Ultimate Spider-Man has been taking place in real-time, with each issue a month apart. That means Ultimate Spider-Man #12 is set in December, and surprise, it’s a Christmas issue. That means fun, family, and finger foods at the Parker residence, with Mary Jane’s family throwing MJ for a loop. It’s an issue that digs into the dynamics of her family for the most part, but the cliffhanger will have you thinking and worrying about the Parker family until the next issue.
Ultimate Spider-Man #12 opens with Uncle Ben and J. Jonah Jameson entering the Parker residence. Peter’s son lets them in, and you’ll notice it looks like he shot up a few inches since the start of the series. MJ’s sister, mother, and aunt are already at the party, along with Peter and his daughter May. Right off the bat, it’s clear writer Jonathan Hickman and artist Marco Checchetto are capturing the comings and goings of a family party.
For the most part, the family aspect is well done. MJ has real issues with her sister that get unpacked and may even be resolved a bit, for instance. MJ’s mom is also a lot, and it’s fun to see Jameson and Uncle Ben observe MJ’s family in different ways. MJ’s side is clearly a bit extra, and like a good host, MJ just wants to make sure things run smoothly.
Like any family get-together with members you don’t often see, this issue is a read-between-the-lines sort of exploration. Hints to new dating opportunities, MJ’s sister’s husband, and even Eddie Brock are thrown into the mix. Hickman is clearly setting things up here from a character perspective.
Richard definitely got taller, right?
Credit: Marvel
A danger of 95% of the comic being about Mary Jane’s family is it gets pretty stuffy pretty fast. For a superhero comic, this issue lacks big swing moments. While it’s compelling to learn about these people, at this stage, most of them are just regular people and don’t add a lot to the Spider-Man mythos. Yet.
There is one big swing, however, but only in the cliffhanger, that’s at once confusing, scary, and shocking (in a good way). It’s built up with some fun design pages that seem to hint at a possible Venom introduction or maybe a clone. It’s too early to tell, but Hickman is clearly playing around with Spider-Man tropes.
While Ultimate Spider-Man #12 leans heavily into family drama at the expense of superhero action, it offers meaningful character development and a suspenseful cliffhanger that promises intriguing developments ahead. Fans of Hickman’s storytelling will appreciate the groundwork being laid, even if this issue feels more like setup than payoff.
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