KRAVEN'S LAST HUNT (DeMatteis / Zeck, 1987)

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(*****+ / *****): Hate to admit it, but this isn't a re-read: a cardinal sin – nevermind KRAVEN'S LAST HUNT's hallowed status, but (for me) that it's penned by one of my favorite Spidey writers (and comics writers in general; I have a soft spot for his run on THE SPECTRE, featuring Hal Jordan on his post-Parallax road to redemption), JM DeMatteis, under the moody, evocative pencil of genius Mike Zeck makes it even more so. That said, HUNT deserves every bit of its hallowed status: though I knew the main points of the story and the surprise at the end of part five, it still came as a shock. A case study in why I'm devoted to getting the "Great" comics stories in their original single issues: to experience it for the first time largely as it was originally released was something special.

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While much of the afternoon was spent fighting with an impact driver, a bunch of vinyl siding j-channels, the disaster zone that is the top of my desk, and low blood sugars determined to undermine my determination, the second row of Ditko Spideys are now in their new home on the wall behind the desk. Need some clear fishing line so the top row doesn’t fall, but that’s tomorrow’s battle.

SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME (Jon Watts, 2019)

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(*** / *****): Somehow missed this one but, as with all of the MCU Spideys, it was nothing if not a good time. Holland, Zendaya, and Batalon terrific; Gyllenhaal (unsurprisingly) a great Mysterio: changes made to the source character to fit him into the MCU worked well, especially the ones going back to the first IRON MAN film (Jeff Bridges appearances are always a win). Still, though, it was an MCU film, so it could've been so much more: standard lackings in visual distinction, visceral web-slinging wonder (Insomniac's games are far better in this department), and narrative oomph abound. Night Monkey forever.