The Amazing Mary Jane #5: The Earrings are Off

The strong point of The Amazing Mary Jane has consistently been the dialogue, and this issue is no different. Leah Williams succeeds in making Mysterio an engaging and endearing character. His friendship with Mary Jane is currently my favorite part of this issue.  Leah Williams’s ability to make me come around to Quinten’s role in this title in a matter of issues is rather impressive.

Carlos Gomez and Carlos Lopez continue to do a good job on the art. There continues to be an attention to detail in the background that is enjoyable without taking away from the focus of the foreground or dialogue. It works well with the environment created by the story.

The pacing of the issue, however, is jarring. The first half continues the slice of life aspect of the comic that I have grown accustomed to, and Leah delivers so well. When it comes time for the action aspect of the comic, an odd choice is made to have each page be a single panel of Mary Jane versus each individual member of the Savage Six. While I feel the intent was for five pages of Mary Jane outsmarting or outmaneuvering the villains in a single impressive picture. Instead, it left me lost. It felt rushed, with me having to flip back and reread the pages a few times (I’m still not entirely sure what Mary Jane hit Tarantula with). In the end, the climax of the issue felt rushed and unfulfilling.