Superior Spider-Man #7
The real world moves at an incredibly fast pace, but Marvel comics has never conformed to the real world. Marvel needs to slow down and appreciate a great character like Peter Parker.
When Dan Slott took over The Amazing Spider-Man title the industry was very excited. Over time that excitement had died down and Slott did made some radical adjustments to the protagonist. These changes did not spark any genuine excitement among readers due to the rapid pace of Marvel comics. After reading these first half dozen issues or so, it seem that the scripting behind the series has been the real enemy of the series. The dialogue is cheesy and the characters are two dimensional in this world.
When cutting through those inherent flaws of the medium, Slott’s story is well thought out. Showing how Superior Spidey would react to this villain who is really something of an anti-hero is interesting. The ideas behind the plot for this issue also draw attention to the character of Doctor Octopus. The doctor is completely unlikeable and not entertaining to watch as Spider-Man. Writers of antiheroes often say a way to keep the audience engaged in the character is to make them good at their job. Even though Doc Ock is a scientist, his poor attitude makes the common reader feel as if they are smarter than him. If the reader does not like the protagonist of the title many of the plot points and flaws will stick out further than necessary. Early on in the pages of the title flashes of brilliance were sparked such as the way that Superior Spider-Man handled his relationship with Mary Jane. Those sparks have have gone out and all that is a left is unlikeable human trapped in the shoes of Peter Parker.
The art of Humberto Ramos is also taxing on the quality of the title. Ramos fits awkwardly in this story that cannot decide tone. His pencils are loose and full of energy as always, but the style does not fit the character or do the scripting of Slott justice. Assessing the pencils of Humberto are maddening because his work does not seem fit for a regular Marvel title. While one could argue that these pencils are simply stylized, the style does not work within the context of the story.
Even though this series and issue are riddled with problems there are a few good scenes here. The first is Peter learning how to regain control of his body while the Doc Ock is sleeping. This scene is interesting to watch because we as the reader are rooting for Parker as he tests his control. The last sequence in the issue is written with finesse as The Avengers are fed up with Ock Spidey. The following scene takes place with more restrained dialogue and a reserved sense of Slott scripting that has been mostly absent from the series. Doc Ock is a shell of a man and when the cards are down he proves what is truly within his character. If the Superior Spider-Man has intended to redeem Octavious, it has failed miserably. Marvel promises big things for the title in issue #9 and after reading the end of this title it seems more likely that Marvel will prove reliable.
When Dan Slott took over The Amazing Spider-Man title the industry was very excited. Over time that excitement had died down and Slott did made some radical adjustments to the protagonist. These changes did not spark any genuine excitement among readers due to the rapid pace of Marvel comics. After reading these first half dozen issues or so, it seem that the scripting behind the series has been the real enemy of the series. The dialogue is cheesy and the characters are two dimensional in this world.
When cutting through those inherent flaws of the medium, Slott’s story is well thought out. Showing how Superior Spidey would react to this villain who is really something of an anti-hero is interesting. The ideas behind the plot for this issue also draw attention to the character of Doctor Octopus. The doctor is completely unlikeable and not entertaining to watch as Spider-Man. Writers of antiheroes often say a way to keep the audience engaged in the character is to make them good at their job. Even though Doc Ock is a scientist, his poor attitude makes the common reader feel as if they are smarter than him. If the reader does not like the protagonist of the title many of the plot points and flaws will stick out further than necessary. Early on in the pages of the title flashes of brilliance were sparked such as the way that Superior Spider-Man handled his relationship with Mary Jane. Those sparks have have gone out and all that is a left is unlikeable human trapped in the shoes of Peter Parker.
The art of Humberto Ramos is also taxing on the quality of the title. Ramos fits awkwardly in this story that cannot decide tone. His pencils are loose and full of energy as always, but the style does not fit the character or do the scripting of Slott justice. Assessing the pencils of Humberto are maddening because his work does not seem fit for a regular Marvel title. While one could argue that these pencils are simply stylized, the style does not work within the context of the story.
Even though this series and issue are riddled with problems there are a few good scenes here. The first is Peter learning how to regain control of his body while the Doc Ock is sleeping. This scene is interesting to watch because we as the reader are rooting for Parker as he tests his control. The last sequence in the issue is written with finesse as The Avengers are fed up with Ock Spidey. The following scene takes place with more restrained dialogue and a reserved sense of Slott scripting that has been mostly absent from the series. Doc Ock is a shell of a man and when the cards are down he proves what is truly within his character. If the Superior Spider-Man has intended to redeem Octavious, it has failed miserably. Marvel promises big things for the title in issue #9 and after reading the end of this title it seems more likely that Marvel will prove reliable.
A Look Inside
