On the Rack: Marvel 100th Anniversary Special Spider-Man

Marvel continues its run of 100^th anniversary issues this week with Marvel 100^th Anniversary Special Spider-Man (in case you missed last week’s review of the Fantastic Four issue, you can read it here) and they also continue to impress. Marvel’s idea of writing some of their flagship titles as though it is their centennial is no small feat, but so far they have managed to create two self-sustained issues that are dynamic, exciting, and self-explanatory without a lot of exposition. In Marvel 100^th Anniversary Special Spider-Man, the reader gets volume eight of an eight issue story arc, one that is culminating in tragedy for Peter Parker. This story does a great job of introducing all of the quintessential elements of a Spider-Man story.

Writer Sean Ryan encapsulates the story so that it is straightforward and can be clearly followed despite the fact that it is set in a hypothetical future 47 years in the future. As with any Spider-Man story, the theme is responsibility that comes with power. When the Kingpin gains control of the techno-symbiote suit, Peter Parker has to find a way to stop a villain who literally controls all of New York. The story is all too familiar; the hero, stripped of his advantage must face an over powered opponent with no foreseeable way to defeat him. Even though the plot is old and over-used, the context makes it feel fresh and exciting again. Like last week’s Fantastic Four issue, this special Spider-Man issue feels almost like it was dug out of the Marvel archives in the best possible way.

While the story may feel familiar, artist In-Hyuk Lee brings a visual style that one rarely sees in a Marvel book. With its manga-esque flavour, Lee’s art is visceral and puts the reader in the heart of the action. Each panel is like a painting, and when strung together, the experience of reading the issue is cinematic. Marvel is halfway through their run of hypothetical 100^th anniversary issues, and so far has managed to pay tribute to their classic characters, while presenting them in a new light. It’s a difficult balance, but Marvel proves that they respect the foundations on which they build their empire. Hopefully, they continue the trend in Marvel 100^th Anniversary Special X-Men next week.