Ultimate Spider-Man #19 – Tooth & Nail

If Jonathan Hickman’s Ultimate Spider-Man can be criticized for any singular thing, it would undeniably be its scattershot approach to character development. As the series has gone on, it’s prioritized characters who have deeper ties to the Maker than to the Spider-Man mythos we know and love, often leaving the Parker family behind for more Osborn-focused issues. While this has led to a fresh and captivating take on the Web-head’s world, it has particularly hurt the characters that orbit Peter Parker on an intimate level—none more so than Mary Jane Watson-Parker. Her agency as a person has been sacrificed amidst the series’ decompression, leaving her a yes-man without explanation to all the trials and tribulations Peter has subjected his family to over the last year and a half.

While not perfect, issue #19 finally gives MJ the room to flourish in her relationship to the story at hand, counterbalancing an explosive first half that pushes Richard even deeper into the spotlight as our tale gears up for its final five issues. Throughout both sides of this gripping issue, Marco Checchetto continues to prove himself the best artist in our modern comics landscape. His reinvention of Venom and the glorious pages of chaos that ensue are breathtaking. The emotion he’s able to draw out of Mary Jane’s honesty and the moodiness of a home drenched in tension is nothing short of mesmerizing.

Surprising no one, this issue all but confirms that Richard Parker will be this universe’s Venom—at least at first—flipping the angle on its head with him starting off with good intentions. Playing into his teenage brashness, it showcases what kind of hero would be created within the mind of someone raised in a world turned cynical by the reign of corruptible control. While still violent and terrifying, Richard’s monstrous transformation feels more celebratory than one would initially expect. He’s lashing out at a world that, at every turn, seemingly lets those empowered by evil walk it with grace. The potential for inner family conflict between the Parkers is juicy and much needed, which is why this turn—plus Mary Jane’s conversation with Peter—really elevates the tension of this title as it begins to crescendo toward its finale.

From the jump, there’s a clear frustration building within MJ that first comes out with Richard and then dissipates into emotional honesty once she confronts Peter about the craziness she’s stayed quiet about for the last few issues. Acknowledging her demeanor and having her explain it with little forgiveness for Peter’s own role in causing this mess is exactly the kind of rich turmoil a married Spider-Man is capable of generating. Peter, blinded by the fantasy of greater meaning, can only be held responsible by those his heroism harms—and MJ not being mad at his actions as Spider-Man, but his actions as a family man, showcases her emotional intelligence beyond that of her doting ’90s counterpart, who was written into the ground by a mix of misogyny and consistently terrible story lines.

Together, these two major character beats place the heart of tension for Peter in the upcoming arc squarely within his own home. The thematic core of this book has been, and always will be, a fixation on the effect of expectation upon those who wish to be more. What can you sacrifice? Who do you corrupt in the process of accepting a power greater than your responsibility as a human being? This issue is born from that dilemma and makes it one of the strongest for the Parker family in a hot minute.