these things have been building for a while and are resolved for the moment. I'm sure that we will see more of this stuff. These issues were solid and saved this book from a 1 star rating.
Next we get the millionth flashback story about what happened after Uncle Ben's murder, in what must be the 1,000th annual visit to Uncle Ben's grave on the anniversary of his death. A horrid ret-con* retread. Someone needs to sit down and piece together all of these pointless flashbacks over the past decade. I bet that we can account for every nanosecond that occurred in between Amazing Fantasy No. 15 and Amazing Spider-Man No. 1. When you can't create, you ret-con. Oh, and Steve Dillon draws some horrendous teeth. I've never seen Aunt May portrayed as a horse before. I'll never be able to unsee that.
*Ret-con is short for retroactive continuity, where a writer inserts backstory that wasn't there before. It can be a great storytelling device but it is often used as a cop-out.
Finally, we get the three part War of the Goblins arc. The new Hobgoblin vs. original Hobgoblin. Kingpin and his inside man at Horizon Labs causing trouble for Spider-Man. All of these things have been building for a while and are resolved for the moment. I'm sure that we will see more of this stuff. These issues were solid and saved this book from a 1 star rating.
March 26, 2023
Again, this period of Spidey's life is... ugh. I can appreciate what is here, but... man, was "Brand New Day" dumb. Anyways... I liked the idea of another teen hero without the sense of responsibility and good heart that Peter has. It was kind of a dark mirror reflection of what could have happened. That was interesting with solid action. I also liked the Mr. Fantastic cameo (kind of a sucker for FF at the moment).
September 2, 2025
3.5 stars
This one was a bit of a mixed bag for me. The first story with Alpha was okay; it really helped to highlight Peter's insecurities. Wasn't necessarily a fan of the art style in the second story with Aunt May, but it was a good sentimental story for the 50th anniversary. The last story was my favorite, as I think it's building up to what happens in the next volume with Doc Ock, and I'm interested in seeing how that plays out!
This one was a bit of a mixed bag for me. The first story with Alpha was okay; it really helped to highlight Peter's insecurities. Wasn't necessarily a fan of the art style in the second story with Aunt May, but it was a good sentimental story for the 50th anniversary. The last story was my favorite, as I think it's building up to what happens in the next volume with Doc Ock, and I'm interested in seeing how that plays out!
November 15, 2018
The story with Alpha was an interesting exercise in wish fulfillment. But the resolution came on too abruptly and was too open-ended for my taste.
I loved the story with the old and young Hobgoblins. Loved the setup and the execution.
I loved the story with the old and young Hobgoblins. Loved the setup and the execution.
August 26, 2017
Really enjoyed the story with Alpha, and Silk was an interesting twist too.
January 1, 2023
didn't care much about the alpha plot, but really liked the hobgoblin plot
June 22, 2023
Unremarkable but solid Spidey comics.
October 27, 2025
2 hikayeden oluşan bir kitap. İlk hikaye olan Alpha hikayesi çok klişeydi bence. Her an ne olacağını tahmin ederek okudum. Hobgoblin ve Kingpin' in dahil olduğu 2. hikaye çok daha keyifliydi. 3/5
February 3, 2014
This probably wouldn't be a 4-star deal, BUT there's a big extra included in the form of Avenging Spider-Man #11 by Zeb Wells and illustrated by Steve Dillon.
I know I tend to get sensitive around the holiday season, as do most of us. And this is the first time I've referred to the Super Bowl as a holiday, let alone a holiday season. But it's necessary because how else do you explain away a funnybook bringing tears to your eyes no less than three times?
Part of it, I'm sure, is knowing what's coming down just a few issues after this. But I think it was a well-done issue, and one that I usually don't like, which is a rehash of the origin in some ways.
How are the ways this goes bad?
Wrong Way The First: Hip Aunt May
They love to do hip Aunt May. An Aunt May who is out partying and getting crazy and basically talking the way people talk in pornographic films during the beginning, really boring part where they are trying to convince each other to have sex even though the fact that the movie is a porno has kind of spoiled the surprise there. Although I WOULD probably get a laugh out of a porno clip where the pizza guy comes over, the woman asks if there's any other way she can repay him, and he says a respectful "No, thank you" and excuses himself from the situation.
Okay, this issue walks the line there. But it's brief, and I think it works out okay.
Wrong Way The Second: Revisionist History
What? It turns out that Aunt May ALSO could have stopped that crook? Or Doc Ock could have? There are a lot of ways we can rewrite the origin to add wrinkles without changing the essence. The question there is always, Why? The non-question is Thanks for wasting my money you bastich.
Okay, this issue walks the line there. But it's small, and I think it works out okay.
Wrong Way The Third: Same Old Shit
Yes, we've seen Martha Wayne's pearls falling into the gutter. Great imagery. But not something I need to see again.
To people who don't read a ton of comics, this probably sounds like a small gripe. But think about it this way. Even using one page to re-tell the origin, that's one page out of the 22 you get that month. It sure as hell feels like they ran out of stuff to say.
It's not wrong, per se. It's just...well, if you don't have anything to add, don't waste our time.
Okay, this issue walks the line there. But it's quick, and I think it works out okay.
Okay, clearly this issue breaks every rule of origin re-tellings that I can come up with. Or at least the top three. You would think that would be plenty, but that would be before you saw the Punisher come back to life as a ghost zombie for some reason. The rules have to get really specific.
The dialogue in this one is just really...nice. The things that the character's say about the dead Uncle Ben, they're the sorts of things that you wish someone had said when somebody important to you died. Or the things you hope people will say when you die. They're all the right things, but no so right that it's total cheese. It's just...nice. And it works great as a eulogy of sorts.
So from now on, a new rule.
Zeb Wells is allowed to redo origins. Until he turns Daredevil into some kind of Frankensteinian ghoul. Then it's all revoked.
I know I tend to get sensitive around the holiday season, as do most of us. And this is the first time I've referred to the Super Bowl as a holiday, let alone a holiday season. But it's necessary because how else do you explain away a funnybook bringing tears to your eyes no less than three times?
Part of it, I'm sure, is knowing what's coming down just a few issues after this. But I think it was a well-done issue, and one that I usually don't like, which is a rehash of the origin in some ways.
How are the ways this goes bad?
Wrong Way The First: Hip Aunt May
They love to do hip Aunt May. An Aunt May who is out partying and getting crazy and basically talking the way people talk in pornographic films during the beginning, really boring part where they are trying to convince each other to have sex even though the fact that the movie is a porno has kind of spoiled the surprise there. Although I WOULD probably get a laugh out of a porno clip where the pizza guy comes over, the woman asks if there's any other way she can repay him, and he says a respectful "No, thank you" and excuses himself from the situation.
Okay, this issue walks the line there. But it's brief, and I think it works out okay.
Wrong Way The Second: Revisionist History
What? It turns out that Aunt May ALSO could have stopped that crook? Or Doc Ock could have? There are a lot of ways we can rewrite the origin to add wrinkles without changing the essence. The question there is always, Why? The non-question is Thanks for wasting my money you bastich.
Okay, this issue walks the line there. But it's small, and I think it works out okay.
Wrong Way The Third: Same Old Shit
Yes, we've seen Martha Wayne's pearls falling into the gutter. Great imagery. But not something I need to see again.
To people who don't read a ton of comics, this probably sounds like a small gripe. But think about it this way. Even using one page to re-tell the origin, that's one page out of the 22 you get that month. It sure as hell feels like they ran out of stuff to say.
It's not wrong, per se. It's just...well, if you don't have anything to add, don't waste our time.
Okay, this issue walks the line there. But it's quick, and I think it works out okay.
Okay, clearly this issue breaks every rule of origin re-tellings that I can come up with. Or at least the top three. You would think that would be plenty, but that would be before you saw the Punisher come back to life as a ghost zombie for some reason. The rules have to get really specific.
The dialogue in this one is just really...nice. The things that the character's say about the dead Uncle Ben, they're the sorts of things that you wish someone had said when somebody important to you died. Or the things you hope people will say when you die. They're all the right things, but no so right that it's total cheese. It's just...nice. And it works great as a eulogy of sorts.
So from now on, a new rule.
Zeb Wells is allowed to redo origins. Until he turns Daredevil into some kind of Frankensteinian ghoul. Then it's all revoked.
January 10, 2014
This trade contains the Amazing Spider-Man issues #692-697 and Avenging Spider-Man #11.
Danger Zone begins with a three issue story featuring a new hero named Alpha. Peter Parker's latest experiment for Horizon Labs leads to an eerily familiar situation and gives young Andy Maguire super powers. Pretty much ALL super powers, actually. Suddenly Peter's faced with training a young hero who is most definitely not another Spider-Man. The concept is decent, but the story itself is extremely rushed. All the important moments and twists are there but they fly by too fast to really register and connect emotionally. Slott also went a little too far over the top this time, making Alpha powerful to the point where the heroes of the world should have been taking much stronger measures to contain him than assigning him a personal teacher. More time to tell and being a little more subtle with the details would've helped this arc tremendously.
Next is a stand alone story from Avenging Spider-Man in which Peter tries to share one of his greatest burdens with Aunt May. It's a very good character piece that's true to everything we've seen before while still adding new information and depth.
The trade ends with another three issue story as several villains converge to make Spider-Man's life miserable. The Kingpin is ready to take advantage of his mole in Horizon. His eager henchman, the Hobgoblin, is just ready for some chaos. But neither of them, nor Spider-Man, is ready for Roderick Kingsly to come storming back to New York to teach the upstart who claimed his mantle a lesson. This story was a lot of fun. Several lingering plot threads tied together, there was a real sense of mance from the various antagonists, and both Peter and Max got to shine.
Danger Zone is a bit uneven with some weaknesses in the Alpha section, but overall another good addition to Slott's ever expanding library of Spider-Man stories.
Danger Zone begins with a three issue story featuring a new hero named Alpha. Peter Parker's latest experiment for Horizon Labs leads to an eerily familiar situation and gives young Andy Maguire super powers. Pretty much ALL super powers, actually. Suddenly Peter's faced with training a young hero who is most definitely not another Spider-Man. The concept is decent, but the story itself is extremely rushed. All the important moments and twists are there but they fly by too fast to really register and connect emotionally. Slott also went a little too far over the top this time, making Alpha powerful to the point where the heroes of the world should have been taking much stronger measures to contain him than assigning him a personal teacher. More time to tell and being a little more subtle with the details would've helped this arc tremendously.
Next is a stand alone story from Avenging Spider-Man in which Peter tries to share one of his greatest burdens with Aunt May. It's a very good character piece that's true to everything we've seen before while still adding new information and depth.
The trade ends with another three issue story as several villains converge to make Spider-Man's life miserable. The Kingpin is ready to take advantage of his mole in Horizon. His eager henchman, the Hobgoblin, is just ready for some chaos. But neither of them, nor Spider-Man, is ready for Roderick Kingsly to come storming back to New York to teach the upstart who claimed his mantle a lesson. This story was a lot of fun. Several lingering plot threads tied together, there was a real sense of mance from the various antagonists, and both Peter and Max got to shine.
Danger Zone is a bit uneven with some weaknesses in the Alpha section, but overall another good addition to Slott's ever expanding library of Spider-Man stories.
October 19, 2015
You know it's not a good sign when you check something out from the library and don't realize that you've already checked it out in the past!
Another science field trip...another freak accident *sigh...
This is almost like a 'What If...' comic! 'What If... Peter Parker had different powers'
This kid is so unlikable from the get go and his powers are waaay off the scale that it's just not even fun to see what he can do. You just don't care about him or for him and you want Spidey to get back to doing his Spidey thing in this book. Apparently this kid is the only Alpha level threat in existence yet it falls to Spidey to be his caretaker! I guess people just don't know Spidey very well then. I mean isn't this more of an Avengers thing? Matter of fact he makes the Avengers look like absolute chumps. It's both sad and annoying to see this punk kid do what he does. But the worst part of the Alpha story is that it takes precisely one panel for the conclusion!
The Jackal shows up as the main villain in this and things just sort of happen. There's clones involved, a lot of electricity, some punching...yada yada yada!
The second story has no action, no villains, not much of anything yet it's a superb story that takes place as Aunt May and Peter visit Uncle Ben's grave. The relationship between the two of them is deep and it's a nice story.
The last story is the new frikkin' annoying Hobgoblin...Joker wannabe! Guy bugs me! There's also the new younger Madame Web which is also an annoying character. It's not the best story though it was cool to see the old school Hobgoblin show up to put the smack down!
This book is a solid read for a Spidey fan, for anyone else it's nothing special.
Another science field trip...another freak accident *sigh...
This is almost like a 'What If...' comic! 'What If... Peter Parker had different powers'
This kid is so unlikable from the get go and his powers are waaay off the scale that it's just not even fun to see what he can do. You just don't care about him or for him and you want Spidey to get back to doing his Spidey thing in this book. Apparently this kid is the only Alpha level threat in existence yet it falls to Spidey to be his caretaker! I guess people just don't know Spidey very well then. I mean isn't this more of an Avengers thing? Matter of fact he makes the Avengers look like absolute chumps. It's both sad and annoying to see this punk kid do what he does. But the worst part of the Alpha story is that it takes precisely one panel for the conclusion!
The Jackal shows up as the main villain in this and things just sort of happen. There's clones involved, a lot of electricity, some punching...yada yada yada!
The second story has no action, no villains, not much of anything yet it's a superb story that takes place as Aunt May and Peter visit Uncle Ben's grave. The relationship between the two of them is deep and it's a nice story.
The last story is the new frikkin' annoying Hobgoblin...Joker wannabe! Guy bugs me! There's also the new younger Madame Web which is also an annoying character. It's not the best story though it was cool to see the old school Hobgoblin show up to put the smack down!
This book is a solid read for a Spidey fan, for anyone else it's nothing special.
July 20, 2014
Spider-Man faces threats old and new in this collection from Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos. High school nobody Andy Maguire takes a field trip to Horizon Labs, and becomes bombarded with so-called "Parker Particles" during a demonstration. Sporting an impressive array of abilities, Maguire becomes the super-powered Alpha - and Peter Parker must take the fledgling hero under his webs. When Alpha proves to be more concerned with fame than responsibility, Spider-Man must find a way to undo his mistake. A Hobgoblin war takes center stage in the second half of the tome. Original goblin Roderick Kingsley returns to New York to take down his successor and regain the Hobgoblin title; current goblin Phil Urich is still using the stolen gear to serve as the Kingpin's lieutenant. When the pumpkin bombs start flying, Spider-Man must stave off two of his deadliest foes without blowing his secret identity. The overall stories are a fun look at legacies through the Spider-Man segment of the Marvel universe. While Alpha's tale shows a hero without a heroic mantra, the Hobgoglin war helps establish the differences between experience and youth. The major flaw is an Avenging Spider-Man issue sandwiched in-between the two arcs, which rehashes the guilt over Uncle Ben's death and feels out of place - even the back cover agrees! Still, toss caution to the wind and swing on over into the Danger Zone for fun Spider-Man adventures.
June 11, 2014
This was again for me a strong collection.
Alpha was pretty amusing - he reminded me of Syndrome from the Incredibles, really annoying but with powers beyond Sentry. Ramos kicked the art's arse, really having fun and cutting loose, plus, it's pretty funny (loved Reed's deadpan, 'I discovered those' aside). Sure, annoying kid gets powers has been done but the sidekick gags with Pete made me laugh and it made thematic sense.
I could frankly skip the Avenging SM single in the middle. The art was terrible. I've never liked the constantly changing appearance of Pete (they can't even figure out his hair colour here) but this really takes the biscuit. Could be anyone. Was there anything new here to revist Ben again? No.
Hobgoblin wars - yeah I liked this, Slott manages to throw in yet more spider-sense mischief. He lost it before? He has too much now. And surely Modell has to know who Pete is? Good solid fun.
Well, we're almost there now, almost at the end. I'm so curious to read Superior (and have managed to stay away from spoilers to date) but I think it is a shame to leave the current set up. Still, let's see...
Alpha was pretty amusing - he reminded me of Syndrome from the Incredibles, really annoying but with powers beyond Sentry. Ramos kicked the art's arse, really having fun and cutting loose, plus, it's pretty funny (loved Reed's deadpan, 'I discovered those' aside). Sure, annoying kid gets powers has been done but the sidekick gags with Pete made me laugh and it made thematic sense.
I could frankly skip the Avenging SM single in the middle. The art was terrible. I've never liked the constantly changing appearance of Pete (they can't even figure out his hair colour here) but this really takes the biscuit. Could be anyone. Was there anything new here to revist Ben again? No.
Hobgoblin wars - yeah I liked this, Slott manages to throw in yet more spider-sense mischief. He lost it before? He has too much now. And surely Modell has to know who Pete is? Good solid fun.
Well, we're almost there now, almost at the end. I'm so curious to read Superior (and have managed to stay away from spoilers to date) but I think it is a shame to leave the current set up. Still, let's see...
February 22, 2014
Nostalgia seems to be the buzzword for this book, which makes sense, as it coincides with the 50th anniversary of the character. It starts off with a story in which an experiment of Peter's creates another hero with great power, one who's not so big on the responsibility part of the equation... and Peter has to deal with the arrogant young "Alpha" as his powers get greater and greater. Then the original Hobgoblin returns, and Spider-Man (with some help from Max Modell) has to deal with both him and the Phil Ulrich version. This one has lots of fun, fast-paced action, full of humor and style. It seems to be a great ramp up to the end of this lovable series.
There's also an issue of Avenging Spider-Man slotted in here, a quiet, reflective story where Peter and May stand at Ben's grave and talk about the past. This one has art by Steve Dillon, who's really great at these intimate stories as he can tell a lot with a facial expression.
Reading the Dan Slott stuff has been a blast for me, and I can't wait to get my hands on Dying Wish!
There's also an issue of Avenging Spider-Man slotted in here, a quiet, reflective story where Peter and May stand at Ben's grave and talk about the past. This one has art by Steve Dillon, who's really great at these intimate stories as he can tell a lot with a facial expression.
Reading the Dan Slott stuff has been a blast for me, and I can't wait to get my hands on Dying Wish!
August 16, 2015
Collects Amazing Spider-Man issues #692-697 and Avenging Spider-Man issue #11
Goodreads has this listed as being titled, "Hobgoblin Incorporated," but the cover of the book refers to this as "Danger Zone."
I'm a fan of Dan Slott's work on Spider-Man, and I found this whole collection to be very strong.
First, as a celebration of Spider-Man's 50th anniversary, Slott creates a new hero with a similar origin. The character's name is Alpha, and in the big picture of the Marvel Universe, he could be a huge player in future stories.
Next, there is a story featuring two villains that have both acted as Hobgoblin. They don't like each other, but they still manage to make trouble for Spider-Man during a villain team-up.
Goodreads has this listed as being titled, "Hobgoblin Incorporated," but the cover of the book refers to this as "Danger Zone."
I'm a fan of Dan Slott's work on Spider-Man, and I found this whole collection to be very strong.
First, as a celebration of Spider-Man's 50th anniversary, Slott creates a new hero with a similar origin. The character's name is Alpha, and in the big picture of the Marvel Universe, he could be a huge player in future stories.
Next, there is a story featuring two villains that have both acted as Hobgoblin. They don't like each other, but they still manage to make trouble for Spider-Man during a villain team-up.
April 28, 2023
This volume ends up being perfectly average by the sum of its parts.
The Alpha storyline sees Peter holding the idiot ball a bit too often but is generally inoffensive and has Ramos’s dynamic art.
The Avenging issue is written well but has terrible art.
The eponymous Danger Zone arc is the strongest overall, with good pacing and stronger writing. The central dilemma is a decent twist that I haven’t really seen Spider-Man put in otherwise, and this is the strongest art out of Camuncoli I’ve seen yet. There are of course some extremely wonky faces still but it’s generally better.
Each story has its pros and its cons, ending up being a perfectly fine if unimpressive read.
The Alpha storyline sees Peter holding the idiot ball a bit too often but is generally inoffensive and has Ramos’s dynamic art.
The Avenging issue is written well but has terrible art.
The eponymous Danger Zone arc is the strongest overall, with good pacing and stronger writing. The central dilemma is a decent twist that I haven’t really seen Spider-Man put in otherwise, and this is the strongest art out of Camuncoli I’ve seen yet. There are of course some extremely wonky faces still but it’s generally better.
Each story has its pros and its cons, ending up being a perfectly fine if unimpressive read.
August 5, 2013
Review in bullets (because I'm lazy):
- I enjoyed the fast pace of the stories in this volume. They were able to tell 2 complete big stories and 1 short story in a single volume
- I really like Ramos' art
- I really dislike Camuncoli's art
- Even if you think this volume was just a set-up for the big storyline coming up in issue #700, there was still a lot going on for it to be enjoyed on its own.
- I enjoyed the fast pace of the stories in this volume. They were able to tell 2 complete big stories and 1 short story in a single volume
- I really like Ramos' art
- I really dislike Camuncoli's art
- Even if you think this volume was just a set-up for the big storyline coming up in issue #700, there was still a lot going on for it to be enjoyed on its own.
March 2, 2014
This is a reminder to review before looking at the other reviews. I think I got psyched out by the average score.
The first half of this book is an interesting idea about a cycle of violence -- or in this case superheroism. But the unlikeable character is so unlikeable as to make it unenjoyable. Then there's a second half of the book which is pretty exciting. I guess I am always going to wrong in hoping that Phil Urich turns around . . . .
The first half of this book is an interesting idea about a cycle of violence -- or in this case superheroism. But the unlikeable character is so unlikeable as to make it unenjoyable. Then there's a second half of the book which is pretty exciting. I guess I am always going to wrong in hoping that Phil Urich turns around . . . .
September 5, 2014
This one has two 3 part stories:
Alpha is the story of what would happen if the events that gave Peter his powers happened to someone without his character and upbringing and whether Peter's intervention can change things. Fun story even if they skirt over some important details and the ending seems irresponsible.
The Hobgoblin story had a lot of punch and I read through it all in one sitting. Lots of interesting conflict and the Goblin vs Goblin stuff has been very well setup.
Alpha is the story of what would happen if the events that gave Peter his powers happened to someone without his character and upbringing and whether Peter's intervention can change things. Fun story even if they skirt over some important details and the ending seems irresponsible.
The Hobgoblin story had a lot of punch and I read through it all in one sitting. Lots of interesting conflict and the Goblin vs Goblin stuff has been very well setup.
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