MARCO SPEAKS SPIDEY: SPIDER-MAN: HOMEROOM HEROES (2025) #3 REVIEW

I understand that this may not be the usual kind of title that gets reviews over here in Crawlspace, but I really wanted to give some praise and attention to this specific issue because we’re still riding on a lot of momentum coming from the latest Captain America movie. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to put the spotlight on a comic book that features both Captain America and Red Hulk in two separate, short stories. Also, I think this ongoing series is a fun way to get newer, younger, readers onboard the Spidey hype-train. So, if any of you have little kids running around the house, maybe having them read some of these children-friendly titles will capture their attention and imagination. Heck, they might even learn a little life lesson or two after finishing a quick reading session.

OFFICIAL MARVEL COMICS DESCRIPTION:

Published

March 05, 2025

Cover Artist

Arianna Florean

SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION! Learning doesn’t stop outside the classroom! Teenage super hero Spider-Man knows this all too well. He’s just your average high school student-except that he keeps New York City safe with help from super friends like Captain America and Red Hulk. When villains like the Serpent Squad put Spidey’s abilities to the test, will his Spider-Sense and creative problem-solving be enough to ace saving the day? Featuring two 10-page short stories, the third installment in this thrilling ALL-NEW series invites new readers into the Marvel Universe and the wall-crawling world of Spider-Man!

PROS:

• As touched upon earlier, I think a comic book like this deserves some kind of spotlight because I think it’s an effective tool to get the younger generations back into actual comics, and not just movies, or TV shows. The writing is snappy, the art is bright and attractive, and the cameos are plentiful and star-studded. A series like this has so much to offer for newbies, while still providing enough fun for the veteran fans and readers.
• Also, as mentioned earlier, I actually think the younger generation can learn some lessons from comic book series like this one. For this issue, specifically, Captain America is able to teach Spider-Man that being a hero isn’t about the suit or the gear or the equipment. It’s about the heart. In the second short story, Red Hulk inspires Spider-Man to conquer his fears and fight smarter, not just harder. Little nuggets of wisdom like that can actually go a long way in teaching children some early life-lessons.
• The action is pretty light, but also very entertaining. Watching Captain America go up against the Serpent Squad, or witnessing Red Hulk exchange blows with a rogue Hulkbuster, are all recipes for disaster… the good kind of disaster. A lot of collateral damage might be bad news for the Marvel Universe, but for readers like you and me, it’s a nice, little distraction from reality.

CONS:

• It would be cool to see Peter Parker interact more with the likes of Flash and MJ, just so that younger readers get to see the high school dynamics that started it all. We get to hang out with his friends for a little bit in the first story, but I just feel having his gang around for some of the superhero action would be a twist to behold.
• I love the format of having two stories in one issue, but they just feel a little bit too short. Maybe Marvel can pack in some extra pages just to add more beef to the storytelling. I wouldn’t mind some additional dialogue, some more Spidey conversations with the supporting cast, or even more action spread out across more panels.

FINAL GRADE: A

In terms of accomplishing the mission, bringing in newer and younger eyeballs to the product, I think that we need more titles like this one on the shelves. There’s a little bit of everything for everybody, added with the inclusion of Captain America and Red Hulk, who are the early stars of 2025. The series is offering a back-to-basics approach when it comes to our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, and basic is not always a bad thing. Sometimes, we do need to get reminded that at the end of the day, it’s all about great power paired with great responsibility.