Ultimate Spider-Man hit a major turning point with its fourteenth issue. That turning point saw Harry Osborn, aka Green Goblin, dying just as it looked like he and Peter Parker defeated Kraven the Hunter and escaped the Savage Lands. With Harry positioned to be such an important character in the Ultimate Universe his loss is a big one. Especially as Harry and Peter were finally reaching the level of being best friends as their Earth-616 counterparts. What is next from here? Let’s find out with Ultimate Spider-Man #15.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: David Messina
Colorist: Matthew Wilson
Letterer: Cory Petit
ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #15 SOLICITATION
“THE ULTIMATE SANDMAN ATTACKS! As the dust settles from the events of recent issues, Peter, MJ and the kids take a family vacation — but nowhere is safe for Ultimate Spider-Man!” – Marvel Comics
REVIEW
Ultimate Spider-Man #15 is a much-needed chiller story that Peter Parker and his family needed after the last few months in their lives. At any other point this Parker family vacation story would be a filler story. But to Jonathan Hickman and David Messina’s credit they make sure this family vacation story further progresses things through strong character development.
The opening page is a strikingly different moment to how we last left things in this series. Seeing an almost fully healed Peter Parker at a desert campsite is as visual different from the city life we’ve seen him in. It sets the tone of the Parker family aren’t just simply on the run or in hiding. This is a reset they needed to reassess their next steps as much as it is about them laying low.
This setting also is a simple and natural way to further highlight how Ultimate Peter and Mary Jane dynamic together. While we don’t know how long they’ve been out camping they’ve spent enough time in the community they are in to be friendly with their neighbors. Hickman has such a great way of making the interactions Peter and MJ have with their neighbors read as natural interactions. This helps set-up how the connections they’ve made has allowed them to at least be able to communicate with Gwen Stacy and Uncle Ben without being found.
With this setting Hickman is also able to spend more time building up there now being two Spider-Man. The one weakness in this story angle is that Hickman does not fully explain why Peter doesn’t take back his Picotech suit. Especially since Richard Parker does not have powers like Peter. And you would think after the experience with Kraven that Peter wouldn’t want his son to be directly involved with the Sinister Six conflict or fighting other villains. It does seem that there was some explanation made off screen that we are just not given.
That said, Hickman does a great job at how Peter addresses both his son and the Picotech AI. Peter adding rules to the Picotech AI about protecting his son as a priority further shows his care for his family.
The battle with Sandman also works to at least show that Richard with the Picotech AI’s help is a competent Spider-Man who can help his father. Though there is still the question how far Richard can go relying on the AI and Picotech’s transformative capabilities? Afterall, Peter barely survived fighting Kraven and that was with him having his powers along with the Picotech suit.
In terms of villain plot, the Sandman story was where the filler feeling does come through in Ultimate Spider-Man #15. The ties to Sandman’s origin story to the Maker’s Council does help provide some connection to the greater things going on in the Ultimate Universe. Though he is still treated as just a villain of the week with how quickly he comes and goes.
Ending this issue with what is going on back in New York City was the strong hook Ultimate Spider-Man #15 needed. Wilson Fisk trying to intimidate Ben Parker and J. Jonah Jameson emphasizes the threats waiting for Peter and his family back in New York. Fisk using his connections to wipe out Ben Reilly’s, one of who was Ben and Jonah’s source, from the world is an impactful show of force. Ben and Jonah not backing down from the threat does create greater interest in what role both will continue to serve in this series.
While not a big emphasis, Peter and MJ also discussing being unable to reach Gwen Stacy is something to watch out for. Thus far Gwen has been a minor character in Ultimate Spider-Man. But now with Harry’s death we could see Gwen become a key part of the series. Especially since she is now the last remaining part of the Osborn legacy in the Ultimate Universe. That fact alone provides a lot of intrigue with what Hickman has planned for Ultimate Gwen Stacy.
David Messina does a very good job at maintaining the style Marco Checchetto established for Ultimate Spider-Man. There are some obvious differences between their art styles but the look this series has had is still here. That is especially seen with how Messina draws the Spider-Men vs Sandman fight. The choreography is on point to show the three different fighting styles that are on display. Messina also nails making Wilson Fisk appear as intimidating as you would expect the Kingpin of Crime to be.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Ultimate Spider-Man #15 is a strong character focus chapter. This was very much needed after the game-changing experience Peter Parker went through against Kraven the Hunter. The family vacation angle Peter’s dynamic with MJ and his son, who is now also operating as the second Spider-Man, have a lot of great development. The ending with how Wilson Fisk factors back into the story is sure to drive what we will see happen in the future of this series. It’s a future with plenty of intriguing angles to be explored from various characters’ perspectives.
Story Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
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