The Spectacular Spider-Man, Vol. 2: Countdown

The Spectacular Spider-Man (2003) (Collected Editions)

by Paul Jenkins

Spidey's arch-foe Doctor Octopus is sporting an updated new look and a new plan to ruin the wall-crawler's life once and for all. Doc Ock gives him an ultimatum: for the safe release of the Palestinian ambassador he's holding hostage, Spider-Man must reveal his secret identity to the entire world! International intrigue and web-spinning action combine as Spider-Man's newest movie menace ups the ante on their long-time rivalry. Collects SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #6-10

Genres: Comics, Spider Man, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Superheroes, Sequential Art

120 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2004

About the author

Paul Jenkins is a British comic book writer. He has had much success crossing over into the American comic book market. Primarily working for Marvel Comics, he has had a big part shaping the characters of the company over the past decade.

Reviews

[David]

Note to self. Don't buy any more Paul Jenkins.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Been binging a lot of early aughts Spidey lately. This is one of the most interesting artifacts of the era. Ramos's art is not to my taste, & Jenkins's work so far on the Spectacular title has been more mid than his prior work on the Peter Parker: Spidey, lacking both the high highs and low lows of that Peter Parker: Spidey run. In contrast to other reviewers, I do think this run is much better than JMS's awful contemporaneous run on Amazing. *Countdown* is also one of an endless series of Doc Ock stories to come out around the movie *Spidey 2* (JMS's *Until the Stars Turn Cold*, *Out of Reach*, *Negative Exposure*, *Quality of Life*, & *Spidey/Doc Ock: Year 1*), & I prefer *Countdown* to all of those.

To be honest, I wasn't reading this closely, so maybe I missed something anti-Arab, but this was a fascinating capsule of North Atlantic views of West Asian politics in the early aughts. Doc Ock kidnaps the foreign minister of the new Palestinian state. Amazing how much the Palestinian negotiating position has weakened after two decades of blockade & massacre in Gaza & illegal settlement in the West Bank.

Another time capsule moment is an evenhanded (or so it seemed on a not-close read) guest appearance by US political pundits Sean Hannity & Alan Colmes. I'm still chuckling about Colmes calling Reed Richards the leader of a special interest group.

[Gabriel Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The spectacular spider man countdown by Paul Jenkins is about doc Otto threatening to kill someone unless spider man shows his face to everyone. The book was interesting because of how the story was going to be played out and what spider man could do to stop it while not showing his identity to the world. The reason for the story being good is because of doc Otto's plan for spider man and threatening world peace. if you are a spider man fan then this book is for you since the main character is spider man. In conclusion this book is really good and especially if you are a spider man fan because of its interesting plot with doc Otto and spider man.

[luciddreamer99 · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is probably a good story, but I found the art to be distracting. Ramos' animated style doesn't really fit the political intrigue of this serious plot. I usually enjoy Ramos' lines, but here they detract from the story. Again, the story seems enjoyable enough, if not as good as JMS's concurrent Amazing Spider-Man. I think the story might have worked better with Romita, or even someone like Ron Frenz, with a less exaggerated style. Still, it's not a horrible comic book/graphic novel, so if you can get past the art style, you may enjoy it. I do like Ramos, but not in this volume.

[Amanda Shepard (Between-the-Shelves) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm always a sucker for a good Doc Ock storyline, and this one wasn't bad. Doc Ock seems a bit crazier than usual, but nothing new there. The art is what got me--just not a fan of this style. I think it makes the characters look too young.

[Lillian Francis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty standard Doc Ock fare. 4 issues build up of a dastardly scheme to ruin Spider-man, 1 issue to destroy it.
New Doc Ock design: didn't like it.He looked like something out of a budget version of The Matrix.
I'm not sure what/who John is supposed to be but the Kiwi Kid was hysterical.

[Ekenedilichukwu Ikegwuani · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was decent. the story was pretty good, but i hate the art design for doc ock

[The_J · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice reset for Doc Oct bringing social pressure to Spider-Man, and pleasant interaction between Peter and MJ. All that and the Kiwi Kid, what could go wrong.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything I said about the last one… plus a killer Doc Ock story! Sold!!

[Pranav · Rating 1 out of 5]

Literally so bad
Could've been deeper, could've taken a stand, could've been so much more than a generic kidnapping story but nope

[Ashley Kempkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this one. Amazing art, bad guy, and plot! The villain in the story was really interesting. It makes me want to read the older ones so that I can REALLY get what Spiderman did to him.

Yet, (even though I'm new to the whole comic-book scene) I was still able to get the history between them. I just loved everything about it! I wouldn't mind reading it again.

[James Piazza · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good Doc Ock storyline.