Hello there! Padawan J here, the resident Star Wars expert from the ODPH! This week I'm going to be reviewing the FIRST issue of Friendly Neighborhood Mary Jane From Marvel Comics!
Peter Parker has faced some had some memorable battles throughout his history, but he’s facing perhaps his most challenging battle yet. Let’s jump into it!
Credit: Marvel Comics
Friendly Neighborhood Mary Jane #1 by Ashley Allen (Writer), Phil Noto (Artist), VC’s Travis Lanham (Letterer), J. Scott Campbell & Nei Ruffino (Cover)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
The Story
Mary Jane has been through A LOT lately. She bonded with Venom, went toe to toe with Torment, and was a big part in helping end the Queen In Black crisis. Things have changed since then, and now she’s on her own (without Venom) and trying to make her way in the world. So does the issue stick the landing? Let’s get into it.
Ashley Allen does a good job with the story and it was definitely intriguing enough to keep me turning the page right up to the end. It’s a simple enough start and relatively lowkey as far as first issues go. There isn’t anything earth shattering to suggest she’s destined for greater things, and there isn’t a huge twist at the end that changes the way readers will view the character.
There is some mystery & intrigue as to what’s going when it comes to things not involving Mary Jane in the issue that is captivating. However the rest of the issue is just fine. It doesn’t rock the boat to much and it doesn’t feel like it’s playing it too safe. It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out, as it will only be a five issue mini-series.
The Artwork
Phil Noto is in charge of the art, and it is absolutely brilliant. I’ve been a big Phil Noto fan with his work on Star Wars comic covers and he’s one of the best artists in the industry in my opinion. So to see him get the opportunity to do the artwork for a full issue is awesome to see. His style really works well for the story because it retains the look readers will be familiar with, but it’s still done in his own style. The way he draws the characters is so different from what you might be used to on a weekly basis it’s sure to jump off the page to you. If you’re not the biggest Mary Jane fan, the artwork alone makes the purchase worth it.
Overall Grade: 7/10
As an issue, it’s fine but as far as first issues go there’s some room for improvement. The story is decent, but nothing to write home about. The artwork however is spectacular and together they make the issue worth the read.
