Rating: ***

The return of the Chameleon continues. In the last issue of Amazing Spider-Man, the Chameleon captured Peter Parker and stole his identity—it appears as if Peter has also been killed. This issue follows the Chameleon as he impersonates Peter Parker. The Chameleon goes about Peter’s life discovering all of things that make Peter tick, from his new job working for J Jonah Jameson to his relationship with Mary Jane. He also decides to take advantage of the situation as he ends up sleeping with Peter’s roommate Michelle Gonzales. How that will all play out when the real Peter Parker returns should be interesting.

Although this isn’t the real Peter sleeping with Michelle, it still bothers me to see Peter hooking up with another woman—it’s like he’s cheating on MJ. I hope that they eventually put them back together; there’s too much history there for them not to be together.

“Peter’s” first Jameson assignment is to take pictures of Jonah with the returning war hero Flash Thompson. Since I haven’t been reading Spider-Man until recently, this was all new to me as far as Flash goes. I like that they’ve made him into a veteran and have him disabled—this adds something new to the character that can bring about some great drama.

The Chameleon is working with some Muslim terrorists in Pakistan and plans on setting off a bomb in NYC in order to kill the “upper echelon” of New York’s anti-terrorism force—this is almost a side note as the real action happens towards the end of the book. While the Chameleon is posing as Peter with Mary Jane, they discuss Harry Osborn. Peter promises to take care of Harry, and take care of him he will as the Chameleon makes his way to kill Harry Osborn. 

The Chameleon sees Harry Osborn as weak. He sees him as a man who had it all (thanks to his father) and spurned the gifts he had available to him. The Chameleon thinks this must have angered Peter and decides to “help” him as he enters Harry’s coffee shop with a gun. We hear some banging, and we are left with whether these bangs were the gun shots or from the banging that we see happening as the real Peter busts out of the acid pit that he was trapped in at the Chameleon’s lair. He escapes, but is unconscious and we end there.

A pretty good issue! I like this new Chameleon that Van Lente is writing—the character is much more darker than he ever was, and I think they can build upon this by making him a bigger threat to Peter than before. Artist Robert Atkins does a good job especially on the last two pages—very dramatic.

Enjoyable, but I wouldn’t advise you to run out and get it right now. If you’re a big Spider-Man fan, you’re already buying this one. If not, wait for a trade. See ya!