Laid Back Comics: Superior Spider-Man

Be warned this does contain spoilers of Superior Spider-Man, though seeing as how late this is it might not matter.

Bryan 'BAC' Clendening is a comic blogger and sometimes video producer. You can follow him on Twitter at his handel @BAClend

SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN

So hopefully you read my thoughts on Amazing Spider-Man #700, and if not please check it out before reading this, I couldn’t just sit and not try and see where this story would go in the brand new series Superior Spider-Man.

When we last saw ‘Spider-Man’ it was that Doctor Octopus was now in full control of Peter Parkers body. He has even updating the Spider Suit, which counts as I believe the 5 or 6 costume change Spider-Man has gone through these last few years. We aren’t sure how much time has passed since issue #700 but my guess would be maybe less than two weeks. And while he seems to be savoring his victory over Parker we get to see this new Spider-Man’s first real test against some villains. And in this case a new Sinister Six.

And that is the major plot of the first issue, Spider-Man vs this Sinister Six, which taken at face value this sounds like a Spider-Man story.  And there is where the issue shines, to say new Spider-Man did take the smart route in taking this team down. Setting up a slightly violent way to ease drop on the team, setting up the area to fully take them down, and finally putting the plan full swing. It was well done and smart.

But, like issue 700 I still have problems the characters and interactions with this ‘new’ Spider-Man and Peter Parker. He has become short and almost smug while at work, not to mention dressing JUST LIKE Doctor Octopus, and no one questioning him on this sudden change in altitude or wardrobe. The worst I felt was the scene with Mary Jane at dinner. There is just something a little unsettling as I read through the dialog of that one scene, with the end results of him leering at the chest of Mary Jane. It came off too creepy than anything else. Like watching your uncle hit on your girlfriend. You didn’t know what to say but you just knew this felt wrong.

But, there were some bright spots I thought that would take this character on a direction that was hinted at. At very beginning when it looks like he was just about to leave from the Sinister Six attack, he rushed back in to save a police officer on the scene.  It seemed like an honest moment, and while ‘Peter’ questioned it for a brief moment he never regretted doing it.  It was Doc Ock taking responsibility. The moment was short lived through; by the end of the big the big reveal is that somehow in a yet unknown way Peter was still around doing these small good deeds as a Jedi ghost, for lack of a better term.  Now, this was good as it stopped Ock from killing someone, but this also was ammo for the snark coming from many fans stilling back and yelling, “Called It!” While this allowed some fans to forgive the last story line and tries to see where this will go or for how long, I see it as just a bit of a ploy and almost bait and switch. And I don’t know how long I could honestly follow the series if it just there to lead Spider-Man character backwards.

Now I have been very harsh on the writing and the story, but there was something I greatly enjoyed and it is Ryan Stegman artwork to go along with the series. There is energy behind the art work of Spider-Man that sometimes gets lost on by other artist. Not here, if anything the art makes reading the story a lot easier. I just wish the story behind it was much better.