Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Paco Medina
Colorist: Erick Arciniega
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
Cover Artists: Paco Medina & Edgar Delgado; Humberto Ramos & Edgar Delgado; Jason Loo; Todd Nauck & Rachelle Rosenberg
Designer: Adam Del Re
Editors: Tom Groneman, Nick Lowe & CB Cebulski
Publisher: Marvel
Price: $4.99
Release Date: June 25, 2025
Years ago, Mr Negative’s Inner Demons abducted people from the FEAST Center. Madame Monstrosity turned the hijacked Homeless into Humanimals. Mr Negative turned the animalized men into his Inner Demons, while Madame Monstrosity forced the women and children to work at her farm. So, when Bailey unmasks an Inner Demon attacking Christina, he recognizes the Humanimal as a former resident of FEAST.
Bailey promised to help Mr Krupke become Human again. When Christina’s Pidgeon Power blossomed, Bailey advised her to use it with restraint. Bailey used his abilities to plan their heist and assured Spider-Man that he had everything covered. Yet when Spider-Man saw Bailey disobeying his rules, he refused to hear Bailey’s explanation. The adult hero told Bailey to shut up and that his plan was stupid. Then Spider-Man took away Bailey's costume. Can Bailey change Spider-Man's mind? Or are his days being Spider-Man's sidekick over? Hellifino! Let's slip on our unstable molecule sneakers, leap into Spider-Boy #20, and find out!
Story
Spider-Man took a lot of convincing before he allowed Spider-Boy to be his sidekick. He took heat from others for letting a 10-year-old place himself and others in danger. Spider-Man has watched Spider-Boy go from requesting money from recipients of his aid to helping people without expecting anything in return. But when he realizes that Bailey still commands a group of ninjas, Spider-Man decides that Bailey needs an intervention.
Bailey is Spider-Man's sidekick. Yet Spider-Man didn't train him. And Bailey has had more adventures without Peter than with him. In Spider-Boy #20, Spider-Man approaches the hero who knows Bailey best. When Spider-Man suggests how Bailey could go wrong, Daredevil argues that Bailey has a good head on his shoulders. He urges Spider-Man to trust his sidekick more. But when he learns Spider-Boy still controls the Gaping Maw, Daredevil agrees to help Spider-Man convince Bailey to free them.
Dan Slott leavens his story with humor and endearing moments as Spider-Boy tries to wield his immense power and resources responsibly. Those who have influenced Bailey's development reunite for a final battle. But as Spider-Boy weighs complex moral choices with helping others. Still, he takes the time to correct a wrong and ease a character's pain in Spider-Boy #20.
Art
Paco Medina's layouts stretch across pages as Spider-Man clutches Bailey's uniform before him like an accusation. After refusing to relinquish it, Spider-Man drops Bailey's mask when lightning surrounds his head. Bailey turns his back on his hero and walks away, his features filled with anger and determination. Then he sprawls on his throne, clutching a smoothie as he regards his kowtowing servants.
As Erick Arciniega lavishes a loaded palette on Spider-Boy #20, Bailey wears a light green shirt and gray-green shorts. His servants wear green and gold uniforms as they wield their golden bō staffs. A gray Humanimal Shark charges down the street, evoking Jack of Hearts and the dome at Stillwell Farms. Spider-Boy dons a new uniform, replacing some of his familiar red and blue with gray and black. Then Bailey offers a yellow and black uniform to another character, even if what the recipient does isn’t always nice.
Characters speak uppercase black letters in dialogue balloons. The words grow bold for intonation, swell for volume, and rarely shrink. Yellow block letters locate us in time and space. Dialogue changes colors for Bailey's pronouncement and his evil laughter. Joe Caramagna’s sound effects help us hear Bailey request his minions’ aid and the hissing that means everything to one man. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy.
Final Thoughts
Lawyers can use their knowledge of the law to clarify confusing situations or exploit it to encourage lawbreakers. While Daredevil plays both sides with Spider-Man and Bailey, Spider-Boy #20 reminds us how often Bailey has gone it alone and doesn’t need to be anyone’s sidekick.
Rating 9.7/10
To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.
No comments:
Post a Comment