Maximum Carnage part 5: Spectacular Spider-Man #201

Well, after the last issue I think it's safe to say we are squarely in the middle of what I fear will be a very long slump. We get random fights, but they don't mean anything since either Spidey's side declines to go after Carnage's side, or Carnage's side retreats. And we still have like 9 parts to go! I have no idea how the writers are going to be able to stretch this event out that long! But, I do intend on reading on to find out...

Maximum Carnage part 5: Spectacular Spider-Man #201:

Summary: Like a dweeb, Spidey remains at the warehouse and pulls Black Cat out of the rubble of the building before it collapses.

When Venom is the voice of reason, you know there's a problem!

After gathering himself, Venom is pissed(and rightfully so!) that Spidey remained behind when he should have continued after Carnage to prevent him from killing anybody else. Black Cat agrees with Venom, which pisses Spidey off and makes him to decide to stop teaming with Venom... Really dude? Like really? Carnage's kill count is in the hundreds at this point and you're going to play the high and mighty card?! What a prick! Black Cat seems to agree with me and leaves with Venom. Meanwhile, Carnage and Demogoblin have a bit of a tiff, but Shriek smooths it over. Continuing the theme of being an asshole, Spidey complains to Aunt May about Venom in a veiled way over cookies and tea... I... I just can't with this guy... Carnage is murdering half the city and he's whining to that fossil while eating cookies?!?

While this is going on, Spidey takes a cookie break.

Venom and Black Cat close in on Venom and are rejoined by Cloak, who's not doing so well physically since Dagger's death. Spidey finally gets off his ass and heads out, only to find himself ion the middle of a riot. That finally seems to set Spidey off, as he screams to no one in particular that he'll give no mercy(not the game, at least I don't think...) to anybody.

Thoughts: Wow, Spidey was a horror in this one... Like, I barely even have words for how unlikable he was here! All he was doing was whining and bitching about... well, everything! You'd think he'd realize that he's serving the greater good by sticking with Venom(not to mention keeping an eye on him), but instead he gets pissy and runs home to Aunt May. Besides Spidey's complaining, we had Demogoblin and Carnage almost come to blows over Carnage's refusal to operate with a plan of any kind. Demogoblin was such an odd fit in this story... Not that I'm complaining about him being around, because he is frigging fantastic looking, but other than that, he's clearly in the wrong storyline.

Best looking of all the Goblins.

Hey, look at that, I'm almost halfway through this thing! That deserves a “huzzah!”