Review: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #14 SPIDER-VERSE Finale
Writer: Dan Slott
Pencilers: Giuseppe Camuncoli and Olivier Coipel
Inkers: Wade Von Grawbadger, Cam Smith and Livesay
Colors: Justin Ponsor
Letters: Chris Eliopoulos
The conclusion to the epic event Spider-Verse. It’s Team Spiders vs. The Inheritors. There have been casualties on both sides of this war. The Inheritors have the Scion, the Other, and the Bride. It’s up to the Amazing Spider-Man and his army to defeat the Inheritors before the Great Web is torn asunder.
What I Liked
The great Olivier Coipel joins this finale on art duties. He was able to pen the first two chapters in Amazing Spider-Man but had to take a break midway through the series. This is an all-out action issue and Coipel illustrates that with flair. The colors by Justin Ponsor help keep the visual consistent when it switches from Coipel to Giuseppe Camuncoli.
Some key members of the Spider army get equal chances to shine. Whether it’s Mayday Parker proving she’s every bit a Spider hero, or Spider-Ham coming to the rescue (in the most Spider-Ham way possible), every hero from throughout the event reappears. Dan Slott has to be commended for juggling such a large cast.
What I Didn’t Like
There is a definitive ending (as definitive as one gets in comics). It wasn’t as grandiose as I might have had in my mind, so slight points get deducted for that. However, the ending fits with how Peter Parker would deal with a villain. So it holds true to all the virtues of Spider-Man.
As someone who grew up with Spider-Man’s old school rogues gallery of Doctor Octopus, Green Goblin, Rhino, Scorpion, etc., Morlun doesn’t hold a special place in my heart. I stopped reading comics when Morlun was created so this is my first story featuring him. I know he was involved in “The Other” storyline where he killed Spider-Man, which shows how lethal he is. Maybe if Morlun wasn’t teaming up with is bumbling family members I’d respect him more.
Summary
Not a bad crossover event, all things considered. It reintroduced readers to Spider-Men long forgotten, and even created new ones which will go on to star in their own series (Silk, Spider-Gwen). There will be epilogue issues placing the chess pieces where they need to be to tell their own stories going forward.
With a few months remaining before Secret Wars begins, I am interested in seeing where Spider-Man is positioned leading up to this event.
Rating: 3 out of 5
This review is written in partnership with Pop Culture Network. They can be found at their website http://www.popculturenetwork.com/
Timdogg
#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE
