The Superior Ghost Dad

The Superior Spider-man #1

Okay, I just had to read the first issue of “The Superior Spider-man.” Spider-man is probably Marvel’s most popular singular character because of his everyday nerd dude attributes. We identify with him the most, and thus, we love him the most. Somewhere along the way writer Dan Slott forgot that and decided to replace Peter Parker with Doc Ock. The result is a predictable mildly entertaining adventure that could have been a little better, but also could have been way worse. To be honest I kind of like this comic despite all of its flaws, but only because it was better than I expected. Yes it’s so predictable that I could have wrote a review of it without ever reading it, but the art is good and most of the writing falls into the hit side of Dan Slott’s vast history of hits and misses. However better doesn’t translate into worth my hard earned dollar.

Perhaps its biggest flaw is that it actually dares to talk about the elephant in the room. Sure everyone sees the elephant, but no one talks about it for a reason. And that elephant is the eventual return of Peter Parker. Everyone knows that Marvel wouldn’t keep Peter Parker dead forever, and it looks like he won’t be dead for a very long period. I try to do reviews without spoiling any of the plot, but I can’t this time. So… SPOILER ALERT!! At the end of the comic Doc Ock nearly kills a super villain. That part was fine, it’s what we except from Doc. But what happens is that he is stopped at the last minute by Peter Parker’s ghost. Okay, it might be something left over in Spider-man’s brain, but I’m calling it a damn ghost. The problem with this plot point is that it keeps us from getting invested into the current story. There is no reason to get used to the idea of Doc Ock as Spider-man because they’re just going to change it within a year. The ghost even says that he is going to find a way back. So don’t get comfortable true believers. Before the first issue is even over, Marvel has their finger over the reset button.

The Secret Service #5

I just realized it’s been a while since I’ve read a Mark Millar comic. And it’s easy to realize such a thing because I’ve come to the understanding that there isn’t anything else quite like his work. Millar’s comics might vary in strength and intensity, but they never cease to amaze with deep narratives and interesting characters. There is also a great use of shock value to his work as well. And you can easily find all of those things in his fifth issue of “The Secret Service.” While it might not have the over-the-top nature of “Kick-Ass,” TSS is probably Millar’s most well paced comic to date. It never does anything all at once, so it can string you along to enjoy the comic. This issue in particular goes from angry, to heartwarming, to funny, to sexy, to murder in about twenty-four pages. And it does all of this while unveiling the nerd fueled plot. A good deal of this story feels like an old Bond film if it was written by a massive comic book nerd. But that is what it is supposed to be anyway. There isn’t a shock every three seconds like some of his more infamous works, but I honestly believe this comic to be my favorite since the first “Kick-Ass.” And we still have one more great issue to go.

Also, in a shameless plug to myself, check out Bruce Osborne on Facebook. I post/link all my stuff there, including chapters on a book I’m working on. Feel free to hit the ‘Like’ button as if you’re an addict.

I also write publish works of fiction on my Bruce Osborne Blog. Feel free to read, follow, or even hate my stuff. I don’t care if people like it, only that they read it.

There are too many movies for me to review in full, so I created a twitter account to give brief opinions on the many movies I view. If you wish to read my smart ass remarks, follow M.O.V.I.E. Reviewer @MutantOpossum.

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Tags: geek, comics, geeks, marvel, etsy, art, moms basement, nerds, nerd, comic, dc, comic books, peter parker, Bruce Osborne, Spider-man, Mark Millar, doc ock, writing, The Superior Spider-man, Dan Slott, The Secret Service