Edge of Spider-Geddon #1 Review
Writer: Jed MacKay
Artist: Gerardo Sandoval
Colorist: Brian Reber
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Spider-Verse again. BECAUSE WE DEMANDED IT, right? At least it’s its own thing this time and not derailing the main book. So far it looks like Spider-Geddon isn’t going to do anything different, but it could be too early to tell. And if not, then maybe it will just do it better? I’m an optimist. Most of the time.
The first of this event’s “Edge of” preludes focus on Hobie Brown, AKA Spider-Punk. Sorry, Spider-Man. That’s the running joke throughout the book — him constantly insisting that his name isn’t Spider-Punk. The issue focuses on him fleeing from Kang the Conglomerator, seemingly because he knows he can’t fight him, even though he doesn’t even try and doesn’t seem to know who he is, which kind of makes him a bit unlikeable. What a story like this depends on in order to be as enjoyable as possible is intelligent exchanges between characters. Unfortunately, I don’t think Jed MacKay succeeds here. He doesn’t seem to know just what kind of anarchists Hobie or his friends are, and if you like to nitpick like me(!), you’ll be stopping at things they say to say to yourself, “huh?” On the positive side, this issue does have a cool bait and switch with a surprise guest appearance. This character did make me interested in seeing more of the punk or authoritarian versions of heroes and villains we’re already familiar with. It does give the issue a relatively satisfying climax, but it’s a shame we didn’t get to see more stuff like it.
...I didn’t know Gerardo Sandoval was on this book when I picked it up. I really don’t like his art style, and everything I didn’t like about it before is still here. So to avoid totally harping on something negative about the issue when it generally doesn’t deserve it, I’ll talk about Brian Reber’s colors and how they made the visuals much better. I was surprised at how strongly his lighting gave me an idea of what textures costumes had. I generally associate Sandoval’s art with a world that feels usually claustrophobic and bleak, so Reber’s backgrounds and thematic hues were a relative breath of fresh air.
Spider-Doom preludes have never been actual preludes. They’ve never been actually necessary to understand what’s happening when the main event kicks off. Whether or not I can recommend this book to you depends on how interested you already are in the main character or how the writing makes it entertaining regardless. Unfortunately, I can’t say that it does the latter well enough to justify adding it to your stack this week, but if you’re a fan of Hobie, I say go for it.
Artist: Gerardo Sandoval
Colorist: Brian Reber
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Spider-Verse again. BECAUSE WE DEMANDED IT, right? At least it’s its own thing this time and not derailing the main book. So far it looks like Spider-Geddon isn’t going to do anything different, but it could be too early to tell. And if not, then maybe it will just do it better? I’m an optimist. Most of the time.
The first of this event’s “Edge of” preludes focus on Hobie Brown, AKA Spider-Punk. Sorry, Spider-Man. That’s the running joke throughout the book — him constantly insisting that his name isn’t Spider-Punk. The issue focuses on him fleeing from Kang the Conglomerator, seemingly because he knows he can’t fight him, even though he doesn’t even try and doesn’t seem to know who he is, which kind of makes him a bit unlikeable. What a story like this depends on in order to be as enjoyable as possible is intelligent exchanges between characters. Unfortunately, I don’t think Jed MacKay succeeds here. He doesn’t seem to know just what kind of anarchists Hobie or his friends are, and if you like to nitpick like me(!), you’ll be stopping at things they say to say to yourself, “huh?” On the positive side, this issue does have a cool bait and switch with a surprise guest appearance. This character did make me interested in seeing more of the punk or authoritarian versions of heroes and villains we’re already familiar with. It does give the issue a relatively satisfying climax, but it’s a shame we didn’t get to see more stuff like it.
...I didn’t know Gerardo Sandoval was on this book when I picked it up. I really don’t like his art style, and everything I didn’t like about it before is still here. So to avoid totally harping on something negative about the issue when it generally doesn’t deserve it, I’ll talk about Brian Reber’s colors and how they made the visuals much better. I was surprised at how strongly his lighting gave me an idea of what textures costumes had. I generally associate Sandoval’s art with a world that feels usually claustrophobic and bleak, so Reber’s backgrounds and thematic hues were a relative breath of fresh air.
Spider-Doom preludes have never been actual preludes. They’ve never been actually necessary to understand what’s happening when the main event kicks off. Whether or not I can recommend this book to you depends on how interested you already are in the main character or how the writing makes it entertaining regardless. Unfortunately, I can’t say that it does the latter well enough to justify adding it to your stack this week, but if you’re a fan of Hobie, I say go for it.
A Look Inside
