Spider-Man & Wolverine #1 Review

 

Writer: Marc Guggenheim

Artist: Kaare Andrews

Colorist: Brian Reber

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Cover Artists: Kaare Andrews; Mark Bagley & Richard Isanove; Nick Bradshaw & Jim Charalampidis; Clayton Crain; David Marquez & Matthew Wilson; Dike Ruan & Moreno Dinisio

Design: Adam Del Re

Editors: Cy Pedro Beltran, Mark Basso, Tom Brevoort, Nick Lowe & C B Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: May 21, 2025

 

Bill Branscome wants a meetup. So, Wolverine joins him in a HYDRA Safe House in Berlin. As with the fall of the USSR, SHIELD’s disbanding leaves lots of weapons up for grabs. Like James Bond, Bill doesn’t want a database of present and former undercover agents to become public knowledge. Can Wolverine prevent the Janus Directory from falling into the wrong hands? And where does Spider-Man fit into Wolverine’s mission? Let’s grab our Walther PPKs, leap into Spider-Man & Wolverine #1, and see!

 

Story

When Peter Parker arrives at the Coffee Bean, he’s late for another date with Shay. The couple are still trying to figure out if they’re compatible, and Peter’s constant tardiness isn't helping. Like Aunt May, Shay muses about why Peter can't hold a steady job and be a dependable boyfriend. Then Logan rolls in on his chopper and tells Peter to hop on the back. Once again, Peter leaves Shay wondering why she keeps coming back for more disappointment.

 

Marc Guggenheim spins his fast-paced story in a light-hearted, breezy style. Amid the battles he and Wolverine face, drama abounds in Spider-Man & Wolverine #1. Part of the drama comes from the weapons their foes deploy. More comes from the cliffhanger ending, which delves into both the protagonists' backstories. The spectacular foes of Spider-Man and Wolverine welcome the Janus Directory as bait to entrap their mutual nemeses.

 

While it forms a small part of the narrative, a key component of the drama in Spider-Man & Wolverine #1 occurs at the beginning. Peter Parker was working on becoming a better friend. Despite his duties as Spider-Man, Peter carved time out of his schedule for weekly meetings with Miles Morales and the other regulars at the ESU Coffee. Peter also made a commitment to Shay and himself on a pivotal date. Yet he keeps flaking out on subsequent dates with Shay. And each time, Peter assures Shay that the next time will be different.

 

 

 

Art

Kaare Andrews immediately impresses with Wolverine slashing apart HYDRA agents. Bill Branscome leans against brickwork in a tunnel, illuminated by his cigarette lighter. Images of Logan as a sniper and a secret agent overlay his profile. Spider-Man performs a midair costume change into civilian attire while somersaulting down to his date. Kaare Andrews overlays similar memories over Peter's profile. Then Logan rolls in on his Harley in a leather jacket, tosses Peter a helmet, and says, "Let's ride."

 

Brian Reber lavishes bright colors on scenes that rarely fill more than half a page. Yellow and orange fill panels as Omega Red and Kraven the Hunter unleash destruction on a SHIELD helicarrier. Black dominates a page of Spider-Man & Wolverine #1 as one character struggles with fear. Yet green and magenta remind us of Spider-Man's troubled past and perhaps hint at the reason he struggles to commit to Shay.

 

Travis Lanham fills white dialogue balloons and colored narrative boxes with black, uppercase letters. The words grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink for lowered voices. Stylish yellow and red banners introduce the locations in this fast-paced, dialogue-filled story. Sound effects accompany Logan greeting Bill, Kraven emulating Hawkeye’s attack on Nick Fury’s helicarrier, and Peter channeling his Computer Science lessons at ESU.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

While striving to do our best, sometimes what we do isn’t very nice. In Spider-Man & Wolverine #1, Logan’s past reminds us of the difficulties in keeping a group of like-minded people together, whether it's an organization like SHIELD, a team like the Avengers, or a relationship between two loving people.

 

Rating 9.2/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.