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Sunday, June 13, 2021

A Sense of Doubt blog post #2308 - WHAT I AM READING pt.3 - CLONE SAGA AND ANTIRACISM



A Sense of Doubt blog post #2308 - WHAT I AM READING pt.3 - CLONE SAGA AND ANTIRACISM

PLEASE NOTE: Clicking on COMIC BOOK ROUND UP links may not work. You may need to copy and paste.

Welcome back to another edition of COMIC BOOK SUNDAY and WHAT I AM READING.

It seems that I am going to combine these installments here on out unless I decide to do some other comic post on COMIC BOOK SUNDAY and WHAT I AM READING on Wednesday, when it originally debuted.

So, I am still reading Attack Surface by Cory Doctorow and Brain Eno's Diary among other books (Citizen by Claudine Rankine for instance). Also, I started this book TODAY (even though I am writing you all from TOMORROW) intending to finish it, but I did not:



Batman: Last Knight on Earth

(Batman: Last Knight On Earth #1-3)

by 

More on this book next week, surely.

I am starting a re-read of Stephen King's Lisey's Story, which I have been wanting to do for some time, even before I learned of the TV mini-series based on the book.

I wrote about that reading experience WAY BACK, here:

https://sensedoubt.blogspot.com/2008/12/old-blogs-that-never-got-posted-pt2.html


I finished HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST by Ibram X. Kendi, and though I have finished it, I am probably going to write about it in these installments and elsewhere for a while. But before I engage in another examination of one part of Kendi's book, recent COMIC BOOKS.

I used to read Ultimate Spider-Man near the top of my stack each month, and then when the comic became Miles Morales: Spider-Man, I also valued it and read it early.

But in recent years, Miles Morales: Spider-Man has fallen to the bottom of the stack if not the dread BACK LOG.

In part, the drop had to do with the stories in Miles Morales: Spider-Man being a bit less captivating but also in so many other comic books being so much better and getting ranked higher, such as Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Thor, Daredevil, Ms Marvel, Captain Marvel, and Bendis on Superman.

Recently, I caught on the back log with issue #23-25, the start of THE CLONE SAGA. So when issue #26 came in the mail, it jumped to near the top of the stack:

READING LIST

Fantastic Four #032 [Legacy #677]
Miles Morales: Spider-Man #026  [Legacy #266]
The Immortal Hulk #046  [Legacy #763]
Justice League #061
Runaways #036  [Legacy #98]
Wonder Girl #001
Black Panther #025  [Legacy #197]
Captain America #029  [Legacy #733]
Daredevil #030  [Legacy #642]
Black Knight: Curse of the Ebony Blade #003
The Department of Truth #009
Shang-Chi #001  [Legacy #127]
Iron Fist: Heart of the Dragon #005
STAR WARS: War of the Bounty Hunters: Prelude: Alpha
Green Lantern #002
Batman #018
Action Comics #1031
Superman #31
The Amazing Spider-Man #065  [Legacy #866]
The Amazing Spider-Man #067  [Legacy #867]
The Marvels #002
Geiger #002
Conan The Barbarian #021  [Legacy #296]
Wolverine #012  [Legacy #354]
Justice League: Last Ride #001
Strange Adventures #010 (of 12) 


BACK LOG
Monstress #34
Detective Comics #1036


As you can see, Miles Morales: Spider-Man #026 leap-frogged comics like Immortal Hulk and Runaways that are always at the very top of the stack. Now that Bendis has jumped to Justice League, this issue is also highly ranked.

This list does not show comics bought locally (as opposed to shipped from Michigan), so Heroes Reborn, which I will probably write about next week, jumped ahead of Miles Morales: Spider-Man #026 but not Fantastic Four #032 [Legacy #677].

Because, FANTASTIC FOUR.

I love that comic, that team. that concept, that history, as I wrote about last week.

A Sense of Doubt blog post #2301 - WHAT I AM READING pt.2 - Antiracism, ENO, and Attack Surface

But in reading the recent issues of Miles Morales: Spider-Man, I was gripped and motivated much like the recent catching up on The Amazing Spider-Man as explored here:

A Sense of Doubt blog post #2217 - New Comics 2021 - comics that jumped on my list

Okay, so issue #23, part of the KING IN BLACK tie-in was one of the better issues of the KING IN BLACK issues that I read, and I do not typically buy all the issues of MOST tie-ins, notable exceptions are the X books, such as X of Swords and this year's Hellfire Club Gala.

Who doesn't like a flying dragon?

The aftermath in issue #24 in which Miles hangs out with his friend Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel) is a nice interlude between the KING IN BLACK craziness and THE CLONE SAGA.

Saladin Ahmed's writing is dope and fresh, and the art by Carmen Carnero with colors by David Curiel is gorgeous. Why was I ranking this book so low?

Great friendship building story as only superheroes do with rescues and righteousness (as Miles threatens a slumlord with his Spider zap power). And at the end, the segue to THE CLONE SAGA.




Great Ganke-Miles stuff in issue #25, which is probably the main thing that motivated me to tank the book higher. I like real human friendships. Thankfully, the conflict was resolved in the next issue.

Great introduction of new clones and the original Spider-Man who mistakes Miles, originally, for a clone because that's what happens in clone stories.

GREAT ISSUE!! 


Reviews sort of agree, though the next issue will have a higher critic rating with this one at 8.1 for critics and 8.6 for users according to COMIC BOOK ROUNDUP at the link above.

Here's a 9.2 by a hater of clones and Spider-Man stories (though he doesn't explain why, which is just like fandom nonsense -- strong opinions with no critical thinking or evidence):


Deron Generally April 28, 2021

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #25

Marvel Comics

Written by Saladin Ahmed

Art by Carmen Carnero

Colors by David Curiel

Letters by Cory Petit

The Rundown: A rash of copycat Spider-Men committing crimes throughout the city will put a target on Miles’ back.


After another day of fighting crime, Miles returns home to his worried parents who have been getting news alerts that suggest that he is responsible for a series of crimes including kidnapping. Unfortunately, knowing the truth and proving it are two different things. Even when Ganke shows up, the drama only intensifies as he tries to determine how there is another clone of Miles running around. After discovering what the clone’s next target will be, Miles and Ganke get into it when Miles discovers the truth about him and Barbara.

Despite all the personal drama, Miles suits up and heads out to find the clone before he commits another crime. After finding that he is already too late, Miles is confronted by Peter who takes some convincing that it is the real Miles. Things get even more intense when Miles discovers that his clone problems are only beginning.

The Story: To be brutally honest, anything involving the words “Spider-Man” and “Clone Saga” is an immediate turn off for me, but Ahmed has managed to craft a story that is uniquely about Miles and his world. There are some great personal moments throughout and the theme of identity comes through in different ways that work both for the character and the story. I found myself curious about the clones and what they are after and the inclusion of Peter Parker and his perspective in the story was a great idea.

The Art: Carmen Carnero has a brilliant eye for detail and action. The art is immersive, beautiful and engaging.


https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/marvel-comics/miles-morales-spider-man-(2018)/26


After leaving off with Miles confronting the three new scary clones in the last issue, it's time for the beat down. Things start with talking but then into combat, aided by Peter Parker Spider-Man, who shows up just in time.

And then the clones put the two spider heroes down.

There's a good Peter-Miles chat when they wake up from being left comatose,a nd then Miles goes home and has it out with Ganke, who he almost hit in the last issue.

Miles is running on no sleep. He has to write an essay for an academic competition, but then he is back after the clones. And he destroys their cure...? Wha...?!?!?

The Mindspinner clone with the four spider legs takes down Miles and at the end of the issue he is left webbed upside down, left die, the fate he has resigned the clones to by destroying their cure.

Looks bad for our young spider-hero.

Issue #27 comes out next week. Can I wait for my copy from Michigan that I won't get until the beginning of July?

As usual, I like the issues better than the critics, though the reviews agree that the comic is good with an overall 8.8 critic rating and an 8.6 user rating. I just think it's better than that.

Here's one such review from the roundup set linked above.


By James Remolde

 on 

Recap

Two Spider-Men find themselves face to face with the three terrifying clones. Peter thought he knew what to expect out of a Clone Saga, but this one throws him for a loop and Miles into the deep end of the ocean. Miles tries to keep his Spider-Side away from the rest of his life but this time he’s got no say in the matter.

Review

The cover of this issue is fantastic.  It really highlights the main concept of the issue the three clones vs the three Spider-Men.  It shows the heroes getting the worst in the fight over New York City.  The surprise cliffhanger is also preserved and not divulged by the cover as is often the case.

The art is also top notch.  I particularly like how Carnero actually is able to create a difference between Miles and the main clone.  By the art it gives me the feeling that the clone could be older than the original which is an interesting thought but is also great in the statement that comics should show more than tell.

The backgrounds are also terrific, it is raining and you get the feeling of the weather and the hour of the night by the colors and background elements.

The writing is also very good.  I liked the nods to horror movies to create a little humor.  Despite the out of this world type of threat we are dealing with, we still get some character develop in Miles that I find refreshing.  The main clone is also not stupid.  By his actions, we know that he is smart and he knows a lot about the original.

Final Thoughts

These clones have an endgame and it is something that we all can relate to. This arc continues to amaze me.


Future cover:


Here's my first installment of WHAT I AM READING with the first content on HOW TO BE AN ANTIRACIST.

A Sense of Doubt blog post #2290 - WHAT I AM READING: How to be an Antiracist

Again, here's the second:

A Sense of Doubt blog post #2301 - WHAT I AM READING pt.2 - Antiracism, ENO, and Attack Surface




My time allotment to write this entry is almost up, so I am going to just focus on one part of the book that necessitated one of my many page tabs.

From page 189, "To be truly antiracist is to be feminist. To be truly feminist is to be antiracist."

I have been saying this adage for years, and I was so happy to see Kendi write it in his book.

In 1998, I started saying this one as a mantra in the class room as I was teaching a "feminist response to popular culture," which must include railing against not just sexism but racism, homophobia, size-prejudice, and more.

Kendi writes of "gender racism" in this section of the book, writing by intersectionality. These are not separate issues. They intersect in many ways.

"White women's resistance to Black feminism and intersectional theory has been self-destructive, preventing resisters from understanding their own oppression," Kendi writes (189).

One of the strengths of Kendi's book involves how he shares his own journey in becoming antiracist in recognizing and better understanding the intersectionality of all the racist ideologies: ethnic racism, bodily racism. cultural racism, color racism, class racism, and then gender racism and queer racism.

He divides the book in this way.

That's all for today.

More next week.

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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2106.13 - 10:10

- Days ago = 2172 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.

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