It felt better from the start. The 'alternate reality' SOLAR story was good - but only in retrospect. THIS one started off great from the start. I love the confrontation and double-cross by the Chinese soldiers. This is the real only way to defeat SOLAR - to make him fight against himself. And this one is done well. I think that I like the cover, too. It looks a new way at the character - and reconciles with much of the newer stuff - while refusing to follow the rest of it, too. Too bad that the rest of this goes so poorly. It hurts me that the end of the comic is rapidly approaching. This is a good story - and could go well.
Back in ACTION
Most of the versions of Spider-Man I remembered through reading - or in my mind's eye - seem to come straight from this written character. The look of him is streamlined, the feel and dialogue fit into my ear - and the action moves at a quick clip. Not too much craziness - and bound against dialogue. Of course, so much of the old stuff - real problems, Aunt Mae, etc all seem to be written within - but so much less of the somber stares from faces. Feels much less miserable. Not certain if writers are just trying to re-invent old characters, or just bringing a few back - but it feels right. And the pace of reintroductions seems good, too. Not over done at all. Good book.