Review- SPIDER-MAN: THE RETURN OF ANTI-VENOM

SPIDER-MAN: THE RETURN OF ANTI-VENOM (Marvel, 2011; Hardcover)

Collects Amazing Spider-Man Nos. 663-665 and Spider-Man: Free Comic Book Day 2011(cover dates August- September, 2011)

Writers: Dan Slott, Cristos Gage, and Todd Dezago (back-up story in issue 663)

Artists: Giuseppe Camuncoli, Todd Nauck (back up story in issue 663), and Humberto Ramos (FCBD special)

I enjoy Dan Slott's writing a lot on this title. Aside from Humerto Ramos' “artwork” on the Spider-Man: Free Comic Book Day 2011 issue, the artwork is pretty decent. I am not crazy about the coloring by Matt Hollingsworth, as he is one of those colorists that uses muted colors. Spider-Man is not off red, or a dark pink, but red. Primary colors do not suck, folks! 

Is that Mister Fantastic twisting his body inside of a Spider-Man costume like that? Nope, that is the "talented" Humberto Ramos, the only artist in the business who can out-suck Rob Liefeld.

I will never understand why Marvel does all of these ret-cons and flashback stories. They show the day that Peter is adopted by his aunt and uncle, but the age that they show him at flies in the face of continuity. They also show his neighborhood in Forest Hills as it appears in the movies, and not as it did in the original comic books. Another annoying thing about these flashback type stories, although not the one in this particular book, is how any time that there is a fun filled adventure, it must have happened in the past. As if there is no way on Earth that anything light-hearted or remotely fun could happen today. It's a cop-out that modern comic book writers use, and Slott has used it too. 

The culmination of the Mr. Negative saga occurs here, and it does not disappoint. I find the Anti-Venom character to be interesting, ditto the new Venom. Not interesting enough to suck me into all of these sidebar ongoing and mini-series, though.

The OCD zone- Marvel Premiere Edition Hardcovers have nice paper and glued binding. They are not too thick so it is not an issue for me. Your OCD mileage may vary. The coating on the hardback has more of a matte finish than these Premiere Hardcovers usually have.