Review: Superior Spider-Man #15

Writer:  Dan Slott
Penciler:  Humberto Ramos
Inker:  Victor Olazaba
Color Art:  Edgar Delgado
Letterer:  Chris Eliopoulos

Spider-Man has ended The Kingpin’s reign over Shadowland.  All that’s left is to bring in Hobgoblin.  Somehow the Hobgoblin is still operating under Spider-Man’s nose, even with all his spider-bots patrolling the city.  How is he able to go unnoticed?  Another thorn from Spider-Man’s past makes a return, and he’s looking for payback on not only Spider-Man, but everyone else who wronged him.

Art courtesy of CBR

What I Liked

Superior Spider-Man feels like its moving at a frenetic pace, but not in a bad way.  Villain on top of villain is put in front of our new Spider-Man.  Each threat is met head on, and Spider-Man comes out victorious.  We get the return of another nemesis from before the Peter Parker/Otto Octavius body-switch to add to the chaos.

We get to check back in with Aunt May and Mary Jane.  They appeared more often at the beginning of Superior Spider-Man but have been in the background since.  More from the both of them would be appreciated.

Phil Urich is really struggling here.  He’s relegated to robbing banks to get money to pay for new goblin-gear and to keep the original Hobgoblin, Roderick Kingsley, off his back.  Urich thought playing dress-up would be all fun and games.  He’s starting to learn some harsh lessons.

The big reveal at the end of the issue has been a long time coming.  It’s nothing super-major, but eventually it had to happen.  Things just keep getting worse and worse for this character.  I wonder if he can pull himself out of this, or is it really the end.

What I Didn’t Like

Just as I’m praising Aunt May and Mary Jane appearing, I have to bring up that its a shame that they haven’t played a larger role before now.  We’ve only seen a few people question the behavior of our new Spider-Man.  And that mostly came from The Avengers.

I wasn’t aware that Captain Watanabe was a vigilante called The Wraith.  In one panel she seems to declare her secret identity not in a thought balloon, but in a regular word balloon.  I know Carlie Cooper had to hear her.  They were standing right next to each other in a previous panel.  Not very secretive.

Summary

Are we reaching the end of Phil Urich as The Hobgoblin?  If we’ve learned anything, its that once the Superior Spider-Man sets his sights on you, he won’t stop until he is victorious.

This review is written in partnership with Pop Culture Network.  They can be found at their website http://www.popculturenetwork.com/

#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE

  • regeekery podcast

    is Phil Urich related to reporter Ben Urich?

    • Yep, Ben Urich is Phil Urich’s uncle (his own version of Uncle Ben)

      • regeekery podcast

        Joey Pants would be proud.