1992 saw the origin of a series known as Spider-Man 2099. This was a beloved series to many (including myself), but in recent years, you’re more likely to see the Invisible Man than the World of Tomorrow. Now, we have this series to comfort us, written by Brian Reed! Remember him? Secret Invasion: Spider-Man? Yep, that Brian Reed.
In preparation, put your hands on your hips and bring your knees in tight, because we’re about to do the Time Warp!
TIMESTORM 2009/2099 #1
WRITER: Brian Reed
ARTIST: Eric Battle
INKERS: Andrew Hennessey & Vicente Cifuentes
COLOURS: Bruno Hang
LETTERS: Dave Sharpe
PLOT:
Spider-Man gets attacked by the Punisher of 2099 and gets himself sent into the year 2099. Freaky, eh? Chief Executive Stone of Alchemax Industries has Punisher 2099 under his control and sends him off on another mission.
Meanwhile, Miguel O’Hara is with his girlfriend, Dana, and they’re going to Grimm Arena with some friends to see the Ultimate Combat Arena. Sounds exciting. Even more exciting, (if that’s possible), is the arrival of the Human Torch!
Quickly moving to Synthia Incorporated, Shakti Haddad is sneaking around before she gets caught by the guards (thanks to a Captain America hologram). She’s thrown back into her cell, where she meets the man out of time, Spider-Man!
Stone talks to his hologram, Lyla, about the frequent time fluxes that have happened recently, when he is interrupted by another. Wolverine has just been transported by Punisher 2099, and now has to fight the Hulk!
Of 2099, of course.
LIKES:
-The art worked well and made each timeline look different.
DISLIKES:
-Spidey as a Deadpool-esque wisecracker, not even a good one at that.
-Confusing as hell.
-Why is Miguel O’Hara a teenager?
THOUGHTS:
Well, this was disappointing. I expected a fun romp through the 2099 universe, teaming up with the normal 616 universe. How wrong was I? Instead, we get a weird time travel plot, with Spider-Man locked up in a mental asylum, Miguel O’Hara as a teenager, when he was never that way in the 2099 series. He never looked that way, at least. I don’t even know how this matches up, I don’t recognise anything from Spider-Man 2099 in this book, which makes me wonder if this is a parallel 2099 world. I hope not, because that makes my head hurt.
I had to read this book three or four times to figure out what was going on, and that doesn’t bode well for a comic book. It seems a lot of points were thrown in there to try and get a reaction, such as the Human Torch of 2099 popping up or Spider-Man being locked up at the funny farm (no idea how he got there). So yeah, that’s another win for Brian Reed. One of those wins that are worse than losing.
The art however was good to look at, capturing the world of 2099 well. It was bright, clear and didn’t have any unnecessary detail. More importantly, it made each timeline look different, to avoid confusion, which is something the writing failed to do.
There was nothing much to pick from, so here’s a new feature;
RANDOM QUOTE:
SPIDER-MAN: Ow…
There we go.
OVERALL:
1.5 webheads out of 5
Ouch. Not a great start.
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I think I have been looking for something interesting to read about various topics, but I try to include you every day I read, because you have, I look forward to an interesting blog entry.Here’s hoping there’s a lot more great material coming! Here is hope that more great material coming!
Classic 2099 Universe website.
Please do Mike!
And Rob, I did read that interview, but when you re imagine a universe, you should try to make it accessible when this wasn’t anything of the sort.
Here is some great news for “Classic 2099 Universe Fans”.My partner and I are working on a “Spider-Man 2099 Anime project” which will be a tribute to Peter David.We’re thinking about doing the first episode “Sin City” style. The website with all details should be up and running soon.Will keep you posted…
Bryan Reed is becoming the top candidate as the worst Spider-Man writer next to a burned-out 1999-2001 Howard cMackie and coming right off the heels of the obnoxious Bob Gale. This issue was terrible. As far as new interpretations go, 2099 doesnt need one, it was fine as it was and Peter David had an interesting and provocative backstory for Miguel’s childhood and teenage life already.
If you had read Reed’s interview with CBR you would have known that he was writting a new 2099 universe that is akin to an Ultimized/newuniversal type of reimagining and never intended to take place in the real 2099 universe. Had you read it you’d probabbly save some heartache.
Thats one helluva picture/cover there. Gives me chills lol. And maybe this takes place in the “2099” universe but at a different time (O.o if you get what I mean), like, it may be 2095 or something and Mig is still a teen or something. Lol, I have no clue tho.
There is no Spider-Man 2099 in this issue Webhead (the 623rd one). Tis a shame, I know.
Lyla is now Stone’s hologram and not Miggy’s? Please tell me that’s a typo!!! I was looking forward to this, too, and reread the entire Spidey 2099 run last month. Do you get to see the S-Man in his suit, talons and all, or just Peter as Spidey? From what I read solicitation wise, the timestream was in flux anyways since the MArvel U progressed and hasn’t had an end to the heroic age.
I’m glad Marvel’s finally acknowledging 2099 again, but this is just bittersweet. Why not just continue Spider-Man 2099 or another 2099 character? Brian Reed’s not one of my favorite writers, either, and this was pretty mediocre.
Sounds like 2099 fans are going to be disappointed. What do you do when you want to support anything to do with 2099 so it doesn’t fade into obscurity again, but at the same time you don’t want to give Marvel money for something that, based on this review at least, isn’t very good?