Comics Catch-up: Avenging Spider-Man #21 ( What you need to know )

Welcome to Comics Catch-up! This feature is where I help to get you up to speed for some of the biggest books out this week. This edition, Avenging Spider-Man! Here's what you need to know before reading #21...

Avenging Spider-Man 21

I'm sure you all already know what's going on with Spider-Man's head right now, but just in case, Doctor Octopus is inside Peter Parker/Spider-Man's head. Basically, Doc Ock is now Spider-Man. Ock has been collecting members of the Sinister Six, he currently is holding Sandman and Electro and is now after the Chameleon. There are a few problems here though, since the Chameleon is being held by S.H.I.E.L.D., in their Helicarrier, a mile above the earth. Oh, and the Chameleon is being targeted the KGB and wanted dead. Not too hard to get to him then....

After taking out an A.I.M. cell, Ock is taken aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier by Nick Fury Jr. , where he meets Agent Coulson, Hawkeye and Black Widow who, after Spider-Man's recent "odd" behaviour ( and by odd I mean killing one of his enemies and brutalising many other ), aren't too happy to see him on the helicarrier.

Ock sent his Spider-bots throughout the entire helicarrier and tired to track down what he was looking for, The Chameleon.

Then, everything went wrong. Otto had turned off all of the helicarrier's power ( But kept it in the air ), this allowed a group of armed attackers to board the ship and kill a large number of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. As well as this, the Chameleon escaped from his cell, murdered his guard and stole the face of his doctor. The two attackers attempted to kill Spider-Man while he was overcome with guilt but he managed to escape, while trying to track down the Chameleon, Spider-Man ended up coming into contact with Bruce Banner A.K.A. the not very happy Hulk.

So Spider-Man, Hulk, Hawkeye, Black Widow, Nick Fury Jr., Agent Phil Coulson, Maria Hill and the surviving S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are trapped on a powerless helicarrier a mile above the Earth with a group of trained and armed killers coming after them. Oh, and one of Spider-Man's oldest enemies is walking around the helicarrier wearing the face of his murdered doctor. Not much to worry about then...

Avenging Spider-Man #21 is released today, Wednesday the 29th of May, written by Chris Yost with interior pencils by Marco Checchetto.

Comics Catch-up: Superior Spider-Man (What you need to know)

Welcome to Comics Catch-up! This feature helps to get you up to speed on some of the biggest books coming to the shelves. This week I'll be getting you ready for Superior Spider-Man #9!

Superior Spider-Man #9

As you've probably heard, Doctor Octopus is Spider-Man.

A few months ago Doctor Octopus swapped minds with the original Spider-Man, Peter Parker. Otto was placed into the body of Spider-Man and Peter into the dying body of his greatest enemy. Pete had only a few hours to live and had to move fast to defeat Ock. He escaped from Otto's prison cell and into one of his secret hideouts. He broke into Avengers tower with one of Ock's gold Octobots, which the villain used to complete the brain swap.

A final fight between Ock and Spidey took place, Parker tried to use the Octobot to get back into his body but failed. Ock was about to win, but Pete did all he could, he forced his memories into Octavius' brain and made him learn that with Great Power comes Great Responsibility. This supposedly turned Ock into a "hero". And with the Superior Spider-Man you should take the word "hero" very lightly.

Ock as Spider-Man

Although Peter Parker supposedly died in Ock's body, there was still hope for him, he was left as a "ghost" following Ock through his life, able to affect some of the former villain's actions. But he couldn't be heard or seen by anybody.

Since he became Spider-Man, Otto has brutalized most of the villains he's battled and killed Massacre, a man
who's killed hundreds.

Recently, Otto's been able to hear Peter's voice and has, obviously, been getting suspicious, And he's not the only one. The Avengers battled him and did a full brain scan on him to check what had suddenley happened to their team-mate. Ock thought he'd been found out andthis was game over for him, but to his suprise they didn't find anything wrong with him.



Otto kills Massacre

Looking over his brain patterns, Ock found an anomaly. This anomaly went by the name of Peter Parker. It was Pete who'd been found out, and Doc's preparing to get rid of him once and for all using the invention that allowed Ock to control his robotic arms
.

Get ready for a major story that's apparently going to make you angrier than when you read Amazing Spider-Man #700!

Superior Spider-Man #9 hits the shelves on May 1st, written by Dan Slot and with pencils and inks by Ryan Stegman. Also with colours by Edgar Delgado.

Comics Catch up: Nightwing #19

Welcome to comics catch-up! In this feature I'll be getting you up to speed on what you need to know for some of this week's comics!

Today we're talking Nightwing!

Issue 19 of Nightwing hits the stands tomorrow, April 17. Written by Kyle Higgins and Pencilled by Brett Booth ( with inks and colours by Norm Rapmund and Andrew Dalhouse ), this issue takes Nightwing to a new enviroment for him, the city of Chicago.

So, here we go!

Dick recently became involved with a project to re-invent Haly's circus, his former home, in one of Gotham's abandoned areas, Amusement mile. He was setting it up with the daughter of the man who murdered his parents, Sonia Branch, who he soon became romantically involved with.

Dick was doing a good job setting up the new Amusement mile when tragedy struck, Tragedy in the form of a maniacal homocidal clown. The Joker.

The Joker burned Dick's plans to the ground, murdered his friend Jimmy, and ex-girlfriend/ traitor, Raya Vestri. He pushed the Bat-family away from eachother.

Dick was hated by some members of the circus and blamed for the death of Raya and Jimmy, as you can guess, he was in a pretty bad mood.

After the events of the Joker attack ( Death of the family), Dick nearly brutalised a group of men scavenging the Haly's corcus grounds for "trophies" from recent events. Dick was stopped by the son of Batman, and former Robin, Damian Wayne.

Dick managed to hunt down the man collecting these "trophies", the Dealer. He'd taken the Flying Graysons outfit of Dick's father, John Grayson. Dick was in the middle of getting the suit back from the Dealer, when a fire broke out in the building. There were people who were bidding for items in the building and they were trapped, Dick managed to save the people, but his father's suit burned.

After all of the tragedies in Dick's life something worse than anything else happened, Damian Wayne, effectively a little brother to Dick, died. Dick was in a terrible state, he felt utterly destroyed.

The final shock in Dick's life was something unvelievable for him. Tony Zucco, the man who killed his parents, was alive. Dick couldn't stay in Gotham any longer. He had to find him.

Dick has now moved to Chicago, a city without masked heroes, and where vigilantism is banned. He has one Nightwing suit and hardly any money.

As you can tell, these are tough times for Dick Grayson.

Nightwing 19 hits stands April 17, by Kyle Higgins and Brett Booth. with inks and colours by Norm Rapmund and Andrew Dalhouse.