The story begins by copying a page from Amazing Fantasy 15 (August 1962 by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko) for situating the moment: just as Spider-Man began a wrestling career to international fame . He goes out of the ring, where it came to ridicule Crusher Hogan. He has a discussion with Monty Cabash, his employer, and that of Crusher Hogan.
Then it is the return to school for Parker, with Eugene P. bullying 'Flash' Thompson, his platonic love for Liz Allan. Then Parker is back in his adopted parents, and enjoy their attentions. On one hand, he would like to fold his chatter Flash Thompson. On the other side, its popularity as a wrestler pokes many covetousness, including that of Tiffany Lebeck, a middle-aged woman who gravitates in the entourage of Monty Cabash.
The principle is very simple. In 1962, the narrative is highly compressed to the point that it can take several weeks between 2 boxes. In 2008, Marvel Knights label acts division which publishes the prestigious projects. The publishers make contact David Lapham (full author being illustrated with Stray Bullets series, for example Stray bullets) and Tony Harris (draftsman of the outstanding series "Ex Machina", starting with Ex Machina Volume 1.
The reader is pleased to find detailed drawings and seasoned with a touch of derision Tony Harris. The characters all have a different morphology and realistic. The Peter Parker haircut has a slightly different shape, with longer hair and fewer tackles head. His body is Athletic, without being overly muscled, preserving the intent of Steve Ditko. Compared Flash Thompson has a more impressive size, consistent with his athletic status.
Liz Sherman fulfills the role of the beautiful blonde, daddy's girl, into a wealthy family. Harris is careful to display the most important age of Tiffany Lebeck (forties). May and Ben Parker are showing their age, about sixty years (they seem to be retired).
Tony Harris takes great care to represent the sets regularly, and differentiate vehicle models. It is also a little fun with the outfits, especially implausible hat Monty Cabash. He exaggerates a little facial expressions, bringing a humorous dimension, magnifying the feature of the rapacity of Cabash, or the femme fatale on the back what Tiffany Lebeck.
For unknown reasons, Tony Harris did not draw the fifth episode; has given way to Lapham himself. The latter applies to reproduce the style of Tony Harris, but failed to deceive. It is not unpleasant, but the nuances of Tony Harris disappeared, it remains only a functional design, less aesthetic, less pleasant.
As a screenwriter, the forces of David Lapham mainly reside in the thriller genre, and in its various subgenres. This story does not really between in such scenes as still in high school, and the relationship between Peter and his adoptive parents. Lapham is very convincing in the scenes between Peter Parker and the rogue Monty Cabash, finding a balance between light malicious caricature and innuendo about his relationship with the underworld. The reader has fun to see that character stereotypical, but it feels good to his anxiety not to offend or upset the financial shady business.
In civil sequences, David Lapham shows a teenage Peter Parker in full rebellion. It does not make a hothead punk type. The custom size of defiance acts adapted to the character of Peter Parker and new capabilities that give it more confidence in him, but not completely.
In this psychological profile, the reader hesitates between light comedy and drama. Tony Harris drawings rather take storytelling to the comedy. The relevance and insight of David Lapham make plausible and affecting the malaise of Peter and his pathetic efforts to try to assert its position vis-à-vis the presence of those around them.
David Lapham and Tony Harris bring no startling revelation on these first weeks of life of Spider-Man, or new light. They tell a story of a teenager in crisis that can not really rebelling (due to its good background) and which do not manage to take advantage of its powers. He seeks his way and his true nature, groping, committing his own mistakes. The drawings to avoid becoming maudlin story. The intelligence of the story Lahpam avoids accumulating the clichés of the genre. The whole forms an entertaining story, touching but not essential.
