by Brian LeTendre
Spider-Verse and Secret Wars have ended (well, technically, Secret Wars is still going, but you get the idea), and now we get to see the new status quo for Peter Parker and the Spider-Man family for the foreseeable future.
Marvel has taken a page out of DC's book and has gone all-in on Spider-man as the flagship character of the comics. In 2015-2016 we'll have the following ongoing series: the aforementioned Amazing Spider-Man, the Miles Morales-led Spider-Man, Spider-Gwen, Silk, Spider-Man 2099 (a personal favorite), Spider-Woman, Web Warriors and Spider-Man/Deadpool. We're also getting new ongoing series for both Venom and Carnage. That's a ton of Spider books, and it's not even counting the kids' line, other limited series, or books that I've forgotten as I write this.
So, how do you keep Peter Parker unique in an increasingly-crowded Spider-family?
Well, Dan Slott and Giuseppe Camuncoli have an interesting answer in issue #1 of Amazing Spider-Man. Building on the Parker Industries storyline of the previous run, Peter Parker has leveraged his scientific abilities into becoming a worldwide tech giant. If you're worried he'll just be Tony Stark 2.0, though--don't. Slott hasn't forgotten what makes Peter Parker tick, and those themes of guilt, responsibility and trying to help as many people as he can are just magnified as the character steps onto a worldwide stage.
And did I mention it's super fun? Becuase it is, and anyone who has read Slott's Spidey before knows that fun is usually the main ingredient.
Spider-Verse and Secret Wars have ended (well, technically, Secret Wars is still going, but you get the idea), and now we get to see the new status quo for Peter Parker and the Spider-Man family for the foreseeable future.
Marvel has taken a page out of DC's book and has gone all-in on Spider-man as the flagship character of the comics. In 2015-2016 we'll have the following ongoing series: the aforementioned Amazing Spider-Man, the Miles Morales-led Spider-Man, Spider-Gwen, Silk, Spider-Man 2099 (a personal favorite), Spider-Woman, Web Warriors and Spider-Man/Deadpool. We're also getting new ongoing series for both Venom and Carnage. That's a ton of Spider books, and it's not even counting the kids' line, other limited series, or books that I've forgotten as I write this.
So, how do you keep Peter Parker unique in an increasingly-crowded Spider-family?
Well, Dan Slott and Giuseppe Camuncoli have an interesting answer in issue #1 of Amazing Spider-Man. Building on the Parker Industries storyline of the previous run, Peter Parker has leveraged his scientific abilities into becoming a worldwide tech giant. If you're worried he'll just be Tony Stark 2.0, though--don't. Slott hasn't forgotten what makes Peter Parker tick, and those themes of guilt, responsibility and trying to help as many people as he can are just magnified as the character steps onto a worldwide stage.
And did I mention it's super fun? Becuase it is, and anyone who has read Slott's Spidey before knows that fun is usually the main ingredient.
Right out of the gate in issue #1, we see Spidey working with Mockingbird to take down a group of thieves who have stolen Parker Industries customer information from the Shanghai branch of PI. The action is great, and features a newly-designed Spider-Mobile. We also get caught up with a good chunk of the supporting cast, and now that Parker Industries is scattered all over the place, there is room for many of the characters to breathe. By the end of issue one, we have a good idea of the landscape that this book will be taking palce in.
Guiseppe Camuncoli's art (with cam Smith's inks and Marte Garcia's colors) is gorgeous to behold. I love the way he draws Spidey, and he conveys emotion wonderfully. He can handle the action as well, which is a good thing, as this book moves fast.
There's only one problem with the first issue of Amazing Spider-Man--the $5.99 price tag. Granted, you do get over 30 pages of story (which are pretty dense as well) and previews of four other Spider-family books, but a six-dollar cover price is steep, and Marvel knows it can get away with it because it's the first issue of a popular character's series.
So, I'll understand if you don't want to drop the money for the first issue, but remember--the pricing has nothing to do with the creators. Slot and company have put together a great opening chapter for Spidey's new adventures, and it's a perfect jumping-on point.
Guiseppe Camuncoli's art (with cam Smith's inks and Marte Garcia's colors) is gorgeous to behold. I love the way he draws Spidey, and he conveys emotion wonderfully. He can handle the action as well, which is a good thing, as this book moves fast.
There's only one problem with the first issue of Amazing Spider-Man--the $5.99 price tag. Granted, you do get over 30 pages of story (which are pretty dense as well) and previews of four other Spider-family books, but a six-dollar cover price is steep, and Marvel knows it can get away with it because it's the first issue of a popular character's series.
So, I'll understand if you don't want to drop the money for the first issue, but remember--the pricing has nothing to do with the creators. Slot and company have put together a great opening chapter for Spidey's new adventures, and it's a perfect jumping-on point.
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