Many of you are already aware that in Marvel's latest zany attempt to drive profits up, they have embarked upon a new era in Spider-Man's legacy. Namely, The Superior Spider-Man, wherein Dr. Octopus has pulled off a mind-swap with Peter Parker shortly before his body (with Peter's mind trapped inside) passed on to the great beyond. Thankfully, this is not nearly as final an outcome for a comic book character as it is for the rest of us, though, at present, the mind of Dr. Octopus is in control of Spider-Man's body. Truthfully, this whole thing sounded like a lackluster publicity stunt that could potentially rival the wretched clone saga as one of Marvel's biggest blunders, many of which have involved the webhead. I picked up the last issue of Amazing Spider-Man (#700, the final issue before the title became The Superior Spider-Man) and decided to nab the first few issues of the new book because I felt they would be collectible and I was curious. I was highly skeptical, but yes, I was curious.
Wow. 12 issues later, I'm shocked to admit that this has become my favorite comic, somehow leapfrogging DC's stellar new take on Swamp Thing. Of course, if Marvel hadn't rebooted the New Avengers title I so cherished, and if I knew where to find Iron Fist, this may not necessarily be the case, but I digress. The Superior Spider-Man is awesome! I'm fairly certain that when the next movie hits the scene the book will be called Amazing Spider-Man again and Peter will have somehow resurrected his mind and wrestled control of his body away from Dr. Octopus, but I'm in no hurry to get there. This title is badass. This new Spider-Man has killed, he has maimed, and he seems to be a doing a better job than the Spider-Man I knew and loved for the most part, though he does occasionally make the type of mistake that you would only expect from a villain. Like talking too much when he should be throwing punches, and not the witty banter kind of talking we're used to, but rather the "Let me explain my plan to you" type of stuff Bond villains perish because of.
Regardless, I haven't enjoyed Spidey this much since Marvel's Civil War, though I hope that isn't a jinx. It was shortly after that incredible run that One More Day, the only storyline that could make fans of the webhead miss the clone saga, hit the scene like a giant turd falling from the sky. I was so happy with that turn of events that I cancelled my subscription and turned my back on the wall-crawler, but now I'm hooked again. If you're looking for a darker and stranger take on one of the most beloved characters of all time, scope out The Superior Spider-Man. You won't regret it.
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