Superior Spider-Man 27, Secret Avengers 15

Superior Spider-Man 27
Slott (w) and Camuncoli and Dell (a) and Fabela (c)

GOBLIN NATION is finally in full swing (SWING, guys, like how Spider-Man swings, are you with me on this?) as the glitch in Spidey's spider-bots has finally become apparent to the controversial hero. After a slew of these anomalies, Spider-Man throws himself into his work, ignoring his responsibilities to Parker Industries and Anna Maria. Finally he tracks down Uatu Jackson, who designed the facial recognition software in the spider-bots, and the two of them realize that Spidey can use the program's constant refresh to track where the block is coming from. He goes down an abandoned subway line and finds himself face-to-face with the Green Goblin. The two talk and Goblin reveals that, through the captured Carlie's journal, they've discovered who Spider-Man really is, offering to partner with Otto to rule the city. Spider-Man rejects him and prompts Goblin to attack. Fortunately for Spidey, he had sent a hologram of himself in from Spider Island. Less fortunately, Goblin doesn't cede victory so easily and orders a strike from his troops waiting just outside Spider Island.

Even though the players have changed, this is shaping up to be a classic Spider-Man vs. Green Goblin fight. I've talked plenty about how Otto is a new sort of Spider-Man (whether or not you believe he's superior), one who relies on planning and preparation more than Peter ever did. In that respect, it makes this battle more of the sort of chess game style battle than you usually see out of this pair, which is largely driven by irredeemable actions by Goblin met with inconsolable rage by Spider-Man. This one will still have some of those points to it, particularly as Otto takes it extremely personally whenever he's outplayed, but the opening gambit here finds Otto sending in a hologram to scope out the area while Goblin lays siege to Spider Island. That's not even to get into the subplots of J. Jonah Jameson commissioning new Spider Slayers, a testament to how much he hates Spider-Man right now given that the last appearance of the Slayers ended with his wife's death, and ensuring that Spider-Man knows that they work by his hand and the fact that Peter is still trying to work his way out of his own body's memories to gain control of the body itself. He throws himself into Otto's memories to hide and finds himself almost immediately swept up in them, hoping to retain himself as he lays low to plot and plan against Otto. Need another subplot? Captain Watanabe is still after Peter for the disappearance of Carlie Cooper and the Avengers are still suspicious of Spider-Man. Geez, you guys. There's still a lot of ground to cover before April's AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 1.

Secret Avengers 15
Spencer and Kot (w) and L. Ross (a) and M. Wilson (c)

All of the active Secret Avengers are in the same place now as Clint breaks into Bobbi's quarters to get her out, only to discover that her memories are shattered and that she's incredibly confused and unsure of what's happening. At times she remembers Clint and that she killed Taskmaster and why that was bad but at others she forgets everyone around her. They escape and rejoin Natasha and Fury who, with the unseen help of Mentallo, defeated the Shang-Chi adaptoid. Together, they all make their way for the submarine they arrived in but Forson has other plans. He orders his small team to prepare for attack, commanding them to take Mockingbird down first as she has the most intel on AIM. Before he gives the order to take the shot, the team is accosted by Yelena Belova and instantly she and Mockingbird begin to wrestle. They disappear from view for a moment and, as soon as Mockingbird emerges, Forson has his sniper take the shot, killing her instantly. Clint jumps to her aid while Fury and Natasha take care of the rest of the team. As they pile into the submarine, Clint still carrying Mockingbird, the camotech on Mockingbird disengages to reveal that it was actually Yelena Belova who was shot and who is now in their possession.

Neat little trick ending though it was somewhat telegraphed by a Chekhov's gun style mention of the camotech as Clint rescued Bobbi in the first place and as we don't see "Belova's" body after Mockingbird stands. Still doesn't exactly tell us what's happening with Mock but we can likely assume it's something and not just "oh, she's dead too, Belova killed her but now Belova's dead." There's also some weight to parts of this issue that involve Maria Hill and MODOK working out the kinks of their new and very strained relationship, including the hint that Forson has a double agent working in SHIELD (surprise, SHIELD is beset by double agents and corruption). Luke Ross' art is impressive here and manages to stay emotive even in the midst of big fight scenes, which is always tricky. At times, the style of the book's art and the book's layout confuse unnecessarily, including a long sequence where Fury duels with a sniper, but you can more or less get easily past it just knowing it's a fight scene and Fury wins, all set. There's still one more issue of this iteration of SECRET AVENGERS before it nearly instantly reboots in March but this issue does a nice job setting up the ending of this little story.

Superior Spider-Man 25

Superior Spider-Man 25
Slott and Gage (w) and Ramos and Olazaba (a) and Delgado, Fabela, and Gandini (c)

With the Venom symbiote, Spider-Man is stronger and faster than ever, giving him the upper hand in even his battle with the Avengers, called to the scene by Mary Jane. The only person that the Avengers can hope might help is Flash Thompson, who Iron Man goes to check in on at Parker Industries. Meanwhile, Carlie Cooper has been transformed into one of the Goblins with the Goblin serum though there's hope yet that not all is as it seems. She has yet to give away Spider-Man's true identity, claiming that she'll only give it when she's sure who her Goblin boss is. He claims to be Norman Osborn but won't lift his mask to confirm it until she's proven she's true to the Goblins and not to the NYPD so he sends her, under her new codename Monster, and Menace to go rough up some more of the Hobgoblin's men. Monster plays the part well (either because she really is full Goblin now or she's trying to get into the Goblin King's good books) and the result pleases Goblin King, who then declares an official war on Hobgoblin. Back in the city, Tony Stark shows up to the Spider-Man fight and sends Flash at Spidey with the Iron Man armor on. The surprise attack works as it's supposed to, granting Flash the opportunity to get the symbiote to come back to him but the symbiote refuses, realizing that it has more freedom with Spider-Man than it did with Flash, who tried to control it with drugs. With Spider-Man, it's been given free range and has very quietly pretty much taken control. Doc Ock realizes a moment too late that he really doesn't have much control any more and tries to force the symbiote out. By himself, he's too weak to do it but he gets help from none other than Peter Parker, not fully erased from his own mind after all. With the symbiote removed and Flash back in control of it, Peter goes back into hiding while he plots and plans and Otto announces that he's all better, that the symbiote that's been changing his behavior for months now has been eradicated and he's back to his normal self. MJ buys Otto's line when he appears to her that night but the Avengers absolutely do not and Stark, when he learns about the tests the Avengers ran on him back when he was in space, finds that someone has deleted all of the tests and the footage from that day from all security cameras but one. Cap calls for the Avengers to bring Spider-Man in.

Oh what a day, everyone, as it does indeed seem as if Peter Parker is truly coming back. Sadly, as I AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (oh my god, look at that beautiful Marcos Martin variant at right). I'm not surprised, per se (though I'm both surprised and unsurprised by the 5.99 price tag on that first issue which, admittedly, is 64 pages, but still), but I can't say I'm also not happy. Do I like SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN and the changes it's brought? Sure. I think it's stagnated just a tiny bit in the last couple of arcs (though I think, looking at the broad strokes of it, it was still rather interesting and very well done) but I think the idea has always been there and I am very impressed that Dan Slott kept Peter Parker dead for nearly a year and a half, come April. In this world where we're so used to heroes dying and being resurrected, there's now no bigger example. It was never a question of "if," it was a question of "when" and "how." Slott's left the pieces in place and done a pretty great job of it and now I think everyone will be better for it. More impressively, perhaps, the Goblin War storyline will push forward in the midst of all of this, meaning that Slott will carry two major stories out at the same time and both will likely be instrumental to the book and pretty epic in scale, all while he writes more established characters than ever, between Otto and Peter, the Spider-Man supporting cast, the Avengers, the Goblins, and (admittedly not in this book but Slott's still busy writing it, you guys) Silver Surfer. Should be a really fun time going forward, though I don't look forward to writing "Goblin" more times than I had to today, even. That word is WEIRD.
mentioned in the pre-game this week, the news was rather spoiled by the April solicits, which revealed a new title coming, or rather an old title returning, as we'll see the launch of

Superior Spider-Man Team-Up 7, Marvel Knights Spider-Man 3

Superior Spider-Man Team-Up 7
Yost (w) and Checchetto and Diaz (a) and Rosenberg (c)

Spider-Man's control over the Sinister Six has been removed and now he's indeed improved the Sinister Six by filling them with rage and unifying them against an enemy: him. While Sandman holds Spider-Man, Electro decides to try to use his own powers to power the quantum particle engine, which Spider-Man warns will destroy the city. As he starts to power it up, Sun Girl, thought dead, emerges and rescues her father, who had been thrown off the roof of the Empire State Building by Vulture, before attacking the rest of the Six to free Spider-Man. One-by-one the Six fall but the QPE is still detonating and primed to take the city down with it. Spider-Man can't get close enough to stop it but he is able to tell Sun Girl to destroy the device in time to stop everything. She does and everything is barely saved, but everyone knows this was all Spider-Man's fault.

There's a lot of introspection here for Spider-Man, particularly as he faces a foe he cannot defeat himself. Pinned down by Sandman and suddenly realizing the damage of getting the Sinister Six to unite like this, Ock has the time to think about the way his hubris caused all of this and to evaluate what he's done. Of course, it's not necessarily likely that this will change things for Ock as a person, but it is likely to change the way the world views him even further, given that the next arc is advertised as "The Worst Person in the World." It's nice to see Ock a little deeper here than his normal egotistical and angry self over in SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN. Now he can't help a new wash of emotions, from a mild shame to a mild surprise to a mild regret to what might be disappointment that NOW the Sinister Six are actually doing something with themselves. It's only categorized as "mild" in each point because Ock isn't exactly brimming with emotions at any point but mild means that he's capable of feeling some. Should be interesting going forward as we see the way the world turns on him now.

Marvel Knights Spider-Man 3
Kindt (w) and Rudy (a) and Staples (c)

The plot to pit Spider-Man against 99 of his enemies continues as Spidey falls through the water from the plane to a submarine, where he's brought in and taunted by the Spider-Queen, Ana Soria, which creeps Spidey out more than a little. He makes his way through the sub and passes a number of his villains, including a despondent Scarecrow and Tombstone, neither of whom seem thrilled to be there or particularly willing to fight, with which Spider-Man is satisfied. Of course, that's not the case with Venom and Carnage, who seem more feral than ever. As they tear into him, Spidey notices a subwoofer set in their presence emitting a constant low pulse which is setting them more on edge. He destroys it and they start to control themselves a little bit more, enough for Spidey to move forward to Scarecrow and Tombstone. Once past those two, he enters the last room of the sub, where he finds Nitro strapped up to a bomb. Nitro, like Scarecrow and Tombstone, regrets his involvement and is sadder and more discouraged than ever. He talks a little about his past and his motivations in the past, as well as his seeming inability to die despite his wishes, but also makes it clear that he's not able to stop what comes next, which appears to be Nitro exploding.

Each issue of MARVEL KNIGHTS SPIDER-MAN has brought something new to the forefront including, this time out, Spider-Man's discovery that his villains here aren't necessarily here because they want some sort of vengeance on Spider-Man but rather they're not sure why they're here. Maybe they want to die and maybe they knew this part of the plan could lead to that. Maybe they were crazy and kidnapped just like Spider-Man was tricked into coming. Still, while the plot has enough going on to keep it interesting, the draw continues to be the gorgeous art that really flows through the issue. This is definitely a series to check in on and to acknowledge the art on. There's definitely a chance, as with all art, that it won't appeal to you or that you think it's being too showy or something but it's certainly with going to your LCS and picking up a copy and at least leafing through it. If it's the kind of art that will draw you in, you'll probably know immediately and you'll want all of the issues available, no questions asked. If it's not your thing, the story probably isn't enough to trump the art. Personally, I think it's really interesting and very beautiful but I can see this being one that really divides people into "ehhhh, not for me" and "oh man, this is wonderful."

Superior Spider-Man Team-Up 6, Superior Spider-Man Annual 1

Superior Spider-Man Team-Up 6
Yost (w) and Checchetto (a) and Rosenberg (c)

News that Spider-Man is working with the possibly-reformed Sinister Six has broken and it's not making anyone in Spider-Man's life particularly happy. At the moment, though, he has bigger things to deal with. The quantum particle engine he took from Alchemax is still highly sought after and Spider-Man is lured from the new Parker Industries to fight the Masters of Evil with his Sinister Six and with the help of Sun Girl. Unfortunately, he figures out too late that they were just a distraction while Lightmaster goes to Parker Industries to steal the QPE, which has the ability to teleport matter and could potentially do so destructively. Spider-Man manages to bring the fight back to Parker Industries and catch up with Lightmaster, who he turns the Masters of Evil against without much persuasion. It also turns out that Sun Girl is the daughter of Lightmaster, complicating things a bit. Before the Masters of Evil can regain their footing, Spider-Man directs Sun Girl to activate the QPE using her powers, which creates a solid distraction but also gives the Sinister Six the break they need from Spidey's control to free themselves.

This arc is hurtling towards a conclusion which is both probably for the best and also a little bit sad. Yost used a good deal of the previous series, AVENGING SPIDER-MAN, to set up the idea that Spidey was gathering his former foes/companions (depending on what Spidey we're talking about) to some end and now we're seeing that end, only to have it wrenched away from us an issue or so later. On the one hand, I'm a little sad that this isn't lasting longer to build intrigue and suspense and to kind of pay off more dramatically from how long it took him to assemble this team. On the other, I really don't want this idea to overstay its welcome and stagnate, which I think it could pretty quickly run the risk of doing. I think it's a really cool idea and one I'm glad Yost took advantage of, but it feels like one that could end every issue with the Six going "we'll get you someday, Spider-Man!" and kind of burn out over time. Happy with the way it's headed now, though, and I'm excited to see just where this one takes us. I also constantly find myself really liking Marco Checchetto's art, even though I confused him in my head with Giuseppe Camuncoli, who worked on SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN last week and I was startled and how much I wasn't loving his art last week. MY BAD, YOU GUYS. Still really like it.

Superior Spider-Man Annual 1
Gage (w) and J. Rodriguez and A. Lopez (a) and J. Rodriguez (c)

Though Otto Octavius has taken over as Peter Parker, the link between Parker and Spider-Man is, perhaps, more amplified than ever. People still know, as much as Peter and Otto have tried to keep it on the down low, that Peter makes the tech for Spider-Man and so he's a target. Among those targeting him is out-of-the-limelight demon/unrepentant killer Blackout. He appears at Peter's Aunt May's house and kidnaps her, leaving a burner cellphone to contact Peter on. Peter begins to do his own research on Blackout and learns from former Ghost Rider Daniel Ketch about his powers and his brutality. When Blackout eventually calls Peter, he traces the thought-to-be untraceable call and sets up shop outside of Blackout's base. The inevitable fight is a tough one but allows Spidey to save May and get her out of the base in time for him to break down Blackout. He flat-out tortures the villain and examines him a bit while instilling true fear into him, a fear that Spider-Man hopes will spread throughout the villainous community and leave Peter clear. It immediately pays dividends the next day when a simple mugger steals Peter's wallet and immediately returns it, horrified. The person who it seems won't be scared off, though, is the Green Goblin.

I like Christos Gage and I feel bad that he kind of only gets called upon to do these single issues now and again. A book like SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL requires Gage to go in, tell a compelling story, give a lot of characterization, and, amidst all of that, explain what's gone on in Spider-Man's life to people who may not have been reading too much recently or who may not be overly familiar with the past of the characters involved AND it still has to be able to link to the ongoing story in SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN in the hopes that it will bring new readers onboard. The smart move, then, is to go with a lesser known villain like Blackout so explaining him to newer readers doesn't wear so much on long-time readers. That doesn't mean that explaining Otto Octavius' role in Peter's body for what feels like the thousandth time doesn't still wear but there's little avoiding that. Still, Gage does a good job telling an engaging story (en-GAGE-ing, get it?) and packing it with character. There's real concern from Otto about May and it translates into real anger and viciousness that Peter didn't really ever have, or had so infrequently that it counted as surprise. Here, Otto turns it on without hesitation and without any sort of moral aftermath. He does what he feels needed to be done and he does it quickly. Good little story, not without its flaws but they're necessary flaws, in a way, and only flaws that long-time and up-to-date Spider-Man readers will be annoyed at. Really not so much flaws. That's a poor word choice. Still, good book and Javier Rodriguez brings good art and his typical great colors to the story, though there was one panel where I couldn't help but notice, on a reflection of Peter in a window, that maybe Rodriguez forgot for a second that he wasn't drawing Matt Murdock's red lenses.

Superior Spider-Man 20, Scarlet Spider 23

Superior Spider-Man 20
Slott (w) and Camuncoli and Dell (a) and Fabela (c)

Doc Spidey has a lot on his plate at present. His time with Horizon Labs is officially ended and its put him on the job hunt once more but, being Otto Octavius and not Peter Parker, he has some big plans for that. He intends to start his own company, Parker Industries, with girlfriend Anna Maria Marconi and former Horizon scientist Sajani Jaffrey at his side. On his way to tell Anna Maria, Spider-Man runs into sometimes-villain, sometimes-hero, sometimes-lover Black Cat and, unlike what the cover would have you believe, swiftly beats her up and webs her for the authorities. Obviously, Black Cat is furious and swears to never forget this. Meanwhile, Carlie Cooper has what she believes is definitive proof of something weird with Spidey now that she's found a paper trail (albeit from suspicious sources) linking Spider-Man to Doc Ock's bank accounts. She calls MJ to warn her to stay away from Peter and that she should tell May and Jay to stay clear too. MJ is busy, though, trying to learn more about the firefighter who saved her life during her nightclub's fire. Finally, Peter goes to present his doctoral thesis, his last step in becoming Dr. Peter Parker. After a seemingly very successful presentation, Dr. Lamaze gleefully jumps up and calls Peter a fraud, saying that he's simply stolen the unpublished work of the late, great Otto Octavius. He swears to have Parker expelled for this and Doc realizes that this could ruin everything he's worked for unless he stops Lamaze somehow.

One of the really interesting things about this series has been Slott's systematic destruction of everything in Peter's life pre-Superior. It's typically come in little waves, with the hero community becoming a little suspicious of him and kind of wavering back and forth on their acceptance of him, followed by his friends getting sick of his new attitude, followed by this and that and so on. This is another great example as Doc absolutely ruins Black Cat. Slott and Camuncoli leave absolutely no room for discussion about it; it's a solid beat-down, remarkably swift and pretty brutal. Honestly, if they hadn't brought Black Cat into it, I probably wouldn't have thought about her as such a staple in his life; she just kind of comes and goes into it as she pleases. Now that it's been brought up and so thoroughly dispatched, though, I realize how important she is to Peter and how jarring this attack is. It's another example of a well-thought out and well-realized story for Slott. I think, as fans, we're all kind of aware that Peter Parker will SOMEHOW, at some point, come back. Of course, it's not a guarantee but it's as close to a guarantee as comics can make. The fact Doc has stuck around this long (ten months now, impressively) has been a remarkable show of restraint. Still, it leaves fans looking at these situations going "gee, that's gonna be tough for Peter to clean up" and the like, but issues like this one make it very clear that Slott knows what he's doing with these characters. Doc Ock isn't treating it like he's a placeholder for Peter; he is Peter now and he intends to stay as Peter forever, hence Parker Industries and his insistence that he become Dr. Peter Parker, even if it means sitting through school again. Really good stuff here and a very complete issue.

Scarlet Spider 23
Yost and Burnham (w) and Baldeon (a) and Sotomayor (c)

It's Kaine vs. Kraven in Kraven's newest hunt that can only be ended by one killing the other. To ensure that Kaine doesn't simply walk away, what with his newfound hero personality, Kraven has tied up all of Kaine's friends and swears to kill them if Kaine doesn't go along. Kraven is still a force to be reckoned with and it proves hard for even Kaine, stronger and faster than Spider-Man, to keep up. He continues to insist that he won't give in, that he won't kill Kraven, but the situation gets more and more dire. Kraven believes that Kaine is the only one who can kill him, as its Kaine's blood that brought him back from the grave in the first place and won't allow Kaine to leave until the deed is done. As they fight, Kraven sends Ana to kill one of Kaine's friends. She chooses Donald Meland and slashes him through the stomach. Furious, Kaine tries to go to him but Kraven holds him back, swearing that Ana will kill all of his friends before this is through. Kaine promptly kills Kraven with a force palm to the chest and rushes to his friends, slashing Ana across the face first. He tries to save Meland and eventually cuts his other friends down so they can help (particularly Meland's husband Officer Wally Layton). Kaine, meanwhile, goes back to Kraven and resuscitates him, bringing him back to life. Now, Kaine reasons, that he's killed him, just like Kraven wanted, and now any connection between them is through. Wally manages to stop the bleeding enough to transport Donald to the hospital but the surgeries are very touch and go and it's hard to say whether he'll live or not. Wally, through with Kaine, researches him for the first time in a superhuman criminal law enforcement database and learns about his past.

Tons happening in this issue and it's really a tremendous book. As much as I was bummed by Venom ending last week, I think I might be more broken up about this book when it comes to its end in the coming months. There's such a solid feel throughout this book and such a nice core to it. Kaine's a very complicated character and this is a great arc for him, as he has to directly face his past as a killer, something he decidedly doesn't want to be any more. It's been a nice transformation for him as the series has progressed, especially considering its start. Kaine was simply leaving New York so he wouldn't be apprehended or anything of that nature; he never intended to stay in Houston, let alone America, and to be dragged into his "brother's" heroic ways. But here he is, doing whatever it takes to try to save his friends and finding out that sometimes it's just not enough. It's a really well-written issue here as there has to be just enough sentimentality placed towards his friends and the way they view him without going too overboard and becoming repetitive. It works well and it creates a good picture of the new Kaine. The fighting is extremely well-paced and we see the pain in Kaine as Kraven works him over for a while before Kaine finally unleashes and immediately defeats Kraven and Ana. There's plenty happening here and it'll be interesting to see where we go from here.

Secret Avengers 36 and Superior Spider-Man 1

Secret Avengers 36
Remender (w) and Scalera (a)

I intimated in yesterday's post that I was excited for Secret Avengers this week because I thought it was the final Secret Avengers issue of Remender's run and the run that started with Brubaker and had a touch of Warren Ellis in the middle, also known as a damn near perfectly constructed book. Turns out I should maybe put any amount of research into posts like that but whatever, we were being casual, it was free-flowing, fun and friendly times. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that this is not the final issue. That'll be next time (probably).

That makes this issue the penultimate issue of the series and of this arc. Remender sure knows how to go out with a bang. X-Force proved that well enough for me. There is a sense with some of the Avengers titles that the Avengers only get together for the biggest of the big problems and therefore every one of their adventures has to be huge and all-universe encompassing. While I think there's certainly an argument to be made for that case, it does wear when, for the third arc in a row, the world is at stake and only one team can stop it. It makes it, don't make fun of me for saying this, less believable. Okay, comics aren't wholly believable all the time, but I mean it makes it harder to believe within the parameters of the Universe we're discussing. Secret Avengers has certainly benefitted from the "secret" designation because there's something inherent in there about "it probably won't doom the world, and even if it does then it would have been a behind-the-scenes doom anyhow so no one had to notice." In books that have to go to the world-shattering arc every time, a finale doesn't really feel special. Secret Avengers, though, feels like there's something much bigger than anything experienced before in the title. We really are dealing with a huge problem that feels huge and, more importantly, feels bigger than anything else we've dealt with in this book. It's like a long-game that's been played between three writers that's finally paid off and it feels good. It's also a great culmination of some of the things Remender's started in X-Force and in Venom that I think a lot of books don't really get to play around with. We're fortunate to have these awesome pseudo-tie-ins that don't REQUIRE the previous readings (or the later readings, if you read about the Descendants and Father in X-Force) to understand, but they definitely give a wider scope.

This issue focuses on the two separate entities in Secret Avengers that we've seen over the last two issues or so; the Hawkeye, Captain Britain, Beast team that had gone to World 666 to obtain the Orb of Necromancy to defeat the Descendants meet up with Spider-Man (Peter Parker Spidey. Had a bit of a gut-wrenching moment when I realized that) when they return to 616 and find themselves in the middle of a full robot uprising, and the Black Widow, Venom, Valkyrie team protecting Parvez at the Core, robotkind's capital city with Black Ant coming to fight them. There are some great character bits in here (Beast remarks that "I prepared for this exact eventuality the very day I learned you would be part of this team, Pym. 'Hank Pym is joining?' I thought. Well I'd better have an E.M.P. disruptor prepared in case of a robot invasion." It's one of the best things I've ever read) and Flash allowing Venom to take full control to attack Black Ant, who he had risked his life for on the last mission, has a true weight to it. Comics being what they are, you have a pretty good feeling that the world will be okay after the finale of this series, but there are definite ramifications that can come through so I'm more excited than ever to read it. I think it says a lot about a series that you can anticipate some sort of ending but you still can't wait to see how it happens.

Superior Spider-Man 1
Slott (w) and Stegman (a)

This is it. The new era of Spider-Man begins with Superior Spider-Man 1. It's definitely a new era, that's clear from the costume, from the tone, from the art, everything. However, we're still in the loving and capable hands of Dan Slott. This is why, in my very first post, I expressed sadness but also confidence. Dan Slott knows what he's doing, he knows his characters, and he knows his comics. Otto Octavius inhabiting the body of Peter Parker, even with Peter's memories and responsibilities, is still Otto Octavius inhabiting the body of Peter Parker. He's colder, he's more of a strategist (not that Peter didn't often strategize, he just didn't typically work steps in advance), and he's more used to relying on his brain than his body. That's a great aspect of their differences that I don't think I would have noticed had it not been for this new Spider-Man twist. Peter's brain was always in play, like anyone's is, but he wouldn't solve a problem with his brain until his great power had been exhausted. He worked more on instinct and on the idea of "hey, I'm a superhero and being a superhero has these perks," exactly the way a person who had become a superhero as a teenager would. Otto Octavius, on the other hand, was brilliant and manufactured his powers later. His brain was at play first and foremost, powers afterwards. It's something I wouldn't have even latched on to consciously before reading this issue. I might have eventually worked my way to it but I truly don't think I would have thought about it. That's why Dan Slott is to be trusted. I care tremendously about characters and prefer to think/write for characters AND I have a pretty good sense of Spider-Man as a character and I wouldn't have come up with what Slott did effortlessly.

Some variants are too great to ignore
Skottie Young is a national treasure

This book must have been a fun one for Slott for another reason. Like Remender being able to tie his work of the past couple years in with some well-placed arcs and characters peppered in along the way, Slott can dig out the characters he's invented or popularized or used in the past to create his own starting point for his new creation, Superior Spider-Man. Otto's first mission puts him up against a new Sinister Six consisting of the Living Brain, Overdrive, Shocker, the Beetle, Boomerang, and Speed Demon, at least half of which Slott has invented or re-popularized. They're also a true threat, but not so much of one that you wouldn't believe a new Spider-Man could handle. There were times where I laughed audibly (something I don't really do unless truly caught by surprise) because Otto worked the way he absolutely should have worked. He runs off from his first fight because it wasn't worth it. I was so taken aback that Spider-Man would run away, but then not at all taken aback that Otto would.

This is a different Spider-Man with the same face in every way. It's a bit jarring but not as much as I would have expected, something Slott should be very proud of. Is he more violent than Peter? Absolutely. Is he less heroic than Peter? Yeah, because I'm not sure anyone's more heroic than Peter. Is he smarter than Peter? Well he definitely uses his logical brain more, sure. Were the personal life bits the most uncomfortable I've been reading comics in a long while? You bet. Is this a Spider-Man book with all those parts changed? Definitely. It still reads like Spider-Man, it still looks like Spider-Man, it still is Spider-Man. Not in a cheesy or hokey "nothing has changed after that big change" way, but in a "this is working" kind of way. And there's a twist here that maybe shouldn't be seen as a twist because who isn't expecting this to happen eventually, but it'll be fun to watch it play out, as was the case with Secret Avengers. Good day to read comics.

If the rest of the week brings me comics like today, I'll be a happy blogger. See you tomorrow.

Avenging Spider-Man 15.1

I'm a sucker for Christopher Yost because he wrote all (I think) the episodes of Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and I will never be over the fact it's cancelled. Just a great show with a good sense of its characters (guys, I care about characters, okay?) and compelling plots taken from the comics. I remember constantly seeing a set-up for future episodes, like the "Madame Hydra was a skrull" reveal and the introduction of Winter Soldier, and saying "How ambitious!" (That's how I talk, normally, when addressing my television.)

So I like Christopher Yost. I also like Scarlet Spider. Let's get back to that, though. Like, another day, not in this post. Let's get back to Yost in this post (nailed it). I'm still kind of on the fence about the .1 issues. I like the idea behind them, often, but I'm not sure I've seen too many really stick to that idea without having to really babysit the reader, coddling them from point A to point B. Some just seem like previews of the next arc, which seems off-base to me. Not to say there haven't been good ones, they just tend to feel a little tacked on to me. Avenging Spider-Man 15.1 was a bit different.

It definitely had a somewhat easier time to it, I'll admit. There are massive changes in the Spider-Man universe going on this very moment. A book to quickly explain what exactly is happening seems well-worth it. This one is. It's a nice introduction to the Doc-Ock-as-Spider-Man conundrum we're all still trying to wrap our heads around. I like Yost's choice to make the plot revolve not around a battle or around other characters (which I find SO IMPORTANT to Spider-Man) but around Otto belittling (or struggling with appreciation for) Peter Parker. To have thrown in his strained relationship with anyone else in Peter's universe would have made the issue feel a little claustrophobic and would have told us what we already knew (Otto's not good with people) instead of what we need to know (how Otto is going to make this work).

Paco Medina's art certainly works well with the issue. There's nothing too over-the-top because the story's the focus here (as with any .1). There's still good and attractive art, highlighted by a nice mini-fight and some good background set pieces that tend to loom over Doc's Spidey. The issue ends with the new costume for the Superior Spider-Man, featuring smaller and more goggle-looking eyes, a sharper spider and a claw on each foot. The claw on each foot is a little weird and the goggle-eyes are perhaps more functional but something to adjust to. Still a nice issue, worth picking up, especially if...

Okay, I was going to say "especially if you're a Spidey fan" because that seemed to make sense, but maybe not? It's useful as a Spider-Man fan, sure, but it's probably more useful as someone not as into Spidey's solo books or even Avenging Spider-Man as a whole. That's why this is a successful .1. If you skipped over Amazing Spider-Man 700 (you shouldn't have) but still read Marvel comics (why are you here if you don't?), this one's worth picking up. It'll give you a look at the new Spider-Man with a short history of both Otto and Peter without delving too deeply into any of it. You know Superior Spider-Man's going to be all over the Marvel Universe, so this is as good a chance as you'll get to discover him.