When it comes to the mainline Spider-Man comic books it has been a while since a Peter Parker comic book hit. Amazing Spider-Man just has taken a direction that I just could not get into no matter how many chances I’ve given Zeb Wells run. Luckily we got Greg Weisman and Humberto Ramos to try their hand at delivering a Spider-Man series in the Earth-616 Marvel Universe. It comes in the form of The Spectacular Spider-Men starring Peter Parker and Miles Morales. How will Friendly Neighborhood Duo first adventure go? Let’s find out with The Spectacular Spider-Men #1.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Greg Weisman
Artist: Humberto Ramos
Inker: Victor Olazaba
Colorist: Edgar Delgado
Letterer: Joe Caramagna
SOLICIATION
“The stars of two of Marvel’s biggest series come together in their first ongoing series ever! That’s right, Peter Parker and Miles Morales are going to team up on the regular, comparing notes and using said notes to take on some of their most dangerous bad guys. This duo is better than dynamic, amazing, sensational, superior… they’re SPECTACULAR!
And with Greg Weisman, writer of the fan-favorite animated Spectacular Spider-Man series, returning to Spidey along with Spider-Legend Humberto Ramos, you know it’s going to be epic.” – Marvel Comics
REVIEW
Right away, from the opening Greg Weisman and Humberto Ramos establish the mission statement of The Spectacular Spider-Men #1. That mission statement is “fun.” This isn’t going to change how we see Spider-Man titles but it didn’t need to. Simply leaning into the strength of Peter Parker and Miles Morales’ strengths as lead characters was enough.
That’s where the opening was so important. Weisman and Ramos nail the tone of voice and style that Peter and Miles bring to the table. You immediately trust this creative team to understand both characters. They each have their own distinct styles that goes beyond their different Spider-Man costumes.
Throughout The Spectacular Spider-Men #1 Weisman makes sure there is a consistency to the dialogue, so Peter and Miles don’t blend. Which is important as they are always sharing screen time together. Even with how many team-ups they’ve had with other heroes Peter and Miles are solo heroes. With their dynamic on display we see how they aren’t used to teaming up together. Which is a good starting point for this series as we can see their partnership grow over the course of this series.
Though the framing of the story did turn out to be a double edge sword. The continuous shift between the past of Peter and Miles hanging out and the Spider-Men vs Jackal fight became to much halfway into The Spectacular Spider-Men #1. It felt like there was a deep concern that the reader’s attention would be lost. A more focused experience where we would’ve helped the overall pacing.
That said, the flashback did help in establishing The Spectacular Spider-Men will blend both Peter and Miles’ worlds. Digging deeper into Peter and Miles supporting cast help differentiate it from their respective solo titles. It further showcases how deep the Spider-Man supporting cast is that we don’t need MJ, Ganke, Aunt May, or Rio Morales in every title. It also works into the setting of Peter and Miles going to a coffee shop and running into people they know. It adds a grounded element to the story.
Jackal was a fitting first villain for the Spider-Men to fight. The villain was more of a means to an end. In this case it was to show where Peter and Miles are at with their team work. Which as we see is in the room for improvement. At the same time, the Jackal leads into a bigger story as we learn someone else was involved in his rampage. That gives a good hook to follow-up on from here.
Ramos artwork had the high energy you expect from a Spider-Man comic book. Ramos artwork is at its best when showcasing the Spider-Men in action. He has a great flow to the action that fits with the agility-based fighting style of both Peter and Miles. It was a good compliment of the Hulk-like Jackal.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The Spectacular Spider-Men #1 is a solid start to the Peter Parker and Miles Morales-led series. Greg Weisman and Humberto Ramos capture the chemistry of the Spider-Men well. The one-shot style storytelling helped establish the foundation of this series. It was certainly a fun Spider-Man comic book, which is all we can ask for.
Story Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10