THE CAT'S MEOW: What's Good on the Shelf This Week 

JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #31: “The One-Man Justice League” (All Ages)

Adam Beechen (w); Dave Santana (p/i); Heroic Age (c); Mike Sellers (l); cover by Ty Templeton

Publisher: DC

Format: monthly series

Concept: Follow the adventures of the Justice League, based on the hit cartoon.

In this issue: Metamorpho is a one-man League and doesn't need any help! Or so he thinks. Will anyone help him once he gets in over his head? (from dccomics.com)

Review: Metamorpho, as one kid learns, can transmute the elements in his body to any other elements and use their properties to take out bad guys. He is, in his own words, “a super-cool shape-shifter.” He is also rather cocky, something that doesn't particularly sit well with the other members of the League. We've all met people like this before; the ones who don't buy that “there's no ‘I' in ‘team'” thing. As impressive as his abilities are—he even turns into the periodic table of elements, for crying out loud—he soon learns something the hard way: everyone, including superheroes, will eventually find themselves in a situation they can't handle themselves, which is just what happens when the Matter Master shows up. Lessons: no one can do everything themselves and there is power in teamwork.

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MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #25: “Three Rings…Of Danger!” (All Ages)

Chris Kipiniak (w); Patrick Scherberger (p); Roland Paris (i); Guru eFX (c); Dave Sharpe (l); cover by Scherberger, Paris & Guru eFX

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: Bitten by an irradiated spider, which granted him incredible abilities, Peter Parker learned the all-important lesson, that with great power there must also come great responsibility. And so he became the amazing Spider-Man!

In this issue: The Circus is in town! Sounds fun, right? Not if it's the CIRCUS OF CRIME! When Peter Parker goes to take pictures of a night under the big-top for the Daily Bugle, Spider-Man gets blamed for robbing the audience! How does he escape this magic trick? (from marvel.com)

Review: When J. Jonah Jameson calls Peter Parker his “favorite person in the world,” you just know something's up. But all Peter has to do is photograph a circus giving a benefit performance for charity. Harmless enough, right? Not when the CIRCUS OF CRIME is in town! How Spidey gets blamed for robbing the audience is something you will have to find out for yourselves, but Kipiniak writes a nice scene toward the end where Spidey has a chance to clear his name and get some recognition. Let's face it, Spidey deserves some! But the lesson learned here is that what really matters is doing the right thing, whether you're recognized for it or not. There are some nice subtle details in this issue, particularly one panel in which Peter is seen walking past a tree from the point of view of a spider weaving its web while talking about feeling trapped—a nice metaphor for Peter's double life. And look closely at the newsstand that Peter passes by.

Oh, one more thing…Scherberger draws a GRR-R-R-REAT tiger!

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ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #106: “Ultimate Knights: Part 1” (Teen/Young Adult)

Brian Michael Bendis (w); Mark Bagley (p); Drew Hennessy (i); Justin Ponsor (c); Cory Petit (l); cover by Bagley and Richard Isanove

Publisher: Marvel

Format: monthly series

Concept: The bite of a genetically-altered spider grants high school student Peter Parker incredible, arachnid-like powers.

In this issue: If you thought Peter would get some time off after the soul-shattering changes that came at the end of “Clone Saga,” think again! Things keep heating up, as Ultimate Daredevil attempts to enlist Spider-Man in a crusade to bring down the Kingpin—permanently. But with his Aunt's life hanging by a thread and his serious girl problems…not to mention the new student at Midtown High…crime-busting may be the last thing on young Mr. Parker's mind. So what happens when the rest of Daredevil's new super-team shows up? Learn who stands with Peter—and who stands against him! (from marvel.com)

Review: Aunt May is recovering, and Spider-Man has taken Captain America 's place as the most popular super-hero in New York . (I find this interesting, given the real-life media response in the wake of Captain America 's death.) We haven't seen much of Kingpin lately, but he is still alive and well…and he has something to do with Spider-Man's wrestling past. Then there's the issue of how best to deal with Kitty Pryde. Can't Peter just get a break? Not according to Bendis & Bagley, who provide the added joy of having Daredevil (as Matt Murdock) show up with an interesting proposition for Peter. The writing is just as nice as always. I've always liked how Bendis writes Peter's thoughts, and J. Jonah Jameson's scene is great! Just as the Clone Saga events have begun to wound down, something new is about to happen.

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To be reviewed in next week's column:

THE BATMAN STRIKES! #31

FRANKLIN RICHARDS: MARCH MADNESS

MARVEL ADVENTURES FANTASTIC FOUR #22

By thy side,

John “Figaro” Norris

3/11/07