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Sinister Six #1
Spider-Man: The Gathering of the Sinister Six
At the behest of a deadly benefactor known only as the Gentleman, the Chameleon must assemble a new Sinister Six: Dr. Octopus, the Vulture, Electro, Mysterio, and the Gentleman's mysterious ward, Pity. But Mysterio, the master of illusion, has a plan of his own! A number of Hollywood people have been targeted for murder, and the Webhead must halt Mysterio's deadly rampage before more lives are claimed.
309 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 1, 1999
5 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
About the author
Adam-Troy Castro
236 books165 followersAdam-Troy Castro made his first professional sale to Spy magazine in 1987. Since then, he's published 12 books and almost 80 short stories. Among those stories are "Baby Girl Diamond" (nominated for the Bram Stoker Award) and "The Funeral March of the Marionettes" (nominated for the Hugo and Nebula Awards in 1998). "The Astronaut from Wyoming," a collaboration with Jerry Oltion, appeared in Analog and was nominated for the Hugo and Nebula Awards in 2000, before winning the Seiun (Japanese Hugo) for best translation in 2008.
His "Of A Sweet Slow Dance in the Wake of Temporary Dogs" was nominated for the 2003 Nebula. His original short story collections include Lost in Booth Nine (published by Silver Salamander Press in 1993), An Alien Darkness and A Desperate Decaying Darkness (published by Wildside Press in 2000), Vossoff and Nimmitz (2002), and Tangled Strings (2003). He is also the author of the Spider-Man novels—Time's Arrow: The Present (written in collaboration with Tom DeFalco), The Gathering of the Sinister Six, Revenge of the Sinister Six, and Secret of the Sinister Six—as well as the nonfiction My Ox Is Broken! The Andrea Cort novels include, Emissaries from the Dead, The Third Claw of God, and a third installment currently in progress, tentatively titled The Fall of the Marionettes.
Castro, who married the divine Judi on 25 December 2002, lives in Florida with his wife and four cats: Maggie, Uma Furman, Meow Farrow, and the latest acquisition, Ralphie, an orphan of 2005's hellacious hurricane season.
His "Of A Sweet Slow Dance in the Wake of Temporary Dogs" was nominated for the 2003 Nebula. His original short story collections include Lost in Booth Nine (published by Silver Salamander Press in 1993), An Alien Darkness and A Desperate Decaying Darkness (published by Wildside Press in 2000), Vossoff and Nimmitz (2002), and Tangled Strings (2003). He is also the author of the Spider-Man novels—Time's Arrow: The Present (written in collaboration with Tom DeFalco), The Gathering of the Sinister Six, Revenge of the Sinister Six, and Secret of the Sinister Six—as well as the nonfiction My Ox Is Broken! The Andrea Cort novels include, Emissaries from the Dead, The Third Claw of God, and a third installment currently in progress, tentatively titled The Fall of the Marionettes.
Castro, who married the divine Judi on 25 December 2002, lives in Florida with his wife and four cats: Maggie, Uma Furman, Meow Farrow, and the latest acquisition, Ralphie, an orphan of 2005's hellacious hurricane season.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 10, 2020
Superhero comic book stories are straight-up bonkers. I'm not sure how I haven't really noticed this before, especially after seeing Alan Moore deconstruct them so well in Supreme, but when an author summarizes all the events that have happened to a given character when introducing them in his story, it gives attention to it. I mean, Razorback the character should be a clue, but when you find out he went to space and fought Thanos ... well, sometimes I'm a little dense.
I think part of what Castro was doing with this novel was highlighting just how ridiculous the stories are. His own story uses Mysterio -- an ex-special effects creator who goes on a crime spree after being shunned by the movie industry -- who isn't quite as ridiculous as Razorback, but still crosses that line, as his plots get more and more elaborate and more and more unbelievable.
I read the book because I like what I've read by Castro, and in the sense of it being an engaging, intriguing story, I wasn't disappointed. It reads like a comic book story, which is fine, since that's what it should be (Spider-Man!), it's just odd to see it all written out in a narrative style, because that somehow makes the incredulous seem even MORE incredulous.
I think part of what Castro was doing with this novel was highlighting just how ridiculous the stories are. His own story uses Mysterio -- an ex-special effects creator who goes on a crime spree after being shunned by the movie industry -- who isn't quite as ridiculous as Razorback, but still crosses that line, as his plots get more and more elaborate and more and more unbelievable.
I read the book because I like what I've read by Castro, and in the sense of it being an engaging, intriguing story, I wasn't disappointed. It reads like a comic book story, which is fine, since that's what it should be (Spider-Man!), it's just odd to see it all written out in a narrative style, because that somehow makes the incredulous seem even MORE incredulous.
March 23, 2020
The following review was published in the online newspaper The Orkney News in March 2020. Link here. https://theorkneynews.scot/2020/03/21...
Spider-Man: The Gathering Of The Sinister Six by Adam-Troy Castro
Hello again to my readers! I think it’s time I return to the realm of auditory superheroes. So why don’t I bring us back to the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man? Unlike last time with Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours this isn’t an adaptation of a comic book storyline but – as far as I can make out – a storyline completely original to a trilogy of novels written by Adam-Troy Castro. Although said novels do appear to be inspired by some version of the Spider-Man comic universe (Possibly the comics from the mid to late 1980s or very early 1990s. In other words this is a different Spider-Man than the excellent Tom Holland version from the MCU.)
Once again Dreamscape Media has released a very entertaining audio adaptation. The original novels were released as a connected trilogy in 1999, 2001 and 2002 respectively. To date only the first part is available on audio although I hope that will soon be rectified – especially with the prevalence of Spider-Man in Dreamscape’s heroic output.
The plot is as follows: There is a figure in the underworld known as The Gentleman. He is very very rich. Very very dangerous. And alongside assistants of sorts such as The Chameleon and a few others, he is more than willing to finance the destruction of a certain wall-crawling nuisance. And The Sinister Six, such as they are, can be useful to his plans.
However there is one slight issue: One member of the Six – Quentin Blake – otherwise known as Mysterio has his own plans for revenge. But against who or what and how are his victims connected? Can Spider-Man connect the dots and save Mysterio’s targets before they become any more personal than they already have? Especially given the Hollywood connections to said crimes. Not to mention Mary Jane’s latest big action picture: Fatal Action 4. Spidey only has a matter of days and the clock is ticking!
This is definitely a fun listen! It very much feels like a true Spider-Man story managing to balance the superheroics with Spidey’s civilian life as Peter Parker. Mary Jane feels very much like her classic self with a definite bite to her when needed. Especially when the story becomes personal to her. Alongside MJ we have some entertaining appearances by J Jonah Jameson owner of The Daily Bugle and Spider-Man’s biggest ‘Fan’, various other members of the Bugle staff, Flash Thompson and a last minute assist from one particular fairly obscure D-List hero I suspect the writer may have a soft spot for.
Speaking of heroes, Spider-Man’s quips are quite entertaining when they appear although he knows when to joke and when to keep his mouth shut unlike certain other versions. Castro is also particularly adept at his descriptions for combat. Be it Spider-Man’s attempts to knock Mysterio silly, Mysterio’s frankly horrific illusions, or certain strikes from out of nowhere. You definitely find yourself caught up in the action and in the general plot. Just how will the Web-head get out of this one!?
When it comes to the narration for this release we have a different narrator than previously. Instead of Jack Meloche, Tim Paige is in the spandex and mask and performs quite well indeed. His Spider-Man and Peter both feel very believable especially when things get serious. I also loved his voice for The Gentleman who felt very intimidating unlike a fair few super villains. Also his Mysterio is excellently melodramatic with an appropriate level of arrogance and self-confidence for a stunt man with ideas above his talent level.
One fairly major plot critique is regarding the Sinister Six part of the plot. As much as I loved The Gentlemen, only a relatively small part of the storyline seems to directly involve The Six. Mysterio on his own is the vast majority of the focus. The Six’s part of the plot is definitely a lead in to the two other sequels that as I said aren’t on audio yet. I certainly hope that the sequel novels will appear on audio alongside those which have recently been released or released in the last year or so.
In conclusion I definitely consider this a very entertaining Spider-Man adventure for Webheads. Especially those who want to get an audio fix of Spidey and friends or want a flashback to an older period of Peter Parker’s costumed antics. I’ll certainly keep an eye and ear out for more. However I think next time I discuss superheroes on audio…perhaps I should discuss the Extremis problem?
Sayonara!
Nephrite
Spider-Man: The Gathering Of The Sinister Six by Adam-Troy Castro
Hello again to my readers! I think it’s time I return to the realm of auditory superheroes. So why don’t I bring us back to the friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man? Unlike last time with Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours this isn’t an adaptation of a comic book storyline but – as far as I can make out – a storyline completely original to a trilogy of novels written by Adam-Troy Castro. Although said novels do appear to be inspired by some version of the Spider-Man comic universe (Possibly the comics from the mid to late 1980s or very early 1990s. In other words this is a different Spider-Man than the excellent Tom Holland version from the MCU.)
Once again Dreamscape Media has released a very entertaining audio adaptation. The original novels were released as a connected trilogy in 1999, 2001 and 2002 respectively. To date only the first part is available on audio although I hope that will soon be rectified – especially with the prevalence of Spider-Man in Dreamscape’s heroic output.
The plot is as follows: There is a figure in the underworld known as The Gentleman. He is very very rich. Very very dangerous. And alongside assistants of sorts such as The Chameleon and a few others, he is more than willing to finance the destruction of a certain wall-crawling nuisance. And The Sinister Six, such as they are, can be useful to his plans.
However there is one slight issue: One member of the Six – Quentin Blake – otherwise known as Mysterio has his own plans for revenge. But against who or what and how are his victims connected? Can Spider-Man connect the dots and save Mysterio’s targets before they become any more personal than they already have? Especially given the Hollywood connections to said crimes. Not to mention Mary Jane’s latest big action picture: Fatal Action 4. Spidey only has a matter of days and the clock is ticking!
This is definitely a fun listen! It very much feels like a true Spider-Man story managing to balance the superheroics with Spidey’s civilian life as Peter Parker. Mary Jane feels very much like her classic self with a definite bite to her when needed. Especially when the story becomes personal to her. Alongside MJ we have some entertaining appearances by J Jonah Jameson owner of The Daily Bugle and Spider-Man’s biggest ‘Fan’, various other members of the Bugle staff, Flash Thompson and a last minute assist from one particular fairly obscure D-List hero I suspect the writer may have a soft spot for.
Speaking of heroes, Spider-Man’s quips are quite entertaining when they appear although he knows when to joke and when to keep his mouth shut unlike certain other versions. Castro is also particularly adept at his descriptions for combat. Be it Spider-Man’s attempts to knock Mysterio silly, Mysterio’s frankly horrific illusions, or certain strikes from out of nowhere. You definitely find yourself caught up in the action and in the general plot. Just how will the Web-head get out of this one!?
When it comes to the narration for this release we have a different narrator than previously. Instead of Jack Meloche, Tim Paige is in the spandex and mask and performs quite well indeed. His Spider-Man and Peter both feel very believable especially when things get serious. I also loved his voice for The Gentleman who felt very intimidating unlike a fair few super villains. Also his Mysterio is excellently melodramatic with an appropriate level of arrogance and self-confidence for a stunt man with ideas above his talent level.
One fairly major plot critique is regarding the Sinister Six part of the plot. As much as I loved The Gentlemen, only a relatively small part of the storyline seems to directly involve The Six. Mysterio on his own is the vast majority of the focus. The Six’s part of the plot is definitely a lead in to the two other sequels that as I said aren’t on audio yet. I certainly hope that the sequel novels will appear on audio alongside those which have recently been released or released in the last year or so.
In conclusion I definitely consider this a very entertaining Spider-Man adventure for Webheads. Especially those who want to get an audio fix of Spidey and friends or want a flashback to an older period of Peter Parker’s costumed antics. I’ll certainly keep an eye and ear out for more. However I think next time I discuss superheroes on audio…perhaps I should discuss the Extremis problem?
Sayonara!
Nephrite
November 20, 2021
Loved the background forming of the six but wow was the insight into Beck a real treat.
August 19, 2020
Given the title, I really thought there would be more regarding the Sinister Six. So, I was disappointed in that regard. All of the stuff about the old man who is gathering the six was really interesting, but I wanted to know more, see more. Instead we got this, rather slow honestly, Mysterio story that while, interesting, was just not what I was expecting.
The beginning was really good. Between the mystery behind this old man and what appeared to be a supernatural type death of an actor, I had high expectations. This was not a bad story at all. It just fell short of what I wanted. Maybe it deserves a 4 star rating, I just can't bring myself to do that.
The beginning was really good. Between the mystery behind this old man and what appeared to be a supernatural type death of an actor, I had high expectations. This was not a bad story at all. It just fell short of what I wanted. Maybe it deserves a 4 star rating, I just can't bring myself to do that.
September 21, 2024
This was an okay book. I know it's supposedly the first book of a trilogy, but it mostly focuses on Mysterio after introducing the Gentleman and Pity, so I do not really consider it the first book in a trilogy. Not only that, but the "second" and "third" books have been released together in a combined volume, so it seems "obvious" this is more of a "standalone" story than part of an actual trilogy. It does work better as a standalone book, to be honest, because it is only tangentially associated with the second and third books. The character development (if you want to call it that) is pretty solid since most of the characters are based upon well-established characters in the books.
I did mean to come back and review this book, but time got away from me and I really didn't care about this book that much (sadly). That being the case, here are some random notes that stood out to me:
There were a couple of mistakes I noticed:
This next batch is just some random thoughts on potential pop culture references I came across:
Razorback was a fun character. I had no idea he was an actual Marvel character/hero, so it was fun to learn more about him (granted, I really felt Taryn should have been in the story as well, but that is life after reading up on his character on the Marvel database).
It was an okay book. I've wanted to read it for years to find out how the "trilogy" starts, and it was a bit of a disappointment. . I am glad I finally found a copy to read after wanting to read it for several years, now. I may never read it again, but once was enough.
I did mean to come back and review this book, but time got away from me and I really didn't care about this book that much (sadly). That being the case, here are some random notes that stood out to me:
There were a couple of mistakes I noticed:
This next batch is just some random thoughts on potential pop culture references I came across:
Razorback was a fun character. I had no idea he was an actual Marvel character/hero, so it was fun to learn more about him (granted, I really felt Taryn should have been in the story as well, but that is life after reading up on his character on the Marvel database).
It was an okay book. I've wanted to read it for years to find out how the "trilogy" starts, and it was a bit of a disappointment. . I am glad I finally found a copy to read after wanting to read it for several years, now. I may never read it again, but once was enough.
February 20, 2021
The first of the Sinister Six trilogy of text novels by Adam-Troy Castro finds a sinister "Gentleman" gathering together the Sinister Six, but one of them-Mysterio is launching a deadly plot of his own against the acting community.
I have to admit that this book did kind of pull the rug out from under me. Initially, at the start of the book, the focus was on the Gentleman, his cruelty, and his plan to take on Spider-man for reasons unknown, as well as to destroy the city and somehow reap a handsome profit. The story then shifts to a suicide attempt by an aging actor who has been being tormented and then succombs. We then learn it's part of a much broader plot by Mysterio.
Still, what we get is a very enjoyable novel. It manages to capture the spirit of comic book characters including J. Jonah Jameson and Flash Thompson and makes them very three-dimensional. I also appreciated the return of a hero who'd fought alongisde Spider-man in the 1970s for the final act and how he was fleshed out. Comic continuity is used intelligently, so we know enough what had come before without getting bogged down. In addition, the side and original characters are well-crafted as well, and Castro either had some solid knowledge of show biz or did a ton of research.
I'm also a huge fan of the Mary Jane-Peter Parker marriage, so it's great to read a book with that intact and to see how they interact. Mary Jane is well-handled and well-treated as a character, which is better than many comic book writers gave her.
While I listened to the modern well-narrated recently-released audiobook, listeners/readers should be aware that this book is a product of the times it was written in: the mid-1990s. Honestly, this book would be two thirds as long if everyone had smartpones and could access YouTube and IMDB.
Still, if you accept that, this is a fun ride that does justice to Spider-man in novel form.
I have to admit that this book did kind of pull the rug out from under me. Initially, at the start of the book, the focus was on the Gentleman, his cruelty, and his plan to take on Spider-man for reasons unknown, as well as to destroy the city and somehow reap a handsome profit. The story then shifts to a suicide attempt by an aging actor who has been being tormented and then succombs. We then learn it's part of a much broader plot by Mysterio.
Still, what we get is a very enjoyable novel. It manages to capture the spirit of comic book characters including J. Jonah Jameson and Flash Thompson and makes them very three-dimensional. I also appreciated the return of a hero who'd fought alongisde Spider-man in the 1970s for the final act and how he was fleshed out. Comic continuity is used intelligently, so we know enough what had come before without getting bogged down. In addition, the side and original characters are well-crafted as well, and Castro either had some solid knowledge of show biz or did a ton of research.
I'm also a huge fan of the Mary Jane-Peter Parker marriage, so it's great to read a book with that intact and to see how they interact. Mary Jane is well-handled and well-treated as a character, which is better than many comic book writers gave her.
While I listened to the modern well-narrated recently-released audiobook, listeners/readers should be aware that this book is a product of the times it was written in: the mid-1990s. Honestly, this book would be two thirds as long if everyone had smartpones and could access YouTube and IMDB.
Still, if you accept that, this is a fun ride that does justice to Spider-man in novel form.
January 25, 2018
This is the first book in the Sinister six trilogy. It’s about how this criminal mastermind known as the Gentlemen tries to assemble the afore mentioned Sinister Six, while at the same time, Mysterio wrecks havoc on various movie related places such as sets, movie theatres and Etc.. This book was great because it gave you a glimpse into what happens in the Superhero’s life without straying too far from the points that we are use to. I don’t want to completely ruin what happens. Because it has enough twists and turns to keep the readers in suspense. Unlike in some other superhero licensed things, it doesn’t throw in elements that throw off the counter balance of the story.
Another cool thing about this book is that it has a cartoon panel at that beginning of each chapter to give it that Comic book feel. As a fan of Super Heroes it made this already great book even better. I must say that Mr. Castro did a great job of capturing the very essence of the well known web head and his friend’s and enemies alike. This one joins my Blockbuster Book Club.
Another cool thing about this book is that it has a cartoon panel at that beginning of each chapter to give it that Comic book feel. As a fan of Super Heroes it made this already great book even better. I must say that Mr. Castro did a great job of capturing the very essence of the well known web head and his friend’s and enemies alike. This one joins my Blockbuster Book Club.
January 11, 2022
This book is frustrating and enjoyable at the same time. Despite being called The Gathering of the Sinister Six, and the lburb suggesting it was about the Sinister Six, the various villains only shopw up in a few scenes, being recruited. The bulk of the novel is a Spidey vs Mysterio story, which is fine--I dig Mysterio--but I wanted the Sinister Six. The ending dropped a bombshell that will be addressed in the second book. Unfortunately, the second (and there's a third apparently) are not in audiobok,
My expectations aside, the book itself is fairly decent.
My expectations aside, the book itself is fairly decent.
February 7, 2023
Some of Spider-Man's most dangerous enemies are being gathered by a mysterious Gentlemen. There aim as usual is to destroy Spidey but is there something more. Who is the Gentleman and his girl servant Pity. Castro does great job with character here particularly with the villains. I also like the scene between Spider-Man and Captain America in the second book. The conclusion should prove interesting.
June 15, 2022
Just fun Spider-Man story with family twist.
February 22, 2023
This book reminded me of how much I love the optimism of the 90s.
September 30, 2023
This is a Spider-Msn adventure with a collection of his rogues. Peter Parker is married, and he has the support of friends.
January 29, 2025
A fast-paced, mostly interesting Spider-Man novel. Read as an audiobook, it isn't art, but it is entertainment.
July 26, 2014
I'm not sure if I've ever actually read a prose version of an actual comic character which wasn't a novelization of a film (I read the original Superman novel back in the 70s) but I love comics (and this book was written by Adam-troy Castro, an acquaintance) so I figured I'd give it a shot.
It's good. It's also the first book of a trilogy and so sets things up nicely for the next two installments. In this one, a mysterious villain known only as The Gentleman (original to this series of books) is reforming the supervillain team of ever changing members, The Sinister Six (This time around featuring Dr. Octopus, The Chameleon, Electro, The Vulture, Mysterio and Pity, who is the new kid on the block). The problem is Mysterio, who has his own agenda to deal with before he can commit to the team. And that agenda is to destroy the lives and/or careers of the people who mocked his directorial debut in Hollywood. As motivations go, it's not a bad one. Of course, things get personal when the first victim is an old friend of Mary Jane Watson-Parker, wife of Peter Parker who is also The Amazing Spider-Man. This drags our hero into the fray with his own set of motivations beyond the simplistic idea it's his job to save people.
The book moves along at a good pace, never really feeling like a novel of over 300 pages. Castro really captures the flavor of Spidey's personality while at the same time allowing us inside his head to feel his fear when his wife is in danger. He also fills the books with innumerable nods and winks to popular culture, other marvel comics, and even characters from that other company which also does superheroes. I got a fair few of them but I guarantee I didn't get them all. But they are not so intrusive that if you don't get them you don't feel like you're being left out of the joke. Instead, you just read straight past them. If you do catch it, though, it's good for a momentary laugh before you move on.
Where I did have a slight problem, though, and why this gets a four and not a five, is twofold. One, there were some language issues. The amount of repetition of words and ideas did get intrusive after a while. It felt like the book needed one more pass from the copy editor since a lot of these particular passages had the feeling of making a change on one end of the sentence without cleaning up the other end - something we all do, but in this case should have been caught. The other problem had to do with Peter and Mary Jane's marriage. We get a lot of how in love they are and that's wonderful. As I said earlier, it's really nice to see Spider-man nervous not because he's fighting the bad guy, but because he's worried about getting home to the missus or, worse yet, she herself is in immediate danger and he can't afford to make a mistake. But then there are scenes where we get back story - like she was friends with the first of Mysterio's victims, which don't come out until they become major plot points. As a married couple, this seems to be one of those things which would have been discussed, especially since it started and was continuing during the time of the marriage. Further, there's a scene at a gloriously bad Broadway Musical (and a side kudos for nailing the musical-style lyrics) and we find out later Mary Jane was in the running for the lead of that particular play. As an actress, devoted to her husband, you would think he'd have been told she almost got the lead in huge broadway hit. We find out they had fights over here career path in the past so why did she never mention her prominent audition before the show was shut down by a bad guy?
It was these few moments which pushed me right out of the book. There weren't many, mind you, but enough that it left me a little disappointed, especially since the rest was so good.
It's good. It's also the first book of a trilogy and so sets things up nicely for the next two installments. In this one, a mysterious villain known only as The Gentleman (original to this series of books) is reforming the supervillain team of ever changing members, The Sinister Six (This time around featuring Dr. Octopus, The Chameleon, Electro, The Vulture, Mysterio and Pity, who is the new kid on the block). The problem is Mysterio, who has his own agenda to deal with before he can commit to the team. And that agenda is to destroy the lives and/or careers of the people who mocked his directorial debut in Hollywood. As motivations go, it's not a bad one. Of course, things get personal when the first victim is an old friend of Mary Jane Watson-Parker, wife of Peter Parker who is also The Amazing Spider-Man. This drags our hero into the fray with his own set of motivations beyond the simplistic idea it's his job to save people.
The book moves along at a good pace, never really feeling like a novel of over 300 pages. Castro really captures the flavor of Spidey's personality while at the same time allowing us inside his head to feel his fear when his wife is in danger. He also fills the books with innumerable nods and winks to popular culture, other marvel comics, and even characters from that other company which also does superheroes. I got a fair few of them but I guarantee I didn't get them all. But they are not so intrusive that if you don't get them you don't feel like you're being left out of the joke. Instead, you just read straight past them. If you do catch it, though, it's good for a momentary laugh before you move on.
Where I did have a slight problem, though, and why this gets a four and not a five, is twofold. One, there were some language issues. The amount of repetition of words and ideas did get intrusive after a while. It felt like the book needed one more pass from the copy editor since a lot of these particular passages had the feeling of making a change on one end of the sentence without cleaning up the other end - something we all do, but in this case should have been caught. The other problem had to do with Peter and Mary Jane's marriage. We get a lot of how in love they are and that's wonderful. As I said earlier, it's really nice to see Spider-man nervous not because he's fighting the bad guy, but because he's worried about getting home to the missus or, worse yet, she herself is in immediate danger and he can't afford to make a mistake. But then there are scenes where we get back story - like she was friends with the first of Mysterio's victims, which don't come out until they become major plot points. As a married couple, this seems to be one of those things which would have been discussed, especially since it started and was continuing during the time of the marriage. Further, there's a scene at a gloriously bad Broadway Musical (and a side kudos for nailing the musical-style lyrics) and we find out later Mary Jane was in the running for the lead of that particular play. As an actress, devoted to her husband, you would think he'd have been told she almost got the lead in huge broadway hit. We find out they had fights over here career path in the past so why did she never mention her prominent audition before the show was shut down by a bad guy?
It was these few moments which pushed me right out of the book. There weren't many, mind you, but enough that it left me a little disappointed, especially since the rest was so good.
May 1, 2011
I've grown up watching the Spider-Man animated series, and I thought I should give this book a try. However, it takes on a darker feel than the shows featuring the web-slinger. This book had certain elements that are completely different from the animated series, but still a good plot.
An old friend of Mary Jane's has died, and a lot of people are saddened. However, Mysterio appears at the funeral and mocks the man, attempting to murder the people on the site, but is stopped by Spider-Man. Mary Jane decides to take part in an action movie being filmed in New York, and Spider-Man works to stop Mysterio before he causes any more trouble. However, unknown to the web-slinger, a mysterious person known as the Gentleman has tasked the Chameleon with a serious task: The gathering of some of Spider-Man's strongest and deadliest foes for a team known as the Sinister Six.
Although the story's plot was good, I felt that it was a little dark after growing up seeing Spider-Man on the little screen. Kids who like this hero might not like how much more serious the characters are in the story, although the book has all of Spidey's humor and witty lines. However, after reading this book I've decided to stick with the Spider-Man I grew up seeing on television.
An old friend of Mary Jane's has died, and a lot of people are saddened. However, Mysterio appears at the funeral and mocks the man, attempting to murder the people on the site, but is stopped by Spider-Man. Mary Jane decides to take part in an action movie being filmed in New York, and Spider-Man works to stop Mysterio before he causes any more trouble. However, unknown to the web-slinger, a mysterious person known as the Gentleman has tasked the Chameleon with a serious task: The gathering of some of Spider-Man's strongest and deadliest foes for a team known as the Sinister Six.
Although the story's plot was good, I felt that it was a little dark after growing up seeing Spider-Man on the little screen. Kids who like this hero might not like how much more serious the characters are in the story, although the book has all of Spidey's humor and witty lines. However, after reading this book I've decided to stick with the Spider-Man I grew up seeing on television.
July 4, 2015
My actual rating is 3.5 stars.
This is the first book of a trilogy. It is a book that takes place in the Marvel universe. Even though the title suggests this would concern the Sinister Six, they are the minor storyline. This story concentrates on Mysterio and his plans to revenge on those who he believed that have wronged him in the past. Our favorite wall crawler plans to stop him.
This was an enjoyable read and this author has penned several books in this universe and I have not read a bad one from him. This has all the earmarks on would expect from this type of book. It has other beloved characters from this world, name dropping that connects it to other Marvel characters, the funny quips which is a trademark of our main character, and plenty of action. The only reason I did not give this a higher rating is a personal one. I have never been a fan of Mysterio but with that being said, this book does entertain.
This book does what it is suppose to do. It is not great literature but I satisfies the comic book fan inside me. From the references to pop culture to fantastic images (Spidey battling mechanical sharks), this book satisfies and this trilogy only gets better as I have already read the other two books and they were terrific.
This is the first book of a trilogy. It is a book that takes place in the Marvel universe. Even though the title suggests this would concern the Sinister Six, they are the minor storyline. This story concentrates on Mysterio and his plans to revenge on those who he believed that have wronged him in the past. Our favorite wall crawler plans to stop him.
This was an enjoyable read and this author has penned several books in this universe and I have not read a bad one from him. This has all the earmarks on would expect from this type of book. It has other beloved characters from this world, name dropping that connects it to other Marvel characters, the funny quips which is a trademark of our main character, and plenty of action. The only reason I did not give this a higher rating is a personal one. I have never been a fan of Mysterio but with that being said, this book does entertain.
This book does what it is suppose to do. It is not great literature but I satisfies the comic book fan inside me. From the references to pop culture to fantastic images (Spidey battling mechanical sharks), this book satisfies and this trilogy only gets better as I have already read the other two books and they were terrific.
April 24, 2012
Fantastic opening act in this very entertaining trilogy.
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