Superior Spider-Man #3 Review

 

Writer: Dan Slott

Penciler: Mark Bagley

Inker: John Dell

Colorist: Edgar Delgado

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Mark Bagley & Edgar Delgado; Rafael Grassetti; Betsy Cola

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $4.99

Release Date: January 24, 2023

 

Doc Ock loved Anna Maria when he was Superior Spider-Man. So, guess who Otto turns to when Supernova takes her hostage? Can Peter Parker and Doc Ock rescue Anna Maria from a living fusion reactor? Let’s thwip into Superior Spider-Man #3 and find out!

 

Story

The would-be rescuers sneak into Oscorp via the air ducts. In Peter's lab, Doc works on a device to rescue their fiery foe. Doc claims they’re building something together, yet he stands with his back to Peter, who draws a chart on a whiteboard. Although Peter has gone this far with Otto, detailing Otto's history from villain to Superior Spider-Man and back to villain helps Peter decide to continue the partnership.

 

Peter pilots a submarine to the Master Planner undersea base. Clad in Otto's Superior Spider-Man suit, Peter must convince the employees he's Otto to secure a crucial element. They'd better hurry! Anna Maria is determined to escape her captivity, but Supernova is impatient for Superior Spider-Man to arrive. If anything infuriates the living nuclear reactor, Supernova might lose control and incinerate Anna Maria in a heartbeat!

 

Dan Slott delivers a delightful story that harkens back to Peter Parker and Doctor Octopus’ earliest battles in Superior Spider-Man #3. Doc Ock’s sorrow over endangering Aunt May is poignant. The touching moment suggests that—despite his insecurities and massive ego—Otto still possesses a shred of a conscience. The nostalgic plot takes a while to get going and may not bear scrutiny, but Peter and Otto's banter--and Slott's whimsical story--delivers laughs and leaves you smiling.

 

 

Art

Penciler Mark Bagley and inker John Dell impart an Old School appearance to characters and situations in Superior Spider-Man #3. The undersea base—which we first glimpse as a hologram in Oscorp—and Otto's Octo-Sub transport us back to an earlier era. Camera angles change height and direction as Otto's Spider-Ling Strike Units snap into action. The privileged few belong to the Arachnaut Units and drive mechs. Tracer fire explodes from rifles like suns and streaks across panels. The Superior Spider-Man leaps above the soldiers before tearing into them on the ground.

 

There's one odd moment as Peter follows Otto's directions yet walks out of the wrong side of the panel. I also wish the artists had sacrificed splash pages for better transitions between laboratory and submarine scenes, as it took several readings before I realized Otto didn't accompany Peter. Mark Bagley and inker John Dell pair shots of Otto and Peter side-by-side, each looking proud and indomitable as the soldiers bow before the Superior Spider-Man. I also like the little touches, such as the varying reflections on the eyes of Peter's mask and how Bagley and Dell overlay Spider-Man against Steve Ditko's art.

 

Although uncredited on the inside front cover, Edgar Delgado lavishes bold, vibrant colors upon Superior Spider-Man #3. Green dominates Doc Ock’s scenes in Peter’s lab, as Oscorp walls and equipment blur blue-green behind Otto's green suit while he gazes at a light-green hologram of his Master Planner base. Red energy bars prevent Anna Maria from leaving her cell, while Supernova blazes with blue-white fire. The Spider-Warriors, clothed in red and blue, carry green-tinged rifles, while the red Arachnaut Units ride their red mechs above their fellows.

 

Joe Caramagna thwips black and colored uppercase dialogue in white balloons and color-edged narrative boxes in Superior Spider-Man #3. Despite the eye-catching sounds of battle, I enjoyed the yellow-and-red sounds of their mobilizing more. Word sizes vary from giant to tiny. Among the latter, I wonder at Otto's contrition. Is he sincere or merely trying to put Peter off his guard?

 

Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy of this superior issue for review.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

In this homage to the storytelling genius of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, Doctor Octavius grows closer to grasping his former mantle. Superior Spider-Man #3 ponders how much a hero can trust a villain and asks: "Do people become evil because they can't trust others?"

 

Rating 8.4/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Superior Spider-Man #1 Review

 

Writer: Dan Slott

Artists: Mark Bagley, John Dell & Nathan Stockman

Colorist: Edgar Delgado

Letterer: Joe Caramagna

Cover Artists: Mark Bagley & Edgar Delgado; Humberto Ramos & Edgar Delgado; Skottie Young; Doaly

Publisher: Marvel

Price: $5.99

Release Date: November 15, 2023

 

While Doctor Octopus wants to remember his past, Spider-Man wants to forget it, and Spider-Boy wishes everyone could remember him. How might the three help each other achieve their desires? Let’s thwip into Superior Spider-Man #1 and find out!

 

Story: Mistaken Identity Crisis

It’s team-up time, with the webslinger mentoring his junior wallcrawler. Mirage suffers from Multiple Body Disorder and a thirst for villainy. Spider-Man realizes Spider-Boy can tackle the jewelry thief, so he lets Bailey take the hits and sort out which Mirage is real.

 

Freed from her containment, Supernova breaks up a spidey-bonding-break over ice cream. She blames Spider-Man for imprisoning her and means to get even. Little does she realize that Doc Ock, who recently released her, once occupied Spider-Man’s body. 

 

 

 

As the villain who imprisoned her follows her trail of fire, his Ocktoids disperse and record the battle from multiple vantage points. Observing Peter's solution to Supernova's Spider-Hunt awakens a dormant memory. The resultant flood of remembrances delivers his fondest desire: how he mastered sustainable nuclear fusion when he was the Superior Spider-Man!

 

In his first story for Super Spider-Man #1, Dan Slott reminds us of Peter and Bailey’s pain. While Peter lost his Spider-Man abilities, he regained his Uncle Ben. With the Web Of Life And Destiny restored his uncle's death hits him afresh. As for Bailey, he finally convinced Peter to let him be his sidekick. Now Spider-Boy must prove himself all over again. Peter’s solution to Supernova’s Spider-Hunt seems odd, considering how he recently tried to enhance his spider sense. Still, perhaps it will give him time to heal.

 

 

 

Story: Negative Reinforcement

Dan Slott’s second story belongs to earlier days when Otto Octavious' consciousness inhabited Peter Parker's body. Spider-Boy rejoices in the increased trust his mentor has placed in him. Eager to prove his worth, Spider-Boy patrols the streets even though Spider-Man orders him to take the evening off. But when he finds a strange mask, it warns him that Spider-Man threatens its owner.

 

In this second tale in Superior Spider-Man #1, Dan Slott explores how our tactile senses shape our perception. Touch can reveal things sight alone cannot perceive. Touch can alter willpower and induce others to do one's bidding. Sadly, touch can also hurt others and scar them physically, emotionally, and mentally. As in Mistaken Identity Crisis, Negative Reinforcement also speaks to what Spider-Boy has lost. Spider-Man trusted Spider-Boy with web shooters and let him tackle more than D-list villains before the Web Of Life And Destiny played its cruel trick upon him.

 

 

Art

Penciler Mark Bagley and inker John Dell impart an Old School appearance to characters. Yet Doc Ock and his Ocktoids look as if they've stepped out of the pages of recent Amazing Spider-Man issues. Their art in Mistaken Identity Crisis also showcases Spidey battling the elements, as he did when Peter recently tried to enhance his spider-sense. Backgrounds never suffer, and the artists populate crowd scenes with expressive faces. They even add a touch of humor by altering the name of a Broadway show displayed in Times Square.

 

Nathan Stockman’s characters elicit modern appeal, and his backgrounds are highly detailed in Negative Reinforcement. Spider-Boy looks less in control, while Spider-Man demonstrates perfect poise and defined musculature. Spider-Boy's attacks look zany, while Otto’s childhood memory proves more haunting than a demonic mask.

 

 

 

Edgar Delgado lavishes bold, vibrant colors upon both stories in Superior Spider-Man #1. While he gives memories limited coloring, a jubilant Doc Ock looks indomitable amid a double-page flood of remembrances. Perhaps Spider-Boy’s psychic revelations look bleached, and gray infuses the ground and night sky more in the second story. But the colors of our heroes’ costumes stand out, and the substitute members of the Fantastic Four are equally eye-catching.

 

Joe Caramagna places uppercase dialogue in white and colored balloons in Superior Spider-Man #1. Character thoughts inhabit colored narrative boxes. Dialogue rarely shrinks for lowered voices, and raised voices are large and colorful. A flurry of energetic and expressive sound effects helps us hear web shooters, explosions, and Ocktoids Assemble. Yet Spider-Boy’s embattled dialogue balloon, struggling to choose between black and white, speaks volumes.

 

Thanks to Marvel for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

While loss and memory haunt Doc Ock, Spider-Man, and Spider-Boy, the pint-size wallcrawler demonstrates surprising resilience in Superior Spider-Man #1.

 

Rating 9.5/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.