Superior Spider Man

I've never been a big Spider Man fan. My brother has always been, always telling me to try it out. I enjoyed the Spider Man animated series back in the early 90's. I've enjoyed every Spider Man movie, even Spider Man 3 and ESPECIALLY The Amazing Spider Man 2. So why would I not enjoy reading the Spider Man source material? Personal bias? I'm just a stubborn mule sometimes. I gave in and checked out Superior Spider Man Vol. 1: My Own Worst Enemy from my local library (wink). Dan Slott, the writer, has crafted a very creative twist on the Spider Man universe. He's taken a huge risk with this current story line, and in my eyes it has paid off. It was a great idea to start from issue/ volume one for new fans. The old model of comics was outdated and issue 1076 made it difficult for new readers to jump in. I'm glad the rise of trade paperbacks has really sky rocketed and gives more people access to comics material.

I'll give you a brief synopsis of the new Spider Man story line. Dr. Octopus, one of Spider Man's greatest foes, was dying from a terminal illness. His last evil plot was too switch his consciousnesses into the body of Peter Parker. Doc Ock discovered the secret identity of Spider Man and made it his mission to best him. He succeeded. He is now in control of Peter's body and mind. There is a part of Peter that still exists, forcing Spider Man to continue to fight crime. It's a little far fetched, but Dan Slott does a great job of convincing people that it makes sense. Even though Spider Man is still a "good guy," he is still controlled by Doc Ock and some of his methods are questionable. There's an internal dialogue between Ock and Spidey that's hilarious in itself. Peter starts a new life under the control, and succeeds leading Doc Ock to believe that he is far superior than his predecessor, naming himself the Superior Spider Man.

I've read the first five volumes and four team up tie ins. Below is a quick review:

Volume 1: My Own Worst Enemy - 5 out of 5 Burning Lariats

Volume 2: A Troubled Mind - 4 out of 5 Burning Lariats

Volume 3: No Escape - 5 out of 5 Burning Lariats

Superior Spider Man Team Up 1: Versus - 4 out of 5 Burning Lariats

Superior Spider Man Team Up 2: Friendly Fire - 4 out of 5 Burning Lariats

Volume 4: Necessary Evil - 4 out of 5 Burning Lariats

The Arms of the Octopus (X-Men team up) - 3 out of 5 Burning Lariats

Volume 5: The Superior Venom - 4 out of 5 Burning Lariats

The Superior Foes of Spider Man Vol. 1: Getting the Band Back Together* - 5 out of 5 Burning Lariats

Pretty awesome reviews across the board. Highly recommend getting into this series.

*This is technically not a Spider Man book, but it does center around his villains. This is actually my favorite book of the bunch because of its unique perspective. The drawing is simple, but it totally works. I'm a big fan of the insurgence of minimalist comic art, i.e. Hawkeye, Daredevil. The color really pops and grabs your attention. The coolest thing about Superior Foes is how hilarious it is. These villains are supposed to be menacing, but they are softies or self centered, and always greedy. Awesome story telling.