There’s an inherent tension in Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto’s Ultimate Spider-Man. In fact, it’s one that’s almost at odds with this version of Peter Parker, an aimless mid-30s floater who has been gifted a Spider-Man costume, with all the power that implies — but none of the responsibility. And it’s a tension that Hickman is clearly aiming to deal with, based on the cliffhanger to Ultimate Spider-Man #7.
I won’t spoil what happens on the final page in this review (though due to the pace of solicits, Marvel has already spoiled it in the tease for next month’s issue), but the bulk of the pages deal with the burgeoning relationship between Harry Osborn and Peter, and the paths they’re taking to become the hero — and villain — comic book readers know they could be.
The question that arises in every issue, though, is which is which? Peter, as mentioned, is a good guy family man with a wife who loves him and two precocious kids. He always felt he was meant for something more, and then one day Iron Man showed up with a costume and powers and said: “Yep, you are special.” Meanwhile, Harry was born with a silver spoon in his mouth but watched his parents die. He inherited a suit of armor but has used it to educate himself, to train himself, to make himself into a hero. Peter was told to be a hero, but he has yet to win a fight; most of the time, it’s Harry goading him on to be more proactive.
And in this issue, that divide becomes even more pronounced thanks to — and spoilers past this point — Otto Octavius discovering both their suits have a built-in AI. Peter chooses his own voice to be the personality of his AI. Harry chooses his father, Norman. The latter sure seems like a terrible idea to anyone familiar with the Green Goblin mythology. And in the pages, the goading voice of Norman tells Harry he’s not good enough, and pushes him to pummel Peter during a training session.
But Peter’s inner voice is milquetoast. He tells himself he’s an awesome father and husband. He tells himself to hold back and not punch so hard. Even with all this power, Peter is just wandering through life. He’s every privileged Millenial who was told he was special by his parents, and believed it — then discovered the rest of the world doesn’t hold you in as high regard as your mom and dad.
That tension I mentioned earlier comes from the very real question of what makes a hero, and what makes a villain. Is Peter, a man with a ton of power who has never suffered real loss and has nothing to motivate him, a hero? Or when shown real loss, will something shift to make him the villain? And the same with Harry: yes, the AI of his father is pushing him too hard; but isn’t that what a hero needs? To always be better?
Who really is the Ultimate hero here? We’re at a turning point for this book, and it’s clear that things may not quite go the way we think.
Ultimate Spider-Man #7 is now in stores everywhere from Marvel.
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