Say what you will about Bendis, but he has brought a level of humanity and relatability to comics that I rarely see anywhere else.

The long-standing belief has been that, in regards to characters, a protaganist is only as compelling as the villian he faces, but I think Ultimate Spider-Man is one of  the exceptions. Looking back on the last 120 issues of USM, not one of my favorite moments has been a fight with a villian. It’s always a human, honest interaction with a supporting character. Same goes for this issue, wherein Peter and Bobby Drake help out the newly mutated Liz Allen decide her stance in a very different sort of custody battle. Though this issue keeps the action at a minimum, I felt more involved and concerned for the characters then any battle could have provided.

The art, immensely satisfying. Immonen is light years beyond Bagley as far as I’m concerned and every panel is a joy to behold. He’s a perfect fit whether illustrating an intense conversation or a scene of staggering violence.

I realize that eventually either I will die, or this series will end. I don’t look forward to either.