It’s always fun to find a truly weird pairing that just works. When two characters who, at least on the surface, have nothing in common, but when placed together make sense. This seems to be one of Leah Williams’ gifts, writing these pairings in such a way that makes you smack your head and say “why has no one thought of that!?” Mary Jane and Quentin Beck are proving to be such a pairing. Both have a flair for the dramatic and Hollywood ambitions, but they just work well together! “The Amazing Mary Jane” #5 continues to explore this partnership and creates an issue that shows them succeeding, but also rubbing off on one another.
Written by Leah WilliamsCover by Humberto Ramos & Edgar Delgados
Illustrated by Carlos Gómez
Colored by Carlos Lopez
Lettered byCUT?! All that stands between MJ and Mysterio’s ragtag crew and filming their climactic battle scene is…well, VULTURE, STEGRON, TARANTULA, KING COBRA, RHINO, and SCORPION! If this is Mary Jane’s last chance to realize her dreams, you can bet she’s going to fight like a tiger–or a spider! Will filming ever wrap? Will Mary Jane ever go home to the AMAZING SPIDER-MAN? And can Peter forgive her for her Hollywood team up?
“The Amazing Mary Jane” #5 continues to do what this series does best, creating a fun adventure that allows the characters to shine. This is best shown in Leia William’s portrayal of Mysterio. Quentin Beck is pretty open about how his plan is designed to redeem his public persona. But who knows, it’s possible that this whole project was set up with designs to fail and justify more schemes. Continued reason to be a villain. In fact, it seems like he is even surprised that he is succeeding. Not just succeeding, but thriving. Along with his team of reformed villains and Mary Jane at his side, he was able to create a project that earned the trust of the studio and might even give him the opportunity to go back and truly make the project he set out to make. For him, this is an almost surreal proposition. Mysterio doesn’t win, but here Quentin Beck just might (albeit in the disguise of Cage McKnight.) There are many ways for the floor to fall out from under this momentary triumph but for now, he’s reveling in his good fortune (even if he has some deeper emotional problems he’s working through.)
What really makes the issue work is the continued partnership between Mysterio and Mary Jane. It’s an interesting alliance because there is a kind of core selfishness to both parties. For Mysterio it’s obvious, create a film that will get the public on his side. But for Mary Jane, there is no altruism or charity in her continued work with Mysterio. For her, it’s an opportunity to build her career. A chance to not only be a lead but to write a heroine that she would want to play. While she seems pleased that Quentin is improving and succeeding, it’s not her motivation to rehabilitate the villain, that’s just an added bonus. In fact, when the real action of “The Amazing Mary Jane” #5 hits, and she is able to successfully take out the Savage Six, it is just as likely that she is doing it to save the last shot of the film. If they succeed here it means that they just maybe they can earn the trust to make their film bigger. Leah Williams writes Mary Jane in a way that shows her good nature but also her desire to become a star. She’s still the same MJ, but she’s looking out for herself, and it’s a good look on her.
The script really is the highlight of “The Amazing Mary Jane” #5. It’s an incredibly charming book that gives Leah Williams a chance to geek out about the process of making movies, using jargony terms and making fun of the artifice of L.A. A particular highlight of the issue is when the driver of the Savage Six gives out his headshot and resume. When you’re trying to break into Hollywood you have to take advantage of any opportunities. Who knows, maybe the old man with wings and his animal friends will be your big break! Vulture’s motivation for his schemes was also really fun. The idea that Vulture assembled a new team and harassed a film set just to improve his PR image because he deserves it more than Mysterio is the right level of silver age petty. Overall, the script is great fun. The art is a bit of another story.
Continued belowThe art isn’t bad, it just doesn’t leave that much of an impression. There are moments that are fun, I particularly liked the larger panels of the back lot or any of the “behind the scenes” panels as MJ and Mysterio are making the movie. (Yes, that could be the entire issue, specifically when we see the cameras or the set pieces.) But there were times that the action was hard to follow. This is especially true near the end when Vulture is involved. It’s was difficult to get a handle on where he was often because of the backgrounds. The one time I didn’t mind this was at the end when Vulture was fighting Mysterio, mainly because of Carlos Lopez’s coloring. It really makes Mysterio’s illusion feel endless. That being said, Carlos Gómez’s art works best when it’s complimenting the stunt action of the movie. The art has it’s moments, but overall it’s not that memorable.
The work being done in “The Amazing Mary Jane” #5 matches the rest of the series which has been a delight to read. Williams is clearly having a fun time writing about making superhero movies in a world of superheroes and it shows. While the issue ends in a moment of triumph, it’s hard not to think that by the end it will all blow up in the character’s faces. But for right now, it’s fun to see them defy the odds (and enjoy some sushi!)
Final Verdict: 7.8 “The Amazing Mary Jane” #5 continues to be the kind of fun superhero romp you expect from Leah Williams.
