Two group reviews in one week! I know right. Well again you’ve probably gotten in the habit of skipping this opening, but we’ve changed things up! Going forward each of the writers/reviewers of Comic Bastards will give their thoughts on an issue and then a numeric score as well. Don’t look for an average as each person’s score stands alone! Now here’s a blurby about this issue from Marvel: The Greatest Super Hero of All Time RETURNS! The world may have changed since Spidey’s been gone, but so has Peter Parker. This is a man with a second chance at life, and he’s not wasting a moment of it. Same Parker Luck, new Parker attitude. Putting the “friendly” back in the neighborhood, the “hero” back into “super hero,” and the “amazing” back into “Spider-Man!” Also returning: The recharged and reenergized ELECTRO!
Erik: 3/5
I was hoping that when I started typing that the words would just start pouring out about how much I loved Spidey’s return, or how much I hated it. Unfortunately, I don’t really know what to think. But I’m pretty sure that this review has nothing to do with the quality of Dan Slott’s work, though. He’s a very talented writer, all of the Spidey profits show that very clearly. I think this has a lot more to do with the fact that so much has changed for me (Spider-Man wise), since and because of the history behind this re-boot. I’m not a Dan Slott hater, I wasn’t happy about Spider-Ock, but I never sent the man death threats. I just feel like that place in my heart where Spidey had a long-term residence is gone. Every time that I pull an issue of Spider-Man out of one of my short boxes, I’m reminded of where I was when I first read it, what I was doing, who I was dating, where I was living. Now every time I look at the character, I’m reminded of how he was taken from me, or us. I never read a single issue of Superior Spider-Man, I’m sure that it was fine. God knows they jammed enough exposition in this issue for “fill-in” purposes. Kind of a “while you were away” situation. But I just don’t know, folks. There was a specific panel where Spider-Man is web-slinging and he says “I’ve missed this! And I swear, I am never going to take it for granted again!”
I feel like that was Dan Slott talking, not Spidey. I could be dead wrong, but the feeling that I got after reading it, says otherwise.
Either way, I would feel bad if I didn’t mention my opinion of the quality at least once. It was fine. Why the 82 pages, though? I don’t think that anyone cared about any of the backups, or the free issue of Inhumans. I didn’t read this for that stuff. I read it for the return of Peter Parker. Enough with the gimmicks, Marvel.
Anyway, it’s just like every other Dan Slott written Spider-Man comic that I’ve ever read. If that’s your cup of tea, then I’m sure that you’ll have a blast. Thanks for taking the time to read my review. I hope that you can look at it constructively, and get the impression that it’s coming from a fan, not a critic. Have a good New Comic Book Day!
Dustin: 2/5
My problem with Octo-Spidey was that a lot of what was happening with the character didn’t require Doc Ock to be in the driver’s seat which made it gimmicky and insincere. The problem with Peter Parker’s return is that he’s cleaning up the messes that Doc Ock created, but without the benefit of having his memories. I have to say that upon learning that… I was no longer interested in the story. That’s such a cliché writing technic that it appeals only to people that like to be fooled over and over by the same tricks. I could sit here and list every cliché, every joke that I saw coming a mile away and every pointless cameo… but I’m too tired. I’m tired of dealing with Spider-Man. I’m tired of with what Marvel comes up with and I’m tired of Dan Slott holding an entire franchise in his hands and using it for evil rather than good. I’m just tired of this shit. All Marvel and Slott care about is pissing off fans so they’ll buy the book and sure some people end up liking it, but I don’t. I think they’ve fucked this character and franchise to the point that it’s unrecognizable.
I gave two points to the art. The story was boring and predictable. The art would have gotten a three if it wasn’t for the scene at the end of the regular story in which Spidey’s new girlfriend is suddenly half his size or he’s a fucking basketball player now. (Update: just learned that Spidey’s GF is a little person which is actually cool, but doesn’t come across at all in the art… might want to work on that.)
I disliked every story at the end of the book as it was a lazy way to introduce future story arcs. It was the equivalent of watching a first episode of a series and at the end they show you a montage of everything else to expect rather than letting you discover it in context to the rest of the story. That’s how I’d describe this entire issue… lazy.
Adam: 1/5
After reading yet another reboot of a Spiderman series, this one being the flagship title, I could not care less if I ever saw another page from anything web-swinger related. I’m in the minority and enjoyed my time reading Superior Spiderman. It was a much darker, more intense, and overall refreshing experience rather than the same light-hearted stories we all know. Unfortunately for me, that’s exactly what this first issue does-it seems like Dan Slott tried to cram in as many jokes as he could to beat it into people’s skulls that Peter Parker is back. And with that, comes corny jokes and a much lighter tone. These “jokes” if you want to call them that consisted of a few pop culture references that wouldn’t exist in 2001, which now apparently is when Peter was bit by the radioactive spider. These included tweeting and Miley Cyrus, both of which were not to be relevant for over half a decade.
There was nothing memorable about this issue, and if you’re not familiar with Superior you probably won’t understand what’s going on in a few instances. That said, there’s no real hooks to reel you in and wonder why the things are the way they are, or care for that matter. It ends on a very weak note, and makes me extremely wary of trying to give this title another shot.
Nick: 2/5
Amazing Spider-Man commits the cardinal sin of a number 1: it’s boring. It’s super, super boring. If this was a second issue, I might have less problems with it, but being what it is, I’m not sure spending an entire first issue cleaning up messes that are only partially explained helps anyone.
I’m not to Humberto Ramos’ art, but it feels like the sort-of house style Marvel had in the late 90s/early 2000s, so it’s capable, but it didn’t grab me. Honestly, I was more into the art from the backup Spidey stories. Also, having never read any of the previous entries in the Slott/Spidey saga, I was lost on a lot of things, like for example, early in the issue when Anna Maria showed up and I thought Ramos didn’t know how to draw a 5’ 6”ish woman, before I realized she was a little person. Mea culpa, Raoms.
I’m not a huge fan of Dan Slott, but his work on this issue was decent. Like I said, it’s capably written, and for a single issue later in the series, it would have been fine, but seriously? This is what you brought to the table for your first issue with Peter Parker back in the saddle? It left me wanting more from everyone, and honestly, I had a lot more fun with the free copy of Inhuman #1 that came with the book.
Writers: Dan Slott and Others Artists: Humberto Ramos and Others Publisher: Marvel Comics Price: $5.99 (I shit you not!) Release Date: 4/30/14 Format: Ongoing (until rebooted), Print/Digital