Scarlet Spider #12

With the events of Minimum Carnage finally done (and best forgotten) Kaine returns to Houston with plans to throw in the towel, stop playing hero, and leave the city for good. His quick getaway is halted by a drunken slumber (which may or may not have been brought on by the telepathic abilities of Aracely) and his hotel being robbed by a gang of machine gun wielding Santas.

I'm glad to see the comic deal with the events of the (again, best forgotten) crossover and move on quickly with Kaine getting some good advice from one of his new friends and then throwing on his costume to kick some serious Santa Claus ass. It's also nice to see the comic give us a single one-off story rather that jumping directly into a new multi-issue arc.

The comic continues to tease the abilities of Aracely, play on the guilt of our main character, and provide plenty of opportunities to prove to everyone (including himself) that he is indeed a hero. (And the cover's pretty cool, too.) Merry Christmas. Worth a look.

[Marvel, $2.99]