A few years ago, I attended a writer’s salon where two or three successful sitcom writers spent about 90 minutes explaining the ins and outs of the thirty minute funny business, including the typical means of breaking into it—mainly the spec script. Briefly, for those who don’t know, a spec script is where someone writes a sample scrip based on an established show in order to showcase his/her professional skills in hopes of attracting the attention of an agent or producer, and usually it is not intended to see the light of day.

I’ve been a big fan of Ms. Marvel since I started reading it in the wake of Reed’s appearance at the Emerald City Comicon ’07. Since then, I’ve gone back and purchased the premiere hardcovers and now buy the book monthly. I like what Brian Reed is doing not only with Ms. Marvel’s character but also how he’s developed the continuing story, even when he’s had to deal with two major company wide crossovers. But this week’s Ms. Marvel Annual #1 reads almost like Reed’s spec script for the Amazing Spider-man, particularly since it arrives in stores one week after his Secret Invasion: Amazing Spider-man. Ol’ Spidey is in nearly every panel of this issue, while the title character swoops in after seven pages only to play straight woman to his witticisms. Of course, most of the dialogue is verbal sparing between the two, though Ms. Marvel is really not much of a match for Spidey in the dry humor department (this should be surprising to no one). In a way, it reminds me, in both style & execution, of the old Marvel Team-up series. And on that level, I found it to be an enjoyable romp but not really essential for fans of either Spider-man or Ms. Marvel. We know Reed can write Ms. Marvel, and this issue shows he can certainly capture Spider-man’s character too. Mark A. Robinson’s pencils suit the story well too: they’re fun & energetic, and fits quite well the story’s wham-bam pacing.

Technically, the series is delayed for a month, but this annual fills the gap between issues pretty much as an one-off for a title currently embroiled in Secret Invasion. Once upon a time, this would have just been a fill-in issue, but with the tight continuity needed for the crossover (and resulting trade) we get this story as an “annual.” But so long as I’m getting a monthly Ms. Marvel story, I’m okay with that, even if it could have been better. Next time though, don’t make it $3.99 … please.