Superior Spider-Man #16 – Review

Dan Slott (Writer), Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba (Artists), Edgar Delgado (Colorists)

The Story: Phil Urich really gets what’s coming to him as Otto manage to manipulate a situation to his advantage.

The Review: For critics, it’s always easier to talk about great or horrible comics. When it’s in one of those two extremes, it’s surprisingly easy to say what works well and what truly doesn’t. The point is to be objective, of course, yet there will always be a touch of subjectivity when anyone talk about a cultural product, whether they want to or not. What’s harder, though, are the average comics, those that are competent, yet did not really leave a huge impact on the critic himself. When dealing with a middle-tier comic in terms of quality, it becomes a bit tougher to balance the good with the bad in a coherent manner.

This issue is a pretty good example of this, as it moves along nicely, shows some scenes that are well done, yet doesn’t go out of its way to really bring any ”wow” factor. Here, Slott conclude his Hobgoblin story competently, putting some pieces in place for the future of his title, yet a lot of what happens here just isn’t that impressive.

There are some good parts here, starting with the way Otto is written as a mastermind, featuring his villainous methods as being rather entertaining. He is manipulative, arrogant and this comes as fun as his interaction with Robertson, the Avengers and the general public shows just how cunning he can be in terms of how he appears to everyone.

Superior Spider-Man #15 – Review

Dan Slott (Writer), Humberto Ramos, Victor Olazaba (Artists), Edgar Delgado (Colorist)

The Story: Phil Urich’s life seems a bit more difficult now that the Kingpin is gone. Who knew?

The Review: Long-term writing can be messy sometime. As a writer can plan ahead in order to provide many major moments and development for his title, there will always be some times when things will be a bit duller. With moments of transitions between the larger events in a title, there are seeds to be planted in order for the readers to have moments to enjoy, like an unending cycle of payoff and setup that make comics come to life. Putting some tease and hints of certain plot points, however, really isn’t on the same level of possible satisfaction as the eventual payoff that may come out of it.

Knowing that, it does not come as a shock that considering the latest issue of Superior Spider-Man, one filled with many surprises and twist, this issue comes as a bit less exciting. It is hard to top Spider-Ock leading an assault on a Japanese pagoda in Hell’s Kitchen, of course, but the follow-up is perhaps a tad disappointing considering how they continue such a massive act from the previous issue.

It is a smart decision in some manners to see how several people react to such a big event in New York City, yet Slott never really commit to this angle along the issue as we are treated to a continuation of several plot points, with not all of them being connected organically. We see how the cops react to Otto’s new army and his storming of the Kingpin fortress, how some of the people close to Peter see the fact that he is spending much more time as Spider-Man as we see how he might put aside his life in order to dedicate himself to the role of Spider-Man. It’s a nice touch to see Otto struggling with multiple tasks at the same time, seeing things in a different light as he compares himself to Peter Parker, yet it’s so lightly covered that it’s kind of a shame.

Amazing Spider-Man #666 – Review

by Dan Slott (writer), Stefano Caselli (art), Marte Gracia (colors), and Joe Caramagna (letters)

The Story: Life is good, and very busy, for Peter Parker, but unbeknownst to him, more and more people in New York City are gaining spider-powers.

What’s Good: Apparently, Dan Slott and the rest of the crew in the Spider-office take that $3.99 price-tag really seriously.  This is a lot of comic book.  It’s 30 pages of dense storytelling, packed with characterful dialogue and narration that’s entertaining, regardless of the exposition.  It’s also amazing quite how many bases Slott touches upon in these 30 pages.  Not only does Slott set the stage for Spider-Island in ever conceivable way, he also gives us an update on more or less every nook and cranny of Peter Parker’s world.  As a result, the number of characters in this book is pretty damned massive, but because Slott keeps it, for the most part, tightly focused on Peter, Spider-readers won’t get lost.

What’s even more remarkable is what a firm grasp Slott has on this immense cast.  Obviously, his Peter Parker is great, but everyone elses’ dialogue is fun and energetic and every character has his or her own distinct voice.  With so many characters on hand, here, that’s pretty impressive.

All in all, this is just a really big, well-rounded package.  It sets up the state for Spider-Island quite well and will leave you ready and willing to dive in, but more than that, you get a little taste of literally everything and everyone relevant to Slott’s run on ASM thus far.  No stone is left unturned, and as a result, you get a Spidey comic that really feels like a Spidey comic.  With so much in this book, this is a pretty immersive experience, one that really brings you into Peter’s world.

Of course, Caselli’s art doesn’t hurt.  It’s as lively and energetic as ever and while Caselli often puts a lot on the page, in both content and panels, it’s never confused or claustrophobic.  Whether it’s a dialogue scene or an action scene, Caselli’s work always feels fast-paced.