MARCO SPEAKS SPIDEY: Dark Ages (2021) #4 REVIEW

Dark Ages is the type of project that I have always dreamed about working on… a story that has no barriers in terms of concept, but also a very deep faithfulness to the core identities of the characters and their own personal pursuits. What I always loved about this recent series or event is that the timeline, reality and universe are so different from what we are used to… but the human connections still remain so strong. The characters and their bonds with one another are a crucial and central point about this epic tale, about a world with no power… being taken over by Apocalypse. It is quite literally the end of the world after the end of the world. But for Spider-Man fans like you and me, there is always extra flavor added when the main character and point-of-view for the issue is our very own favorite web-crawler.

OFFICIAL MARVEL COMICS DESCRIPTION:

Published:

January 12, 2022

Writer:

Tom Taylor

Penciler:

Iban Coello

Cover Artist:

Iban Coello

A group of heroes have crossed dark seas in a desperate and dangerous attempt to save their friends. But before the heroes can save the world, they must first survive the most treacherous place on Earth – Europe.

A JOURNEY INTO MADNESS!

PROS:

• As mentioned earlier in this review, the human connections and relationships are what make this book great. Not only do we see the love, bond and concern between Peter and May Parker… but we also get to witness the unique friendship between Nick Fury and the Amazing Spider-Man. The intriguing part of this book is how it is called the Dark Ages… but as Nick Fury pointed out, these heroes live in a world that they are actually proud about, after all is said and done. And that is what truly drives them to protect its people and the remaining survivors from the threat of Apocalypse.
• Following through from the previous point raised, it was very traumatic and poignant when Nick Fury met his untimely demise. And it was 100% heartbreaking to see him look and call for Peter before he passed away. But like the last panel showed, this was just yet another fallen hero that needs avenging. This kind of tragedy, spotted in every issue, helps dramatically highlight the stakes and severity of the situation, driving home the urgency of our heroes’ current mission.
• I found the exchange between Doom and the other heroes quite entertaining, as he tried to lead them and assure them that they can trust him. It was also very witty how he mentioned that he would have preferred to take over Wakanda over Europe. He makes a lot of sense, actually… now only if Wakanda was real. Wakanda Forever!
• As usual, the art for this book is spot-on. And I really enjoyed the special art-page focusing on May.

CONS:

• I know the creative team is squeezing in May every chance that they can, and it was even a very impressive side-by-side shot with her dad when they were using their Spider-Senses at the same time. But I am hoping for May to get more into the action in the coming installments, as I see great potential and power in this kid. She is destined for great things, and I am secretly hoping she gets her own spin-off after Dark Ages ends its run.

FINAL GRADE: A+

For anybody that is still on the fence about this sensational event or series, I strongly and highly recommend that you pick it up as this is a quality tale with excellent story-telling, great characterizations, and tight, exciting, impactful sequences. The spectacular concept is what interested me in the first place, but it was the obvious love that the creative team had for their world and their heroes that kept me onboard, and I am thoroughly enjoying the ride. I am really hoping that after this series, there will be many more spin-offs to come because there is still so much story to be told in this grand and magnificent universe being brought to our very own eyes. And specifically for the Spider-Man fans, you will be very pleased by the loads of screen-time that Peter and his family get on this book.

P.S. This was extremely painful.