Tag Archives: Dan Slott

The Superior Spider-Man 5 (May 2013)

Posted on 26 April 2013 | Leave a comment

Superior Spider Man Vol 1 5

I guess I didn’t realize it before, but “Brand New Day” Peter Parker is supposed to be unbelievably good looking. Otto lucked out in the bod department, apparently.

This issue features a really nice scene where Otto has dinner with his “tutor,” a very charming woman who happens to be a little person. Ghost Peter never says it, but there’s a definitely implication he’d never give her the time of day whereas Otto’s able to see past it.

Otto’s also able to see the benefit of coordinating with others (shouldn’t Peter have learned a little of that practice in The Avengers). Slott’s definitely developing Otto’s character in unexpected, thoughtful ways. Even the ending, which implies Otto’s megalomania hasn’t gone away he’s just using it for the greater good.

And who’s Otto to determine the greater good? Slott’s establishes him as the ideal choice as it’s a conscious effort.

Excellent issue.

CREDITS

Emotional Triggers; writer, Dan Slott; penciller, Giuseppe Camuncoli; inkers, John Dell and Camuncoli; colorists, Edgar Delgado and Antonio Fabella; letterer, Chris Eliopoulos; editors, Ellie Pyle and Stephen Wacker; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Superior Spider-Man 4 (April 2013)

Posted on 25 April 2013 | Leave a comment

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Well, I’ll eat my rotten onions right off–I miss Stegman. Giuseppe Camuncoli takes over on pencils (John Dell on inks) and it’s not a good move. There are lots of regular people scenes this issue and Camuncoli draws them like it’s an absurdist comedy. He also draws Spider-Man in Batman postures, which works out, but, wow… Not nice art.

The issue skips a head a few weeks from the last with Otto having to deal with a psychopath who Peter let get away. The psychopath is spree killing and Otto vows to stop him. Even Ghost Peter is a little taken aback at what his decision has wrought (which would be Batman’s every day given how violent his villains get).

On the “normal” side, Otto goes back to school for his doctorate. Or Peter’s doctorate.

Slott does a great job writing; shame the art isn’t up to snuff.

CREDITS

The Aggressive Approach; writer, Dan Slott; penciller, Giuseppe Camuncoli; inker, John Dell; colorist, Edgar Delgado; letterer, Chris Eliopoulos; editors, Ellie Pyle and Stephen Wacker; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Superior Spider-Man 3 (April 2013)

Posted on 24 April 2013 | Leave a comment

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Slott’s starting to edge in on Batman territory here. The Vulture is using children to commit crimes, strapping them into flight harnesses and sending them out. Otto loses it and almost kills him, horrifying Ghost Peter and the police lady.

I can’t remember her name. It might be Carlie or something; it’s goofy, whatever it is.

There’s the judgment from Ghost Peter and cop lady, but… Otto’s kind of right, isn’t he? If the Vulture has graduated to abusing little kids, the soft-hand tactics are clearly outdated.

There’s also some stuff with Ghost Peter getting into Otto’s memories and discovering Otto’s human side. Those scenes aren’t particularly good, since Otto’s not in them. Not bad though.

The more I think about it, yeah… Slott is just turning Spider-Man into Batman. He’s also showing how Otto’s intelligence was wasted as a criminal. He’s more effective as a good guy.

CREDITS

Everything You Know Is Wrong; writer, Dan Slott; artist, Ryan Stegman; colorist, Edgar Delgado; letterer, Chris Eliopoulos; editors, Ellie Pyle and Stephen Wacker; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Superior Spider-Man 2 (March 2013)

Posted on 23 April 2013 | 1 Comment

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I’m liking Stegman less this issue. Something about him reminds me of Todd McFarlane; he’s busy without content, just a lot blockier than ol’ Toddy.

Luckily, I’m liking Slott’s writing a lot more this issue. Ghost Peter has a big role here, basically narrating Otto’s narration. Only Ghost Peter can only know what Otto’s narrating, not what he’s thinking, which means Otto can surprise both the reader and Ghost Peter. It leads to a couple nice moments throughout the issue and a great one at the end. Slott’s freaking brilliant with how he uses Otto–Otto’s a long-time Spider-Man reader inside the comic. It’s an awesome device.

And since Ghost Peter’s actually whiney and annoying (he’s the Star Wars Luke Skywalker), having Otto impress him (and the reader) is doubly satisfying. Superior doesn’t work if the reader wants Otto to fail.

Slott makes a moronic idea utterly fantastic.

CREDITS

The Peter Principle; writer, Dan Slott; artist, Ryan Stegman; colorist, Edgar Delgado; letterer, Chris Eliopoulos; editors, Ellie Pyle and Stephen Wacker; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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The Superior Spider-Man 1 (March 2013)

Posted on 22 April 2013 | 1 Comment

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Once one gets past the entirely goofy brain-swapping detail, Superior Spider-Man is a hoot.

Dan Slott’s success at it comes from his refusal to play too much into Doctor Octopus all of a sudden being a good guy. Otto isn’t out to beat the new Sinister Six because it’s the right thing to do, he’s doing it because they’re using his old bad guy club’s name. He doesn’t run away from a fight because he’s scared or hurt, but because he doesn’t actually care.

He does care about one detail in Peter’s life… Mary Jane. Physically at least.

It’s a ludicrous idea for a comic and Slott pulls it off with apparent ease. He keeps it all very dramatic, even though Otto’s clearly got to do the right thing.

Ryan Stegman effectively handles the art. He could be better; doesn’t matter.

Otto makes a darn fun Spider-Man.

CREDITS

Hero or Menace?; writer, Dan Slott; artist, Ryan Stegman; colorist, Edgar Delgado; letterer, Chris Eliopoulos; editors, Ellie Pyle and Stephen Wacker; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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Spider-Man / Human Torch 5 (July 2005)

Posted on 19 August 2010 | Leave a comment

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I read this series when it came out, but I barely remembered anything about it besides it being really good–I didn’t, for example, remember the crimes against the comic book medium the colorists perpetrated.

Suffice to say, I didn’t remember this issue.

This perfect issue.

I mean, it’s a perfect close to this limited series, but it’s also a perfect comic.

It’s not too mature, but it’s not written for kids. It has a healthy respect and admiration for the characters’ pasts, but doesn’t let continuity get in the way of a the story. It’s happy and sad and hopeful and just plain lovely.

This issue reminds of New Frontier in its optimism of the human condition.

It also reminds enough of Kesel’s World’s Finest limited series from a while ago… I wish Slott had ten issues too.

It’s a fantastic comic and really makes the bad colors okay.

CREDITS

Together Again; writer, Dan Slott; penciller, Ty Templeton; inkers, Drew Geraci and Greg Adams; colorist, John Rauch; letterer, Dave Lanphear; editor, Tom Brevoort; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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Spider-Man / Human Torch 4 (June 2005)

Posted on 19 August 2010 | Leave a comment

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It’s a cute issue. It’s set during the black costume period, when Spidey was with the Black Cat. I sort of remember reading these comics as a kid and, from just the Secret Wars II crossovers I more recently read, they aren’t cute. It’s a strange approach for Slott to make–it’s an all humor issue.

Some of the problem might be with the Black Cat. She didn’t end up with Spidey so watching this lost episode of theirs decidedly lacks drama.

The issue has some coloring problems, but it’s emulating a more slicker period, so it’s not as bad as when it’s bad. The inks… the inks are strange. There’s this whole sequence when Black Cat is in an evening gown and she looks about fifteen. It gets even stranger since there’s a scene with her in her undies.

The opening scene suggests Slott needs to do a She-Hulk team-up with

CREDITS

Cat’s Paws; writer, Dan Slott; penciller, Ty Templeton; inkers, Tom Palmer and Drew Geraci; colorist, John Rauch; letterer, Dave Lanphear; editor, Tom Brevoort; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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Spider-Man / Human Torch 3 (May 2005)

Posted on 19 August 2010 | Leave a comment

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And the coloring problems return. Not quite as bad, but whoever’s doing it–there’s no name just Sotocolor–thought adding three dimensions with color shading was a good idea.

And is wrong.

But it’s hard to care, because the series just gets better issue to issue. Here, Slott marries two very disparate elements of Spider-Man history–he relieves Peter’s depression following Gwen’s death with the lunacy of the Spider-Man toys. The Amazing Spider-Mobile, or whatever it was called, will probably never be used so artistically again. Or the fruit pies. What Slott does with the fruit pies is just fantastic.

There’s not as much emphasis on the Human Torch here, except as a true friend to Spidey. Slott writes this lovely scene with Peter (in mask) telling Johnny all about Gwen’s death. And even though the issue is–relatively–light, the whole weight of Peter’s secret identity is clear.

Maybe the series’s first great issue.

CREDITS

Auto Motives; writer, Dan Slott; penciller, Ty Templeton; inkers, Nelson DeCastro and Tom Palmer; colorist, Sotocolor; letterer, Dave Lanphear; editors, Andy Schmidt, Stephanie Moore, Molly Lazer and Tom Brevoort; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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Spider-Man / Human Torch 2 (April 2005)

Posted on 17 August 2010 | Leave a comment

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Now, this issue doesn’t have the same coloring problems as the first. It has different ones, but they’re far less garish, thank goodness.

This issue, for the most part, is a Human Torch issue. He and Spidey swap jobs for the day. Spidey messes up the Fantastic Four’s scientific exploration while the Torch takes on Kraven and some drug dealers. Slott bookends the issue with Johnny hanging out Peter and the gang–this issue is set jut before Flash Thompson ships out and… wow, does Slott write the characters well. Even though Johnny has a bigger part throughout, nothing compares to the attention Slott gives the Spider-Man cast.

Templeton does a great job with the three facets–the mundane reality, Johnny’s Kraven adventure and the Fantastic Four sci-fi stuff. His Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy beg for a series of their own.

My only question’s Captain Stacy–did he know Peter was Spider-Man?

CREDITS

Catch You On the Flipside; writer, Dan Slott; penciller, Ty Templeton; inkers, Nelson DeCastro and Tom Palmer; colorist, Felix Serrano; letterer, Dave Lanphear; editors, Andy Schmidt, Stephanie Moore, Molly Lazer and Tom Brevoort; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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Spider-Man / Human Torch 1 (March 2005)

Posted on 16 August 2010 | 2 Comments

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Who let this comic out with these colors?

I don’t usually go nuts, in support or against, over colors. I doubt I even know a single colorist’s name. But Felix Serrano is a criminal. He took Ty Templeton’s lovely retro-artwork–it’s supposed to be in the Silver Age style–and added this glossy Photoshop slime to it. I think it’s the bubble effect.

And this issue is just that old Dan Slott magic, from back when he could do no wrong and could get any reader with a Silver Age affection and some solid literacy salivating for his Marvel comics.

It’s got Peter and Johnny and Spidey and the Torch and the girls–Slott writes Betty Brant so perfectly he should do a whole series for her, a la Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane.

It’s just a magical comic book.

And Serrano does whatever he can to lessen it.

CREDITS

Picture Perfect; writer, Dan Slott; penciller, Ty Templeton; inker, Nelson DeCastro; colorist, Felix Serrano; letterer, Dave Lanphear; editors, Andy Schmidt, Nicole Wiley, Molly Lazer and Tom Brevoort; publisher, Marvel Comics.

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