Symbiote Spider-Man #5

By Peter David, Greg Land, Jay Leisten and Frank D’armata

It seems like the trendy thing to do these days is to throw a symbiote on a character that has never had it before. Absolute Carnage and various other Venom related books are doing this now, which is fun, but at some point it gets to be overkill. This brings us to Symbiote Spider-Man #5. Last issue we saw Mysterio bond with a symbiote, this issue, we get to see him use it. If you have symbiote fatigue, you’re not alone, but this issue has some cool moments, and chances are you’ll never see Mysterio with a symbiote again.

You’d be hard pressed to find someone in comics who is loved as much as Peter David. He has a knack for fleshing characters out and making the unlikable, likable. He’s been doing a great job of giving us a fun Black Cat and a sinister Mysterio. David taps into the humanity of characters. In this issue, he continues to tap into the discord between Aunt May and Peter. This comes to a head as the issue ends. David also continues to build on the Black Cat and Spider-Man relationship. David shows what a disadvantage Peter is in while he dons the symbiote costume. He’s wired different and even strikes Felicia at some point. While this may be the end of the first chapter of Symbiote Spider-Man, it was enjoyable, and it’s nice to take trips down memory lane. Peter David still has it, and any time his name is on a title, it usually comes with a quality of writing that will reel fans in.

The pencils this issue are handled by Greg Land, with colors by Frank D’Armata and inks by Jay Leisten. Land is often criticized for his work, but he’s been very good on this title. The Black Cat looks great in pretty much every panel. Land draws her as a gorgeous lady, which she is, and her face is immaculate. The inks by Jay Leisten help smooth out the lines Land lays down, which is a big help. Action sequences look good, like Peter leaping at Mysterio as mist flies out of his costume. Land has been turning in good issues for this book, and art is very easy on the eyes. The colors by Frank D’Armata work well with the pencils and inks. D’Armata’s colors make the book seem real. The colors he uses leap off the page. As Spider-Man and Mysterio fight, the blacks and greens on the costumes are very distinct and eye catching. The Mysterio symbiote costume is cool too. The black and green mixed together looks great on him, and that’s a testament to D’Armata.

Symbiote Spider-Man #5 wraps up the series nicely, and also leaves us with a little cliff hanger. Peter David has added to the Spider-Man mythos with this fun and drama packed story. The art is nice to look at and enhances the reading experience. If you want a little break from all the crazy Carnage and Venom stuff currently happening, Symbiote Spider-Man is a nice little break from the current stories.