Marvel Knights Spider-Man #3

Writer Matt Kindt Artist Marco Rudy

 

Introduction

 

Marvel Knights Spider-Man has been a revolutionary shot in the dark at the franchise. The entire series has felt like a fast moving fever dream that never lets up the pace for a second. Marco Rudy has delivered dynamic and pulse pounding art that never lets readers catch their breath. This is Peter Parker as you have never seen him before, barreling down his entire life in hyper speed. Matt Kindt is the scripter responsible for not giving Spider-Man three seconds to ever catch his breath. The character is running through a gauntlet full of his rogues gallery that are setting to destroy him, and his livelihood. Arcade is the antagonist that set the series in motion by hosting a horde of thieves in a haunted house set to attack the red and blue do-gooder. Watching these events slowly unfold is pulse pounding to the extreme, it is a good take on the hero, but one that should only last a short amount of time. The book has also featured some great homages to the different people working on Spider-Man and comic books hidden throughout the title. This has all the makings of a great, but criminally underappreciated Spider thriller.

 

Writing

 

This issue opens right out of the gate with multiple explosive beats that propel the story forward with a high sense of danger. Even though readers have a pretty good idea that Spidey is going to be okay coming out of the book, a very high sense of drama is achieved here. The stakes are astronomical because nobody possibly can tell what is coming out of the gate next. This arc is called 99 problems for a reason. Issue two left the titular hero stuck at the bottom of the ocean with no chance of escaping. The cliffhanger is not abandoned, but turned into something more twisted than the mind could have even imagined. Kindt does a great job of getting out of the way of the art, but finding interesting ways to let the narration breathe properly. This may not be the most densely written title on the planet, but in this case simplicity is needed. Kindt relies on the deft hand of Rudy to get most of the plot in gear. He also sets the larger stories for the players to fight on. This saga has an endgame that proves to be as harrowing as it is insane. However, it may leave many confused as to what the cliffhanger could actually mean.

 

Art

 

Those looking for insane talent need look no further than Marco Rudy. The artist has unleashed his darkest fantasies onto the protagonists of the book. He shuffles through several different styles on each page with ease. Some are more normal, others dabble in sheer incoherence. No matter what the arts style Rudy chooses, the work will always seem larger than life. This is the kind of material that builds careers into something special.  

Conclusion

In Marvel Knights Spider-Man the entire character is reconstructed to the very basics of his persona. This story should serve as a beacon of light to those who think that there are no new stories to tell with Peter Parker behind the mask. Marco Rudy steals the show, but Matt Kindt keeps the water flowing.