Synopsis & Review by RachelGrey:
Synopsis: The sun comes up and wakes Peter up. He gets a paper, which highlights Spider-Man challenging the registration from the night before, and runs into the motel woman who hit on him again. He leaves and the woman realizes who Peter is. She calls her cell phone and tells her friend she's found a way for the big payday.

Elsewhere, Captain America tells Johnny Storm to go find Peter since Tony will be after him after challenging the SHRA. Johnny goes off and decides he needs to get Spidey's attention. As dusk approaches, Peter eats in the motel and plans to lay low until nightfall. MJ says that might not work as they look in the sky to see a flaming Spider and a message "Call Me."

In prison, Wilson Fisk, The Kingpin, talks to a lackey, who talks about an "honest businessman" who Fisk wanted to give a "bonus" too while drawing a Spider logo and a "+2" (representing two others with him) on a piece of paper and handing it to him. Fisk understands and says he wants him to get the very best and as soon as possible. Drawing a target on the "+2" on the paper, Fisk says deliver the "package" to anyone there.

Elsewhere in the city, The Falcon warns Cap that looking for Spider-Man may be a trap. Cap doesn't think so and says he could tell Peter was being honest from the way he spoke on the news the night before. Sam then warns Iron Man may have maneuvered Peter into making the moves he made and it might still be a trap. Cap still doesn't believe it awaits on top a building. Sure enough, Spider-Man swings in. Cap commends Peter for standing up to the act like he did but warns he's an even bigger target than ever. Peter then asks how Captain America deals with the whole country being against him, when he kind of is like the country. Cap tells him a story from when he was twelve and read a something by Mark Twain. Having memorized it, he quotes it to Spider-Man, with the gist being the people are "the country". It is their voices and not the government and you must stand up for what you believe in, no matter what the consequences. Awestruck and inspired, Peter joins Cap, thinking how good it feels to be on the right side.

In another part of the city, the Kingpin's lackey drives a hitman to the address they were given. He outlines the deal to the hitman and says he can do whatever he wants with anyone around Peter. The hitman then gets out and says he never leaves a direct connection to testify against him and shoots the lackey. As he walks away, he sets the lackey's car on fire as well. He visits MJ and May's room as a man offering fresh towels. After they decline, the man puts a device on their door and walks away. He then goes to a nearby building and pulls out a sniper rifle, with MJ in his sights. Deep below the city, Spidey walks with the other Secret Avengers, who also commend him for standing up for the act on national news. Cap then says it's good they'll have his help since they're planning their final showdown with Iron Man's forces. Cap says it's important to know three things in battle: know what you know and know what you don't know. The third is more difficult as there are "always some things that you don't know you don't know." Cap's team knows Tony’s resources, numbers, and strategy. But Cap says he's concerned about what he doesn't know and wants to figure it out. Spidey dismisses it and tells Cap he's worrying too much and says, "I'm sure there's nothing you've left out of the equation."

Meanwhile, the sniper sets MJ and May in his scope...

Review: First off, I want to address the awkward and confusing continuity. First the easy part:

It starts at the end of Amazing #535 with Tony attacking Spider-Man after realizing he's going to switch sides. This continues into the beginning section in Civil War #5 where the SHIELD Capekillers knock Spidey out of Stark Tower. Then it goes to Amazing #536 where Tony and Spidey fight some more, Tony uses the override, and Peter escapes into the sewers. Then it goes BACK to Civil War #5, where Spidey is ambushed by Jester and Jack O' Lantern and their subsequent deaths by The Punisher and his medical attention at one of Cap's secret bases.

Now it gets tricky. Lets first look at all the facts:

• Civil War #6 shows Spidey right after he's recovered, saying "Still a little woozy from the Jack O' Lantern gas bomb."
• Civil War #6 has Cap say "So tonight is our absolute last opportunity" in reference to attacking the 42 prison.
• Civil War #6 has Spidey infiltrate the prison and getting ready to fight like the other heroes at the very end.
• Amazing #536, in its second half, has Peter spend the night in the high school after running through the sewers.
• Amazing #536 also reveals Spidey already joined the Secret Avengers in Civil War #5 and #6.
• Amazing #536 then has the group check into a motel the next night.
• Amazing #536, at the end, has Peter make his announcement against the SHRA on the news at the end of the night.
• Amazing #537 picks up the next morning with The Human Torch signaling, the hit placed on MJ and May.
• Amazing #537, that night, has Spidey talk to Cap and join up. Cap then says they're planning on the final showdown with the Pro side.

Obviously, there are problems. Civil War depicts all of this happening rather quickly, happening right away, and ignores the intervals shown in Amazing. The line about the gas bomb suggests he got up, dressed and back into it. And if Amazing did happen, it would be odd for him to still be feeling the effects of the gas with two days sleep and his own increased physiology. Likewise, Amazing has this drawn out over two days so it doesn't fit in with Civil War #6. In fact, Amazing #537 seems to contradict #536 since MJ figures out Spidey has already joined in #536 but #537 shows Cap meet with Spidey after denouncing the act and shows Spidey joining up with him. Spidey's condition appears to be a non factor in this confusion in that he seems to be in good shape in the end of Civil War #6 despite concerns about his beating in the sewers. Likewise, he appears fine in #536 and 537. However, I find the best way if to ignore Spidey's claim about the gas and follow it like this:

After receiving medical attention Spider-Man immediately leaves to check on his family and the second half of Amazing #536 occurs (high school for the night, checking into the motel, and making his announcement). Next comes the events in Amazing #537 where Spidey is signaled (assume he didn't wait to write down an address for the secret base or something lol), talks to Captain America, and ends with Spidey walking down a hall discussing the plans for the final showdown. This immediately continues into Civil War #6, where the group finishes walking and into a briefing room (note, Cap, Spidey, Cage, Falcon, and Punisher appear walking along in both #537 and Civil War #6). Cap announces they need to strike on the N-Zone prison tonight and Spidey agrees to come along. Then comes the ending of Civil War #6 where Spider-Man aids the Secret Avengers in infiltrating the prison and the two sides prepare for the big fight.

So to put it together in one big synopsis of Spidey since the side switch:

It starts at the end of Amazing #535 with Tony attacking Spider-Man after realizing he's going to switch sides. This continues into the beginning section in Civil War #5 where the SHIELD Capekillers knock Spidey out of Stark Tower. Then it goes to Amazing #536 where Tony and Spidey fight some more, Tony uses the override, and Peter escapes into the sewers. Then it goes BACK to Civil War #5, where Spidey is ambushed by Jester and Jack O' Lantern and their subsequent deaths by The Punisher and his medical attention at one of Cap's secret bases. After receiving medical attention Spider-Man immediately leaves to check on his family and the second half of Amazing #536 occurs with the high school for the night, checking into the motel, and making his news announcement (during this time, assume this is when The Punisher infiltrates the Baxter Building for the prison information in Civil War #6). Next comes the events in Amazing #537 where Spidey is signaled (assume he didn't wait to write down an address for the secret base), talks to Captain America, and ends with Spidey walking down a hall discussing the plans for the final showdown. This immediately continues into Civil War #6, where the group finishes walking and into a briefing room (note, Cap, Spidey, Cage, Falcon, and Punisher appear in both #537 and Civil War #6). Cap announces they need to strike on the N-Zone prison tonight and Spidey agrees to come along. Then comes the ending of Civil War #6 where Spider-Man aids the Secret Avengers in infiltrating the prison and the two sides prepare for the big fight.

Continuity really can be flexible. While this requires a bit of stretching and ignoring one line, it seems to work better than choosing to go by the way it happened in Civil War or in amazing. With the line, just assume Peter was making a joke...he is Spider-Man after all :).

The continuity problems are my biggest gripe. With an event of such importance you'd think editorial would be more concise and tight with this. As is, the time frames are different without careful analysis and reasoning. Most of these problems have come from JMS as well (look at Fantastic Four and how reed and Sue broke up). I firmly believe Marvel should focus on editorial and cleaning up these mistakes as a New Years resolution for 2007 (lets ignore they do this stuff months in advance for a sec lol).

Back to the issue itself, the ending makes me very nervous. They might actually kill MJ! I sincerely hope not. While I'm all for expanding Spider-Man and trying new things, MJ needs to stay. Spidey will not be a better character without her. MJ is a great character. While I don't really want to see May die, I'd prefer it be her than MJ lol. Really, these two girls are arguably the best supporting character in comic-dom up there with Lois Lane and Alfred. Removing them isn't really a good move. Hopefully it's a red herring of sorts. I was also disappointed that Peter didn't talk to Johnny Storm. The two have mirrored ideals, with both of them starting Pro and then switching sides. And they're good friends. I really think it was a missed opportunity to not have these two talk. They should have had Dan Slott write a One-Shot or something lol. On the topic of Johnny, he's been mishandled as well. He didn't even care one of his old girlfriends was blown up in Stamford (Namorita) and bashed the New Warriors in Civil War #1. He's a ladies man, but he's not that cold. With Civil War almost over, I can't help but feel they missed several character interaction moments to either build up relations or destroy them. The other half with the Kingpin and the hitman is kind of boring. Not much happens unusual or anything. Seeing the Kingpin's dodgy way of telling the man to kill Parker's family was kind of interesting, but nothing special. And Cap's speech went on too long. JMS quoted Mark Twain for way too long.

On the plus side, Ron Garney's art sees vast improvements. The bodies look less square and blocky and the art just flows better. Faces look more realistic and detailed. And that cover is really great. Really the highest point of this issue was the improved art...which is sad because I'm still not a Garney fan.

Overall this issue is kind of a mess. While the dialogue isn't bad and the art is good. Too many little things occur and add up to something that a little more time looking over could have solved. The timing is awkward. Half the plot was predictable. And the cliffhanger ending only makes me think "Don't be stupid Marvel!” I guess I am looking forward to next issue though. Here's why: it's the end of the arc. It's the end of Civil War for this title. And I get to see if Marvel makes a blunder or not. Yay?