Spider-Man: Back in Black collects Amazing Spider-Man nos. 539-543, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man nos. 17-23, and Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man annual no. 1, written by J. Michael Straczynski and Peter David with art by Ron Garney, Todd Nauck, Ronan Cliquet, and Colleen Doran. The story follows the events of Civil War, with Peter donning his black costume in the wake of an assassin hired by the Kingpin shooting Aunt May.
The main story in Straczynski's portion portrays Peter as choosing the black costume to represent the darker path he takes in seeking revenge for Aunt May while struggling to keep her alive on life support. David's story in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man appears to be a parallel narrative, occurring simultaneously with the main story. In David's writing, Peter teams up with Flint Marko, the Sandman, to save Marko's father who was wrongly convicted of killing a man. From there, he fights Ero, the "Other" that was created to balance out Spidey's second lease on life in Straczynski's The Other storyline. Finally, David's annual storyline focuses on Sandman's life from his own perspective.
While Straczynski's story offers an interesting, darker take on the character following the Civil War crossover and the blows it dealt Peter, David's narrative appears designed to tie-into Spider-Man 3, in theaters at the time. Spidey dons his black costume and part of the story focuses on the Sandman as a sympathetic villain. That said, these stories use the dramatic tension of Spidey's revealed identity and Aunt May's life hanging in the balance to tell innovative stories that advance the character and offered great promise for the future, if only Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada hadn't intervened. ( )

"Civil War" is over, but Peter Parker's secret is out, and somebody aiming at Peter has shot Aunt May. Peter gets her to a hospital, and eventually tracks down the hit to the man who ordered it: The Kingpin, who is behind bars. In what may be the most powerful and dramatic Spider-Man scenes I have read, Peter Parker goes after the Kingpin in his own environment, and breaks him. This is a different level of this iconic hero; no more levity and jokes, just naked revenge and protection of his family.The rest of the book involves another in a seeming series of mystical spider-iconic creatures as Flash Thompson and Betty Brant (improbably formidable here) go to bat for Spider-Man. And in another very satisfying sequence, Peter Parker and Jonah Jameson have it out after Jonah fires Robbie. ( )

Een heleboel nieuwe personages leren kennen in dit tweede spiderman boek dat ik ooit heb gelezen. Lees heel vlot, en is meteen redelijk controversieel in de reeks, heb ik begrepen. Peter Parker is niet meteen een voor de hand liggende PC held. Wat het des te leuker maakt natuurlijk. ( )