Superior Spider-man Team Up #5 review

We finally get the payoff of Ock’s collecting of the Sinister Six from the Avenging series

Superior Spider-man Team-Up #5

Writer: Christopher Yost

Artist: Marco Checchetto

Color Art: Rachelle Rosenberg

Letters: VC’s Joe Caramagna

Cover: Paolo Rivera & Joe Rivera

Spoilers to follow after the break:

The Plot: The Wrecking Crew attacks Liz Allen’s company. Some hero named Sun Girl whose powers seem to be owning a sparkly jet pack and a laser gun is trying to intervene but not making much headway when Octo-Spidey arrives accompanied by the rest of the Sinister Six, whom he has allegedly reformed but whom we quickly learn he is mind controlling.

The battle is more or less even until Sun Girl’s laser reflects off Thunderball causing Ock’s mind control to short out. Fortunately for him Wrecker downs everyone before the Six can react and regains control as the Wrecking Crew retreat.

Sun Girl is injured so Ock takes her as well as Liz Allen’s MacGuffin that the Wrecking Crew wanted to steal back to his undersea lab now dubbed “Spider Island.” The Six are back in their cells vowing revenge on Octo-Spidey (except for fake-Mysterio who just wants to go home). Also apparently the Russian assassin from the Chameleon story in Avenging is now dead. Sun Girl wakes up and attempts to escape but Ock stops her.

Finally we learn the Wrecking Crew is reporting to Light Master and seeing as they are outnumbered against the Sinister Six ask for help so Light Master decides he is going to reform the Masters of Evil.

Critical Thoughts: I enjoyed this comic. It’s quite fun on a superficial level. In general villains fighting villain stories is a genre I tend to like. The art also looks good. Ock’s mocking of the Wrecking Crew’s powers is damn funny. He pretty much sums up exactly how I’ve always felt about them. Even though they have been presented as serious threats to the Avengers on several occasion, I’ve always felt their powers are more suited to Spider-man (who they have fought on a few occasions) than as foes of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

I will say Ock’s logic of thinking the Sinister Six are replacements for the Avengers should be fleshed out because power-wise it’s a laughable claim. Two members of the team don’t even have powers, just misdirection; while another member’s sole powers is flying which is like a secondary power for 90-percent of the heroes on the Avengers. It is understandable why Ock would prefer to work with the Six if we read between the lines: he’s familiar with them, there’s no risk of them discovering his ruse if he’s using mind control, he gets to give the orders, etc. But the idea he can use them to fight Avengers-level threats is still dubious and could use some fleshing out.

As for Light Master, while I have no problem using him in a story like this or with the Wrecking Crew working for him, he doesn’t seem worthy of leading the Masters of Evil. I mean Light Master has strong powers for a Spider-man villain even if he’s never been A-list, but he’s never been portrayed as a big mastermind who can pull off or finance the type of plots the Masters are famous for. Former leaders of the Masters of Evil include Baron Zemo and Ultron (as well as Ock himself during the Infinity War crossover) and Light Master is clearly not in that league. However, I’m willing this issue was fun enough I’m willing to let it play out and see where it goes next issue.

Grade B