Comics / Comic Reviews / Marvel Comics

Spider-men #4 Review

By Garth the Geek
August 10, 2012 - 11:04

I picked up Spider-Men #4 on a whim, having skipped the previous issues. In fact, it's probably the first issue of Spider-Man I've read in years, and it was all because of something I tend to avoid: marketing. Somewhere on the Internet – and I don't even remember where at this point – I read the basic premise of this issue: Peter Parker would meet an alternate version of Gwen Stacey. And having always liked Gwen, I was too curious to let Spider-Men #4 pass me by.

This issue was, to borrow an adjective from another Spider-Man comic, AMAZING. There was little action – the main villain in this series doesn't even make an appearance – but this is one of the best single issues of any series I've read in a long time. It was emotional, honest and showed great restraint. There were parts where I wanted to yell at Peter for not saying or doing something, but that was part of what made it great, because I still UNDERSTOOD his choices. I empathized with him and the situation, and quite honestly, I could have kept reading and reading. And this is where Bendis's restraint comes into play – he leaves the scene before it gets stale. And as much as I wanted more, I appreciate that.

Seeing Peter interact with the alternate Gwen – and seeing her reactions when Peter tells her about his world (like how MJ is a model) – was great fun. Of course, this issue wasn't ALL Peter and Gwen. There were other plot elements happening, and they were all well done. In addition, Pichelli's artwork was detailed and expressive. I'm embarrassed to say, this issue is my first exposure to her, but it definitely won't be my last.

Long story short: the marketing attracted my attention, but it's the creative team of Bendis and Pichelli that really pulled me into this comic and I will definitely be coming back for more.

Rating: 9.5 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12