MARCO SPEAKS SPIDEY: Spider-Man: Black Suit & Blood (2024) #4

With the third Venom movie out already, now seems like the perfect time to catch up on an exclusive series like this one. I’m still on a high from the film, so to see any kind of action related to and referencing the symbiote or black suit era of Spider-Man is a very welcome surprise. But this collection of tales goes far deeper than that. And the anthology in this issue, in my own personal interpretation, tackles the different kinds of fear that we all have inside of us. I’m honestly not sure if it was plotted out that way, or laid out with that intention, but I saw the three tales as an introspection into the fear of the darkness inside us all, the fear of not being able to feel, and the fear of not being able to move on or let go of the past.

OFFICIAL MARVEL COMICS DESCRIPTION:

Published

November 06, 2024

Writer

David MichelinieHayden ShermanG. Willow Wilson

Cover Artist

Mahmud Asrar

NO QUIPS, JUST TWHIPS! Celebrate the 40th anniversary of SPIDER-MAN’s black costume – “BLACK, WHITE & BLOOD”-style! Iconic AMAZING SPIDER-MAN scribe and Venom co-creator DAVID MICHELINIE returns to utterly upend the web-slinger’s world! G. WILLOW WILSON teams Spidey up with the Black Cat for a heist that will challenge everything Peter believes in! And rising star HAYDEN SHERMAN’s nail-biting tale sends Peter Parker on a dark, twisted journey when a foe out of his past returns hungry for vengeance – and to force Spider-Man to confront old sins!

PROS:

• The first story in this issue was a banger, mainly because we get to see Peter Parker join forces with the Black Cat once again. While the usual interaction, chemistry and jokes between the two instantly bring back the good ol’ times, it’s really Peter Parker’s struggle with crossing the line, going down the dark side, and getting his hands dirty that become a main focus of this narrative. It’s an interesting question being posed when we ask ourselves why Spider-Man even has to feel guilty about breaking into an embassy to steal a bomb, and putting on the black costume, when his goal is ultimately to save lives. But I figured that it meant much more than that, and the weight of many dark experiences and dark mistakes has already taken its toll on Peter Parker by this time. But Black Cat is just the person he needs to see that there is a way to do good while still doing a balancing act between the light and the dark.
• The Achilles Shield story was a perfect throwback story, with a look and feel that captures the golden age of comics. It felt very classic in its aesthetic and tone, but at the same time, it was a modern story with a very unique villain. One of Peter Parker’s nutty professors lost his ability to feel, in his pure and sincere attempt to create a shield that can protect its user from anything… well, almost anything, as we find out at the end. It appears that the road to madness and depression is paved with good intentions, because the Achilles Shield forced itself on the professor’s body, possibly a slight reference to when the symbiote originally took over Spider-Man. The main struggle here was his inability feel anything or anybody and that kind of disconnect with the real world and family, friends, and loved ones, will truly drive somebody to insanity. Unfortunately, the Achilles Shield worked too well, but at the same time, not well enough, and the professor plunged to his demise, with Spider-Man not able to save him, bringing back some traumatic memories of another certain someone falling to their death.
• As mentioned earlier, the third story dwelt on not being able to move on from the past, and the fear of letting go. While probably the weakest of all three tales in this recent issue, it served as a good history lesson for those unfamiliar with some of Spider-Man’s earlier adventures. It also gave a face to villains of yesteryear that may have not gotten the recognition they deserved when they first came out. This was probably their way of saying “remember us!” as they themselves could not let go of their glory days as villainous henchmen.

CONS:

• Being on a Venom kind of high, I would have loved it if there were more hardcore symbiote action and mayhem!

FINAL GRADE: A

This series has been a joy to read, and I’m very glad Marvel took its time to gather these creative teams to put out stories that may not have a huge impact on the bigger picture, but remain unforgettable nonetheless in my heart, mind, and soul.