The Amazing Spider-Man: Spider-Versity #2 (Marvel Comics)
Hello there! Padawan J here, the resident Star Wars expert from the ODPH! This week I'm going to be reviewing the 2nd issue of The Amazing Spider-Man: Spider-Versity from Marvel Comics!
The Spider-Heroes are undergoing some training to bring them up to snuff! And none other than Norman Osborn is the one leading the training! Can they trust the former Green Goblin, or is he secretly still up to his old ways? Let’s jump into it!
Credit: Marvel Comics // The Amazing Spider-Man: Spider-Versity #2 by Jordan Morris & Joe Kelly (Writers), Pere Perez with Rafael Perez Granados (Artists), Guru-eFX with Chris Sotomayor (Color Artists), VC’s Travis Lanham (Letterer), Giuseppe Camuncoli, Lorenzo Ruggiero & Marte Gracia (Cover Artists)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
The Story
After Norman Osborn’s recent foray as Spider-Man he came to the conclusion that the other Spider-Heroes (not Peter) needed a bit of training to prepare them for the future. So he’s taking them to school! He’s taken over part of a gym at a school and using it as a training ground for a little Hero 101. So does the issue build off the first one? Or is it a missed assignment?
This issue really does build off the first issue very nicely and continues what Jordan Morris & Joe Kelly started very nicely. You see some of the same themes continue in this issue and build up to a very interesting conclusion that looks like it might have an impact on the whole of the Spider-Man side of the Marvel comics universe.
I do like that we’re getting to see actual training classes going on with our heroes and that this isn’t totally a set up for some grander scheme. In my opinion the other heroes (again, not counting Peter) could use a little bit of training. Whenever something is going on and they have to come in to assist Peter it doesn’t usually fill you with a sense of “oh now things are going to be okay!” Rather it gives me a sense of “oh well this is getting out of control”. The training sessions are very interesting as well because there’s almost an X-Men/Danger Room feeling to them. You can definitely tell Norman shelled out some serious money for this project.
The other side of issue sees Spider-Woman with Norman basically laying down the ground rules she would like to see. It’s an interesting story to see play out because as was stated in the first issue, she doesn’t trust Norman. Despite Peter signing off on the training in a video message sent to the team she still thinks there’s a side of the Green Goblin still inside Norman. I for one agree with her, and have stated as much before and I will not let it go.
The end of the issue leaves you with more questions than answers. It really adds some mystery and intrigue as to just what Norman’s intentions are. I do NOT believe this good guy schtick he’s been doing lately, and it’s only a matter of time before we see Peter’s greatest foe return.
The Artwork
Pere Perez, Rafael Perez Granados, Guru-eFX, Chris Sotomayor are in charge of the artwork for the issue and the whole team did a spectacular job with it. You see a lot of the familiar look and style from Spider-Man comics that readers will be familiar with. I really liked the design of the training robots and just how unique they were. The whole team was really able to take the “generic training robot” look up a bunch of notches and make them really memorable.
Overall Grade: 8/10
Joe Kelly & Jordan Morris continue the solid start with another issue that builds on a very compelling story started in the first issue. Together with artwork that is simply stellar, this is an issue that Spider-Man fans will not want to pass up on.
