Rating: 4/5 – It doesn’t look as though Peter will return soon, and that’s ok!
Issue fifteen of Superior Spider-Man focuses more on the Hobgoblin than on Spider-Man…and that’s ok. It’s still another strong issue in what has been a strong series. Writer Dan Slott continues his writing of Doc Ock in the spidey costume and it’s still working fifteen issues in. This book hasn’t lost the magic of this concept/reboot and I hope they continue with Otto in the suit for the foreseeable future as it’s giving us new stories in the Spidey universe, told from a dramatically different perspective.
After the events from last issue which included the destruction of Shadowland and dethroning of the Kingpin, Hobgoblin who was acting as the Kingpin’s muscle, is now on the run. He not only has issues with Spider-Man on his tail, but he also has the original Hobgoblin after him for money from leasing the Hobgoblin suit and equipment. All in all, it’s not a good day to be the Hobgoblin. It’s fun to read Slott’s focus on another villain in this series, even if this storyline will only be two parts. In this issue we also get to see just how Doc Ock is making life miserable for not only the good guys, but the villains as well. Doc Ock is making enemies of everyone. Those closest to “Peter” suspect there’s something not right with him, he’s now made enemies with previous ally and Mayor of New York, J. Jonah Jameson, and now he’s going after the villains. You just know that this will all end in disaster, but it’s so exciting to watch. Add in another mysterious appearance by the Green Goblin, and there’s a lot to like within these pages.
Artist Humberto Ramos continues to do great work on this book and his renditions of the goblins are top notch. His action scenes come across as dynamic, and he’s always been known for his dramatic and exaggerated facial expressions and this book has both. It’s always a pleasure to see his work on Spider-Man. Although there is a lack of one artist consistently each and every month on Superior Spider-Man, the artists involved fit the story, and quality has never been in question.
When this series started I gave it a year before we saw Peter Parker back in the Spider-Man costume. Now, I don’t see that happening any time soon and I couldn’t be happier about that.
Reviewed by: Shawn Hoklas – shawn@comicspectrum.com
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