The GoodThe most fascinating thing
about this book isn't the Morlun family killing off Spider-Folk from
different worlds. It's the fact Peter Parker and Superior Spider-Man
have come face-to-face. In addition, Miles and Peter are reunited as
well (SPIDER-MEN fans start cheering now). If you were a fan of SUPERIOR
SPIDER-MAN, then this is the moment you've been waiting for, since he
was knocked out of time.
The real purpose of this issue is to bring the
team with the 616 Peter Parker and the Superior Spider-Man team
together. Also, it's an excuse to see ALL the Spider-folks take on some
of the Morlun clan. Does the issue deliver an immense amount of action
that has excitement, suspense, and some touching moments? Well, that's a
rhetorical question. Of course it does. It's almost overwhelming how
fast this issue moves, even though it's packed to the gills with
dialogue.
What's been great about Spider-Verse, and this
issue especially, is that it's a lot of fun fan service, which is
normally something I'm not a fan of. It's obvious that Dan Slott loves
the character and the history of the character. We get to see so many
different Spider-folk and most importantly, this book is just a ton of
fun. Better yet, it's a ton of fun and tells an interesting story.
The Bad
The
issue has a lot of action and people coming together, but it feels like
something bigger should have happened here. While most of the issue is a
joy to read, it feels like something is missing. It may be because the
last issue delivered so many revelations and this one delivered so few.
The Verdict
ASM
#10 wasn't as big as a hit as issue #9, it still delivers a ton of fun.
Dan Slott loves this character and it shows. Yes, at times, it's a fan
service book, but that's not such a bad thing in this case because it's
involved in a very interesting story, conceptually. Luckily, it's also
executed well too, and the art team is top notch. While this issue left
me feeling like something was missing, overall, it's an awesome issue
and I'm loving this arc.
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FREE COMICS
The long-teased "Spider-Verse" crossover opens in Dan Slott and Olivier Coipel's "Amazing Spider-Man" #9 with the murder of a Spider-Man who looks like a Pete and talks like a Pete but isn't our Pete. It continues the bloodshed for another 30 pages, detailing the lust for spider essence that fuels Morlun and his family in their dimension and beyond, pondering over existential quandaries like the meaning of the universe, the web of existence that connects every living being, and which Spider-Man is worth more points in the race to catch ‘em all. It's illustrated with dark, gorgeous brilliance by Olivier Coipel and though it's well done readers should be prepared for a stark tonal departure from what the book has been since the relaunch.
Dan Slott is very excited about this crossover, as evidenced by his social media hype throughout 2014. One chapter in, it feels very bleak and unlike "Spider-Island," heavy and extremely dangerous. This is definitely aided by Coipel's moody linework. His thin lines feel like they are etched on old paper and he is channeling his inner Travis Charest throughout. The layouts are dynamic and prove that he is approaching master levels of composition. The double page spreads are full of rich details and expressive character emotion. Body language is important when conveying emotion in fully masked characters and Coipel has that on lock. Our introduction to 616 Pete is naked and sleeping, which may be conveyed as cheese, but is a choice that gives us Parker at his most vulnerable, opening a story that is all about just that. Justin Ponsor pulls all the light out of his color palette further spotlighting the shift in visuals here. The candy colors of the last eight issues are gone, replaced with ominous tones that feel like danger lurking in from the panel gutters.
There's inherent silliness in the action, especially with Spider-Ham lurking about, and Slott lets Peter call that out, which is important in a story like this. The table is set nicely, but this just feels so strange for "Amazing Spider-Man." Our street-level hero has been part of cosmic conflict before but this all feels so much further out of his depth. It's the type of story that, were it in another title, would not seem as strange. But it's an odd scenario to see playing out in "ASM." This has always been a dynamic title, able to go light to dark to silly to tragic as needed, but the playing field on which this story takes place feels huge. Even Morlun's previous appearances, with all the totemic references and vague mysticism, were rooted on the ground level. In this issue Peter walks through a portal with a pig version of himself like it's a revolving door at Macy's. I hope Slott's intention is to address this juxtaposition. It's not necessary to stop the action every page and say, "This is crazy," but it's a definite shift in the type of science fiction explored in this book.
Get the full review from Comic Book Resources here
The Good
Whether it be to boost sales of a flagging title or just for fun, team-ups work best when the characters have some kind of chemistry and a reason to connect for a brief stint. Christos Gage, with a plot by Dan Slott, presented both in spades last issue, teaming the ultra-enthusiastic Ms. Marvel up with the veteran Spider-Man to take down a Kree operative stealing a Terrigen Misted cocoon. Kamala’s unbridled enthusiasm was infectious throughout the issue, and that’s the absolute highlight of this one as well. Her delightful freakout over not just fighting alongside Spidey, but getting to use one of his signature moves PREVIOUSLY used by he and Captain Marvel is enough to trigger a day-long grin.
The pencils by Giuseppe Camuncoli carries the story forward expertly. The main part of the issue is almost entirely action from start to stop, but Camuncoli’s visuals flow easily and steadily, both creating the illusion of movement and setting things out in a way that makes them extremely easy to follow.
We ALSO get a backup story from Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos with inks by Victor Olazaba and colors from Edgar Delgado set in Earth-982 as Spider-Girl finds herself under attack from the gargantuan, gluttonous Daemos.
The Bad
If you believe the cover, the backup is the main focus of this book and the main story is the backup when, in fact, the reverse is true. I, of course, enjoyed both stories, but one could be forgiven for not having their expectations met, especially with the passionate following Spider-Girl has.
The Verdict
Slott and Gage are clearly building to Spider-Verse, but it’s certainly not coming at the expense of the main AMAZING SPIDER-MAN title. While we might not be getting huge plot developments and high-stakes, we’re getting some great character work and, quite frankly, the dust is STILL settling from SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN’s massive shakeup, so it’s relaxing to actually have a status quo to return to. Kamala and Peter’s story is great fun to read and juxtaposes strongly against the savagery of the EDGE OF SPIDER-VERSE back-up, but the two don’t clash and are both, ultimately, entertaining.
Get full review from Comic Vine here
