Review by Ian Keogh

The Lizard is one of Spider-Man’s earliest foes, the raging monster the result of unconventionally brilliant biologist Dr Curt Connors attempting to grow back the arm he lost via injecting a reptile-based serum of his own devising. He was also unable to prevent his wife’s cancer, and now lives with a son resentful that his father was unable to cure his mother. Spurred on by the tragedy, Connors is applying for a research grant.

There’s an innate tragedy to the savage Lizard actually being a person wanting to do the right thing, and Paul Jenkins plays this for all it’s worth, having Peter Parker believe Connors when few others would. The plot, though, turns on a nice surprise element featuring newspaper proprietor J. Jonah Jameson as a total bastard.

‘The Lizard’s Tale’ is drawn by Damion Scott, as known for his stylised art as predecessor Humberto Ramos, but Scott is more restrained and this is more appealing art. Effort is put into all aspects from people to surroundings, and he captures the savagery of the Lizard, while drawing some really good looking scenes of Spider-Man in the rain.

Over three volumes Jenkins has ensured we know who the villains are. He provided a background for Doctor Octopus in Countdown, but this is similar to the suffering of Venom as seen in The Hunger. As with that story, this ultimately distils down to who’s in control of the personality, and it builds to a smart bittersweet ending defining who Connors is.

A really good single chapter completes a slim collection. It begins with a selection of vox pops as a number of New Yorkers give their opinions on Spider-Man, and introduces some distinctive painting by Paolo Rivera. He’d later use a very different style on Daredevil, so this is very much a work in progress, but there’s definite talent notwithstanding some expressions being too stiff. The main story focuses on Joey Beal, crippled by cerebral palsy and unable to communicate verbally, but with an imagination that soars. Left to observe life from a rooftop in his wheelchair he thinks he knows Spider-Man better than most, and eventually meets Rivera’s distinctive version of a Spider-Man villain exemplifying the monster aspect of the title. It’s tense, it’s heartwarming and it’s well worth your time.

Disassembled is next.