On the Rack: Superior Spider-Man #32
The Superior Spider-Man title wrapped up in April, so you may be surprised to find issue #32 in your local comic book store. This issue is laying the ground work for Spider-verse, a Spider-Man event that will see all of the incarnations of Spider-Man that have ever existed come together for the first time. The event will truly kick off in November but in this issue Doctor Otto Octavius, the Superior Spider-Man, sets the foundation and shows us what happened to Octavius once Peter Parker regained his body. The issue is based on Dan Slott’s story, and written by Christos N. Gage with art by Guiseppe Camuncoli and the legendary Adam Kubert. The combination of the superstar creative team, the action packed story leading to a huge event, and the return of Octavius’ Spider-Man made this a really fun read.
When Octavius fails to stop a temporal energy meltdown, he is displaced in time. Spider-Man 2099 is sent reeling to the past, and Superior Spider-Man is drawn into the future. As Octavius himself observes, “nature abhors a vacuum.” I was very entertained by Octavius’ ego which prompted observations of the inadequacy of the future’s science and technology. As a mind that is “so far ahead of [its] time,” Octavius is forced to make do with the technology he finds to try to return home. Of course his portal doesn’t work as it is intended, and Superior Spider-Man is propelled through several different dimensions, where he learns that times are consistently tough for Spider-Man. Spider-Man fans will no doubt recognize the various incarnations of the Web-Slinger that appear throughout the story, and appreciate Marvel’s efforts as even some of the more bizarre incarnations of Peter Parker make an appearance (remember Pavitr Prabhakar?) All of this and stunningly dynamic panels that convey the action perfectly, what more could you want from a comic?
The action and fan service make this issue a very entertaining Spider-Man story, and Dan Slott once again solidifies his position as the go to guy for all things Spidey. The issue is as entertaining as the art is beautiful, there is even a touching moment where Octavius misses Anna Maria and programs his holographic assistant to look like her (it’s a really sweet scene), all elements of a successful Spider-Man book. This issue is a perfect epilogue for Octavius’ run as Spider-Man and an awesome prologue for Spider-Man’s next big challenge. November is looking more and more exciting as Spider-Verse builds momentum.
