Superior Spider-Man #1

The new improved & slightly pompous Spider-Man with the body of Peter Parker & the soul of Otto Octavius (see Amazing Spider-Man #700) makes his explosive debut! With the incentive to continue to play hero, Otto realizes his adjustment as Peter Parker the scientist is not as easy as he perceived. With a few upgrades to his costume & a cocky attitude, his skills are about to be put to the ultimate test, when Boomerang & the new Sinister Six come looking for trouble.

The Team

Written by Dan Slott (Amazing Spider-Man : Ends of the Earth, She-Hulk : Single Green Female), illustrated by Ryan Stegman (Scarlet Spider Vol. 1 : Life After Death, Riftwar) & coloured by Edgar Delgado. Published by Marvel Comics.

The Pros & Cons

With a disappointing final issue of Amazing Spider-Man (#700), writer Dan Slott redeems himself with a balls out action packed first issue! This new Peter Parker/Spider-Man is cocky, brilliant, arrogant & deadly. Otto as Peter has a great life now, a great job, a friendly relationship with the beautiful Mary Jane that will probably get friendlier & the title of the world’s greatest super hero. It’s a life that Doctor Octopus never would’ve conceived of and with this new life comes disappointments. Things like Peter Parker taking credit for all his new inventions & breakthroughs and not Otto Octavius, who’s dead body is rotting away somewhere.

Ryan Stegman’s illustrations look as sensational as ever, with wild action panels and a return of Todd McFarlane’s thick wraparound Spider-Man webbing from days gone by that still looks fantastic. This is Stegman’s best work since his short, but amazing run on Scarlet Spider. This new, but short lived Sinister Six are kind of a joke, but then I think that’s the point. Although it was fun to see the Big Wheel, the Living Brain, Boomerang, the Beetle, Shocker & Speed Demon, Otto was right, under his management the old Sinister Six were more of an actual threat than these losers will ever be. Would’ve been nice to also see Slyde, Chance, Molten Man & Will O’ The Wisp too, but I’m just being a day dreaming fanboy right now.

The Outcome

Now this comic surprised the hell out of me, but not as surprising as the very last page which I will not spoil here. I expected something like this might happen, but I thought for sure we’d see it several issues down the road, certainly not this early into the game. Having said that, as a Spider-Man freak, I think I’ll enjoy this series and wait with anticipation until the return of the one true Peter Parker (you know it’s gonna happen).