Ultimate Spider-Man #7: His Guy Jonah

One aspect of the original Ultimate Spider-Man that made it such a compelling read was the flesh-out supporting cast. The on-and-off-again romance with MJ was sometimes a chore to get through but felt like a great representation of those messy relationships. The dynamic between Peter and Aunt May, and then later Gwen, was a refreshing take on the found family trope. It was both an outlet for fun banter and rich emotional catharsis, elevating the book into the stratosphere of melodrama. Then, layering in the Daily Bugle drama, Flash and Kenny appearances, and later inclusion of Johnny Storm and Kitty Pryde all made for a captivating supporting cast. To see the current Ultimate Spider-Man pick up that understanding of rich supporting casts is a relief and it may be on track to outpace the original in a perfect balance.  

Ultimate Spider-Man #7 – written by Jonathan Hickman with art by Marco Checchetto, coloring by Matthew Wilson, and lettering by VC’s Cory Petit – kicks off the second volume with a training issue, spending a bulk of its page real estate showing Peter and Harry getting more comfortable with their suits. Otto Octavius reveals he’s worked his way into the two Starktech systems and discovered the AI companions associated with the suits. For Harry, he chooses the voice of Norman for his ear while Peter gives himself that task. The results are immediate as Harry’s fighting becomes more aggressive while Peter stays level-headed. 

Meanwhile, Captain Britain (in his post-Ultimates fight) makes a visit to Kingpin after the previous issue, impressed at Fisk’s viciousness. The two reflect on the Maker’s presence before Britain offers an army of Bullseye soldiers to Fisk. Rather than accept the offer, Kingpin just smirks with a tease of what’s to come. The third heat of the issue is built around The Paper, Johan, and Ben’s new media company. MJ and Gwen head to the sketchy offices to drop in, but the two reporters are out, in typical reporter style. A source meets the duo in a parking garage with inside information about Fisk and his world, offering to become an inside man. 

The only flaw of this issue is the fact it’s not an entire one dedicated to the Ben and Jonah plot. Hickman is clearly having fun with these two aging reporters making moves and digging into the political and power structures of this alternate universe. Every time they appear on the page or take a beat, the duo steals the show and makes Peter/Spider-Man feel less compelling to read at the moment. The tit-for-tat dialogue, methodical sense of investigation, and bullishness forward is a fascinating dynamic compared with the static approach to the Peter character. If Marvel had any reason, and there was justice in the world, these two would get a spin-off, annual, or spotlight issue to really dig deep into the Ben and Jonah show. 

It doesn’t hurt that Checchetto illustrates these beats magnificently, extracting the right level of tension and humor in the buddy duo. The rich layers of detail and focus on cinematic paneling make the parking garage sequence easy to follow while maintaining a stylistic approach. The scene would feel right in place with a ‘70s thriller like All the President’s Men, with a little more humor thrown in. These reporters are seasoned and a bit off the cuff, which makes them so compelling to follow. Checchetto understands this and makes imbues that sense into the anatomy of the characters. There are no traces of fear or worry in the two, rather it’s based on an electric sensation of real reporting. It would be easy for the moment to fall into the bland, boring trappings of an exposition scene, yet Checchetto makes it just as compelling as the fight sequences in the other half of the story. 

Much of that feeling is thanks to Wilson’s coloring in the sequence, which utilizes familiar cool blues to create the sense of noir. Even as Ben and Jonah crack wise and stand firm, the atmosphere of the sequence worms its way in, trading the warmer colors of New York for the harshness of the manmade structure. Shadows and inky blacks obscure figures, and the establishing panel is almost abstract in the depiction of the physical space. The blues, blacks, and grays of the concrete and the lack of natural light feed into the sense that the duo has descended into something deeper that’s related to the story but just out of reach. Wilson’s ability to convey all of that in a short few moments with three central colors adds to the notion that this plotline (and the book as a whole) feels vital and refreshing in an era at Marvel that feels so careless in storytelling at all levels. 

In all seriousness (which includes a Ben and Jonah spin-off), the issue makes an excellent kickoff to the second volume with its clear status as just the next part of the story. Rather than an arc-based structure tied into the trade skeleton of many modern comics, this is another piece in the wider story. While it seems like an obvious approach for Hickman, it gives the feeling of old-school Spider-Man comics. The benefit of the wider Ultimate Universe is a built-in ticking clock in the form of the Maker’s return. That two-ish-year track allows for a clean line from the origin to the overarching plot, with some twists and turns built into the pockets of a bigger story. 

That ticking clock has felt vital to The Ultimates but less so here, as Peter has been focused on Harry and Kingpin. Making that reminder present here, first in the Fisk scene and then with the cliffhanger, is an excellent recalibration. It also retroactively adds tension when remembering the bulk of this issue is a training montage with a short dash of character development. Hickman seeds the Otto turn while also hinting at the possibility of an Osborn becoming unstable. The constant nagging of Norman in Harry’s ear reads like an obvious telegraphing of a heel turn, and it seems as though Hickman could go either way. If it is the thing that pushes the Goblin into villain territory, it’s a smart modern interpretation of the madness. It also works as a possible point of subversion, allowing Harry to triumph as a true hero over the shadow left by Norman. 

Checchetto conveys that coin toss of the future throughout the fight sequence as the sparring turns from even-handed to brutal. Once Norman is introduced into the system, Harry’s body language and attacks shift into a higher gear, aiming for damage versus practice. The action gets more frenetic in Checchetto’s linework, and the panels take more angular forms as the two descend into a bit more heated fight. The pacing of the panels increases, as they get smaller and more frequent on the page as the spar goes on. It’s a subtle shift that masterfully demonstrates the emotion and character work infused to every level of this story. Checchetto is doing career-best work here, and the partnership with Hickman makes him feel like an equal storyteller with each beat. 

The last page of the book also makes for an excellent showcase of Checchetto’s ability, as it draws in yet another major character from the universe. They’ve been seen before in the book but Checchetto gets to go for it in depicting the loftier sci-fi elements. It’s a bright, splashy page that signals the interconnectedness of this publishing arm while bringing the universe directly into his style. Just like the action sequences or the investigation in a parking garage, Checchetto finds the most dynamic and cinematic moments to infuse detail and life into. These scenes are wholly suited to stay on the comic page while also feeling believable for the big screen in adaptation.