I read a book I feel like talking about! Spider-man Down These Mean Streets !

   As anyone who's listen to me speak of what I'm reading, my usually selections are Transformers Novels, Novels by Bret Easton Ellis, and Spider-man novels. Once in awhile, on stand above the rest, and I feel like writing about it. That book this time is Spider-Man: Down These Mean Streets. 

   I enjoy all my Spider-man novels on  some level. Some are obviously better than others, since not everything is created equal. I've read about ten Spider-man novels in the past few months, From Great ones like the Venom Factor, to mediocrity like Carnage in New York. I've still have Venom's Wrath,  Wanted: Dead or Alive, and Revenge of the Sinister Six awaiting, but I can't see them topping this book.
    This novel is great because it has a more real feel to it than most Spider-man stories. The majority of the novels deal with super villains, of course, however this one is different. Down These Mean Streets deals with gangs, and drug use, with a twist of course. The story begins with our hero Peter Parker teaching at Midtown High, to students who really couldn't care less, especially one student who comes from a broken home, complete with drug use, and living in the ghetto.
    After a day of school, the student suddenly freaks out into a huge green Hulk like monster. The cause is revealed to be a new drug hitting the street- Triple X, an irradiated from of ecstasy, with huge side effects. Once the drug wears off, the student is laid up in the hospital in a coma, suffering from the after effect of a heart attack, associated with the sudden change in size, like Giant-man. Once Peter finds out other people are taking the drug, and many of the users are holed up in the hospital after they come down, in comas.
    What I love most about this novel is that Spider-man for all his powers cannot save everyone, and he can't save the day by beating a villain. The main story here is drug use, and gang wars. Sure the drug gives you temporary super powers, which Spider-man deals with, but the main conflict here are troubled people turning to drugs, and gangs to deal with their problems. The story gives focus to Mary Jane, who naturally has a fellow actor taking Triple X, and her struggle to help her. Even better is how Spider-man teams up with the police, and he realizes how easy he has it sometimes, not having to follow proper procedure, nor show his identity to the crooks. 

    There is a main villain of course, the make of Triple X, but he doesn't show up til late, he isn't as important as the gang wars, and the widespread use of Triple X. Even with all his powers, Spider-man can't save everyone this time. People still get hurt, and some even die. Sometimes you can do everything you can, and it's not enough. Spider-man : Down These Mean Streets by Keith R.A. DeCandido-9/10.