REVIEW: Superman/Spider-Man #1

The time has finally come! Superman/Spider-Man #1 has crossed the multiverse and crashed landed at your local comic shops. In case you’ve been either asleep in a web-cocoon taking a lunch break in the fortress of solitude, Marvel and DC are back at it again after the success of Deadpool/Batman with yet again another iconic duo. Not only does the issue have the tenured talents of Mark Waid and Jorge Jiménez, but many others like Gail Simone, Matt Fraction,Tom King and so many more! But before we dive into this legendary lineup and talk about some of my favorite stories in this roster, let’s take a look at the spectacular variant covers! Because, boy, there’s a lot to choose from! 

Let’s start off with the main cover that’ll be on sale done by Jorge Jiménez, who’s the artist behind the story written by Mark Waid. This cover perfectly embodies both these super-stars in all their glory. The colors are vibrant, the poses are dynamic, and draws you in right away. You can feel his passion for these characters radiate off the page.

 Here we got a cover drawn by veteran comic artist Jim Lee, inked by Scott Williams, and colored by Alex Sinclair. In the cover, we see both our favorite red and blue clad heroes (Sorry Cap) on top of a skyscraper keeping watch over the city, and striking some heroic poses while they’re at it. It’s always a treat to see Jim Lee’s work as always, and the inks and colors done here by both Williams and Sinclair really elevate it. The golden hour aesthetic is perfect for both these bold and bright heroes, who want us to do better. 

Next up, we got another instant classic cover done by Mitch Gerads. Here we see a triumphant Supes and Spidey gliding through the air, with a beautiful city-scape and beaming light behind them,, giving them a timeless and dramatic presence. This might be one of my favorites here, as it both shows them in their element, on their way to save the day, while also reminding us of their light-hearted nature with the slightly distressed pigeon flying alongside them. 

And by far my favorite of this lineup (which may or may not have been my wallpaper for the past few months), is the cover done by David Nakayama. We see Spider-Man and Kingdom Come Superman leaping towards the reader, reminiscent of a slow-mo ending shot of a film. It’s got a nice and tidy blue backdrop with our two heroes as the focus. I’m always a sucker for the Kingdom Come suit so seeing that particular version of the character teaming up with Spider-Man was a very welcome surprise. I especially love the vortex-esque web line that really guides the eye to the characters. 

There are also variant covers available by Arthur Adams & Meghan Hetrick, Rafael Albuquerque, J. Scott Campbell & Nei Ruffino, Olivier Coipel, Clayton Crain, Gabriele Dell’Otto, Adam Hughes, Mikel Janin, Jorge Jiménez & Tomeu Morey, Dave Johnson, Scott Koblish & Hi-Fi, Artgerm, Jim Lee, Steve Lieber & Nathan Fairbairn, Joshua Middleton, Daniel Sampere & Tomeu Morey, Rafal Sandoval & Ulises Arreola, Evan ‘Doc’ Shaner, Jeff Spokes, David Talaski and Chrissie Zullo-Uminga.

Now for the moment we’ve all been waiting for: it’s time to leap into Superman/Spider-Man issue #1. Strap in folks! It’s about to get interesting. And don’t worry there will be no spoilers. 

In the opening story of this bombastic book, “Truth, Justice and Great Responsibility” Written by Mark Waid, illustrated by Jorge Jiménez, colored by Tomeu Morey, and lettered by Tom Napolitano, we see that Doc Ock is hatching a poisonous plot in hopes to have the world be in awe of his towering intellect. One of Superman’s most iconic villains, Brainiac, appears and begins to talk Octavious into collaborating with him to wipe out human life through experimentation of kryptonite. Meanwhile, Clark and Peter are on the job getting the latest scoop on some stolen tech, and realize just how detrimental this plan might be, not only to the human race, but to Superman as well. Mark Waid’s punchy and fun dialogue along with the breezy pace makes this such a fun read, as it wastes no time with what it’s trying to do and throws you right into the story. Waid being one of my favorite comic writers definitely made this a treat to read each speech bubble. Jorge once again delivers top notch artwork with illustrations that feel alive and provide so much momentum to the story. The colors here done by Morey elevate the art and really makes each character and setting feel vibrant and larger than life. Tom Napolitano’s lettering here is very easy to read and gives the comic that extra style. This story feels true to both Peter and Clark, and showcases both the bravery in both combat, but also with just helping their fellow man. I love that the majority of this story is just them trying to save people who are in distress and trying unorthodox ways to make sure that everyone goes home safe. Not to spoil much, but there’s some really powerful visuals in here and some things that we haven’t seen before.It also does a great job of showing how caring they are of each other, which was extremely wholesome to read. Fun from start to finish, and such a great introduction to the rest of this collaboration. 

While Superman and Batman are often considered World’s Finest, the next story by Tom King has Lois Lane and Mary Jane taking up the moniker. This story is illustrated by Jim Lee, Inked by Scott Williams, Colored by Alex Sinclair, and lettered by Pat Brosseau. In this short story, we are thrown right into the action as Mary Jane and Lois Lane are chatting it up inside a dangling bus, precariously over a bridge. Of course, these two are no stranger to being in perilous scenarios, so watching both of them go back and forth over their laundry list of experiences, and with it backed by a colossal battle between a Sentinel and the title characters, really made it something special. Not only that, but we also get a little cameo from a fan favorite X-Men character, which is always a welcome surprise. Jim Lee’s art alongside Alex Sinclair’s colors make this really feel like a nostalgic and kinetic story that touches on what makes both Lois Lane and Mary Jane just as important and iconic as the men they choose to be with. It’s a solid story that offers some really fun visuals and character moments. 

Next up in this smorgasbord of super-heroics, is the story “Pages” featuring Superboy-Prime and The Amazing Spider-Man, Written and drawn by Christopher Priest, colored by Alejandro Sanchez, and lettered by Willie Schubert. In this adventure, we get Superboy-Prime and Spidey involved in some multiverse/meta madness, as they take on the high evolutionary. It’s a really fun story that offers a ton of fan service, especially eagle eyed comic readers, as nearly each page in is riddled with comic references. Daniel Sampere’s art is a real standout here, with his clean and crisp linework. The colors by Alejandro Sanchez are also extremely fun to look at. I really appreciate the blue shading on Spider-Man in particular. While I’m not entirely familiar with Superboy Prime, it was a fun read and worth checking out. 

And last but not least, is a crossover between the Daily Planet and the Daily Bugle in a story called “Bias”, written by Greg Rucka, illustrated by Nicola Scott, colored by Marcelo Maiolo, and lettered by Ariana Maher. In this tale, we see Jolly Jonah and Lois Lane debate on the Jack Ryder show on the ethics of superheroes and the pros and cons of the vigilante community, more specifically those who don a mask. While Jonah and Lois go back and forth, Clark sits in on the show, and above the lights, is Spider-Man, attempting to hold back his glee as Lois deconstructs Jonah’s flimsy arguments and calls out his hypocrisy. It’s a very charming story that points out that people wear masks, even ones that aren’t made of kevlar or steel, as sometimes it’s just a pair of glasses or a smile. It’s a very tongue and cheek story that will no doubt make long time comic readers chuckle at the irony. The artwork and colors here are a real standout, as this particular story gives it more of a tangible, realistic feel. 

(8/10) Although I haven’t covered every story in Superman/Spider-Man #1, there’s no doubt this comic is brimming with talent and is full of surprises on every page. I highly recommend thwipping or flying your way to your local comic shop and picking this up.