The next stage of Superior Spider-Man is taking shape, and writer Dan Slott has turned the bizarre and comical into the serious. What’s allowing Superior Spider-Man to be so wonderful, besides Slott’s writing, is the subtle way he lulls you into one way of thinking before pulling the rug out from under you. Thus far, readers have been mildly annoyed with Doc Ock’s reign as Spider-Man, but we’ve also been entertained. For every questionable thing Ock has done, there’s been a benefit, something he thought of that Peter Parker, our Peter Parker, never has. In short, Slott has made us wonder if Ock could be every bit the hero Peter was.
Superior Spider-Man #6 begins to answer that question, and does it with a resounding no. Slott’s latest plot really begins opening up what makes Peter Parker a hero and how dangerous Spider-Man can be if not checked by a person who understands that with great power comes great responsibility. Superior Six opens with Jester and Screwball, two online media hounds who dress up in funny costumes and embarrass people. Today they’ve started with Mayor J. Jonah Jameson who, after being hit with a pie and pantsed, is blazing for Spider-Man to catch the two pranksters.
The building blocks of issue #6 come from Ock’s long history of being bullied. Peter Parker – our Peter Parker who is still trapped inside Ock’s mind – is pulled into a bad memory of Ock being pushed around. In the outside world, it simply looks like Peter Parker is angered at two bullies teasing his new friend and tutor, but inside, the eruption of rage is palpable. Meanwhile, The Avengers have been watching Spidey and, having seen him kill Massacre, are thinking Spider-Man may no longer be worthy of a spot on the team. The only one speaking up for him is Wolverine.
Issue #6 comes to a head when Ock confronts Jester and Screwball. For a few seconds, the two get the drop on Ock’s Spider-Man, humiliating him in the process. This sends Ock over the edge and, in a fit or rage, he beats the two almost to death. It’s a shocking moment in both savagery and evidence that Ock is not fit to be Spider-Man. Suddenly, it isn’t funny. Suddenly, we need Peter back.
Now, things have gotten very real. Ock’s Spider-Man has killed Massacre and now beaten two kids, albeit annoying kids, almost to death. In one of my favorite moments in the entire book, Wolverine, the man who kills on instinct, the man who was defending Spider-Man, now sees that something must be done. Finally, Peter, poor Peter who is trapped in the mind of this psychopath, has become desperate to regain control of his body. Slott has completely shifted gears here and done it effortlessly.
Making Superior Spider-Man even more joyous is the return of artist Humberto Ramos. Nothing propels a Dan Slott story the way Humberto’s art can. The man is a flawless penciller who moves in the small space between realistic drawings and all out cartoonish creations. Ramos know how to create action, how to pace a story and where to tone down his over-the-top ideas to create maximum emotional impact. Panel after panel, Ramos brings to life the best aspects of Slott’s story.
Victor Olazaba’s inks play a nice background to Ramos’s pencils. He never overshadows the work – instead, he brings a weight and focus to Ramos’s unique style. Olazaba gives definition to the pages and makes sure not to allow Ramos to get carried away. Edgar Delgado’s colors are fine. Nothing spectacular but they do their job.
Superior Spider-Man is a challenging story arc. It forces us to look at how we have defined Spider-Man and how we have taken him for granted. Powerful stuff from a powerful writer.
(4.5 Story. 4 Art )
