Spider-man Blue

I just finished reading Spider-man: Blue for the first time today. I liked it. I came in without having heard any opinions on the book, and was able to enjoy it. It goes on the list of Jeph Loeb/Tim Sale works that I like. Sure, maybe not as much as The Long Halloween, but I do like the Spider-man that Loeb portrayed in this story.

For the record, I have not read a current Spider-man book in quite some time, but this is the characterization that I think of when I think of Spider-man. To me, Peter Parker/Spider-man is a character should always be on the verge of getting what he wants, but is never able attain and hold onto what he wants. That lovable loser type of character. A happy Spider-man is not interesting to me.

I will admit that the underlying story of Spider-man being stalked and hunted down by Kraven, only to end it in a short fight was a bit contrite. This was nothing more than plot device to setup the plot of Peter/Spider-man always getting pulled away from what he wants. Sure, Peter gets Gwen at the end, but we all know how the Gwen Stacy story ends. So, him getting her at then end of this story leaves a bittersweet feeling, and ends up strengthening that he can't have what he truly wanted.