Comic Info
Comic Name: The Superior Spider-Man
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Writer: Dan Slott
Artist: Ryan Stegman/Giuseppe Camuncoli
# of Issues: 5
Release Date: 2013
The Superior Spider-Man #1
Reprints The Superior Spider-Man #1-5 (March 2013-May 2013). Peter Parker is dead, and Doctor Otto Octavius is living inside of his body. Deciding to carry on as Spider-Man, Otto is haunted by Peter’s ghost and finds himself fighting his natural “evil” intuition. Otto has decided he can be a better Spider-Man through his technology and is out to regain Mary Jane as his girlfriend…and he has all the memories of Peter Parker to help him.
Written by Dan Slott and illustrated by Ryan Stegman and Giuseppe Camuncoli, Superior Spider-Man Volume 1: My Own Worst Enemy is the replacement series of The Amazing Spider-Man which ended with Peter’s death in Amazing Spider-Man #700 (February 2013). The series is part of the Marvel NOW! imprint.
I am not the biggest Dan Slott fan. I didn’t really enjoy his Spider-Man and couldn’t make it through the Spider-Island storyline. I did however really enjoy his She-Hulk series…The Superior Spider-Man story falls somewhere between the two.
I do admire that Slott tries different things with Spider-Man, but it is obvious from the beginning of the storyline that this will not be permanent. It is just a matter of time before Peter comes back…so it will become a “how long can he keep it going” situation.
The Superior Spider-Man #5
The story does have some interesting aspects. I do like the Carlie storyline where she suspects Peter (and find the cat-and-mouse game the most interesting aspect). There was some controversy surrounding the Mary Jane part of the story since essentially Otto is sexually seducing her under false pretenses (and raping Peter’s mind for the memories of their relationship). I also think that Otto’s past relationship with Peter’s Aunt May could also lead to some really creepy stuff.
Unfortunately, I don’t much care for most of the characters including the super-villain stuff in the book. I have no interest in the characters like Max and Uatu that Slott created for the series (besides Carlie) and the Vulture aspect of the story is pretty weak. I also find Massacre a pretty boring “super-villain” that could be any generic Punisher villain.
The Superior Spider-Man is an interesting twist on the Spider-Man saga but it feels more like a limited series than its own series since we know Amazing Spider-Man will be back (most of the run of Slott has had this overly drawn out feel). The constant stopping and restarting of series no longer seems to motivating buyers…I don’t simply need another #1 to make me interested (and it kind of turns me off). Superior Spider-Man 1: My Own Worst Enemy is followed by Superior Spider-Man 2: A Troubled Mind.
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Related Links:
Superior Spider-Man 2: A Troubled Mind
