There was no better way for a series to debut than how Ultimate Spider-Man #1 hit the market. Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto created magic with their debut issue. It was a refreshing comic book that felt like Marvel had a creative team doing something new with Spider-Man. It tapped into what the spirit of the Ultimate Universe is supposed to be about. Now let’s see how Hickman and Checchetto follow up their debut with Ultimate Spider-Man #2
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Jonathan Hickman
Artist: Marco Checchetto
Colorist: Matt Wilson
Letterer: Cory Petit
SOLICITATION
“THE MOST SURPRISING SPIDER-MAN STORY OF THE 21ST CENTURY CONTINUES! Spider-Man faces his first supervillain! J. Jonah Jameson’s quest to uncover who is really pulling the strings of this new Ultimate Universe leads to a shocking revelation! And New York City welcomes its newest hero… the Green Goblin!” – Marvel Comics
REVIEW
Ultimate Spider-Man #2 does exactly what it needs to build on the investment of Peter Parker’s first step as a superhero. Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto waste no time in making sure they carry forward the momentum from their debut issue. They do that by exploring what it means for a Peter to become Spider-Man in his 30s.
The first issue did a great job of establishing how Peter built an entire life with his family and career. While he had a happy marriage with MJ and enjoyed raising their kids, the career side was unfulfilling. There was something missing from the career side he couldn’t point a finger at until Iron Man sent the destiny message. Throughout Ultimate Spider-Man #2 we see how getting his powers filled that part Peter felt was missing.
Hickman and Checchetto nail how Peter would feel becoming Spider-Man in his 30s. There is freedom in how Peter explores the full capabilities of his powers. At the same time, the more time he spends using his powers he realizes the responsibility that comes with it. This lets Peter come to the whole “with great power comes great responsibility” mantra in his own works for when he becomes Spider-Man.
This journey is made better by how Peter gets there due to multiple factors. Starting off with Peter wearing a basic black nano-tech suit plays into this being an older version of the character. Peter doesn’t have the creativity of his teenage years. It takes his daughter to discover he is the mysterious superhero who has suddenly appeared to trigger this change. May showing fear when discovering her dad in his black suit was a cool spin of why he becomes the Spider-Man we know. He not only wants to save others but also inspire his kids and others. Adopting a brighter costume inspired by the blue and red color palette May showed him in her drawing was a nice touch.
May discovering her dad is Spider-Man works to also show we aren’t going to see Peter hiding his secret from everyone. As he told May, he was planning on telling MJ and May’s brother once he got a handle on his powers. May easily discovering Peter’s secret because of his carelessness also works to show he needs to be more careful. He can’t just take off his mask whenever he thinks he’s alone. Hopefully, that plays into how we see Peter limit who knows he is Spider-Man.
Shocker being the first villain Peter fights as Spider-Man is a great call. Shocker doesn’t have killer powers so Peter can survive the fight. But losing two straight fights against Shocker shows that he can’t be naïve about being a superhero. Against other villains, he won’t be so lucky. Peter will need to gain experience quickly or else his time as Spider-Man will be very short.
And we see that this is a lesson Peter will have to learn quickly. That is hinted at how Peter as Spider-Man already gained the attention of the cabal the Maker left behind. Captain Britain reminding Wilson Fisk of who is in charge sets up a bigger narrative that Peter doesn’t know he is already involved in. How Peter deals with the world he has entered as Spider-Man will be interesting to see play out.
At the same time, we get several sub-plots that are just as interesting to see how they will complement Peter’s superhero journey. While there isn’t much progression in their sub-plot the dynamic between Uncle Ben and J. Jonah Jameson is a show stealer. Their chemistry is so natural that speaks to the decades-long friendship they have.
Similarly, the plan with Ultimate Green Goblin will be interesting to see. So far we have seen Ultimate Green Goblin be portrayed as an anti-hero vigilante. Now that Spider-Man has caught their eye there is the question of what this version of Green Goblin will do next.
Throughout all of this Checchetto does an excellent job at making Ultimate Spider-Man look like a premiere title for Marvel. Checchetto’s art style gives importance to every scene. He does a great job at having character reactions match what is being said or done in each scene. The action sequences work well to complement how we are seeing a rookie Spider-Man right now. The inexperience showcases itself through Peter’s emotions in and out of his mask.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Ultimate Spider-Man #2 is a wonderful follow-up to the stand-out debut of this series. Jonathan Hickman and Marco Checchetto nail the story of an older Peter Parker becoming Spider-Man. What that means for Peter and those around him provides plenty of potential to play off from. That is shown throughout this issue, building a comic book you are excited to see how it continues in the future.
Story Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10