The “Menace” storyline has been bubbling for many months now and it’s frankly gotten tiresome.  No, that’s not true because I was tired of Menace as soon as I saw that she was just yet-another version of Green Goblin.  In this story her identity is revealed as the girlfriend of an actual Green Goblin, Harry Osborn, and I’m still not all that interested.  The disadvantage of the Brand New Day rotating creators format is that it can take a very long time before anything happens.

These issues finally put Menace front and center, and at least we have JR Jr. inked by the great Klaus Janson.  It also involves the Spider Tracer killings plotline that has been equally uninteresting.  We learn that the killers behind the “planted spider tracers” are actually a group of rogue cops, one of whom is Peter Parker’s roommate Vin Gonzalez.

Along the way, Spidey ends up getting arrested (and of course Matt Murdock is his attorney), escaping from jail, getting saved by Harry Goblin (i.e., Harry is back as Greenie again), and Vin Gonzalez turning in his fellow cops–which means that at least the tracer plot line concludes here. 

This story also resolves the plotline of Lily’s dad running for mayor.  Once she’s exposed and jailed as Menace, he loses his race.  The end.

The story is well told, the art is great. I don’t love the plot, but there’s enough here to recommend it.

Again, though, art is great. Love me some John Jr.