Trade Report: Superior Spider-Man Vol. 1

The trade I read this week was:

The Superior Spider-Man Vol. 1:  My Own Worst Enemy

Writer:  Dan Slott
Artists:  Ryan Stegman and Giuseppe Camuncoli

This version of Spider-Man has an interesting twist. it's Peter Parker's body, with Otto Octavius's (Doctor Octopus) consciousness running the show.


I have not read the events leading to this series, but from what I gather, Doctor Octopus switched souls with Spider-Man, and then Doc Ock died.  This left Otto inside of Peter's mind, with all of his memories and super abilities.  Because of this, Otto now feels compelled to not only fight crime, but take Spider-Man to the next level, making him the, "Superior Spider-Man."

Fairly early on in the book, we find out that a small portion of Peter Parker is still inside, and he is acting as the invisible conscious of this new bad ass Spidey.

This has to be one of the most hyped books of 2013.  I've seen this thing get rave reviews, show up on multiple top ten lists, and plastered all over the place.  OK Marvel, you've got my attention.

Now, before I get into this review, I need to tell you something.  I am completely biased.  I pretty much hate the direction that Spider-Man has been headed for years, and it was all orchestrated by Dan Slott.  Slott is the reason there is a Superior Spider-Man title, and he also wrote it.

I'm not really into it.  The book is kind of heavy handed, with a lot of characters resorting to the whole, "Peter/Spider-Man would never act like that....."  It happens every 3 pages.  We get to meet a new Sinister Six, which was the bad guy super team originally formed with Doc Ock, and then hear all of his opinions on how bad they suck.  Like he was any better.  There is a lot of the new Spidey alienating people in Peter's life, while "ghost Peter" just stands around complaining about all the work he's going to have to do when he, "gets back."

It reminds me a lot of the 90's (Dan Slott has a 90's comic writer's heart, it is a big part of why I don't care for his writing), when Batman's back was broken by Bane, and he had to pass on the mantle to Azrael.  He was the crazy vigilante who was bunking up in the Batcave for some reason.  There was a progression of Azrael using excessive violence, altering the classic costume, and shutting out people close to Batman.  Robin was very much the "Ghost Peter" of that arc.  The way this Spider-Man story is headed (I'm like 20 issues behind, and I've seen the covers of the books), it seems very similar in structure, except for two key things.

The first part is, in the Spider-Man book, the over-all public seems to really embrace the "new" Superior Spider-Man.  J Jonah Jameson does a complete 180 on his hate for Spider-Man (It is pretty terrible) and makes a "Spider-Symbol" to shine in the sky when the city needs him (I swear to god).  In the Batman book, the opposite chain of events happens.  Azrael gets crazier and crazier, and severs all ties with friends Batman knows, alienating everyone.  This makes people question him and his actions.

The second thing, is that the actual people reading comics seem to have done a 180 as well.  In the 90's, people were pissed that Batman had been replaced with an overly violent, more tactical character.  In the 2010's, people seem to love the idea of a smarter, more dangerous Spider-Man.

Call me old fashioned, but I like my Spider-Man a little clumsy and down on his luck.  Peter Parker is a character who is constantly putting himself ahead of others, and having his personal life suffer for it.  I don't have anything really against a "new" Spider-Man, I guess I just don't like that I'm supposed to root for a villain, just because he looks like the guy I really like.

So I really don't know what to think.  I'm the kind of nerd who wants to keep up with Spider-Man, I have been reading it for 25 years, but things like this make it real tough.  The fact that it's popular makes it even harder! This means that the public approves, and that people are willing to buy it.

It took me a while to pick up this first volume, so it'll probably be a while before I forget, again, and ask myself, "Why am I not reading Spider-Man anymore?" and go pick up another trade.

I do not recommend this book.

Sorry, but he's a menace.