Peter Parker takes his inaugural swing into a lot of fun action in Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1 — Written by Christos Gage, penciling by Eric Gapstur, and cover by Leonardo Romero — where we see the four-eyed photographer come into his own in this prequel to the new animated series of the same name coming soon to Disney+.
Readers are so obviously well-versed in Spider-Man’s origin that, at this point, even stating that fact goes without saying. But a great thing about this issue is the ongoing story that surrounds the familiar building blocks of Peter’s transformation. He and his new friend, Nico, struggle to accept the fact that instead of attending their new prestigious high school as planned, they’ll most likely be forced to attend worse schools due to a freak accident on campus — readers must understand how devastating this would be for a couple of smart overachievers. Not being able to take this lying down, the pair investigate just enough to discover that the school was attacked and there’s much more going on under the hood.
Spider-Man Thwips, Flips and Quips Into Action
A Great Opening Goes a Long Way
This issue starts off very strongly with what feels like a classic Spider-Man line. It’s quipy, (in a good way) pop culture-savvy, and just very spidey. Readers get an immediate laugh and reassurance that the comic is well aware of what has come before it.
Don’t worry. I’m not going to say “You’re probably wondering how I got here.” – Spider-Man
It’s almost like it’s saying, “We know you’ve seen this before, but hear us out.” Pairing this great opener with a series of panels highlighting the fact that Spider-Man’s in trouble, works so well to hook fans and keep the pages turning.
The Origin Is on the Wall
Spider-Man’s on the Wall Too
Inevitably, readers end up seeing the hallmarks of this origin story. Pete’s bitten by the famous spider, his senses are heightened, and he inadvertently saves a cat from a deadly stack of boxes. It’s just what they would expect. However, this issue hugely benefits from surrounding Peter with other characters as he embarks on this hero’s journey. Instead of navigating these murky waters alone, he’s with Aunt May, he’s with Nico, he’s with people to interact with. Instead of seeing Uncle Ben’s death, Pete tells Nico about how he’s dealing with it.
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On the surface, this might feel like a classic case of “show don’t tell”, but telling actually works so much better in this case. Pete opens up to a new friend and readers see a bond forming in a real and meaningful way. This is a great way to rework an iconic origin in a new and powerful way.
School’s Out for Summer
School’s Out Forever?!
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Another thing this issue benefits from is an added plot line running parallel to Pete’s origin. This isn’t just about gaining spidey powers, it’s about figuring out what to do about his new school and discovering just what’s going on over there. It’s a storyline that feels fitting for the character. This feels like something he would genuinely care about. And thanks to this thread, readers see Pete discovering his powers in a fight scene as opposed to passing out in his bedroom and playing around with his webs the next morning. (Both solid options, by the way) Pete’s showdown with these goons is a really fun way to have the character figure out these new abilities while showing them off for the first time in a fun way.
Spidey’s Part of a Bigger Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe Comes for Us All
As expected, there is a plug for the Disney+ series midway through the issue. It’s innocuous enough on the page, but it also works because the issue never feels like it’s holding anything back from the reader. There’s never a moment a reader feels short-changed because of this. There’s plenty to deal with in this issue and exploring that detail would feel like opening a can of worms. In addition to the plug, there are a couple of fitting references to Captain America. The combo of these references helps the whole thing feel like it belongs in a larger universe, which is always exciting, but it also makes it feel very MCU — which could be a pro or con depending on the reader.
In his latest adventure, the iconic web-slinger faces new challenges when a sinister villain emerges, threatening the safety of his city. Balancing high school, friendships, and his secret identity, he must harness all his abilities to protect his neighborhood and the people he cares about from impending doom.
