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The Superior Spider-Man (2013)
The Superior Spider-Man, Vol. 1: My Own Worst Enemy
Part of the Marvel NOW! initiative!
THEN!...Peter Parker spent a lifetime living up to the responsibilities his powers foisted upon him, but his story finally ended dramatically in the historic Amazing Spider-Man #700. NOW!...The new Amazing Spider-Man has arrived, and he is better in every single way. Smarter, stronger...Superior. And he'll prove it, both to himself and the world, when he faces down the all-new Sinister Six! But is this all-new Spider-Man in cahoots with J. Jonah Jameson? And has Carlie Cooper figured out the Superior Spider-Man's secret identify? Plus: Spider-Man and Mary Jane...reunited?! All this and the return of the villainous Vulture! It's an all-new era of web-slinging excitement, and it all starts NOW!
COLLECTING: SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN 1-5
THEN!...Peter Parker spent a lifetime living up to the responsibilities his powers foisted upon him, but his story finally ended dramatically in the historic Amazing Spider-Man #700. NOW!...The new Amazing Spider-Man has arrived, and he is better in every single way. Smarter, stronger...Superior. And he'll prove it, both to himself and the world, when he faces down the all-new Sinister Six! But is this all-new Spider-Man in cahoots with J. Jonah Jameson? And has Carlie Cooper figured out the Superior Spider-Man's secret identify? Plus: Spider-Man and Mary Jane...reunited?! All this and the return of the villainous Vulture! It's an all-new era of web-slinging excitement, and it all starts NOW!
COLLECTING: SUPERIOR SPIDER-MAN 1-5
120 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 2013
About the author
Dan Slott
1,923 books440 followersDan Slott is an American comic book writer, the current writer on Marvel Comics' The Amazing Spider-Man, and is best known for his work on books such as Arkham Asylum: Living Hell, She-Hulk, Silver Surfer, The Superior Spider-Man, and Ren & Stimpy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews
October 10, 2022
I read the comic books Superior Spider Man #1-5. Garn damnit, Marvel did it… The Superior Spider-Man takes over and sets out to do everything better, be a superior Spider-Man. Plus an All-New Sinister Six! Great idea, great book, spider man's world is turned upside down like never ever before? So brave of everyone involved at Marvel to let this happen! 8 out of 12.
2014 read (twice!)
2014 read (twice!)
March 22, 2016
Superior Starting Point!
This TPB edition collects "Superior Spider-Man" #1-5
Creative Team:
Writer: Dan Slott
Illustrators: Ryan Stegman & Giuseppe Camuncoli
VILLAINS MAKE SUPERIOR HEROES
There were a lot of buzzing and talking and even death threats due the decision of Dan Slott of changing the mind of Peter Parker with the mind of Dr. Otto Octavius a.k.a. Doctor Octopus.
I understand the negative feelings since it was changing the mind of a really popular hero, one of the most popular heroes, with the mind of one of his bittest enemies.
Now a hero has the mind of a villain.
But I have to say that the change has been for the better.
Dr. Otto Octavius is not any villain, he is one of the smartest minds in the Marvel Universe, even Reed Richards looked for him when the life of his very first child was in the balance, in that time, with a very dark result.
However, the point is that Dr. Octavius is not just a criminal whose only assets are violence and mayhem. He is a scientist, a mad scientist if you wish to say, but scientist at the end. And also as a criminal mastermind, he has plans and counterplans, develops strategies and protocols.
A CHANGE OF MIND
The idea of changing minds of heroes with villains is not new, there was done many times before, on the comic book of Justice League, on the TV series of Smallville, on Buffy the Vampire Slayer too, etc... but the real key factor that makes this time really different is that Dr. Octavius not only put his mind in Peter Parker's brain but he also get all the Parker's memories and along with that, the biggest lesson in super-heroes' comics...
With a great power, comes a great responsibility.
That changes totally any plans which Dr. Octavius may have once he would be in control of the body and powers of Spider-Man.
Now, he is becoming a hero, but as a scientist and a really, REALLY smart guy, he noticed that Parker's ways weren't efficient, so he is starting to take a superior way to do the "hero's job".
He is doing decisions that Parker never did it and they are paying off.
He is not all "banzai" approach to the bad guys improvising on the road, OH, NO, he makes plans, he prepares counter-attacks for each possible outake of the battles, he improves his "patrolling duties" at the maximum, and he is focusing on the important stuff, he can't be everywhere, so he is where he is most needed and where his superior help is really necessary.
Even he is starting to improve Parker's personal life too!
Maybe for some selfish and prideful reasons but still they are improvements in the resume of Parker's professional life.
You get to know Otto Octavius as never before, since each action of him it's explained and reasoned, and he is doing the smart calls and making his "hero's job" as one can't deny is...
...THE SUPERIOR WAY.
This TPB edition collects "Superior Spider-Man" #1-5
Creative Team:
Writer: Dan Slott
Illustrators: Ryan Stegman & Giuseppe Camuncoli
VILLAINS MAKE SUPERIOR HEROES
There were a lot of buzzing and talking and even death threats due the decision of Dan Slott of changing the mind of Peter Parker with the mind of Dr. Otto Octavius a.k.a. Doctor Octopus.
I understand the negative feelings since it was changing the mind of a really popular hero, one of the most popular heroes, with the mind of one of his bittest enemies.
Now a hero has the mind of a villain.
But I have to say that the change has been for the better.
Dr. Otto Octavius is not any villain, he is one of the smartest minds in the Marvel Universe, even Reed Richards looked for him when the life of his very first child was in the balance, in that time, with a very dark result.
However, the point is that Dr. Octavius is not just a criminal whose only assets are violence and mayhem. He is a scientist, a mad scientist if you wish to say, but scientist at the end. And also as a criminal mastermind, he has plans and counterplans, develops strategies and protocols.
A CHANGE OF MIND
The idea of changing minds of heroes with villains is not new, there was done many times before, on the comic book of Justice League, on the TV series of Smallville, on Buffy the Vampire Slayer too, etc... but the real key factor that makes this time really different is that Dr. Octavius not only put his mind in Peter Parker's brain but he also get all the Parker's memories and along with that, the biggest lesson in super-heroes' comics...
With a great power, comes a great responsibility.
That changes totally any plans which Dr. Octavius may have once he would be in control of the body and powers of Spider-Man.
Now, he is becoming a hero, but as a scientist and a really, REALLY smart guy, he noticed that Parker's ways weren't efficient, so he is starting to take a superior way to do the "hero's job".
He is doing decisions that Parker never did it and they are paying off.
He is not all "banzai" approach to the bad guys improvising on the road, OH, NO, he makes plans, he prepares counter-attacks for each possible outake of the battles, he improves his "patrolling duties" at the maximum, and he is focusing on the important stuff, he can't be everywhere, so he is where he is most needed and where his superior help is really necessary.
Even he is starting to improve Parker's personal life too!
Maybe for some selfish and prideful reasons but still they are improvements in the resume of Parker's professional life.
You get to know Otto Octavius as never before, since each action of him it's explained and reasoned, and he is doing the smart calls and making his "hero's job" as one can't deny is...
...THE SUPERIOR WAY.
August 4, 2014
An abused trope of sixties TV was body shifting. Remember! Fred Flintstone is now Dino, Dino is Wilma and Barney is the talking garbage disposal. Gilligan’s Island – The Skipper is Mr. Howell, the Professor is Mary Anne and Ginger is Gilligan (this one has some porn potential). My favorite non sitcom body shift was that episode of Star Trek, where Kirk was body shifted (or is it mind shifted? Too late!) with a woman he dumped years before. Cue overwrought scenery chewing performance. Oh, William Shatner! This is why God created the Emmy.
Onto Spider-Man.
Doctor Octopus has finally succeeded in shifting his mind into Spider-Man; however, Ock’s old, decrepit body is no more. Peter Parker’s consciousness now resides in the mind of the new superior Spider-Man, watching as Dr. Octopus does things he never dreamed or thought of and crossed lines that Parker wouldn’t dare.
This is probably the most significant Spider-Man story line in decades and the best thing that Don Slott has ever written.
Can Volume 2 sustain the momentum?
Onto Spider-Man.
Doctor Octopus has finally succeeded in shifting his mind into Spider-Man; however, Ock’s old, decrepit body is no more. Peter Parker’s consciousness now resides in the mind of the new superior Spider-Man, watching as Dr. Octopus does things he never dreamed or thought of and crossed lines that Parker wouldn’t dare.
This is probably the most significant Spider-Man story line in decades and the best thing that Don Slott has ever written.
Can Volume 2 sustain the momentum?
August 17, 2016
Gimmicky, Bonkers, Fun!
Aesthetically, this was not really my thing: too busy, inconsistent, rushed, sketchy, gimmicky for my taste. The Superior Spider-Man is not primarily about aesthetics, though - it’s primarily about plot… a plot that is completely bonkers, interestingly enough, combining b-movie sensationalism with screwball comedy, sixties-television silliness with John Hughes teen-o-rama. And yet it kinda works.
The premise: A reformed Otto Octavius (aka. Doc Ock) has taken over Peter Parker's body, dishing out a “superior” form of superhero justice - one that is a little on the repressive, reactionary, ruthless side, yet at first glance appears to deliver splendid results. Meanwhile, Peter Parker’s essence (or something) has died in Octavius' body… but never fear, true believer - Peter continues to affect Otto’s memories and behavior... and even keeps hanging around as a ghost, constantly complaining about that new so-called Superior Spider-Man: "He's saying super villain stuff. How can no one see through this?"
Bottom line: It's a ridiculously fertile scenario with lots of potential for drama, conflict, moral ambiguity, meta-commentary, social critique, action, romance, comedy - I’ll keep reading. In fact, it looks like I'm already hooked, as I'm really looking forward to some of those attractive-looking spin-offs!
Aesthetically, this was not really my thing: too busy, inconsistent, rushed, sketchy, gimmicky for my taste. The Superior Spider-Man is not primarily about aesthetics, though - it’s primarily about plot… a plot that is completely bonkers, interestingly enough, combining b-movie sensationalism with screwball comedy, sixties-television silliness with John Hughes teen-o-rama. And yet it kinda works.
The premise: A reformed Otto Octavius (aka. Doc Ock) has taken over Peter Parker's body, dishing out a “superior” form of superhero justice - one that is a little on the repressive, reactionary, ruthless side, yet at first glance appears to deliver splendid results. Meanwhile, Peter Parker’s essence (or something) has died in Octavius' body… but never fear, true believer - Peter continues to affect Otto’s memories and behavior... and even keeps hanging around as a ghost, constantly complaining about that new so-called Superior Spider-Man: "He's saying super villain stuff. How can no one see through this?"
Bottom line: It's a ridiculously fertile scenario with lots of potential for drama, conflict, moral ambiguity, meta-commentary, social critique, action, romance, comedy - I’ll keep reading. In fact, it looks like I'm already hooked, as I'm really looking forward to some of those attractive-looking spin-offs!
May 19, 2018
Yes, this was just as good as everyone said it would be.
Maybe better.
I haven't kept up with Spider-Man, so I have no idea how Doc Ock pulled off his Vulcan mind-meld switcheroo. I mean, I knew he had, I just didn't read about it when it happened.
I can't believe what a great job Slott did with this whole concept.
Let's kill off Peter...and replace his mind with Otto Octavius'.
In what world does that sound like a good idea?!
It shouldn't work. Nothing about that sounds remotely good. Nothing.
But it's soooo awesome!
I cared! I actually cared about Doc Ock! It didn't hurt that Peter's consciousness is still rattling around in there, desperately trying to give Otto some sort of moral compass.
Good luck, Parker!
As an added bonus, it also gave the book a team-up feeling to it. And really, who doesn't love team-ups?
The kicker is that Otto actually does do a better job as Spider-Man...than Spider-Man. Which doesn't exactly escape Peter's notice, and leads him to have several facepalm moments.
Why didn't I ever call the police for back-up? Duh.
Really the only way this could have been better is if Otto had decided to get a haircut. Can you imagine Spider-man with a bowl-cut?
Nice.
It's humorous, smart, and touching all rolled into a fun story with cool art.
Superior Spider-Man is everything that's great about the comic book medium.
So go read it!
Maybe better.
I haven't kept up with Spider-Man, so I have no idea how Doc Ock pulled off his Vulcan mind-meld switcheroo. I mean, I knew he had, I just didn't read about it when it happened.
I can't believe what a great job Slott did with this whole concept.
Let's kill off Peter...and replace his mind with Otto Octavius'.
In what world does that sound like a good idea?!
It shouldn't work. Nothing about that sounds remotely good. Nothing.
But it's soooo awesome!
I cared! I actually cared about Doc Ock! It didn't hurt that Peter's consciousness is still rattling around in there, desperately trying to give Otto some sort of moral compass.
Good luck, Parker!
As an added bonus, it also gave the book a team-up feeling to it. And really, who doesn't love team-ups?
The kicker is that Otto actually does do a better job as Spider-Man...than Spider-Man. Which doesn't exactly escape Peter's notice, and leads him to have several facepalm moments.
Why didn't I ever call the police for back-up? Duh.
Really the only way this could have been better is if Otto had decided to get a haircut. Can you imagine Spider-man with a bowl-cut?
Nice.
It's humorous, smart, and touching all rolled into a fun story with cool art.
Superior Spider-Man is everything that's great about the comic book medium.
So go read it!
June 15, 2013
Prior to this series, a dying Doc Ock managed to switch bodies with Peter Parker so that his mind was transferred to Peter’s body and Peter’s mind was in Ock’s body. Doc Ock’s mind coupled with Peter Parker’s body makes him, in his words, the Superior Spider-man while Peter in Doc Ock’s body is “dead” though his spirit is still hanging around, stupefied at the way events have turned out. Crucially though, Peter was able to give Ock his memories and a measure of his personality so it’s not totally Doc Ock in control of Spider-man - he isn’t 100% supervillain, and he does save lives, think of others, and generally behave in a more or less civilised way than he normally would, much to his chagrin.
So how does Doc Ock do as Spider-man? Actually really well, both as a character and as a concept for this series. He’s still selfish, arrogant and ruthless but his Spider-man is incredibly effective. He creates hundreds of mini-spiders with cameras inside and sets them loose on New York providing him with a spy network that eliminates the need for Spidey to go out on patrol - if a spider-camera picks up a crime, the app on his phone beeps and he can get to the scene exactly. Pretty smart, if somewhat Big-Brother-ish, and an idea that’s a great blend of Spidey and Ock.
There are lots of little things like that that separate this Spider-man from the real Spidey, like the brilliant way he deals with the new Sinister Six in the opening issue, setting the tone for the series that this is a very different Spider-man than the one we’ve all read before. The focus is on Ock's more cerebral approach to crime-fighting, incorporating traps and gadgets to accomplish his goals more effectively. This Spider-man is definitely a new and interesting version of Spidey that we've never seen before and makes for a more exciting story as we can't predict what he's going to do next.
It is strange that no-one picks up on Spidey being different - his voice is definitely Doc Ock’s, using phrases like “everything’s proceeding according to plan” in everyday vernacular - especially MJ. Issue #2 deals with the disturbing consequence of Doc Ock in Peter’s body - that he might end up trying to rape MJ, or she would sleep with him not knowing he’s not Peter. Thankfully, Dan Slott deals with it tastefully and in a way that it doesn’t need to be addressed again in other issues.
There’s a brilliant scene that parodies Batman where Mayor J. Jonah Jameson sets up a Spider-man spotlight that shines into the sky whenever he needs him - a light that Spidey quickly destroys, telling him it’s like a beacon for every bad guy in the city to target. Which raised the interesting question of why more Batman villains haven’t tried sabotaging the light atop the GCPD more often? Batman shows up on the building whenever the light is shone after all. I thought it was a great observation from Slott anyway.
Despite the jokey nature of the first couple of issues, things get very dark in the latter half of the book with Peter’s grip of Ock’s mind slipping (he follows Ock everywhere as a kind of one-man disembodied Greek chorus) and sees the Superior Spider-man becoming much more harsh in his approach to Spidey’s rogues gallery, specifically in his treatment of the Vulture and Massacre. In fact, the way Spidey deals with Massacre might be a dealbreaker for many long-time Spider-man readers - but just remember it’s not Peter.
There really isn’t a single thing about the book I can fault. I even liked the sub-plot where Ock discovers Peter doesn’t have a doctorate and, his ego enraged, re-enrols in university to get his PhD. and gets tutored by a little person with excellent Italian cooking skills. Amid everything that’s happening, it should be a sidetrack that feels unnecessary but instead adds to the overall richness of the storyline.
Dan Slott, Ryan Stegman and Guiseppe Camuncoli have re-invigorated Spider-man with this storyline, giving the character a fresh perspective and creating new avenues of storytelling with all sorts of possibilities. Superior Spider-man is a fantastic series and a must-read for both old and new fans of the character.
So how does Doc Ock do as Spider-man? Actually really well, both as a character and as a concept for this series. He’s still selfish, arrogant and ruthless but his Spider-man is incredibly effective. He creates hundreds of mini-spiders with cameras inside and sets them loose on New York providing him with a spy network that eliminates the need for Spidey to go out on patrol - if a spider-camera picks up a crime, the app on his phone beeps and he can get to the scene exactly. Pretty smart, if somewhat Big-Brother-ish, and an idea that’s a great blend of Spidey and Ock.
There are lots of little things like that that separate this Spider-man from the real Spidey, like the brilliant way he deals with the new Sinister Six in the opening issue, setting the tone for the series that this is a very different Spider-man than the one we’ve all read before. The focus is on Ock's more cerebral approach to crime-fighting, incorporating traps and gadgets to accomplish his goals more effectively. This Spider-man is definitely a new and interesting version of Spidey that we've never seen before and makes for a more exciting story as we can't predict what he's going to do next.
It is strange that no-one picks up on Spidey being different - his voice is definitely Doc Ock’s, using phrases like “everything’s proceeding according to plan” in everyday vernacular - especially MJ. Issue #2 deals with the disturbing consequence of Doc Ock in Peter’s body - that he might end up trying to rape MJ, or she would sleep with him not knowing he’s not Peter. Thankfully, Dan Slott deals with it tastefully and in a way that it doesn’t need to be addressed again in other issues.
There’s a brilliant scene that parodies Batman where Mayor J. Jonah Jameson sets up a Spider-man spotlight that shines into the sky whenever he needs him - a light that Spidey quickly destroys, telling him it’s like a beacon for every bad guy in the city to target. Which raised the interesting question of why more Batman villains haven’t tried sabotaging the light atop the GCPD more often? Batman shows up on the building whenever the light is shone after all. I thought it was a great observation from Slott anyway.
Despite the jokey nature of the first couple of issues, things get very dark in the latter half of the book with Peter’s grip of Ock’s mind slipping (he follows Ock everywhere as a kind of one-man disembodied Greek chorus) and sees the Superior Spider-man becoming much more harsh in his approach to Spidey’s rogues gallery, specifically in his treatment of the Vulture and Massacre. In fact, the way Spidey deals with Massacre might be a dealbreaker for many long-time Spider-man readers - but just remember it’s not Peter.
There really isn’t a single thing about the book I can fault. I even liked the sub-plot where Ock discovers Peter doesn’t have a doctorate and, his ego enraged, re-enrols in university to get his PhD. and gets tutored by a little person with excellent Italian cooking skills. Amid everything that’s happening, it should be a sidetrack that feels unnecessary but instead adds to the overall richness of the storyline.
Dan Slott, Ryan Stegman and Guiseppe Camuncoli have re-invigorated Spider-man with this storyline, giving the character a fresh perspective and creating new avenues of storytelling with all sorts of possibilities. Superior Spider-man is a fantastic series and a must-read for both old and new fans of the character.
March 3, 2022
3.5 Silver Stars
with Golden Sparks
as you probably know by now, Spider-man is my favourite superhero.
so I always was curious to read the comics, but didn't know where to start. the dive into which comic you should read first is confusing, even though I know everything about him & his backstory, like how he comes to be the Spider-man. (I saw every version of his movie & loved them all!) but still like to read from the beginning of the story in comics. (& find out the differences for myself) & I need a guide.
a few days ago, when I felt that I want to actually read some comics, I decided to search & this one was one of the offers for the beginners. (& it was cheap!) so I said, "hey, let's give it a try! I ShOuLd start from somewhere!"
it was awesome & exciting & funny with fabulous illustrations.
but...
I think it wasn't a good start for beginners. I felt like dropping in the middle of something & I REALLY wanted to know how it all came to this in the first page!
(Update: I think before this we definitely should read Spider-Man: Ends of the Earth & then, Spider-Man: Dying Wish)
so I keep searching. & even though I'm DyIng to know how it returns to normal (if it ever does!), next I'll try a few in Amazing Spider-Man (1999) (according to the chronological list above the series order, that one came before this, so maybe I'll find out how it ended up like that at the "beginning" of the book?
I'll let you know!
Good Start, if:
you know Spidey's backstory (watched the movies) & want to read New material: Amazing Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Vol. 1 or The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 1: Coming Home
you want to start from the beginning & know the comic version of his story too: start from the very beginning: Amazing Spider-Man (1963-1998) Series
you want to read another version of Spidey, similar story, different at some points: Ultimate Spider-Man Vol.1: Power and Responsibility
with Golden Sparks
as you probably know by now, Spider-man is my favourite superhero.
so I always was curious to read the comics, but didn't know where to start. the dive into which comic you should read first is confusing, even though I know everything about him & his backstory, like how he comes to be the Spider-man. (I saw every version of his movie & loved them all!) but still like to read from the beginning of the story in comics. (& find out the differences for myself) & I need a guide.
a few days ago, when I felt that I want to actually read some comics, I decided to search & this one was one of the offers for the beginners. (& it was cheap!) so I said, "hey, let's give it a try! I ShOuLd start from somewhere!"
it was awesome & exciting & funny with fabulous illustrations.
but...
I think it wasn't a good start for beginners. I felt like dropping in the middle of something & I REALLY wanted to know how it all came to this in the first page!
(Update: I think before this we definitely should read Spider-Man: Ends of the Earth & then, Spider-Man: Dying Wish)
so I keep searching. & even though I'm DyIng to know how it returns to normal (if it ever does!), next I'll try a few in Amazing Spider-Man (1999) (according to the chronological list above the series order, that one came before this, so maybe I'll find out how it ended up like that at the "beginning" of the book?
I'll let you know!
Good Start, if:
you know Spidey's backstory (watched the movies) & want to read New material: Amazing Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Vol. 1 or The Amazing Spider-Man, Vol. 1: Coming Home
you want to start from the beginning & know the comic version of his story too: start from the very beginning: Amazing Spider-Man (1963-1998) Series
you want to read another version of Spidey, similar story, different at some points: Ultimate Spider-Man Vol.1: Power and Responsibility
June 9, 2014
This is just about the most brilliant idea I've seen in superhero comics in ages. Otto Octavius inhabiting the body of Peter Parker, spouting off his classic arrogance, distaste for all the Neanderthal morons surrounding him and being about as self-serving and brusque as Peter Parker was not? The dissonance from everything we ever knew about Parker is simply divine and wholly entertaining.
The insults he hurls at nearly everyone around him are hilarious - like a symphony of comeuppance for the beleaguered Doc Ock, always a bridesmaid (or would-be world-conquering genius), never a bride. Now with the power and legitimacy of being on the good side, he gets the victories he's always deserved. Ironic but he'll (and I'll) take it.
There's something gorgeous about just how quickly and easily Otto's brain and Peter's body equate to the perfect crime-fighter, and so ridiculously beyond most foes it's unfair and almost cruel. This makes my nerd side just sing with joy - I should be running naked through the streets in celebration of this victory on behalf of us nerds.
Otto's entire approach to solving problems that were hellish for Peter is just so...gratifying and facepalm-worthy. Of COURSE that's how a genius and master plotter would handle these things - what moron WOULDN'T? (Little embarrassing for our hero, wouldn't you say?)
This book feels like my well-earned reward for setting out to catch up on Spider-man that I embarked on early this year when I reached back (through a Marvel Digital Unlimited subscription) and started with Brand New Day.
Watching Otto try to woo Mary Jane is like a symphony of teenage nerd-losses, played out with big brains but still missing the clue on how to understand girls. Bonus: there's a special observer along for the ride, making the whole exercise a squirmy pleasure I'd never dreamed.
The Massacre story is a little less exciting, because it's the same old threat and just happens to have a few Otto one-upmanship twists to freshen it up a bit. It's not that it's not good, just that it's playing out the same scenery with a slightly different outcome. Somehow it feels like I'm playing a video game here, and this time we're free playing a level with a new character. Somehow it's...not entirely fun, feels a bit rote. (Or maybe it's just that we've trotted out Massacre, a C-list villain, to give Otto the excuse he needs to take this further than Spidey ever would.)
The repercussions on Spidey's life from what Otto is doing are obvious, and inevitably Parker will re-inhabit his body and then have to deal with his wrecked life. It's an interesting way to mess with the "good life" that Peter has earned lately, though it boils down to "I was possessed" - a trope of soap operas that I wish I'd never been forced to acknowledge I've seen. (My mom made me do it, OK?)
Art by Stegman, Camuncoli and team is good - evocative, fluid action, and interesting choices - but the faces look weirdly puffy and angular, and the acting ain't exactly subtle.
All in all this is a must-read book, and a lot of fun is in there. I can't in good conscience give it full five stars, but it's damned close.
The insults he hurls at nearly everyone around him are hilarious - like a symphony of comeuppance for the beleaguered Doc Ock, always a bridesmaid (or would-be world-conquering genius), never a bride. Now with the power and legitimacy of being on the good side, he gets the victories he's always deserved. Ironic but he'll (and I'll) take it.
There's something gorgeous about just how quickly and easily Otto's brain and Peter's body equate to the perfect crime-fighter, and so ridiculously beyond most foes it's unfair and almost cruel. This makes my nerd side just sing with joy - I should be running naked through the streets in celebration of this victory on behalf of us nerds.
Otto's entire approach to solving problems that were hellish for Peter is just so...gratifying and facepalm-worthy. Of COURSE that's how a genius and master plotter would handle these things - what moron WOULDN'T? (Little embarrassing for our hero, wouldn't you say?)
This book feels like my well-earned reward for setting out to catch up on Spider-man that I embarked on early this year when I reached back (through a Marvel Digital Unlimited subscription) and started with Brand New Day.
Watching Otto try to woo Mary Jane is like a symphony of teenage nerd-losses, played out with big brains but still missing the clue on how to understand girls. Bonus: there's a special observer along for the ride, making the whole exercise a squirmy pleasure I'd never dreamed.
The Massacre story is a little less exciting, because it's the same old threat and just happens to have a few Otto one-upmanship twists to freshen it up a bit. It's not that it's not good, just that it's playing out the same scenery with a slightly different outcome. Somehow it feels like I'm playing a video game here, and this time we're free playing a level with a new character. Somehow it's...not entirely fun, feels a bit rote. (Or maybe it's just that we've trotted out Massacre, a C-list villain, to give Otto the excuse he needs to take this further than Spidey ever would.)
The repercussions on Spidey's life from what Otto is doing are obvious, and inevitably Parker will re-inhabit his body and then have to deal with his wrecked life. It's an interesting way to mess with the "good life" that Peter has earned lately, though it boils down to "I was possessed" - a trope of soap operas that I wish I'd never been forced to acknowledge I've seen. (My mom made me do it, OK?)
Art by Stegman, Camuncoli and team is good - evocative, fluid action, and interesting choices - but the faces look weirdly puffy and angular, and the acting ain't exactly subtle.
All in all this is a must-read book, and a lot of fun is in there. I can't in good conscience give it full five stars, but it's damned close.
March 26, 2018
Finally, years later, I sit down and read Superior Spider-man to see if I'll enjoy it as much as I did when reading issue 1 years ago. I fucking do, is the short answer.
So Dr. Ock is the new Spider-man. With that it started a million online fanboys crying for hours. However, if you actually read it, not a bad idea. So now Dr. Ock has all the memories of Peter Parker and the same feelings but that doesn't mean he has to do it the same way. This is a man who wants to cut out the bullshit. Have a life. Take down criminals, FOR GOOD. This is a man on a mission to save people but not bullshit around. This is the Superior Spider-man, and he actually is.
Good: The art is wonderful. I love Ryan's artwork, some of my favorite of Spider-man. The dialog is a step up, since Dr. Ock spider-man is far more interesting and well done and it SOUNDS like him verses where I never thought Slott got Peter's voice down right. The later half of this volume is extremely well done and the last few pages are near perfect for a new SPider-man adventure.
Bad: I thought the start was a little slow, and gimmicky with a ghost-like Peter Parker following Dr. Ock Spider-man everywhere.
Overall this was extremely fun and easily the best Spider-man story read in awhile. His solo title has suffered but this, this was some good shit. Hope to enjoy Superior Spider-man's entire run now! A 4 out of 5.
So Dr. Ock is the new Spider-man. With that it started a million online fanboys crying for hours. However, if you actually read it, not a bad idea. So now Dr. Ock has all the memories of Peter Parker and the same feelings but that doesn't mean he has to do it the same way. This is a man who wants to cut out the bullshit. Have a life. Take down criminals, FOR GOOD. This is a man on a mission to save people but not bullshit around. This is the Superior Spider-man, and he actually is.
Good: The art is wonderful. I love Ryan's artwork, some of my favorite of Spider-man. The dialog is a step up, since Dr. Ock spider-man is far more interesting and well done and it SOUNDS like him verses where I never thought Slott got Peter's voice down right. The later half of this volume is extremely well done and the last few pages are near perfect for a new SPider-man adventure.
Bad: I thought the start was a little slow, and gimmicky with a ghost-like Peter Parker following Dr. Ock Spider-man everywhere.
Overall this was extremely fun and easily the best Spider-man story read in awhile. His solo title has suffered but this, this was some good shit. Hope to enjoy Superior Spider-man's entire run now! A 4 out of 5.
October 16, 2022
A simple concept executed to perfection. Doc Ock's transition into Spider-Man provides wonderful character growth for both himself and ghost Peter. It's fascinating to watch as Ock juggles the two lives of his biggest foe and, in many ways, succeeds where the original could not. Friendly neighbourhood has been replaced by proficient planning and elaborate schemes, showing a completely different side of how to be Spider-Man. Superior indeed, Slott's rather risky creation brings something completely new to the table and pays off in a very rewarding way.
January 9, 2016
Doctor Octopus has taken over Peter Parker's entire life. Despite having all of Peter Parker's memories he's still doing things his way which is good, bad, and in-between.
A Dying Wish left me expecting to enjoy Superior Spider-Man even though my initial thought was it wouldn't be too enjoyable seeing Doc Ock be Spidey. When it comes to My Own Worst Enemy, my initial thought was correct. Doc Ock is a resourceful genius, but the man is a total prick too. Fortunately Peter's memory ghost or whatever it is has been keeping Otto in check for the largest part.
I realize the writing is supposed to represent a strange and very unlike Peter Parker Spider-Man, but the result is a guy I want to punch in the face. Calling the news to witness his successes and making nice with J. Jonah Jameson are just two of the ways Otto has changed Peter negatively.
I'm not sure if I'll continue reading Superior Spider-Man because I can't stand Doctor Octopus as Spider-Man.
A Dying Wish left me expecting to enjoy Superior Spider-Man even though my initial thought was it wouldn't be too enjoyable seeing Doc Ock be Spidey. When it comes to My Own Worst Enemy, my initial thought was correct. Doc Ock is a resourceful genius, but the man is a total prick too. Fortunately Peter's memory ghost or whatever it is has been keeping Otto in check for the largest part.
I realize the writing is supposed to represent a strange and very unlike Peter Parker Spider-Man, but the result is a guy I want to punch in the face. Calling the news to witness his successes and making nice with J. Jonah Jameson are just two of the ways Otto has changed Peter negatively.
I'm not sure if I'll continue reading Superior Spider-Man because I can't stand Doctor Octopus as Spider-Man.
March 12, 2014
I hated this idea from the moment I heard it: Doc Ock has transferred his mind into Peter Parker's body, and is continuing to pose as him, and Spider-Man. It sounds like a gimmick, and it's painfully obvious that this will eventually be reverted. I pegged it as an ultimately pointless, shallow attempt to sell more books. I read it anyways. And, um... It's actually really good.
I still think that the basic idea started as a cash grab, but Slott has put in the hard work to make it something more. He's actually made Otto's thoughts and actions believable. I buy him as a mostly reformed villain now trying to live up to his responsibilities, his way. It adds an interesting dynamic, especially when he encounters an old friend like Vulture. I loved reading how he'd put his past experience as a creator of cunning plans to work. It's a different dynamic. Otto's Spider-Man doesn't patrol, he uses an army of spider-bots to watch the city for him, more effectively than Peter could on his patrols. He doesn't react immediately to a threat, he carefully plans the best way to react to it. And he's certainly more ruthless than Peter ever was.
He's also creepier than Peter ever was. His interactions with Mary Jane are so calculated and cold-blooded that it was uncomfortable to read. For a moment, his devotion to Aunt May was sweet... until I remembered that he'd once been engaged to her. And now he's cozying up to her again. In her nephew's body. Ew. I do find those scenes believable, but still... Ew. Luckily, those scenes don't take up too much space in the book.
I still think this was a bad idea, and I still think that it's a cynical ploy for sales at heart. But nobody gave Dan Slott the memo, and as a result, he delivered the best possible take on the concept, better than anyone could have expected. I can't believe that I liked it as much as I did.
I still think that the basic idea started as a cash grab, but Slott has put in the hard work to make it something more. He's actually made Otto's thoughts and actions believable. I buy him as a mostly reformed villain now trying to live up to his responsibilities, his way. It adds an interesting dynamic, especially when he encounters an old friend like Vulture. I loved reading how he'd put his past experience as a creator of cunning plans to work. It's a different dynamic. Otto's Spider-Man doesn't patrol, he uses an army of spider-bots to watch the city for him, more effectively than Peter could on his patrols. He doesn't react immediately to a threat, he carefully plans the best way to react to it. And he's certainly more ruthless than Peter ever was.
He's also creepier than Peter ever was. His interactions with Mary Jane are so calculated and cold-blooded that it was uncomfortable to read. For a moment, his devotion to Aunt May was sweet... until I remembered that he'd once been engaged to her. And now he's cozying up to her again. In her nephew's body. Ew. I do find those scenes believable, but still... Ew. Luckily, those scenes don't take up too much space in the book.
I still think this was a bad idea, and I still think that it's a cynical ploy for sales at heart. But nobody gave Dan Slott the memo, and as a result, he delivered the best possible take on the concept, better than anyone could have expected. I can't believe that I liked it as much as I did.
August 23, 2014
So let me start by saying I’m not a Spidey fan. Sure, I’ve read a bunch of his books in the past because I liked an artist or author, but never was so stoked by a title that I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the next collection. The Superior Spider-Man has changed that. This is not only my favorite Spidey book EVER, it has earned a spot on my list of all-time favorites. Now that that’s out of the way, the hardback collection I read also included Amazing Spider-Man #698 – 700 along with Superior #1 – 5, but I couldn’t find it in Goodreads so I put my review here. Here's the dust jacket cover image from the hardcover collection. Sweet.
Dan who? Never heard of him. Not really true, as I have read a smattering of his stuff in the past. But nothing that touches this. Had every one of my Goodreads pals not raved about this title I almost certainly wouldn’t have even picked it up. Mr. Slott took a character and storyline I had no interest in and owned that shit. Watching Ock interact with everyone in Peter’s life as Peter or Spidey was fantastic. I previously thought it would be impossible for Slott to convince me that a life-long villain wanted to be a hero. He did it in an entertaining and plausible way. Ock doesn’t just want to be a hero, he wants to be a “superior” hero. Some of the stuff he comes up with (new spider-suit, spider-bots, and spider-apps) is just great. And Otto also does what any portly middle-aged nerd would do if given the young muscular body of a professional soccer player. Right. He's gonna smash MJ. Can’t blame him. And “spirit” Peter gets to watch the whole thing.
And then there’s the art. For years I have been jealous of the long list of great artists that worked on a title I really had no interest in. Well not anymore. The art throughout this collection was top notch. Especially the stuff by Humberto Ramos, Ryan Stegman, and Giuseppe Camuncoli. All three brought the kind of dynamic and kinetic work this title needed to make it a classic. Glad to see all of them continue to contribute to future volumes and this insures that I’ll be back for more.
Dan who? Never heard of him. Not really true, as I have read a smattering of his stuff in the past. But nothing that touches this. Had every one of my Goodreads pals not raved about this title I almost certainly wouldn’t have even picked it up. Mr. Slott took a character and storyline I had no interest in and owned that shit. Watching Ock interact with everyone in Peter’s life as Peter or Spidey was fantastic. I previously thought it would be impossible for Slott to convince me that a life-long villain wanted to be a hero. He did it in an entertaining and plausible way. Ock doesn’t just want to be a hero, he wants to be a “superior” hero. Some of the stuff he comes up with (new spider-suit, spider-bots, and spider-apps) is just great. And Otto also does what any portly middle-aged nerd would do if given the young muscular body of a professional soccer player. Right. He's gonna smash MJ. Can’t blame him. And “spirit” Peter gets to watch the whole thing.
And then there’s the art. For years I have been jealous of the long list of great artists that worked on a title I really had no interest in. Well not anymore. The art throughout this collection was top notch. Especially the stuff by Humberto Ramos, Ryan Stegman, and Giuseppe Camuncoli. All three brought the kind of dynamic and kinetic work this title needed to make it a classic. Glad to see all of them continue to contribute to future volumes and this insures that I’ll be back for more.
August 24, 2021
This was so good!
Ock is in Pete's body and he has to deal with his life like fighting the new Sinister six led by Boomerang but he is more vicious and then there is MJ and girl troubles there and finding ways to be a better Spider-man and all and not falling into the same traps, get a PHD but then again you have the inefficiency of Peter and finally when Massacre, a criminal targets innocent people, Ock has to stop him and take him down and prevent killings but what he does changes Spider-man forever! This volume was so good and like does so many risky things but shows why Ock is superior and also sets up great things with GG, Carlie and others even and the twist with Vulture was good!
Its taking steps that a normal spidey comic would and for that it makes it like a way better volume and one of the best Spidey runs ever!
Ock is in Pete's body and he has to deal with his life like fighting the new Sinister six led by Boomerang but he is more vicious and then there is MJ and girl troubles there and finding ways to be a better Spider-man and all and not falling into the same traps, get a PHD but then again you have the inefficiency of Peter and finally when Massacre, a criminal targets innocent people, Ock has to stop him and take him down and prevent killings but what he does changes Spider-man forever! This volume was so good and like does so many risky things but shows why Ock is superior and also sets up great things with GG, Carlie and others even and the twist with Vulture was good!
Its taking steps that a normal spidey comic would and for that it makes it like a way better volume and one of the best Spidey runs ever!
November 27, 2013
Well now, THAT is how you jump start/reboot one of the biggest superheroes out there. Marvel NOW started slow for me, but at this point, it's kicking the crap out of New 52. (Matt Fraction on Hawkeye; Mark Waid on Daredevil; Jonathan Hickman on the New Avengers; Brian Michael Bendis on All New X-Men, Jason Aaron on Wolverine and the X-Men....just wow).
Doc Ock's consciousness is in Peter Parker, and Peter is dead. Yes that's right. However, the dead sometimes have a way of haunting people...but I won't give more than that away. Taking a whole new spin on Spidey, his relationships with everyone (which Slott's done a great job of explaining, it's not Otto's brain in Peter's body, because Peter's memories and morality is still intact, so it's a hybrid of Peter and Otto). This makes very fascinating reading, because he's not a bad guy, nor is he the good Spidey of old, but somewhere in between, and in some ways, far more effective. [little robotic spiders to act as an early warning system for crime so that Otto can be where he needs to be without having to 'waste time' patrolling]
There's a nice parallel of Batman (J. Jonah gets a Spider Light put on the roof of the mayor's house) and I'll leave it to you to read how that goes down. There's also run ins with Vulture (a whole new dynamic as Otto and the Vulture are old acquaintances) as well as Massacre.
The fight between Massacre and Spidey will shake you, and may be too much for some long time Spidey fans, but you have to remember...that it isn't Peter Parker.
Slott manages to take Otto as Spider-Man and make it fascinating, his interactions with everyone are new, and bring up all new situations. Yet without giving it away, the spirit of Peter Parker looms large over this book.
This is in my opinion a new modern classic, and destined to be included in the greatest Spider-Man books ever. Bravo Mr. Slott.
Doc Ock's consciousness is in Peter Parker, and Peter is dead. Yes that's right. However, the dead sometimes have a way of haunting people...but I won't give more than that away. Taking a whole new spin on Spidey, his relationships with everyone (which Slott's done a great job of explaining, it's not Otto's brain in Peter's body, because Peter's memories and morality is still intact, so it's a hybrid of Peter and Otto). This makes very fascinating reading, because he's not a bad guy, nor is he the good Spidey of old, but somewhere in between, and in some ways, far more effective. [little robotic spiders to act as an early warning system for crime so that Otto can be where he needs to be without having to 'waste time' patrolling]
There's a nice parallel of Batman (J. Jonah gets a Spider Light put on the roof of the mayor's house) and I'll leave it to you to read how that goes down. There's also run ins with Vulture (a whole new dynamic as Otto and the Vulture are old acquaintances) as well as Massacre.
The fight between Massacre and Spidey will shake you, and may be too much for some long time Spidey fans, but you have to remember...that it isn't Peter Parker.
Slott manages to take Otto as Spider-Man and make it fascinating, his interactions with everyone are new, and bring up all new situations. Yet without giving it away, the spirit of Peter Parker looms large over this book.
This is in my opinion a new modern classic, and destined to be included in the greatest Spider-Man books ever. Bravo Mr. Slott.
August 31, 2017
This was great! Makes you really wonder, is doc oc a better spider-man than Peter Parker? When Peter ever gets his body back he is in for a surprise! Wasn't familiar with him, But I loved the Massacre character! Not sure if he is a regular spider baddy! But this makes me want to check him out.
May 24, 2016
I really enjoyed this volume, this version of spider-man. Good stuff!
October 19, 2018
Dan Slott does an amazing job of portraying the personality of Otto Octavius in Peter Parker's body. Any time Parker/Spider-man is interacting with other characters, it's a lot of fun to see how confused they are as they try to figure out what happened to Peter. This volume contains five issues. Issues 1-3 are really good, but issues 4 and 5 are really weak. The artist changes for those issues, and the art is not that good. Also, the villain in issues 4 and 5 isn't interesting at all. Despite this, the content in issues 1-3 make this worth reading.
December 9, 2018
A different and interesting take on Spider-Man. Doctor Octopus has taken over Peter's body, and is at war with himself (and Peter's ghost) over being a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man or being a ruthless vigilante. He also has a lot of fun new toys to work with, like his spider-bots.
I liked how the first few issues the "letters to the editor" section pretty much only printed letters where people were shitting on them and saying they would never buy another Spider-Man comic again. It was a pretty ballsy (and hilarious) move.
I liked how the first few issues the "letters to the editor" section pretty much only printed letters where people were shitting on them and saying they would never buy another Spider-Man comic again. It was a pretty ballsy (and hilarious) move.
August 30, 2016
Honestly, this is the first Spider-Man comic I've ever read. He's never interested me as a character. Good guy who doesn't get the girl? Evasive fighter? Goofy villains? Eh... Fortunately for me, Peter Parker is gone and Otto Octavius is here instead. Villainous!
Otto makes an awesome Spider-Man. He drinks, womanizes, gawks, talks back. He's arrogant, scheming, lazy. He's a terrible person at first, making a mockery (satisfyingly for me) of Peter Parker. But being inside Peter's head and having his memories, he actually starts to care. And yet, because he's a villain and sees the value of extremism, he's a killer. Which makes this pretty dark and gritty sometimes and I love it. Reminds me of Batman. But because this is Spider-Man and Marvel, there's humor, which makes for a wonderful balance.
March 3, 2016
Before reading this book thought that the general premise sounded a bit ropey at best. I haven't read any Spider-Man books and found my way to this one through the current Spider-Man/Deadpool run, which has made me more interested in Spidey. I have read some great reviews of this book on here so decided this would be as good a place as any to start. Having said that I still went into this one skeptically.
For those that don't know, Superior Spider-Man is the story of Dr Otto Octavius (Dr Octopus) becoming Spider-Man. Octavius is dying, in order to avoid death the swaps his mind into Peter Parkers body and vice versa. (This all happens in a previous book and I'm not sure how). In doing so he retains Parker’s memories and experiences. The result being, rather than continue his life of crime, he sets out to be come a Superior Spider-Man to Parker by using his superior intellect to and technological skills along with Peters Spider-man powers. On more than a few occasions this is very reminiscent of Batman and his approach to crime fighting. The Spider Signal just sealed the deal.
For me the most interesting concept in this book the increasing emergence of Peter’s consciousness acting as the angel on Dr Ock’s shoulder. This gives us an inner battle that is simply fascinating, as Peter struggle to keep his Dr Ock’s far more violent methods within the confines of the law. It also forces Peter to reexamine his approach, making him question if is way is best. Dan Slott handles the writing of this extremely well as he shows that, for the most part Dr. Ock's is in fact a Superior Spider-Man, catching far more criminals that Peter would. Is the good way always the best way? Whether this continues or not remains to be seen.
The end of this story is excellent. There are a couple of shocking moments that give us a glimpse of things to come. Again much like Batman, this Spider-Man intends to employ high level intellect, fear and control to thwart crime but perhaps with less restraint.
So what I thought was going to be a silly, gimmicky read turned out to be a surprisingly well thought out and deep concept. I really hope that this continues as the storyline progresses. This was my Spidey introduction, and what an introduction. 5 stars.
For those that don't know, Superior Spider-Man is the story of Dr Otto Octavius (Dr Octopus) becoming Spider-Man. Octavius is dying, in order to avoid death the swaps his mind into Peter Parkers body and vice versa. (This all happens in a previous book and I'm not sure how). In doing so he retains Parker’s memories and experiences. The result being, rather than continue his life of crime, he sets out to be come a Superior Spider-Man to Parker by using his superior intellect to and technological skills along with Peters Spider-man powers. On more than a few occasions this is very reminiscent of Batman and his approach to crime fighting. The Spider Signal just sealed the deal.
For me the most interesting concept in this book the increasing emergence of Peter’s consciousness acting as the angel on Dr Ock’s shoulder. This gives us an inner battle that is simply fascinating, as Peter struggle to keep his Dr Ock’s far more violent methods within the confines of the law. It also forces Peter to reexamine his approach, making him question if is way is best. Dan Slott handles the writing of this extremely well as he shows that, for the most part Dr. Ock's is in fact a Superior Spider-Man, catching far more criminals that Peter would. Is the good way always the best way? Whether this continues or not remains to be seen.
The end of this story is excellent. There are a couple of shocking moments that give us a glimpse of things to come. Again much like Batman, this Spider-Man intends to employ high level intellect, fear and control to thwart crime but perhaps with less restraint.
So what I thought was going to be a silly, gimmicky read turned out to be a surprisingly well thought out and deep concept. I really hope that this continues as the storyline progresses. This was my Spidey introduction, and what an introduction. 5 stars.
May 5, 2015
So, just to clear the air, I was a Spider-Man virgin before I read this! And talk about an intro to America's Favorite Arachnid! Even as someone who's only seen the various cartoon/movie versions, even I could tell the major differences between Doc Ock inhabiting Peter, and when Peter's body is being controlled by himself.
I loved that ghost/spirit Peter was forced to watch and try to intervene (pretty much fruitlessly...though Ock does seem to almost hear him sometimes) as Ock screwed up his love-life, his work relationships, and completely changed the way he handled his superhero duties. Also, Spider-Bots? AWESOME! Not so awesome: Ock creeping on Aunt May while in Peter's body. Just...UGH, NO.
***
I did like that he ended the (seemingly) never-ending "star-crossed" cycle of Spidey and Mary Jane. And that Peter recognizes that he should have and just couldn't bring himself to actually finish things. Also, the facepalm over never calling the cops for help was truly priceless. Really looking forward to seeing where this one goes. But really, does not ONE of Parker's friends/family think it's weird that he suddenly sounds like a walking-talking DICTIONARY with his "proper" English???!!! Who talks like that? Aliens, bad-guys (some of the old or more literate ones anyways),old people, etc. In other words, NOT SPIDER-MAN!!!
***P.S. My opinion is they kind of are and they kind of aren't. If that offends you, you must not like the South-Park type of humor. I am calling our friendship into question now.
I loved that ghost/spirit Peter was forced to watch and try to intervene (pretty much fruitlessly...though Ock does seem to almost hear him sometimes) as Ock screwed up his love-life, his work relationships, and completely changed the way he handled his superhero duties. Also, Spider-Bots? AWESOME! Not so awesome: Ock creeping on Aunt May while in Peter's body. Just...UGH, NO.
***
I did like that he ended the (seemingly) never-ending "star-crossed" cycle of Spidey and Mary Jane. And that Peter recognizes that he should have and just couldn't bring himself to actually finish things. Also, the facepalm over never calling the cops for help was truly priceless. Really looking forward to seeing where this one goes. But really, does not ONE of Parker's friends/family think it's weird that he suddenly sounds like a walking-talking DICTIONARY with his "proper" English???!!! Who talks like that? Aliens, bad-guys (some of the old or more literate ones anyways),old people, etc. In other words, NOT SPIDER-MAN!!!
***P.S. My opinion is they kind of are and they kind of aren't. If that offends you, you must not like the South-Park type of humor. I am calling our friendship into question now.
March 6, 2013
Peter Parker is no more. Now there is only Doc Ock. Now there is only The Superior Spider-man!
I was very sceptical when I first heard of Dan Slotts premise behind the new Spider-man title. But after Amazing Spider-man #700 I was sold on the idea of Otto Octavius becoming Spider-man and seeking redemption for his life of villainy. This book deals with the main theme of Spider-man which is "with great power, there must also come great responsibility". Otto now has the power of Spider-man, and want's to do good, better even, than Peter.
There are some flaws here. There are some scenes that involve Mary Jane that borderline on rape. No doubt it's Slott's intention for the scenes of Otto hitting on MJ to be creepy, but it ends up turning out to be uncomfortable for the reader (well, for me personally it was).
But Slott also takes advantage of Otto being a scientific genius in a way that's never really been done with Peter. He adapts his Octo-bots to patrol the city so he wont have to. He makes improvements to his costume (which Peter did do quite often, but then he'd always go back to his usual suit once the job at hand was done).
Look, Spider-man is a character that is now 50 years old. A lot of writers have worked on him in that time and done many things. So Slott's current take on Spidey is fresh and does have interesting parts to it. And also, the part about Peter Parker being dead? Yeah, don't get too upset over that. You'll find out why when you read on.
I was very sceptical when I first heard of Dan Slotts premise behind the new Spider-man title. But after Amazing Spider-man #700 I was sold on the idea of Otto Octavius becoming Spider-man and seeking redemption for his life of villainy. This book deals with the main theme of Spider-man which is "with great power, there must also come great responsibility". Otto now has the power of Spider-man, and want's to do good, better even, than Peter.
There are some flaws here. There are some scenes that involve Mary Jane that borderline on rape. No doubt it's Slott's intention for the scenes of Otto hitting on MJ to be creepy, but it ends up turning out to be uncomfortable for the reader (well, for me personally it was).
But Slott also takes advantage of Otto being a scientific genius in a way that's never really been done with Peter. He adapts his Octo-bots to patrol the city so he wont have to. He makes improvements to his costume (which Peter did do quite often, but then he'd always go back to his usual suit once the job at hand was done).
Look, Spider-man is a character that is now 50 years old. A lot of writers have worked on him in that time and done many things. So Slott's current take on Spidey is fresh and does have interesting parts to it. And also, the part about Peter Parker being dead? Yeah, don't get too upset over that. You'll find out why when you read on.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2015
Quick bit of background: I'm a huge Spider-Man fan. Peter Parker Spider-Man. I haven't forgiven Marvel for One More Day, but I have read some of Slott's Spider-Man and I do like this general take. After hearing about this storyline of Superior Spider-Man though, I really avoided it because I just want to see good Peter Parker Spider-Man stories. I'm reading this with an open mind.
I have to say it is well done. Since Peter is still involved it becomes more of a "how will Peter get out of this situation" story for me. Also, you do see Otto do some things better than Peter, holding up a mirror to him, reminding us of both the good and bad about Peter (which is also what makes him possibly the best superhero ever.)
The art isn't bad, but it varies. There are at least two in this volume and I like Stegman's better.
So far I'm liking it and interested to see what happens. More like a 3.5 stars. Vol 2 next...
I have to say it is well done. Since Peter is still involved it becomes more of a "how will Peter get out of this situation" story for me. Also, you do see Otto do some things better than Peter, holding up a mirror to him, reminding us of both the good and bad about Peter (which is also what makes him possibly the best superhero ever.)
The art isn't bad, but it varies. There are at least two in this volume and I like Stegman's better.
So far I'm liking it and interested to see what happens. More like a 3.5 stars. Vol 2 next...
February 22, 2024
У 2012 онґоїнґ ASM завершився на 700 номері. В ку��ьмінації сюжету "Dying Wish" Отто Октавіус в тілі Пітера Паркера переміг Пітера свідомість якого знаходилася в помираючому тілі Ока. Для багатьох стало шоком те, що Marvel позбулися Пітера й замінили його на Октавіуса. На зміну ASM прийшла серія "Superior Spider-Man", тож давайте розглянемо перші п'ять номерів й дізнаємося якими вийшли перші пригоди Отто в ролі Людини Павука.
За перші п'ять номерів Отто в ролі Павука встигне зіштовхнутися із Зловісною Шестіркою Бумеранга (причому в результаті конфронтації з ними забере собі Живий Мозок, з якого зробить робота прислугу), Стервятником та Побоїщем. І мені сподобалося те, як Слотт вирішив показати як методи Октавіуса відрізняються від того, що зробив би Пітер. Так наприклад Шестірка потрапляє в пастку яка була підготовлена Павуком, Стервятника Отто збирався відправити на щасливу пенсію оскільки пам'ятав яка була його мотивація коли вони тільки починали свої кар'єри суперлиходіїв, а щодо Побоїща… то тут не буду казати оскільки момент, як на мене, вийшов дуже сильним й вартує того щоб самому побачити.
Також одним з важливих елементів серії є те як Отто розпоряджається повсякденним життям Паркера, а також його офігівання з того наскільки Пітер не вмів балансувати його з Павучим життям. За ці номери Отто спробує зійтися з Мері Джейн, посвариться з колегами із лабораторії Горайзон, налагодить стосунки з Джоною, та створить павучих ботів, які будуть патрулювати замість нього, щоб він міг вирішити в які нещасні випадки або злочини йому втрутитися, а попри які пройти повз й залишити їх поліції. Дену Слотту вдалося написати самовпевненого героя мудака, але такого за яким цікаво спостерігати й хочеться дізнатися, що ж буде з ним далі. Мені взагалі дуже подобається момент коли у Октавіуса пригоріло, через те, що він усвідомив, що Пітер так ніколи й не отримав докторський ступінь. В результаті наш герой вирішує повернутися в університет в якому зустрічає Марконі.
Ще однією класною ідеєю Слотта яка мені сподобалася, це те, що після переносу свідомості в тілі Пітера залишилася невелика частина його свідомості, яка починає бути совістю так наставником Отто.
Щодо малюнку то тут теж все дуже і дуже добре. Перші три номери малював Раян Стеґман, а сюжетку з Побоїще малював Джузепе Камунколі, обидва художники видали досить приємну й хорошу роботу. Насправді ця серія мені ще нагадала наскільки Стеґман прокачався, серйозно просто порівняйте цю серію та його Венома.
Загалом онґоїнґ Суперіор Павука має класний початок, яким я був задоволений. Взагалі приємно було повернутися до цієї серії.
За перші п'ять номерів Отто в ролі Павука встигне зіштовхнутися із Зловісною Шестіркою Бумеранга (причому в результаті конфронтації з ними забере собі Живий Мозок, з якого зробить робота прислугу), Стервятником та Побоїщем. І мені сподобалося те, як Слотт вирішив показати як методи Октавіуса відрізняються від того, що зробив би Пітер. Так наприклад Шестірка потрапляє в пастку яка була підготовлена Павуком, Стервятника Отто збирався відправити на щасливу пенсію оскільки пам'ятав яка була його мотивація коли вони тільки починали свої кар'єри суперлиходіїв, а щодо Побоїща… то тут не буду казати оскільки момент, як на мене, вийшов дуже сильним й вартує того щоб самому побачити.
Також одним з важливих елементів серії є те як Отто розпоряджається повсякденним життям Паркера, а також його офігівання з того наскільки Пітер не вмів балансувати його з Павучим життям. За ці номери Отто спробує зійтися з Мері Джейн, посвариться з колегами із лабораторії Горайзон, налагодить стосунки з Джоною, та створить павучих ботів, які будуть патрулювати замість нього, щоб він міг вирішити в які нещасні випадки або злочини йому втрутитися, а попри які пройти повз й залишити їх поліції. Дену Слотту вдалося написати самовпевненого героя мудака, але такого за яким цікаво спостерігати й хочеться дізнатися, що ж буде з ним далі. Мені взагалі дуже подобається момент коли у Октавіуса пригоріло, через те, що він усвідомив, що Пітер так ніколи й не отримав докторський ступінь. В результаті наш герой вирішує повернутися в університет в якому зустрічає Марконі.
Ще однією класною ідеєю Слотта яка мені сподобалася, це те, що після переносу свідомості в тілі Пітера залишилася невелика частина його свідомості, яка починає бути совістю так наставником Отто.
Щодо малюнку то тут теж все дуже і дуже добре. Перші три номери малював Раян Стеґман, а сюжетку з Побоїще малював Джузепе Камунколі, обидва художники видали досить приємну й хорошу роботу. Насправді ця серія мені ще нагадала наскільки Стеґман прокачався, серйозно просто порівняйте цю серію та його Венома.
Загалом онґоїнґ Суперіор Павука має класний початок, яким я був задоволений. Взагалі приємно було повернутися до цієї серії.
April 17, 2017
I'm actually a big fan of Dan Slott. He revived the She-Hulk series for me in a big way. And in my opinion did amazing things for this Spidey series! Not only is this a totally engaging story, but the art work is prime in this. I can't wait to read the next installment.
I'd love to work some of the stuff I read in this in my turned based writing.
I'd love to work some of the stuff I read in this in my turned based writing.
May 19, 2018
This was entertaining. I like the different style of Spidermans thinking but also the conflicting portrayal between Peter and Ock.
July 20, 2023
Doc Ock frustrated over Pete not having a PhD! LMAOOOO
December 12, 2013
Spider-Man is dead. Or is he?
After years of battling the wall-crawling menace, Doctor Otto Octavius (or Doctor Octopus if you prefer) was about to kick the bucket thanks to an incurable disease. In a last ditch effort to save himself as well as defeat Spider-Man, Doc Ock successfully managed to “switch brains” with his nemesis just in time for Spidey to die imprisoned in Doc Ock’s former body.
There’s just one thing Doc Ock didn’t account for – while he has full control over Spidey’s body, he’s also infused with the memories of Peter Parker. Upon realizing exactly why Parker does what he does as Spider-Man, Doc Ock pledges to lead a good life and strive to continue Spider-Man’s legacy. Unfortunately for him, it’s not that easy to switch sides when you’ve been spending years as a self-absorbed evil genius.
It’s not like Peter Parker is totally gone either. He’s still swinging alongside his former self as a ghost, acting like a sort of conscience to Doc Ock as he struggles to maintain his new role. While Doc Ock can’t see him or actually communicate with him, Parker acts as a comedic companion to inject some lightness into a few of the heavier scenes.
There’s also this strange Spider-Man/Black Cat one-off in the middle of the book that really took me out of the story they were trying to tell. Not sure why the decision was made to inject it as a sort of bridge between the final issues of Amazing Spider-Man and the renewed Superior Spider-Man series.
The whole idea is completely ridiculous and it should have fallen flat on its face but somehow, Dan Slott makes it work. It took a decent portion of the book for me to really get invested in the story but by the end I was ready for more. I’m hoping I can get my hands on the following two volumes and catch up to the point where I can start reading this monthly.
After years of battling the wall-crawling menace, Doctor Otto Octavius (or Doctor Octopus if you prefer) was about to kick the bucket thanks to an incurable disease. In a last ditch effort to save himself as well as defeat Spider-Man, Doc Ock successfully managed to “switch brains” with his nemesis just in time for Spidey to die imprisoned in Doc Ock’s former body.
There’s just one thing Doc Ock didn’t account for – while he has full control over Spidey’s body, he’s also infused with the memories of Peter Parker. Upon realizing exactly why Parker does what he does as Spider-Man, Doc Ock pledges to lead a good life and strive to continue Spider-Man’s legacy. Unfortunately for him, it’s not that easy to switch sides when you’ve been spending years as a self-absorbed evil genius.
It’s not like Peter Parker is totally gone either. He’s still swinging alongside his former self as a ghost, acting like a sort of conscience to Doc Ock as he struggles to maintain his new role. While Doc Ock can’t see him or actually communicate with him, Parker acts as a comedic companion to inject some lightness into a few of the heavier scenes.
There’s also this strange Spider-Man/Black Cat one-off in the middle of the book that really took me out of the story they were trying to tell. Not sure why the decision was made to inject it as a sort of bridge between the final issues of Amazing Spider-Man and the renewed Superior Spider-Man series.
The whole idea is completely ridiculous and it should have fallen flat on its face but somehow, Dan Slott makes it work. It took a decent portion of the book for me to really get invested in the story but by the end I was ready for more. I’m hoping I can get my hands on the following two volumes and catch up to the point where I can start reading this monthly.
November 6, 2016
Looking back now, this was my all time favourite Spiderman run. Still remember religiously refreshing good old piratebay for new editions week after week.
Will totally reread.
Will totally reread.
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