New Spider-Man Comic Book Is Not Quite Superior
In the wake of the events from The Amazing Spider-Man #700 comes a brand new Spider-Man comic book to replace The Amazing Spider-Man. Named The Superior Spider-Man, the title change is supposed to reflect the nature of the new Spider-Man.
In case you've been out of the loop, the comic book world was torn asunder in late December when in The Amazing Spider-Man #700 a dying Doctor Octopus transferred his consciousness into Spider-Man's mind. At the same time, Peter Parker, Spider-Man's secret identity, wound up in Doctor Octopus' dying body. In the issue, Peter tried to confront his nemesis and switch the minds back. Shockingly, he failed and died in Doctor Octopus's body. However, he was able to transfer his emotions and memories into his foe's mind and Doctor Octopus in Spider-Man's body had a change of heart. He empathized with Peter's POV and resolved to become heroic.
The new comic book The Superior Spider-Man picks up some time later. By now, Spider-Man (still just Doctor Octopus but for brevity's sake he'll be referred to as Spider-Man) altered his costume by adorning himself with claws on his hands and feet. In terms of costumes, it isn't as radically different as say the one worn by Peter during the early part of the Civil War, so why bother making the subtle changes? Most fans are now accepting of changes to Spider-Man's costume so something really different would've been fine. It's probably Marvel Comics' way of having it both ways.
The new series is part of their company-wide soft reboot for their comics called Marvel NOW! and as with their other comics the results are mixed. Probably the weakest part of the new series is the art by Ryan Stegman. Some of the action scenes are very condensed and crowded into small panels. One issue with this type of art is that it took me several panels to realize that the new Beetle in the Sinister Six team was actually a woman! This comic book could've used more splash pages to showcase the new Spider-Man. The other panels that illustrate Spider-Man's civilian life were fine and got the job done. Dan Slott the former writer for The Amazing Spider-Man carries on his duties in this new comic and his efforts are probably the best thing about the new series. Slott provides a sense of continuity and has a firm grasp of what works for Spider-Man. In The Superior Spider-Man readers see a new side to the hero and it's not the old whiny Peter theatrics.
Now, Spider-Man comes off as elitist, arrogant and sometimes savage, which shows how Doctor Octopus' personality is dominant. Apparently, despite his proclamations in the 700th issue of The Amazing Spider-Man about turning over a new leaf it seems as if he's only living a cover. He bridles at the praise that Peter receives at his job–due to his new innovations, and he is rather lustful towards Mary Jane Watson. It's amusing to see how after all the trouble Marvel went through to break the couple up, Peter and Mary Jane are winding up back together. Anyway, it is fun to see Spider-Man enjoying the fruits of his labor while secretly seething that Parker/Spider-Man is getting all the adulations. Then again the way that Spider-Man behaves in his civilian guise is so broadly different when around people he knows that you have to wonder why no one is questioning his behavior. Why doesn't he make more of an effort to act like Peter? Not doing so will eventually give himself away.
Still despite his new dominant persona there are already signs at the end of the first issue that Peter Parker will make a comeback. IOW all that hoopla about the death of Peter Parker was of course for naught. It just reaffirms the cynical reader about the nature of these character deaths. There's a solid feeling that this situation with Spider-Man won't last long and before anyone knows it, Peter Parker will find his way back to his original body and all will be the same again. So it is hard to get that emotionally invested into this new development or the comic book. It's just a temporary plot device and can only be enjoyed on that level.
Waldermann Rivera