Doc Ock is back in the Spider-Man suit… Or is he? That’s the first question Superior Spider-Man #1 from Marvel seeks to answer.
We reviewed the book on the Stack podcast. But in the interest of highlighting more about the title, here’s a summary of the conversation with our thoughts. And if you prefer the longer audio version, that’s below as well!
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Superior Spider-Man #1 Review:
Dan Slott and Mark Bagley are once again teaming up, this time for a story about Doc Ock searching for his lost memories from his time as the Superior Spider-Man. Plus, a backup story shows what happened to Spider-Boy when Spider-Man was not the best guy in the world.
Host Alex Zalben owned up to loving the Superior Spider-Man era of the book, calling it “bold storytelling, really smartly done… I am so happy to revisit it.” In particular, Zalben was excited about the revelation at the end of the issue, which he called an “oh s**t” moment. “There’s such danger for Peter, and such a power position for Doc Ock.”
As for the backup story, Zalben said that while he’s still not sold on Spider-Boy, he did think the story itself was a “smart Dan Slott idea.”
Pete LePage agreed, calling this a “great Dan Slott comic… He is having so much fun, and it comes through. You can really see his passion for his work here, and it’s hard to ignore. I don’t like Superior Spider-Man, but I do like what he’s doing in this issue.”
Justin Tyler noted that beyond this book, it does, “feel like we have competing Spider-Man continuity to the point where… editorially [I want] them to order this a little bit.” Specifically what Dan Slott is doing here, in Spider-Man and on Spider-Boy seems divorced from what Zeb Wells is doing on Amazing Spider-Man. “I feel like for some reason these books are competing in a way,” Tyler added.
Furthermore, Tyler wanted a little less Spider-Boy in this title, given that it’s a Spider-Man book. “It feels like a press from the writer,” Tyler said. “And when you can feel that in the story, it hurts the experience.”
Superior Spider-Man #1 Official Synopsis:
A SUPERIOR RECKONING! SPIDER-MAN faces a NEW VILLAIN from his SUPERIOR past. As she fries New York with all the power of a living star, DOC OCK makes a life-changing discovery! Mark Bagley and Dan Slott continue their Spider-Man run with this 10th-ANNIVERSARY celebration of everything that made Spider-Man Superior.
