Review: Superior Foes of Spider-Man #14

“This is a No-Judgment Zone…”

We finally learn the full story behind the hijackjed ninja schoolbus from several issues past as Overdrive explains what he and Beetle were up to while searching for Fred. Overdrive also gives everyone his life story – because fans demanded it! It is a tale of head-scratching, facepalming and fast, quick love that ends too fast but not too furious. Speed Demon also explains his earlier whereabouts – and Shocker makes his big move!

‘Clean Getaway/The Quilt-Man Cometh!’

WRITER Nick Spencer
ART Steve Lieber & Rich Ellis
COLOR Rachelle Rosenberg
LETTERER VC’s Clayton Cowles
EDITOR Lauren Sankovitch

Another month, another chapter in the lives of the Sinister Several. The gang’s all back together now, in a manner of speaking, even if everyone doesn’t know Shocker’s hiding with Silvermane’s head in the shower. Something Beetle might have liked to have known before she took a tinkle.

Fred asks Overdrive for an explanation about the ninja school bus and gets way more than he bargained for: Overdrive’s origin story. Finally (finally!) we learn the mundane truth of one of the Brandnewverse’s most dull villains. Knowing his master plan was to become a villain and then become a hero, following in the steps of some Avengers, was priceless.

After a thorough and proper mocking by his teammates, Overdrive continues the school bus story. Turns out that he used his car-powers (HAHA!!) to get both himself and Beetle away from Mister Negative’s Oni-masked goons, all the while avoiding bullets, fauna and distractions such as alien mud people. This revelation comes in what is perhaps the books best moment, told through a map with closeups sprawling out in a double-page display. After their escape Beetle is instantly hot for Overdrive, but the passion is short-lived. Heh.

When Negative’s Oni goons catch up with the pair, Overdrive is embarrassed to have to admit to Beetle that after he *cough* “exerts” himself, his powers fade and need to recharge. Beetle takes the initiative to get them out of harm’s way and into a school bus full of students, where she dirty-talks Overdrive into a fast getaway. Nina stars and swords impale the bus as Beetle, Overdrive and a couple of dozen schoolkids make their escape. All of this is met with howls of laughter from Speed Demon and Fred.

One moment that actually doesn’t work quite as well here is Speed Demon’s revelation about what happened with his dog. After seeing that there was a $100 reward for the dog he stole he winds up taking the dog back to the owners, along with his food, leash and other effects. Then robs them of the $100 reward money. Funny enough, and on target for Speed Demon’s personality, but the three pages that tell this story are completely silent. No dialogue, no narration. While it’s easy to follow it does feel incomplete without comic narration. That raised my eyebrow and made me go “Hmm.”

But in the end, as the gang decides their next moves and laments at the “loss” of Shocker (who they believe is dead), Shocker finally makes a move of his own and blasts them team from the confines of the bathroom. As his former teammates lay bruised and momentarily beaten on the floor, Shocker raises Silvermane’s head in triumph, proclaiming that the gang now has a new boss.

REVIEW: B+

Nick Spencer and Steve Lieber have teased us a bit before revealing the full story of the ninja buss, and they didn’t let us down on that account. The story this issue fires on all cylinders until the muted Speed Demon pages, which feel incomplete. Nevertheless, good story and good art continue to make Superior Foes of Spider-Man one of Marvel’s funnest titles and one of the best Spider-titles.

–George Berryman!