Writer: Greg Weisman
Penciler: Humberto Ramos
Inker: Victor Olazaba
Colorist: Edgar Delgado
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Cover Artists: Humberto Ramos & Edgar Delgado; Carmen Carnero & Nolan Woodard; Mike McKone & Alex Sinclair; Will Sliney & Rachelle Rosenberg [Homage]
Publisher: Marvel
Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 17, 2024
When Dr. Seymour Krepps switched the power on in Miles Warren’s laboratory at Empire State University, he awakened the Jackal Hulk. The ferocious clone broke out of its containment chamber and rampaged across E.S.U. After capturing the creature, Peter and Miles Morales joined Dr. Krepps and Professor Raymond Aaron Warren in Jackal's laboratory, where they found a smoking Human corpse. How might Jackal's experiments and a new computer game interrupt Peter and Miles’ caffeinated chats at The Coffee Bean? Let’s grab our lattes, thwip into The Spectacular Spider-Men #2, and find out!
Story
NYPD Detective Shari Sebbins studies the burned skeleton in the morgue after Dr. Jane Foster's forensic examination. Jane Foster concludes that the man didn’t burn to death. Instead, each cell of the man’s body exploded. Did the Jackal Hulk do this? Or has Losira found a more spectacular way of killing people like Captain Kirk and U.S.S. Enterprise geologist D’Amato? “I am for you [Insert Name Here].”
Whatever the case, this prompts Jackal's brother, Professor Raymond Warren, to spend more time with Dr. Krepps instead of teaching at Midtown High. As the colleagues investigate Jackal's laboratory, Professor Warren grows intrigued when his friend’s taste in beverage changes.
Miles’ friend Cedrick has long adored Shelly. He’s plighted his troth to no avail. In The Spectacular Spider-Men #2, Shelly meets Cedric one night, tells him her feelings have changed, and promises to leave her beau Kenny. But when he meets her later at The Coffee Bean, Shelly affirms her love for Kenny and pretends their night together didn’t happen.
Miles grew up with Cedrick. He worries about his friend in The Spectacular Spider-Men #2. Peter accompanies Miles as they tail the distraught lover. But they lose Cedric, and when their trail leads into the sewers, they discover that Number Five is alive. Unfortunately, Number Five isn't a robot and has no plans to move to Montana.
Art
Humberto Ramos and Victor Olazaba celebrate Miles's late arrival at The Coffee Bean with a double-page scene broken into panels. The staggered shots portray Miles' interactions with Shelly, Kenny, Professor Warren, and Sha Shan as he walks through the crowded coffee shop to Peter's table. Professor Warren glances up from his copy of The Daily Bugle bearing the headline Too Many Spider-Men and smiles at Miles. A woman seated with her back to Miles reads a He-Hulk comic. Peter and Miles clink together cups with their names written on them.
Edgar Delgado lavishes a loaded palette on The Spectacular Spider-Men #2. Scenes during the day, such as Miles' coffee shop entrance, shine brilliantly. Yet Delgado makes night scenes involving another Marvel hero and two lovers in Italy equally eye-catching. When the Spider-Men descent into the greenish sewers, light reflects off the costumes and illuminates their angry adversaries. Delgado's lighting and color choices help us understand how much Peter values their Wednesday meetups (when he should be visiting his local comic shop) and feel the danger he and Miles face as they battle more of Jackal’s creations.
Joe Caramagna thwips uppercase letters into white balloons and colored narrative boxes. The appealing font rarely shrinks. Dialogue often grows bold, changes color, or enlarges. Amid the bodies hurled against the brick-lined tunnels and those splashing in the festering fluids, a spine-tingling hissing fills the darkness in The Spectacular Spider-Men #2.
Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.
Final Thoughts
In The Spectacular Spider-Men #2, Jackal's cloning experiments continue to threaten society. Some students prove more adept than others at discerning fantasy from reality. Greg Weisman's Spider-ode to Cheers spins a healthy web of Thwippage and Quippage while reminding us that nurturing relationships is as important as accomplishing personal and career goals.
Rating 9.4/10
To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
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