Ultimate Spider-Man 52 (March 2004)

At least there’s a lot of action this issue so one doesn’t concentrate on Bagley’s strange version of “sexy girl” art.

Bendis actually spends a page, alongside Peter scaling a building, to write up a bunch of narration. And it’s the best thing in the issue, even though it’s only necessary because of the lengthy, unfulfilling fight scene.

He covers Peter’s self-awareness about pursuing Black Cat with Mary Jane at home. But there’s also some about the adventuring. When Peter gets to the top of the building, he’s upset the fight’s over and he’s alone. That observation is a little one, but it’s telling… Peter’s an adventuring junkie.

There’s some inexplicably weak bookends with Kingpin (not to mention yet another tease of May discovering Peter’s secret identity).

It’s yet another pointless, terribly paced issue, but Bendis makes up for it a little with his excellent handling of Peter Parker.