Marvel and DC’s latest crossover comic is out Wednesday, and it might be the publishers’ best yet. Last fall saw two one-shots starring Batman and Deadpool in the main stories, and this spring brought together Spider-Man and Superman for some superheroics. Spider-Man/Superman #1 spotlights the heroes in a heartwarming tale that also includes a very unexpected left turn.
[Ed. note: Spoilers ahead for Spider-Man/Superman #1.]
The main story from Brad Meltzer and Pepe Larraz starts with the heroes in a cave-like room. They bond a bit, mostly because Supes laughs at Spidey’s jokes where other heroes might groan. The time for jokes is cut short as a Green Goblin bomb quickly flies in. Full of Kryptonite, it swiftly throws Superman on his butt as their prison starts to collapse in on them, Star Wars trash compactor-style. Spider-Man holds it back as the heroes have a heart-to-heart. The dialogue here is excellent, ruminating on the guilt over Uncle Ben that still drives Peter Parker to this day. Their conversation quickly exposes the core of these heroes’ make-ups in just a few pages.
They escape under dire circumstances. The entire prison reveals itself as symbiote Venom, who latches on to a new host. That’s right, we’ve got a Venom Superman now.
Venom Superman is right up there with Green Lantern Rocket Raccoon in ways these companies crossing over can delight in unexpected and imaginative ways. It also shows off how great Larraz is at conveying kinetic action on the page as Superman frighteningly chases after Spider-Man. Superman isn’t Venomized for long, but his brief time with the symbiote is a highlight of the story.
After the day is saved, the heroes, now in their civilian attire, have another heart-warming chat as Clark Kent’s optimism counterbalances Peter Parker’s guilt-ridden heartache. In both this book and last month’s Superman/Spider-Man #1, the two make for such a great pair I wish their worlds could blend together more often.
Meltzer and Larraz’s main adventure isn’t the only one in the book, and Spider-Man/Superman #1’s back-up stories more than hold their weight, with the first one being an easy favorite. Dan Slott and Marcos Martin bring together Spider-Man Noir and 1938’s Superman as they both go after Lex Luthor. It may only be a few pages long, but it’s full of fun winks and nods, like Superman posing as Spider-Man did on the iconic Amazing Fantasy #15 and later having to leap over a tall building to travel (he didn’t have the ability to fly until the ’40s).
Jason Aaron and Russell Dauterman are also at the top of their games in a story that unites Jane Foster’s Thor and Wonder Woman against Venomized Parademons. Foster is in over her head here, but she’ll never give up, showcasing part of what makes her such an endearing hero. Meanwhile, Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli have Miles Morales seek out advice from Superman, and their conversation gets at the heart of what this crossover is about: reflecting on what it means to be a hero.
Spider-Man/Superman #1 is the last of these crossovers between Marvel and DC, and it might be the best yet. It proudly represents what makes these iconic characters so loveable, and has plenty of welcomely unexpected ideas between its covers that show how creative comics writers and artists can get when not bound by continuity or other restraints.
Spider-Man/Superman #1 is available in comic shops now.
About the Author
