The Superior Foes of Spider-Man #1
Written By: Nick Spencer
Art By: Steve Lieber
As a comic reader I know it’s hard to find a good place to start. A lot of stories can be convoluted and difficult for new readers to jump into. The Superior Foes of Spider-Man is perfect for new readers and longtime fans of the genre. This hilarious look at the lives of some of obscure villains is something fun and fresh. It’s a buddy comedy about bad guys that will make you smile and want more. It’s also a new number 1 and a great place to start building your comic intellect.
Superior Spider-Man is one of Marvel Comics most controversial but (excuse the pun) superior titles. Dan Slott has crafted a masterpiece of story-telling changing one of America’s most well know and loveable superheroes into a reckless badass whom wants nothing more than to be better than his predecessor.
This month Marvel is highlighting their newest hero by giving our new Spider-Man his on month. This means we get a new comic featuring not our favorite wall crawler but his villains. The Superior Foes of Spider-Man is about five villains and we aren’t talking the top tier here. This isn’t a book about Green Goblin, Venom or The Lizard. Here we get a glimpse into the life and times of Spider-Man’s lesser known foes.
They call themselves the new Sinister Six (even though there is only five) and they are led by everyone’s favorite Australian, Boomerang. Writer Nick Spencer takes us on a tour of the seemingly normal lives of New York’s second rate super villains Boomerang, Shocker, Speed Demon, Over Drive and the new Beetle. Although we don’t get a lot of plot, we do get to see what happens when you send Shocker and Speed Demon to the pet store and how annoying it is for Beetle and Over Drive to rob their local comic shop. Both scenes are full of great moments. My biggest laugh came when the fowl mouthed Speed Demon confronts a young girl about what she will name her dog. Then takes it from her because he didn’t like the name she was going to give it.
The thing that Superior Spider Foes does best is its funny, and I mean laugh out loud funny. There are genuinely hilarious moments that show us that although they appear to be super villains, under the tight spandex they are still normal guys and girls just trying to get by. Although we do get to see a sneak peek behind the curtain, the overall story is barely touched and the book could have done a little more to explain what’s in store for our new Sinister Six. We are given a glimpse in the last few pages but it feels tacked on and forced, especially considering this is a limited series.
The Art by Steve Lieber is not my favorite but it definitely fits the fun and light hearted tone of the book. Backgrounds are almost none exist and same pages feel like they are missing something but the art does have a Saturday morning cartoon feeling that makes the villains seem more likeable and less menacing. It also does a good job of adding to the overall humor.
I think this book is perfect for Spider-Man enthusiast and newbies alike. The story is just getting started for the new Sinister Six but it looks to be a hilarious jaunt and I can’t wait to see what these bumbling villains do next. I can’t say enough about Superior Spider-Man and hope to write more about that comic soon, but Spencer takes Slott’s formula of humor and obscurity and uses it to craft a fun, engaging book for anyone interested in the bad guy’s story.