Mostly Negative about Spider-Man #700

The Amazing Spider-Man #700 was released this week. I have not been following any of the Spider-Man titles for quite some time but I often pick up special landmark issues of many series to keep my toe in the various bodies of water. Here, I'll tell you what I think of ASM 700.

I hate the cover.
I speak of the main cover pictured above, not of any of the six variants (all of which I like better). I find it aggravating that all of the artwork in the white-eye portion consists of photostatted old images. Probably all of the red and black portions are photostats also. Really, is this the best they could come up with? Sure, the covers of Marvel Collector's Item Classics consisted of photostats, but that was a reprint title.

I hate the "#700" on the cover.
The placement and sizing of the "#700" suggest that those characters are meant to fit in organically with the letters of the logo, but the zeros only barely match their surroundings while the "#" is not oriented correctly and the seven is like some kind of cruel practical joke.

I hate the plot of the lead story.
No spoiler warning will be needed because I'll just vaguely say that what goes on in this story would be more fitting as a one-issue What-If premise than as the "new direction" of a main Marvel Comics title. I am not on the edge of my seat and I will not be buying the Superior Spider-Man replacement title. Again I ask, is this the best they could come up with?

I hate all the filler.
If you're going to brag that you're publishing a 104-page comic, how about filling it with 104 pages of comics? Seven pages to reprint all the old covers? Seven pages of letters to the editor?

But I did like one of the back-up stories.
Date Night is beautifully drawn by Stephanie Buscema, whose work I always enjoy. I would have written a very different article today if all 104 pages had been drawn by Ms. Buscema, and I invite you to go see more of her artwork over here.