Story By: Dan Slott
Artist: Olivier Coipel
Cover Art: Olivier Coipel
Publisher: Marvel Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
It's finally here. Spider-Verse part 1 kicks off in this issue and now we get to see if the wait has been worth all the hype.
Since March this year, we've been told by the powers that be at Mighty Marvel HQ that something bif was coming to Spider-Man books. we were told to expect Every Spider-Man Ever! Well last Wednesday and after a two month prelude and build up thanks to the Edge of Spider-Verse books we are finally here.
The story is well known by now and the players are all pretty much in place so shall we. First off the art work in this book is stunning, Olivier Coipel is quite simply the best artist to draw a Spider-Man book in quite some time. the visuals presented by the art in this issue really pull you into the story and convey the elements that Slott wishes to emphasize. It's a shame that due to other commitments that Coipel will only be the artist on the first three parts of this tale before deferring to Gianluigi Camuncoli, that's not to say that Camuncoli's isn't a fine artist, it's just he's not Olivier Coipel. although at least it's not Humberto Ramos.
I know Humberto has his fans, but for a story on this size and scale we the reader deserve the creators A game. and Coipel has definitely brought his with him here.
Speaking of A-Games, this first part also sees a return to form for writer Dan Slott. A lot has been written about Slott lately with many feeling that perhaps the writer had lost interest in writing Spider-Man since he took on the Silver Surfer book as well. Others befan to feel like the extra workload meant that there was aslo a lack of consistency in Spider-Man stories being told.
This first part of Spider-Verse dispels that myth and with interest. Slott's writing in this issue is consistent witty and fun, whilst all the time conveying the sense of foreboding and danger that the Spider's are in as he paves the way for the strong narrative of the book to carry the story along. This one issue has restored a lot of faith from some readers in Dan Slott and he does not disappoint.
One of the many highlights in this issue named "The Gathering" is the site of Spider-Uk's team seeking out Earth 616 Peter Parker and converging on him, whilst our Spidey and Silk are taking down the Looter and his henchmen. one mention of Morlun is all it takes to convince Spidey to go with his brothers to the "Safe Zone" an Earth where Spider-Man never lost his cosmic powers. these serve to show that as we saw in Spider-Man 2099 #5 that not only is Morlun afraid of Spider-Man of the 616, but Peter is also agraidof Morlun. After all they have both killed each other in the past.
Another of the highlights is the recruitment of Kaine (The Scarlet Spider of Earth 616) as he is being devoured by Daemos (Morlun's brother) we see a number of Alternate Universe Spider's manage to arrive (Just in time) to prevent Kaine's demise. but not before we are given a snippet of foreshadowing in the sense that the Inheritors are aware that Kaine has embraced "The Other" which hasn't ever been referenced since the story arc of the same name a decade ago.
The closing of the book gives us an insight into the family of Morlun in the back up story "The Feast" which is set in Earth 001 where we are shown that the Great Weaver isn't dead as thought in Superior Spider-Man #32 but is an unwilling captive providing the means for The Inheritors to cross the inter-dimensional planes to various worlds to kill the Spider's.
If you have been away from the title then I urge you the time to jump back onboard is now. this issue is pardon the pun Amazing and the start of Spider-Verse is a solid start to a story that had a lot of potential to be an instant classic.
Our Score for Spider-Verse: The Gathering is 9.0
Pick it up you won't be disappointed
Thanks for reading
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