After enjoying the heck out of the first two issues of Spider-Men, I finally dive into the new Ultimate Spider-Man starring Miles Morales.
The Good
So this is my first issue of the new Ultimate Spider-Man volume, and the first thing I got extremely excited about was the art of David Marquez, an artist I've been following since his book Syndrome came out in 2010. Everything about his art is pure awesomeness. I love the thicker outlines on these characters, and the overall look and design of everyone in here. Marquez does a great job of varying the shots of the panels and how they're set up on the page. He steps away from traditional panel set-ups and angles the panels during more chaotic scenes. He also does a phenomenal job with extreme close-ups in dramatic scenes. He's uses them well, and the art is so darn pretty to look at. In addition, the colors of Justin Ponsor really add a great amount of depth and realism to these panels.
I'm really digging Miles Morales. I like seeing Spider-Man as a kid, and more so, I like the fact his family has a tie-in to the crime world, especially when it's the Prowler, a character I've really enjoyed, even though he's a bit of a jobber, in the 616 universe. This is more than just some random villain Spidey has to face. Since they're blood related, it puts more at stake because Miles wants to do the right thing, but he also wants to help his uncle.
Even though I jumped in at the end of an arc, into a book 12 issues in, which I haven't read a single issue of, as a new reader, I felt extremely welcomed, and I felt like it was very accessible to other new readers. We get a great sense of what's going on and the world Miles lives in within this issue, and that's all thanks to Brian Bendis, who has been writing Ultimate Spider-Man books since day one.
The battle between Spidey and Prowler was fantastic, and while the end of the issue isn't a giant reveal, it leaves the reader, and Miles, a lot to to think about how this character is developing into a hero and the choices he's going to have to make down the road.
The Bad
I loved this one from front to back.
The Verdict
This was one fantastic issue. It was non-stop fun from front to back. I loved David Marquez's art, with Justin Ponsor's colors here, they're a great team, and this is exactly the art this book deserves. I am really enjoying Miles Morales, especially the fact Spider-Man is a teenager again. I love his ties to Prowler and watching their dynamic play out on the page. This book has fantastic writing, and it's new reader accessible. Lastly, this issue has a great action sequence towards the end that has a mild reveal about where this character could be heading.
Overall, I loved this issue and would highly recommend it.