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Spider-Man (1990) #1–5
Spider-Man: Torment
Blood washes the streets of the Big Apple. Torment plunges Spider-Man into the darkness within us all as he hunts the Lizard through the streets and sewars of New York City, trying to put an end to the bloodthirsty, homicidal rampage left in his wake. But what is driving the Lizard? Is it an answer that Spider-Man is prepared to face? Or will it be so shocking that it will make even the most courageous hero question his sanity? Collects Spider-Man #1-5.
128 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1992
32 people are currently reading
363 people want to read
About the author
Todd McFarlane
1,869 books443 followersTodd McFarlane is a Canadian comic book artist, writer, toy manufacturer/designer, and media entrepreneur who is best known as the creator of the epic occult fantasy series Spawn.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, McFarlane became a comic book superstar due to his work on Marvel Comics' Spider-Man franchise. In 1992, he helped form Image Comics, pulling the occult anti-hero character Spawn from his high school portfolio and updating him for the 1990s. Spawn was one of America's most popular heroes in the 1990's and encouraged a trend in creator-owned comic book properties.
In recent years, McFarlane has illustrated comic books less often, focusing on entrepreneurial efforts, such as McFarlane Toys and Todd McFarlane Entertainment, a film and animation studio.
In September, 2006, it was announced that McFarlane will be the Art Director of the newly formed 38 Studios, formerly Green Monster Games, founded by Curt Schilling.
McFarlane used to be co-owner of National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers but sold his shares to Daryl Katz. He's also a high-profile collector of history-making baseballs.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, McFarlane became a comic book superstar due to his work on Marvel Comics' Spider-Man franchise. In 1992, he helped form Image Comics, pulling the occult anti-hero character Spawn from his high school portfolio and updating him for the 1990s. Spawn was one of America's most popular heroes in the 1990's and encouraged a trend in creator-owned comic book properties.
In recent years, McFarlane has illustrated comic books less often, focusing on entrepreneurial efforts, such as McFarlane Toys and Todd McFarlane Entertainment, a film and animation studio.
In September, 2006, it was announced that McFarlane will be the Art Director of the newly formed 38 Studios, formerly Green Monster Games, founded by Curt Schilling.
McFarlane used to be co-owner of National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers but sold his shares to Daryl Katz. He's also a high-profile collector of history-making baseballs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
October 16, 2023
Warning: Torment doesn't have a coherent plot.
In lieu of said plot, it has a lot of splash pages and a bunch of cringe-worthy non-dialogue boxes.
Fear!
Pain!
Confusion!
Blackness...
That sort of thing. Over and over and over. The reader is also treated to a whole hell of lot of McFarlane's grandiose narrating, as well.
Oh! And the word DOOM.
The skinny gist is that Pete and MJ are a happy couple.
You can tell because they're doing all of those cute couple things and making cute couple faces at each other.
A villain (we never learn her name) uses magic to control a monster (Dr. Connors Lizard), steal souls, and poison Spider-man.
Upbupbup! Don't kill him! Just almost kill him...and then let him recover. And then almost kill him again.
Wash, rinse, repeat.
Why?
No idea. Assume it's because she's Eeeevil!
Meanwhile, you get a parallel story about Mary Jane. She's having a night out on the town alone, and trying to have a good time while her husband is out superheroing. Riveting.
Spidey escapes (barely), and makes it back home to MJ.
Ta-da!
Ok, I get that I'm supposed to be impressed because this is Todd McFarlane's stuff. And in all fairness, his art really is the star here.
I also get that McFarlane did the special web thing that changed the course of the universe, and he did the actiony/contortionist Spider-man poses that were all the rage back in the day.
But the story just wasn't that good to me. Sorry.
I probably wouldn't have even been tempted to finish it, but I was stuck in my minivan with a cat, guinea pig, and two gerbils while I bombed my house for fleas, and I had to kill an hour before I could go back inside.
If you're a huge fan of McFarland, or just want to check out what was happening to Spidey in the 90's, then grab (the aptly named!) Torment. However, if you're looking for something good to read while you bomb for bugs, check out something else.
Or for God's sake, remember your Kindle!
In lieu of said plot, it has a lot of splash pages and a bunch of cringe-worthy non-dialogue boxes.
Fear!
Pain!
Confusion!
Blackness...
That sort of thing. Over and over and over. The reader is also treated to a whole hell of lot of McFarlane's grandiose narrating, as well.
Oh! And the word DOOM.
The skinny gist is that Pete and MJ are a happy couple.
You can tell because they're doing all of those cute couple things and making cute couple faces at each other.
A villain (we never learn her name) uses magic to control a monster (
Upbupbup! Don't kill him! Just almost kill him...and then let him recover. And then almost kill him again.
Wash, rinse, repeat.
Why?
No idea. Assume it's because she's Eeeevil!
Meanwhile, you get a parallel story about Mary Jane. She's having a night out on the town alone, and trying to have a good time while her husband is out superheroing. Riveting.
Spidey escapes (barely), and makes it back home to MJ.
Ta-da!
Ok, I get that I'm supposed to be impressed because this is Todd McFarlane's stuff. And in all fairness, his art really is the star here.
I also get that McFarlane did the special web thing that changed the course of the universe, and he did the actiony/contortionist Spider-man poses that were all the rage back in the day.
But the story just wasn't that good to me. Sorry.
I probably wouldn't have even been tempted to finish it, but I was stuck in my minivan with a cat, guinea pig, and two gerbils while I bombed my house for fleas, and I had to kill an hour before I could go back inside.
If you're a huge fan of McFarland, or just want to check out what was happening to Spidey in the 90's, then grab (the aptly named!) Torment. However, if you're looking for something good to read while you bomb for bugs, check out something else.
Or for God's sake, remember your Kindle!
September 10, 2015
Back before Todd McFarlane was a businessmen and collector of homerun balls hit by hitters with potential asterisks next to their names, he was a comic artist/writer of some repute. This collection was the first Spider-Man run that McFarlane wrote and illustrated himself. At the time it was also notable for the many cover variants of the first issue – slivery, gold, polka dotted, embossed, edible, etc.
It also happens to be a pretty decent storyline as well. Here McFarlane shows a knack for claustrophobic art work and the ability to amp up the tension and keep the reader off balance.
McFarlane portrays Spider-Man in what feels like a fever dream involving a crazed, bloodthirsty, mind-controlled Lizard and a voodoo priestess, who for whatever un-named reason is out to kill the web head.
This is a brutal Spider-Man tale lacking Parker’s usual witty comebacks and barbs. McFarlane advanced Spider-Man artwork by giving the character more arachnid-like poses and a greater attention to the webbing details. A few drawbacks: the prose can be on the purply side and Mary Jane is portrayed as somewhat of a self-centered ditz. Beyond that, it’s recommended for those who want to see some of McFarlane’s best work and a somewhat different take on Spider-Man.
It also happens to be a pretty decent storyline as well. Here McFarlane shows a knack for claustrophobic art work and the ability to amp up the tension and keep the reader off balance.
McFarlane portrays Spider-Man in what feels like a fever dream involving a crazed, bloodthirsty, mind-controlled Lizard and a voodoo priestess, who for whatever un-named reason is out to kill the web head.
This is a brutal Spider-Man tale lacking Parker’s usual witty comebacks and barbs. McFarlane advanced Spider-Man artwork by giving the character more arachnid-like poses and a greater attention to the webbing details. A few drawbacks: the prose can be on the purply side and Mary Jane is portrayed as somewhat of a self-centered ditz. Beyond that, it’s recommended for those who want to see some of McFarlane’s best work and a somewhat different take on Spider-Man.
April 9, 2021
I'm definitely in the unpopular ratings when it comes to this; however, I enjoyed McFarlane's introduction of Spiderman in Torment. Granted, the writing was quite childish in some areas; however, I think the intent and the purpose behind it was there. I'm not a huge Spiderman fan. I'm in the minority by saying that, but he's just never been a character that I've attached myself to. I often find him to be arrogant/self-centered. This book breaks down Spiderman as a character and humanizing him. McFarlane is capable of making Peter Parker realize that being a super hero may have perks, but it also comes with pitfalls. One of the great emotional tactics that McFarlane uses in this comic is confusion. The same way that Spiderman is unaware of why he's being attacked is the same level of unawareness that the reader feels. It's jarring and in writing the narrative in second person, McFarlane literally sucks the reader into the book and allows them to share in the emotional experience that Spiderman has. I think that this is truly a complex book. He may have taken on too much which is clear in some of his writing; however, as I stated before I could see the intent and I definitely appreciated it. This could also come from a place of not having that much experience with Spiderman. McFarlane's artwork is definitely interesting and complex and adds to the story as a whole. Unfortunately, this book isn't for everyone, but I really enjoyed it!
January 8, 2011
2.0 to 2.5 stars. The incredibly over-hyped new Spider-man series begun in 1991 with the single biggest selling comic book in history (at that time). This trade paperback collects issues 1 -6 of the series featuring the Lizard and was okay but that is about it.
August 15, 2023
McFarlane in the 90's was one of the biggest artist in the world. And So Marvel gave the man the key to the Kingdom. Make your own Spidy adventure. And after selling a shit load of issues for issue 1, Spider-Man torment completed with 5 issues.
This is a weird one. The art for the most part is pretty solid, lot of extreme moments, but some really great poses too. Sometimes there is a bit too much going on but for the most part the art is the big selling point on this book.
The story is weird and for sure drags. While Mcfarlane is talented artist and a great business man, he's not the best storytelling. The Lizard is the villain of this story but there's someone pulling his strings. And Spidy goes head to head with them both and barely surviving.
Overall okayish story with some great art makes a solid enough entry into the Spider-Man world. A 3 out of 5.
This is a weird one. The art for the most part is pretty solid, lot of extreme moments, but some really great poses too. Sometimes there is a bit too much going on but for the most part the art is the big selling point on this book.
The story is weird and for sure drags. While Mcfarlane is talented artist and a great business man, he's not the best storytelling. The Lizard is the villain of this story but there's someone pulling his strings. And Spidy goes head to head with them both and barely surviving.
Overall okayish story with some great art makes a solid enough entry into the Spider-Man world. A 3 out of 5.
June 2, 2014
35th book read in 2014.
Number 180 out of 379 on my all time book list.
Follow the link below to see my video review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg0tr...
Number 180 out of 379 on my all time book list.
Follow the link below to see my video review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg0tr...
July 23, 2021
Todd McFarlane je úžasný kreslíř, je škoda, že není aspoň z poloviny tak dobrý scenárista. Příběh je slabý a strašně nudný. Jediný proč jsem to dočetl je kresba od McFarlana která je nádherná.
January 7, 2019
Un comic con tintes de novela gráfica que acaba dejando algo frío, su sencillez en la historia y la subtrama de Mary Jane hacen que pierda fuerza y no dan sentido a la aventura del héroe, un Spider-Man que parece haber olvidado que un "gran poder conlleva una gran responsabilidad" tampoco ayudan mucho.
Por otra parte hay que aplaudir la gran labor grafica, que es en lo que mas destaca este comic, llevándonos a un Nueva York donde podemos percibir oscuridad, suciedad y el crimen tal y como pretenden mostrarlo.
Esto, sumado a una narrativa muy poética hacen que se haga ligero y al mismo tiempo entretenga. No es la mejor historia ni de lejos de "Nuestro amigo y vecino" pero como historia alternativa no esta mal.
Mi nota: 2,8 estrellas.
Por otra parte hay que aplaudir la gran labor grafica, que es en lo que mas destaca este comic, llevándonos a un Nueva York donde podemos percibir oscuridad, suciedad y el crimen tal y como pretenden mostrarlo.
Esto, sumado a una narrativa muy poética hacen que se haga ligero y al mismo tiempo entretenga. No es la mejor historia ni de lejos de "Nuestro amigo y vecino" pero como historia alternativa no esta mal.
Mi nota: 2,8 estrellas.
July 19, 2018
Mary Jane, a big breasted, empty headed party-girl wife, forget the sassy, smart with-it chick of the sixties and seventies that won Peter's heart after Gwen died. This is Todd McFarlane's MJ, tits the same size as her IQ.
One spoiler after trudging through 3 1/2 issue, the sound effect "DOOM DOOM DOOM" which goes throughout each issue, does not refer to an appearance by Doctor Doom.
The art is Frank Miller bloody w/lots of busyness thrown in, i imagine the NYC mayor was pretty angry about all the extra webbing hanging around.
One spoiler after trudging through 3 1/2 issue, the sound effect "DOOM DOOM DOOM" which goes throughout each issue, does not refer to an appearance by Doctor Doom.
The art is Frank Miller bloody w/lots of busyness thrown in, i imagine the NYC mayor was pretty angry about all the extra webbing hanging around.
July 14, 2019
As estrelas vão todas para o traço impressionante, carregado e detalhado de Todd McFarlane, e para a planificação formidável de algumas sequências. De resto, é uma historieta cheia de clichés e com pouco para dizer.
May 8, 2024
Puede llegar a ser un Tormento, como primera lectura de Spider-man
Versión evaluada: Marvel Must-Have: Spider-Man Tormento de Panini España
Todd McFarlane es un creador que ya es legendario en el mundo de los cómics, logrando hoy en día continuar su épico de Spawn y tener un buen agarre en la industria de juguetes de colección en EEUU. Antes de todo eso, era un joven artista rompiendo reglas en Marvel y ganando notoriedad en las páginas de Amazing Spider-Man.
Tanto fue su éxito y demanda, que para mantenerlo contento los editores le dieron un nuevo título de Spider-man donde podría no sólo ilustrar, sino ser el guionista. Ese experimento nos dio un par de historias antes de su salida de Marvel, entre ellas la titular Tormento.
Spider-Man , en una etapa más cómoda de su vida, se encuentra al Lagarto, que de manera despiadada ha estado asesinado personas en la ciudad, y en su búsqueda, descubre que algo no está bien y puede ser causa de un antagonista oculto, con razones de venganza hacia el arácnido.
En algunas de las portadas originales de este cómic se leía el su título "The Aracknight Return" (El Caballero Arácnido Regresa) qué fue como declaración de intención, con un tono homenaje a la obra de Batman de Frank Miller, que terminaría tratando de ser una continuación de La Última Cacería de Kraven, pero terminaría sufriendo muchos dolores de parto por la inexperiencia de Mcfarlane manejando el ritmo y la estructura de un guión, el sobre uso de viñetas verticales, close-ups y otros recurso para economizar trabajo que no portaban a la fluidez de la historia, y un sub argumento de Mary Jane que se sentía más como relleno de grapa qué otra cosa. Este es el primer trabajo del autor haciendo casi todo y se nota la ambición, así también como las oportunidades de mejora.
Aún así, para los fans del autor, sus fortalezas están allí, los diagremados e página interesantes, los splash-pages y spreads, el detalle en cosas que otros no harían. Esta obra también es un testamento a una época que tal vez jamás se repita en Marvel o Dc de casi completa autonomía creativa para un autor en uno de sus personajes más populares.
No recomiendo para nada este cómic como primer cómic de Spider-man, es el trabajo de un autor en ese entonces verde, que ha aprendido y mejorado desde entonces, pero como apreciación para alguien con tiempo en en el mundo del cómic, puede ser un documento a analizar para aquellos que quieran en algún momento perder el miedo a crear cómics.
La versión que leí tiene material adicional interesante que expande y ayuda a entender más la idea tras el cómic.
Versión evaluada: Marvel Must-Have: Spider-Man Tormento de Panini España
Todd McFarlane es un creador que ya es legendario en el mundo de los cómics, logrando hoy en día continuar su épico de Spawn y tener un buen agarre en la industria de juguetes de colección en EEUU. Antes de todo eso, era un joven artista rompiendo reglas en Marvel y ganando notoriedad en las páginas de Amazing Spider-Man.
Tanto fue su éxito y demanda, que para mantenerlo contento los editores le dieron un nuevo título de Spider-man donde podría no sólo ilustrar, sino ser el guionista. Ese experimento nos dio un par de historias antes de su salida de Marvel, entre ellas la titular Tormento.
Spider-Man , en una etapa más cómoda de su vida, se encuentra al Lagarto, que de manera despiadada ha estado asesinado personas en la ciudad, y en su búsqueda, descubre que algo no está bien y puede ser causa de un antagonista oculto, con razones de venganza hacia el arácnido.
En algunas de las portadas originales de este cómic se leía el su título "The Aracknight Return" (El Caballero Arácnido Regresa) qué fue como declaración de intención, con un tono homenaje a la obra de Batman de Frank Miller, que terminaría tratando de ser una continuación de La Última Cacería de Kraven, pero terminaría sufriendo muchos dolores de parto por la inexperiencia de Mcfarlane manejando el ritmo y la estructura de un guión, el sobre uso de viñetas verticales, close-ups y otros recurso para economizar trabajo que no portaban a la fluidez de la historia, y un sub argumento de Mary Jane que se sentía más como relleno de grapa qué otra cosa. Este es el primer trabajo del autor haciendo casi todo y se nota la ambición, así también como las oportunidades de mejora.
Aún así, para los fans del autor, sus fortalezas están allí, los diagremados e página interesantes, los splash-pages y spreads, el detalle en cosas que otros no harían. Esta obra también es un testamento a una época que tal vez jamás se repita en Marvel o Dc de casi completa autonomía creativa para un autor en uno de sus personajes más populares.
No recomiendo para nada este cómic como primer cómic de Spider-man, es el trabajo de un autor en ese entonces verde, que ha aprendido y mejorado desde entonces, pero como apreciación para alguien con tiempo en en el mundo del cómic, puede ser un documento a analizar para aquellos que quieran en algún momento perder el miedo a crear cómics.
La versión que leí tiene material adicional interesante que expande y ayuda a entender más la idea tras el cómic.
June 10, 2010
I've had this sitting on my shelf for a while before having much inclination to read it. Famous it may be but I've never been a fan of McFarlane's work, art or writing and this really isn't much of an exception.
Spidey ends up dealing with a possessed and vicious Lizard who seems to have become fully primal in nature. Turns out there's someone in the background controlling Connors who may or may not be an old foe returned from the dead. All told it's a pretty dark and downbeat story with little in the way of redemption or resolution. The closest Spidey had come to outright horror at the time.
But my issues are still the same. Call me old fashioned but McFarlane's art is too cluttered and busy for my liking, often becoming confusing. He does come up with some great poses for Spidey in action and some of the bigger splash pages are spectacular but I really dislike his people. Particularly Peter (can you say mullet) and MJ (who spends most of the book looking like a cheap hooker). MJ as a character is really wasted here, dropping her back to her party girl, don't have a care roots. At the back are some of the many variant covers and a few recoloured splash pages which just go to highlight how bad they used to be compared to modern colouring depth and tone.
As a writer I'm still not convinced by McFarlane. I don't like the narration driving the story, preferring to let the character speak for themselves and at times it's really not clear who is taking charge.
So, revolutionary it may have been and important as Torment is in Spider-Man's history I'm not a fan.
Spidey ends up dealing with a possessed and vicious Lizard who seems to have become fully primal in nature. Turns out there's someone in the background controlling Connors who may or may not be an old foe returned from the dead. All told it's a pretty dark and downbeat story with little in the way of redemption or resolution. The closest Spidey had come to outright horror at the time.
But my issues are still the same. Call me old fashioned but McFarlane's art is too cluttered and busy for my liking, often becoming confusing. He does come up with some great poses for Spidey in action and some of the bigger splash pages are spectacular but I really dislike his people. Particularly Peter (can you say mullet) and MJ (who spends most of the book looking like a cheap hooker). MJ as a character is really wasted here, dropping her back to her party girl, don't have a care roots. At the back are some of the many variant covers and a few recoloured splash pages which just go to highlight how bad they used to be compared to modern colouring depth and tone.
As a writer I'm still not convinced by McFarlane. I don't like the narration driving the story, preferring to let the character speak for themselves and at times it's really not clear who is taking charge.
So, revolutionary it may have been and important as Torment is in Spider-Man's history I'm not a fan.
June 8, 2014
I remember Todd McFarlane began drawing Spider-Man-I was never a big fan of his art. batman Year Two, Hulk...it's different, I give you that. But I'm just not a huge fan.
He writes here as well-his first written Spider-Man story.
It's "ok". It starts off well, with a look at Mary Jane and Peter's married life. But once the Spider-Man action starts, the story bogs down for me. The Lzard is here, but he never speaks, and is being controlled here-by who? It was tough for me to tell!!! I had to "Google" it, to get the answer!
We see Mary Jane on her own at night, trying to have a good time, while Peter is out...intersting, I guess, but not sure it worked for me.
And Spider-Man 'survives', but doesn't really 'win' here.....It's more like a draw, and even then, it's more a loss than anything...
I was disappointed over all...
He writes here as well-his first written Spider-Man story.
It's "ok". It starts off well, with a look at Mary Jane and Peter's married life. But once the Spider-Man action starts, the story bogs down for me. The Lzard is here, but he never speaks, and is being controlled here-by who? It was tough for me to tell!!! I had to "Google" it, to get the answer!
We see Mary Jane on her own at night, trying to have a good time, while Peter is out...intersting, I guess, but not sure it worked for me.
And Spider-Man 'survives', but doesn't really 'win' here.....It's more like a draw, and even then, it's more a loss than anything...
I was disappointed over all...
November 10, 2020
Ammetto che lo stile di disegno di Todd McFarlane non mi è mai dispiaciuto. Il suo Ragno mi ha sempre affascinato. Le pose, gli slanci, la ragnatela e tutto il reso. Più Ragno che Uomo. Ci stava.
Peccato che, per tutto il resto della storia, non venga detto assolutamente nulla. Il finale avrebbe potuto far esplodere la narrazione e confezionare una storia più decorosa. Capisco l'intento di creare "dei pretesti narrativi" solo per consegnare al lettore solo delle sensazioni di tormento, appunto, paura, ansia e la percezione di costante pericolo. Però tali sensazioni - per le leggi della narrativa - devono essere incanalate in qualcosa, che poteva per l'appunto risolversi tutto nel finale. Ma, ahimé, il tutto si conclude nella maniera più anticlimatica possibile, facendo rimanere il lettore con un pugno di mosche in mano.
Peccato.
Peccato che, per tutto il resto della storia, non venga detto assolutamente nulla. Il finale avrebbe potuto far esplodere la narrazione e confezionare una storia più decorosa. Capisco l'intento di creare "dei pretesti narrativi" solo per consegnare al lettore solo delle sensazioni di tormento, appunto, paura, ansia e la percezione di costante pericolo. Però tali sensazioni - per le leggi della narrativa - devono essere incanalate in qualcosa, che poteva per l'appunto risolversi tutto nel finale. Ma, ahimé, il tutto si conclude nella maniera più anticlimatica possibile, facendo rimanere il lettore con un pugno di mosche in mano.
Peccato.
February 4, 2020
Tormento è questa sequenza di inquadrature assurde di un disegnatore che, quando era agli inizi della sua carriera, disegnava benino e faceva ben sperare. Si è evoluto molto, molto male, riducendosi a poche pose ripetute e a una scansione della tavola sempre in peggiorando, praticamente inguardabile, anche a causa della colorazione inutilmente pesante. Anche se, a pensarci bene, potrebbe essere una scelta precisa per mascherare i disegni.
Tacerò poi della nullità della storia, di una decompressione da far quasi invidia (quasi) a Bendis.
128 pagine di nulla assoluto.
E pensare che il numero 1 di questa serie ha venduto qualcosa come 7 milioni di copie.
Mezza stella.
Tacerò poi della nullità della storia, di una decompressione da far quasi invidia (quasi) a Bendis.
128 pagine di nulla assoluto.
E pensare che il numero 1 di questa serie ha venduto qualcosa come 7 milioni di copie.
Mezza stella.
July 16, 2012
My husband and I went to see The Amazing Spider-Man yesterday afternoon and when we got home he showed me this book, one of his favorites and a Todd McFarlane. Although there's something nice about reading a trade and getting the whole story at once, I do miss the suspense of waiting for the issues to come out one by one. But the art work was solid, the story was a page-turner, and the dialogue was occasionally cheesy. So, a success!
April 6, 2015
Visualmente impresionante. Me encantan los dibujos de este tío. La historia es casi lo de menos, y aún así no es mala.
November 3, 2015
The Todd McFarlane Spider-Man comics are some the best ever!!!
August 17, 2017
Quina basura. Tots els mals dels '90 condensats en aquesta història inintel·ligible de Todd MacFarlane. Horrible.
October 15, 2017
Pretty art , dull story.
Todd McFarlane art is excellent for 90s art and gives this book a unique grimy personality. Sadly the story and villains are forgettable and not very interesting.
Todd McFarlane art is excellent for 90s art and gives this book a unique grimy personality. Sadly the story and villains are forgettable and not very interesting.
August 27, 2020
1990s Todd McFarlane, you got to love him or hate him. Throughout the years I used to admire intensely his abilities to be both, writer and artist, but I guess people mostly acknowledges him as the second, particularly for his extravagant pencils that defined the whole decade, back in the day. Nowadays, his eccentric art has maintained the usual signature applied in the old days, but a little settled, and far discrete as before, but Torment (and overall, his entire involvement on the Spider-man series in the early 90s) is an explosion of his earliest designs and over-detailed pencils and frames. In regards of his writing, the guy definitely has an attachment for supernatural themes, and this was a perfect opportunity for exploitation towards it, inside a Marvel comic, specially being this a pre-Spawn era. This is the first time McFarlane was given absolute control over a non-personal property, and you can clearly see/read the guy had a blast working on it, aside of the whole monetary issues that he had with the editorial, and that eventually would lead him to departure from Marvel and co-create Image Comics with his fellow artist, but that's a different story. The comic has Spidey dealing with the resurgence of his former foe, The Lizards a.k.a, Dr. Connors, this time, in a complete berserk mode, killing people all over the place in other to drag the Spider's attention, but not only that; he seems to be in control of a mysterious woman that apparently has some voodoo powers manipulating the creature. Now, Spider-man will have to deal with a new villain who's determined to perform vengeance over him, using one of his eldest villains in the rogue's gallery, in search for answers at the same time. As I aforesaid, either you love McFarlane's work, or you don't. Personally, I like to dig some crazy 90s art, specially in Marvel, whether or not the designs of characters were overly-proportioned, the exaggerated postures, the unidentifiable frames overwhelmed by crazy-microscopical details. That's McFarlane in a nutshell, but again, I cannot reject his talent, even if its all over the place. I've found that his previous works in Spider-man were a little subtle rather than this 5 issues, but then again, I also mentioned the guy had complete creative control over Torment, so naturally he'll dispose the containment leash. The plot goes as common as it may, being a constant 5-issue continuous fight against the Lizard, while displaying some MJ-partying moments that'll only work to reinforce the idea of the perfect marriage between her and Pete, and constant indistinguishable frames presenting the new villain. My guess is that McFarlane didn't go through this with a better development, mostly because he might've think he was continuing it further, maybe in later issues, but, again, we all know what happened. In general I appreciate the simplicity, but I've never enjoyed stories (specially in comic-book) that don't have a truthful conclusion, and this one leaves the pages definitely open. Without giving anything away, it also has this sort of "obvious-successor" feel regarding 'Kraven's Last Hunt", which I first I thought it was a little unnecessary, giving almost zero context to the main villain about that story-arc, but the symbolism and approaches weren't awful, and its clear to me that story was hugely fresh (and still is, hell) at the time, so I wasn't surprise to find out the darker and grittier tone this comic has within each page, it even crosses the borderline within gruesome and gory at times. Anyway, it wasn't a distasteful reading, nor a bad one, but it wasn't 'amazing' in the end. I guess any McFarlane die hard fan will enjoy this, but merely for the visuals. Personally, I'd enjoyed McFarlane's take on Spider-man far better on his involvement around the Symbiote/Venom saga, but I would've wanted to see further treatment on a story 100% created by him. This is non-essential Spider-man, but if you love the character, as I do, its worth the check.
September 3, 2023
The Lizard is killing random people in New York - but whyyyyy?
That really is all there is to Spider-Man: Torment, written and drawn by Todd McFarlane. And he doesn’t even really do all that good a job of explaining the why either!
Still, the art is SO good. Maybe I’m biased because I remember looking at McFarlane’s art on Spider-Man when I was a kid so he’s kinda imprinted on me as the definitive Spidey artist, and looking at the art again here, damn it kicks ass.
Well, looking at it now I can also see a lot of weird, funny details. Like the abundance of webs Spidey has as he soars across New York - why does he have so many webs; is he gathering them as he’s swinging?! And they’re such thick and twisty webs, like ropes - are his web shooters as big as shotgun barrels?!
It’s strange (not to mention convenient) that so many ordinary people wind up in the same dingy alley that Lizard hangs out in. In McFarlane’s hands, Pete never wears a shirt at home and MJ is constantly clamped onto him! And I’m pretty sure metal doesn’t splinter like wood.
Knowing that McFarlane would go on to create Spawn, his own superhero at Image, a company he would also co-found, you can really see Spawn in his Spidey run. The webs are Spawn’s chains, and their masked heads even look alike. There’s a short Prowler backup included in this edition and that character is even more Spawn-y, especially with that insane cape.
As much as I enjoy McFarlane’s highly stylised and instantly-recognisable art, he isn’t a very good writer. The story here is one of the flimsiest ever for such a big title: Spidey and Lizard fight until they don’t. There’s another baddie - a voodoo witch - but her motivations and connection to Spidey are murky at best and mostly arbitrary. It’s essentially a case of bad guy being bad for bad’s sake. Lizard doesn’t speak at all - he’s simply a cipher, there to punch Spidey.
Meanwhile, MJ goes dancing - yup, that’s literally the B-story here! And that’s all she does. No idea why other than maybe to parallel the “magical rhythm” of the voodoo witch, but again, there doesn’t seem to be any reason or connection between these characters. It’s the most pointless subplot - and I’m being generous here calling it a “subplot” - I’ve ever read.
If you have an interest in superhero comics, you’ll know Todd McFarlane’s name, and I’m glad I finally got around to reading one of his books. But, if Spider-Man: Torment is anything to go by, it’s obvious why he’s famous for his art rather than his writing because this was the most pointless, forgettable, and unimpressive story you could imagine for Spider-Man.
Who knows though - maybe this is all set-up for something that pays off later in McFarlane’s run. Maybe he even gets around to naming the voodoo witch! Either way, I’m glad to have reacquainted myself with his Spider-Man art which is still as awesome as it ever was (that iconic cover!). It’s worth a look for that alone but don’t expect anything else but great art from McFarlane’s Spider-Man.
That really is all there is to Spider-Man: Torment, written and drawn by Todd McFarlane. And he doesn’t even really do all that good a job of explaining the why either!
Still, the art is SO good. Maybe I’m biased because I remember looking at McFarlane’s art on Spider-Man when I was a kid so he’s kinda imprinted on me as the definitive Spidey artist, and looking at the art again here, damn it kicks ass.
Well, looking at it now I can also see a lot of weird, funny details. Like the abundance of webs Spidey has as he soars across New York - why does he have so many webs; is he gathering them as he’s swinging?! And they’re such thick and twisty webs, like ropes - are his web shooters as big as shotgun barrels?!
It’s strange (not to mention convenient) that so many ordinary people wind up in the same dingy alley that Lizard hangs out in. In McFarlane’s hands, Pete never wears a shirt at home and MJ is constantly clamped onto him! And I’m pretty sure metal doesn’t splinter like wood.
Knowing that McFarlane would go on to create Spawn, his own superhero at Image, a company he would also co-found, you can really see Spawn in his Spidey run. The webs are Spawn’s chains, and their masked heads even look alike. There’s a short Prowler backup included in this edition and that character is even more Spawn-y, especially with that insane cape.
As much as I enjoy McFarlane’s highly stylised and instantly-recognisable art, he isn’t a very good writer. The story here is one of the flimsiest ever for such a big title: Spidey and Lizard fight until they don’t. There’s another baddie - a voodoo witch - but her motivations and connection to Spidey are murky at best and mostly arbitrary. It’s essentially a case of bad guy being bad for bad’s sake. Lizard doesn’t speak at all - he’s simply a cipher, there to punch Spidey.
Meanwhile, MJ goes dancing - yup, that’s literally the B-story here! And that’s all she does. No idea why other than maybe to parallel the “magical rhythm” of the voodoo witch, but again, there doesn’t seem to be any reason or connection between these characters. It’s the most pointless subplot - and I’m being generous here calling it a “subplot” - I’ve ever read.
If you have an interest in superhero comics, you’ll know Todd McFarlane’s name, and I’m glad I finally got around to reading one of his books. But, if Spider-Man: Torment is anything to go by, it’s obvious why he’s famous for his art rather than his writing because this was the most pointless, forgettable, and unimpressive story you could imagine for Spider-Man.
Who knows though - maybe this is all set-up for something that pays off later in McFarlane’s run. Maybe he even gets around to naming the voodoo witch! Either way, I’m glad to have reacquainted myself with his Spider-Man art which is still as awesome as it ever was (that iconic cover!). It’s worth a look for that alone but don’t expect anything else but great art from McFarlane’s Spider-Man.
February 10, 2025
(4.5 stars)
It’s like a Spider-Man epic poem!
This is hands down, some of the best art I’ve ever seen in a comic book. Todd McFarlane is the goat, and has some truly beautiful panels, it makes the action between Spider-Man and Lizard really impactful, with all the clutter enhancing the chaos of Peter’s mind, as well as the “doom” text representing his spider sense being everywhere, showing how overwhelmed he is. The designs are iconic, and the way the lizard is drawn and inked like a prehistoric monster, makes him way more intimidating and definitely my favourite portrayal of the character; Spider-Man’s costume and poses are also fantastic, it shows off his athleticism effectively with one simple still frame of a fight. There’s so much fantastic art here, it truly enhances everything, not to mention the panel layout, it gives this comic a unique identity and makes it stand out among everything else.
Now that’s enough about the visuals, how about the content of this poem? What will I mention in my GCSE English exam paper? It’s a very simple story, lizard is going on a killing spree, Spider-Man fights him, then meets Kraven the Hunter’s girlfriend who organised the whole thing, and finally everything blows up with Spider-Man just going home. I get the whole theme is torment, and is supposed to show the tenacity of Spider-Man, and how a strong will can overcome anything, but does that mean the poison in his body didn’t kill him because he refuses to die? Because that’s kind of dumb. Also while I love everything with the lizard, Kraven’s magic girlfriend is not a very memorable or interesting villain, she’s built up well, but does fall a bit flat, because she does very little upon getting put into the narrative. The story’s simplicity is both its best asset, and biggest downfall, because no matter how glorious the presentation is, the content is just alright, not bad, I did thoroughly enjoy it, but it could’ve been better.
Overall, it’s a work of art! It has elements in its story I find entertaining, but needed more to it in order to make it the masterpiece I know it’s capable of being. Also MJ is a hoe.
It’s like a Spider-Man epic poem!
This is hands down, some of the best art I’ve ever seen in a comic book. Todd McFarlane is the goat, and has some truly beautiful panels, it makes the action between Spider-Man and Lizard really impactful, with all the clutter enhancing the chaos of Peter’s mind, as well as the “doom” text representing his spider sense being everywhere, showing how overwhelmed he is. The designs are iconic, and the way the lizard is drawn and inked like a prehistoric monster, makes him way more intimidating and definitely my favourite portrayal of the character; Spider-Man’s costume and poses are also fantastic, it shows off his athleticism effectively with one simple still frame of a fight. There’s so much fantastic art here, it truly enhances everything, not to mention the panel layout, it gives this comic a unique identity and makes it stand out among everything else.
Now that’s enough about the visuals, how about the content of this poem? What will I mention in my GCSE English exam paper? It’s a very simple story, lizard is going on a killing spree, Spider-Man fights him, then meets Kraven the Hunter’s girlfriend who organised the whole thing, and finally everything blows up with Spider-Man just going home. I get the whole theme is torment, and is supposed to show the tenacity of Spider-Man, and how a strong will can overcome anything, but does that mean the poison in his body didn’t kill him because he refuses to die? Because that’s kind of dumb. Also while I love everything with the lizard, Kraven’s magic girlfriend is not a very memorable or interesting villain, she’s built up well, but does fall a bit flat, because she does very little upon getting put into the narrative. The story’s simplicity is both its best asset, and biggest downfall, because no matter how glorious the presentation is, the content is just alright, not bad, I did thoroughly enjoy it, but it could’ve been better.
Overall, it’s a work of art! It has elements in its story I find entertaining, but needed more to it in order to make it the masterpiece I know it’s capable of being. Also MJ is a hoe.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 26, 2025
La storia tremendamente ansiogena perché Lizard e’ una minaccia instancabile ed irrefrenabile minaccia che non lascia un attimo di respiro a Spidey. Anche la ripetizione ossessiva del suono cadenzato dei tamburi e i vistosi segni che gli scontri lasciano sul costume di Spiderman (dopo unk dei primi scontri la maschera si lacera in fronte facendo così spuntare una piccola ciocca di capelli di Peter) contribuiscono a trasmettere questo senso di pericolo costante e “vendere” la pericolosità della minaccia.
In alcuni momenti sembra di assistere addirittura ad uno slasher per quanto e’ grafica e macabra la violenza.
Peccato che lo scontro finale si concluda in maniera molto repentina e a mio parere deludente/piatta.
Questo arco presenta un paio punti di contatto con “l’ultima caccia di Kraven”: il design della strega ricorda da vicino quello di Kraven -tanto che durante l’allucinazione Spidey crede di aver visto proprio lui- e viene citata in maniera esplicita la vignetta in cui Spiderman Spidey si libera dalla sepoltura.
Ho apprezzato moltissimo come McFarlane abbia caratterizzato Mary Jane come una donna molto intraprendente, spigliata ed indipendente.
Voce narrante dalla prosa molto lirica ed ispirata.
Ogni numero si apre con una doppia splashpage dove però i personaggi stanno esattamente al centro dell’immagine dove c’e’ la rilegatura, compromettendone non poco la leggibilità.
In alcuni momenti sembra di assistere addirittura ad uno slasher per quanto e’ grafica e macabra la violenza.
Peccato che lo scontro finale si concluda in maniera molto repentina e a mio parere deludente/piatta.
Questo arco presenta un paio punti di contatto con “l’ultima caccia di Kraven”: il design della strega ricorda da vicino quello di Kraven -tanto che durante l’allucinazione Spidey crede di aver visto proprio lui- e viene citata in maniera esplicita la vignetta in cui Spiderman Spidey si libera dalla sepoltura.
Ho apprezzato moltissimo come McFarlane abbia caratterizzato Mary Jane come una donna molto intraprendente, spigliata ed indipendente.
Voce narrante dalla prosa molto lirica ed ispirata.
Ogni numero si apre con una doppia splashpage dove però i personaggi stanno esattamente al centro dell’immagine dove c’e’ la rilegatura, compromettendone non poco la leggibilità.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2017
Ah, 90s comics excesses, when the young guns of the art world were given free reign over so many classic characters, only to crap all over 'em.
This collection features Todd McFarlane's as both writer/plotter and penciler. And while the art certainly displays all of McFarlane's characteristic verve, moodiness, and inspired posing, his amateurishness as a writer surely outweighs it. There's a lame reach toward profundity with each issue's opening "rise above" motif (and is it possible they borrowed this facet for the Spider-Man Broadway musical years later?!), the narration is muddled between the various characters' internal monologues and an omniscient voice, grammatical rigor is limp at best, and the new villainess (Calypso, who goes strangely unnamed in her debut story) is problematic to say the least--evil voodoo witch, yikes. There's also absolutely no reason for this story to stretch across 5 issues, except to showcase Todd's verbosity. The whole thing plays as a pale retread of the deservedly-classic "Kraven's Last Hunt."
The one redeeming bit is the Mary Jane subplot, which begins in earnest to explore the inner life of a superhero's spouse. But even this is underdeveloped and leans a little too heavily on the "MJ as party girl" trope.
This collection features Todd McFarlane's as both writer/plotter and penciler. And while the art certainly displays all of McFarlane's characteristic verve, moodiness, and inspired posing, his amateurishness as a writer surely outweighs it. There's a lame reach toward profundity with each issue's opening "rise above" motif (and is it possible they borrowed this facet for the Spider-Man Broadway musical years later?!), the narration is muddled between the various characters' internal monologues and an omniscient voice, grammatical rigor is limp at best, and the new villainess (Calypso, who goes strangely unnamed in her debut story) is problematic to say the least--evil voodoo witch, yikes. There's also absolutely no reason for this story to stretch across 5 issues, except to showcase Todd's verbosity. The whole thing plays as a pale retread of the deservedly-classic "Kraven's Last Hunt."
The one redeeming bit is the Mary Jane subplot, which begins in earnest to explore the inner life of a superhero's spouse. But even this is underdeveloped and leans a little too heavily on the "MJ as party girl" trope.
September 17, 2018
Torment was the story which flipped me from occasional comic book reader to serious comic collector. I remember being blown away by Todd McFarlane’s artwork and this story of The Lizard on a relentless drive to kill Spider-man was not like any story I had encountered before.
Has time been kind to Torment? It was 1990 when I first read it and Spidey has gone through some major changes since then but I was happy to find that I enjoyed revisiting this story.
A series of brutal murders in New York leads Peter Parker to suspect that a monster is stalking the city. The Lizard appears the most likely suspect, however, the brutality of the killings is not typical of his old foe.
Readers see that The Lizard is being influenced by a witch using blood and voodoo rituals to control her “pet”. Her motives become clear as the story develops but her magic is powerful and Spider-man is weakened and vulnerable as his battles with The Lizard have drained him – can Spider-man overcome the ferocity of these foes and get home to Mary Jane?
Art is distinctive. The story a powerful introduction to a new title and as a single volume it was a great read.
Has time been kind to Torment? It was 1990 when I first read it and Spidey has gone through some major changes since then but I was happy to find that I enjoyed revisiting this story.
A series of brutal murders in New York leads Peter Parker to suspect that a monster is stalking the city. The Lizard appears the most likely suspect, however, the brutality of the killings is not typical of his old foe.
Readers see that The Lizard is being influenced by a witch using blood and voodoo rituals to control her “pet”. Her motives become clear as the story develops but her magic is powerful and Spider-man is weakened and vulnerable as his battles with The Lizard have drained him – can Spider-man overcome the ferocity of these foes and get home to Mary Jane?
Art is distinctive. The story a powerful introduction to a new title and as a single volume it was a great read.
May 4, 2021
This is really just not very good. I always forget just how much unnecessary narration can drag a story down. And not only is it unnecessary, it's bad writing too. I think I love the idea behind this, of a crazy Lizard that is incredibly brutal, but the actual execution of this story was kinda bad. A lot of it is carried by the artwork, which honestly looks great most of the time (though there are definitely a few weird faces and stuff.) The colors are phenomenal too. But the story is just...there's not much. Of all the text, like 60% is narration, and like I said, I hate it.
Also, literally what was the point of having Mary Jane in the story? Literally all she does is go clubbing while Spider-Man is getting his butt kicked. It's kind of hilarious that she spends several hours having a good time alone while Spider-Man is almost dying. Almost, maybe I'm just a socially isolated weirdo who's out of touch, but when people go to a club, don't they go either with friends or to make friends? It seems like MJ just goes alone and dances alone, and then leaves alone. It's like a Smiths song.
Anyway, yeah, good art, nothing story.
Also, literally what was the point of having Mary Jane in the story? Literally all she does is go clubbing while Spider-Man is getting his butt kicked. It's kind of hilarious that she spends several hours having a good time alone while Spider-Man is almost dying. Almost, maybe I'm just a socially isolated weirdo who's out of touch, but when people go to a club, don't they go either with friends or to make friends? It seems like MJ just goes alone and dances alone, and then leaves alone. It's like a Smiths song.
Anyway, yeah, good art, nothing story.
July 31, 2017
Before he and his buddies from the comic world banded together to create the Image comics company, Todd Mcfarlane was the shit, at least in the glorious 90s he was.
Torment was, in my opinion, the first true comic that made Spider-man and his rogues really dark and fucked up. Mcfarlane has become one of if not my favourite artist to set ink on a Spider-man comic. I don't really know what draws me so much towards it, maybe Spidey's elongated and boney looking weird face, the dark and dirty looking streets of New York or just how fucking badass and not overly jacked up Spider-man looks.
Issue one of Mcfarlane's run hangs, framed of course, on my wall as a result of this, and how much I just love his art.
I've read up other reviews and opinions seem to be mixed and I get that it's not for everyone, but if you're a fan of the webhead and are looking for an interesting story with a dark undertone, Torment might be the Goodread for you.
Torment was, in my opinion, the first true comic that made Spider-man and his rogues really dark and fucked up. Mcfarlane has become one of if not my favourite artist to set ink on a Spider-man comic. I don't really know what draws me so much towards it, maybe Spidey's elongated and boney looking weird face, the dark and dirty looking streets of New York or just how fucking badass and not overly jacked up Spider-man looks.
Issue one of Mcfarlane's run hangs, framed of course, on my wall as a result of this, and how much I just love his art.
I've read up other reviews and opinions seem to be mixed and I get that it's not for everyone, but if you're a fan of the webhead and are looking for an interesting story with a dark undertone, Torment might be the Goodread for you.
January 19, 2021
Eu gostei muito desta banda desenhada. Os personagens são carismáticos e com personalidade forte. Mary Jane é alguém diferente dos filmes. É uma mulher que gosta de sair, de festas, de provocar. O Peter tem um humor sarcástico perfeito. É persistente, lutador, um pouco convencido e também provocador. A relação de ambos é de pura lealdade e cumplicidade.
Sobre o enredo... Quis saber mais sobre o vodu e a história da bruxa. Duas páginas acho muito pouco para perceber todos os porquê. Mas esse é o verdadeiro tormento. O verdadeiro tormento e a real lição desta BD é que nem sempre temos as respostas para todas as nossas perguntas. Nem sempre vamos saber todos os porquês, e tudo bem com isso.
Acho esta banda desenhada incrível e quero imenso mais BD's do Homem-aranha. Se possível, a continuação desta.
Sobre o enredo... Quis saber mais sobre o vodu e a história da bruxa. Duas páginas acho muito pouco para perceber todos os porquê. Mas esse é o verdadeiro tormento. O verdadeiro tormento e a real lição desta BD é que nem sempre temos as respostas para todas as nossas perguntas. Nem sempre vamos saber todos os porquês, e tudo bem com isso.
Acho esta banda desenhada incrível e quero imenso mais BD's do Homem-aranha. Se possível, a continuação desta.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2021
McFarlane's artwork is the highlight of this all! Of course if you're familiar with the history this is a seminal and defining moment in Marvel comics. McFarlane reimagined what was possible with the medium of comics, creating action packed splash pages, incredibly detailed and horrifying artwork + bringing a more adult feel to the classic hero.
Where the artistry stands tall the writing does fall a little flat. However if you know the history I'm sure you're aware that Todd was not really much of a writer when he was assigned this run, & this is very much the beginning of his writing career. So it does feel lackluster, however it is still an incredible book & the story is really dope. I enjoyed it!
Where the artistry stands tall the writing does fall a little flat. However if you know the history I'm sure you're aware that Todd was not really much of a writer when he was assigned this run, & this is very much the beginning of his writing career. So it does feel lackluster, however it is still an incredible book & the story is really dope. I enjoyed it!
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